Social media is growing every day and it is shaping our whole world, from politics, culture and even our private relationships. Currently, more than half of the world population is using social media (58,4%) and increasingly spend the whole day on our phones, scrolling through Instagram feeds and watching TikToks.But when you look a little deeper, the picture changes. It seems like younger people are turning away from social media. For instance, a research from Global Web Index indicates that millennials and Gen Z are either not spending as much time on social media than before or at least not spending more time than in the past.

But what is moving this shift in behavior?

Just think about yourself. Don’t you feel overwhelmed with the need of creating content? Or this urge to check social media every half an hour to see what is new?

According to an article from Harvard Business Review, young people say that after spending their life on creating beautiful feeds, online personalities and gathering lots of online friends, they want to feel free - be their true selves and make real friendships. They want to recover their privacy by not sharing every detail of their lives on Facebook, Instagram and co. and use that time to enjoy what really matters to them. They call themselves the "unplugged" and self-proclaimed "anti-social media”.
The BBC spoke with some of the "disconnected" to find out what were the reasons that led them to be part of that group. One member says that he does not know if the others are happy, but he looks around more. He likes to observe, take a look at what people are wearing, imagine what kind of people they are... Just try to live a little more in the moment. Another member states that nobody really wants to spend hours and hours each day updating their statuses and seeing what other people think about them. Nobody wants to do that consciously, but those behaviors are addictive.
"The bad thing is that you think that other people's lives are more fun than your own," explained a young British woman.
To summarize, the anti-social-movement is not about getting back to Eden, a place without technology at all. It is about taking the control back, letting go of comparing ourselves to others and being more present in general.

But how can companies connect with people who are not on social media?

Companies have become used to having a whole world of customers just a few clicks away by targeting their audience on social media. To reach their audience in this new era, companies need to re-think. It seems like users are fleeing to so-called “digital campfires” - more private online space, where small groups of people share their interests.

Digital campfires can be:
- private messaging
- micro-communities,
- and shared experiences.

Private messaging are the typical group chats on Whatsapp or Messenger and obviously brands are not invited to this private conversation. Some companies have started to use Chatbots or similar experiences to simulate human interaction and create that closeness and intimacy. For marketers private messaging is the most difficult to enter. Companies should focus on analyzing their audience, its needs and especially their consumption behavior in order to best adapt to their habits.

Micro communities often appear for instance, on Facebook groups, “close friends” on Instagram Stories or Slack. They are semi-private but can offer great insights for companies. Usually, they are not indexed by Google and are difficult to find but when searching for specific interests or problems you will definitely come around some of them. Once you have found one, analyze the conversation and either collaborate with an existing community or create your own.

Shared experiences are private or public forums where users participate in a shared experience. Multiplayer video games such as Fortnite or platforms such as Twitch are great examples for it. In order for companies to enter these spaces, they have to identify the community first, then analyze what is the experience users are searching for and finally create an added-value experience for their community. Many brands such as Nike or Balenciaga have created outfits or weapons inside the game to be closer to their audience.

Final Words

Although the large social networks continue to dominate, new alternatives are consolidating, some older and niche (Facebook groups and interest based forums), others newer, making their way especially among the youngest (e.g. Poparazzi, an anti-selfie and anti-Instagram or Nextdoor, an app to discover the best recommendations in your neighborhood). A panorama that fragments network consumption according to user profiles and preferences, and that makes targeting increasingly difficult. More options for users, more difficulty for brands.

Sources

But what is moving this shift in behavior?

But how can companies connect with people who are not on social media?

Digital campfires can be: - private messaging - micro-communities, - and shared experiences.

Final Words

Sources

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Digital campfires can be:
- private messaging
- micro-communities,
- and shared experiences.