Navigating the complicated relationship between social media users, platforms, and marketers

Originally published in ANA (Association of National Advertisers)

People reducing their social media usage is the most recent trend in the ongoing complex – and often convoluted – relationship between social media users, platforms, and marketers. Yet the majority of those on social media aren't deactivating their accounts or deleting them entirely, they're just starting to use social media differently. As the number of global and U.S. users continues to rise, what does this shift in behaviour and expectation mean for marketers, who have spent the past decade honing their social campaigns? And how do we handle that shift?

To answer both those questions, it's important to understand the drivers of this behaviour change – as well as grasp the context in which they're happening. Trust, and the notion of data sanctity, have become increasingly important to users as social media matures, and is now arguably at its zenith.

Let's review the scene: The social media landscape is now highly commercial. Policy decisions by tech and social media companies are guided by commercial interests, and that invariably means collecting, analysing, and selling, user data. This facilitates the core marketing impetus to sell.

But – and here's the rub – as people catch on to the fact that they are, in fact, the ‘product’, they're moving to more controlled and curated spaces. Part of this means they're expecting more engagement through content that is far more nuanced. And many are seeking more private and meaningful connections through features like Instagram's Close Friends, which offers a more controlled and ad-free (and therefore more trustworthy) environment.

On one hand, then, users are becoming more careful in how they engage with social media and are less trusting than ever as they seek genuine authenticity. On the other side, increasing regulatory pressures are forcing the platforms themselves to change how they approach a lot of the content and curation they manage.

Rules and responsibilities

When it comes to regulation, it's no secret that the pace of social media evolution often outstrips regulatory measures – particularly as platforms must adhere to diverse legal standards across different regions. There have been various national approaches to managing issues like false information and hate speech, such as Germany's Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG), which placed the responsibility of content regulation on the platforms themselves.

In response to these types of pressures coming from lawmakers, social media companies have implemented several changes with notable speed and scale. We have seen investment in content moderation teams (although there has also been backlash) plus a greater focus on transparency in advertising and fact-checking partnerships.

These have, in many cases, been combined with adjustments to algorithms. Instagram is the latest platform to change its algorithm, aiming to, in its own words, "Give all creators a more equal chance of breaking through to new audiences." This algorithm change has also received its fair share of backlash from creators, particularly those who support content aggregators or are less in favour of the perceived shift to Reels and video content.

Tell, don't sell (at least not overtly)

These shifting sands are causing a concurrent transformation in marketers and their marketing strategies as they seek to keep pace with technological and cultural changes. Some are either pulling back or disengaging from social media altogether, but doing so means limiting advertising reach and impact. It’s far better to adapt the existing approach to incorporate the change.

As we go further into the age of ‘tell – don't sell’ (or at least not too overtly), there are clear hygiene factors that underpin all agile social media strategies.

The first is to invest in understanding the specific platforms used by the target demographic and tailor your strategies accordingly with a view toward adopting a ‘quality over quantity’ mindset, and ensuring the content is engaging and relevant to the audience.

This is relevant to the content itself, which should resonate with the target audience's values and interests, rather than just pushing for sales. Building an active online community and engaging with users in a meaningful way is crucial, as is personalizing content for different platforms to ensure it adds value to the audience's values.

Then comes ethics. There is a clear and welcome move towards more transparent marketing practices, that cover (but aren't limited to) respecting user privacy and data; sharing only accurate and verified information; avoiding the exploitation of sensitive issues for engagement; clearly disclosing relationships with influencers; monitoring and acting on user feedback; and avoiding the use of fear-based tactics to drive engagement or sales.

What's clear is that despite the inherent issues with social media, it also remains one of the most important channel for marketers – as we said at the start, it continues on a growth trajectory that shows no signs of slowing. Maintaining the right level, and right quality of content, is vital for campaign visibility and effectiveness, if brand strategies evolve in line with the nature of usage and user needs.