For random acts of kindness on social media against ordinary violence.
While the dramas circulating on social media significantly impact teenagers, reintroducing humanity into exchanges is undoubtedly the best way to regain control.
Welcome to the new subscribers! The last 10 days have taken me from Geneva to Amsterdam. At the heart of the discussions: a real desire to rediscover some authenticity - and humanity - in social networks.
In a Pew Research Center study, about four out of ten teenagers (38%) declared feeling overwhelmed by the dramas they see on social media. More recently, one in two American teenagers aged 13 to 17 agreed to seek permission from their parents before opening a social media account. It is clear that the level of violence reached is unprecedented; if children are calling for the intervention of adults, it is urgent to rethink the governance of platforms.
In this tense ecosystem, one possible avenue is to develop a culture of random acts of kindness or "RAKs." This terminology is well-known to community managers, which was more of a norm in the early days of social media.
But what is a random act of kindness?
Random acts of kindness are as old a habit as social media
/random act of kindness (RAK)/: "spontaneous act of kindness" or "random act of kindness." In the context of social media, this can refer to benevolent or generous actions performed in an unpredictable and spontaneous manner towards the brand or person's followers or online community. This may include surprise gifts, exclusive benefits, or other gestures aimed at creating a positive and memorable experience for clients or subscribers, thereby reinforcing the positive perception of the brand or person and promoting engagement on social platforms.
In the early days of Web 2.0, one of the habits of early bloggers was, for example, to create posts with a series of recommended links. A virtuous loop: the more established blogger encouraged their community to discover smaller authors, which had the advantage of fostering strong, affiliative connections.
With the acceleration of forums, but also in August 2016, the launch of the famous Instagram Stories, there was an explosion of showcasing talents or other accounts through these ephemeral formats. Shoutouts, very popular in hip-hop culture (mentioning an artist, live on the radio, or in songs), were adapted to the new possibilities of social media. More recently, to wish someone a happy birthday, it is not uncommon to post a little best-of of photos with a friend in stories. A friendly shoutout, in short.
RAKs are now part of the arsenal of community manager teams, especially on the side of brands and celebrities. The principle: create a break in the flow of communication by giving an unexpected signal to a community member. The expected reaction? That the person in question talks about it on their social media, amplifying word-of-mouth around the brand. With, in return, an improvement in reputation.
From theory to practice: playing with a social currency, learning to say thank you
RAKs can be as simple as a "reshare" of a story or post on Instagram. Artist Agathe Clément took advantage of this small sign from Jacquemus to make it the starting point for a video creation in tribute to Simon Porte Jacquemus. Humanrace, founded by Pharrell Williams, has a dedicated "highlight" on its Instagram account for the best contributions from its community. An attention sent by the brand and its firepower in social media to highlight an individual, a talent.
RAKs are also physical manifestations; press offices are well aware of the value of a handwritten note slipped into a bouquet of flowers for a celebrity or influencer, who may then be tempted to share it online.
In the world of luxury, at Tiffany & Co, client advisors are evaluated, among other criteria, on a Net Promoter Score, their ability in the end to be recommended, which involves different RAK tactics.
Bringing humanity back into exchanges to create a sense of closeness
One of the reasons for the success of We're Not Really Strangers, Koreen Odiney's project aimed at breaking the ice and more generally promoting better communication through card games, is precisely to surprise her subscribers with acts of kindness. As mentioned this summer in the newsletter We all need a Rosebud in our connected lives, she transforms emails that sometimes have a bad reputation - too commercial, too spammy, too empty - into a small gesture for her audience.
An act of kindness can also target a broader community, such as Louis Vuitton during the launch of its LV CIRCLE broadcast channel. On this new space, voice messages from celebrities but also exclusive announcements, such as the renewal of Nicolas Ghesquière's contract, are broadcast.
Interest in these acts will fundamentally grow with Meta's recent announcements, especially on Instagram. By proposing to deploy the mechanics of "close friends," Instagram will allow playing with a certain hierarchy among the subscribers of its users.
Spontaneous acts of kindness that all members of a community could favor
Very simple actions can be broadcast on our networks, at different levels.
often highlights beautiful people in her newsletter, like Madame Pouzieux. It's a free, sincere act. And it feels good. takes us on a journey through ordinary stories that become extraordinary. He, in a way, extends his microphone to make his community travel and surprise them.Lise Pierron offers her "close friends" on Instagram a whole series of discoveries that are dear to her, in photos or videos.
In poetry or dance communities, I am always amazed by the culture of shoutouts.
On
, there are often shoutouts to recommend emerging writers.French author Emery Doligé sometimes spontaneously invites one of his subscribers to lunch, to exchange, debate, and discuss.
In other words, it's about humanity and authenticity.
Emoji of the year (for Tinder): 🅿️
On Tinder, the 🅿️ emoji (originally the parking emoji but also associated with "Pushin P" in reference to Gunna's song) was the most trending emoji globally in 2023. An interesting change from the trending emojis of previous years (🤦 in 2019, 🤷 in 2020, and 👀 in 2021), members turned to 🅿️ to promote "positivity" and authenticity.
Amazing Links
I have compiled all the trend reports for 2023 on social media as well as predictions for 2024.
Pantone has announced that the color "Peach Fuzz" will be the color of the year 2024. Soothing, cozy tones.
Have a great week! Don't hesitate to share this newsletter, recommend it to your friends: each new subscriber is a little more motivation. Next Tuesday will be the last newsletter of the year before a festive and very disconnected break. Take care of yourself.