We can't spend more time in social media
The average time spent online has reached a plateau, while all platforms are implementing engagement strategies.
We cannot spend more time online than our lives - and our physical constraints - allow us. This is one of the conclusions from the GWI report in 2022, which proves that we have reached a plateau in terms of average time spent on the internet after the peaks of various lockdowns.
This explains why different platforms encourage us to connect every day - even very briefly - to maintain our attention with them: failing to increase the monthly time spent, increasing the frequency of check-ins (the action that confirms we have actually registered or visited the application) has become a priority.
It is even the foundation of BeReal (a short, daily time frame to post a photo in dual camera), or the strength of Co-Star (a daily astro flash): like the weather or the news before them, social networks need rituals to exist, true digital jingles that distribute points to users.
This is probably a upheaval for anyone venturing into the web jungle; it becomes more important to get users to repeat actions rather than just fighting for more time spent on an application. Because repetition gives rise to familiarity, to a form of habit that allows even the creation of a certain expectation. On this matter, nothing conceptually new since the movie Inception.
“What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks; right in there somewhere.”
This attraction to the frequency of "check-ins" generates interest from investors in the realm of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). POAPs (Proof of Attendance Protocol) are starting to be distributed, for example, to attest to participation in an event. A sort of memory token that can play the role of a mandatory passport to access other types of content or other invitations. Recorded and recordable liveliness.
Word of the day: Skeuomorphism
Skeuomorphism "involves imitating the appearance of a real object when designing a virtual object." In practice, this technique facilitates the action or use desired by a user. The trash can on computer screens is the most illustrative example: as in the real world, you can drop documents into it before getting rid of them. However, in virtual worlds, this design technique seems to be a bad idea: reproducing physical constraints in more immersive environments could instead make the experience annoying (for example, in the case of a store where each garment would be folded). Creatives have hours of contemplation ahead of them!
Impressive links
An analysis of the impact of local YouTubers on the Chandni Chowk market near Old Delhi station in India proves the prescribing power of these modern-day guides who also create new economic circuits with shops that did not engage in marketing until now.
The New Statesman reflects on the explosion of content created by therapists on social media; with the race for audience, the conveyed messages could well be detrimental to patients and raise ethical questions.
...see you soon!