The Tribes of Social Media
By: Lewis Ingram
Tags: Networks, Entertainment, Social Media, Technology, Tribes

What is the difference between social media networks? What is it about each platform that attracts users to use as their ‘main’ platform as opposed to another? Each platform seems to offer something different and unique, but how do new users choose where to go? It’s interesting because sometimes it seems like social media is all the same, but yet they do all have their USP (unique selling point), or ‘hook’, which initially drew people in.

Facebook has its ‘Friends’ and timelines; Instagram has its photos and hashtags; Twitter has its tweets and celebrities. On the surface they all stand out and have their own users and fans (one could call them tribes, as they can be guilty of acting rather tribal towards each other). Why do some people identify with or prefer Instagram to Snapchat? Why do some sing Twitter’s praises while condemn Facebook?

Each platform seems to have these apparently distinct features from one another, however, they are actually more similar than it seems. As time has gone on, the platforms have increasingly borrowed ideas from each other. Facebook now has a followers and stories option (stealing from Instagram and Snapchat), Instagram has a direct messaging option (which works exactly like Facebook messenger) and a stories option (turning on Snapchat now) and Twitter has doubled its 140 characters tweet to allow more detailed posts (timelines look more like Facebook). Facebook and Twitter even have the same purpose; they are platforms that provide a community space to make announcements and share with others.

The apps on smartphones have changed too, so now they all look more similar with the same aesthetic and user interface. While people may think these changes are just the typical case of rival companies competing with each other, this is not entirely the case. Facebook in fact owns Instagram (as well as WhatsApp). It is clear how Instagram and Facebook have become more integrated over the years, while Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has plans to further increase interconnectivity between these two as well as WhatsApp, allowing users to communicate with others across the different platforms. They will remain as stand-alone apps but will be linked behind the scenes. Chris Fox, technology report for BBC, claims that “Cross-platform messaging may also lead the way for businesses on one platform to message potential customers on another… and it might make it easier for Facebook to share data across the three platforms, to help its targeted advertising efforts.”

Facebook is still by far the most popular network, because it is one of the oldest networks and has the largest userbase at 2 billion monthly active users — 88% of which are 18–29 year olds. Millennials and Gen X are most likely to use this platform to share content, and gender demographics are 52% female to 48% male. One of the reasons Facebook still has such a high userbase, is due to the way it is used; it has become a regular daily activity for people, and in many ways has replaced older traditional forms of media such as the TV for when people are bored. Also, because it has been around for so long it has established itself well around the world as the first go-to social media network. Everybody uses Facebook don’t they? Businesses, bands, comedians, children, grandmothers (65% of people aged 50 and up use the platform — crazy I know).

Instagram has become increasingly popular with 800 million monthly active users and 500 million daily active users. 53% of teens say Instagram is the best platform to tell them about new products. 59% of users are 18–29 year olds and the next largest user group are 30–49 year olds at 33%. Instagram is primarily used for entertainment purposes, and is no longer just about photos. For some time now, users have been able to upload and share longer videos, as well as use a ‘stories’ option.

Twitter is surprisingly the least popular, and has 317 million monthly active users. 18–29 year olds are once again the largest user group, but with a smaller percentage on Twitter at 36%. 30–49 year olds are next at 23%. Interestingly, Twitter is the only network of ‘The Big Three’ platforms that has a majority male userbase, at 53%. Twitter has a large number of users in the creative and communication industry on the platform, and we can see this from looking at NorthSide Festival 2014 in Aarhus, Denmark. The activity on this platform was surprisingly high but makes sense though, as it appears there was coinciding target groups between Twitter and NorthSide. 77% of posts and streams from this event were tagged with ‘#NS14’ implying a large online community around the festival.

Snapchat has 300 million active users. 39% of teens polled said that Snapchat was their favourite network. Instagram and Snapchat are both very similar, in the sense they are photo/video focused and have a ‘stories’ feature. They are also regarded as the best places for teens. However, Facebook and Instagram (again) are regarded as the best places for millennials. This is understandable seeing the similarities between these apps and the fact that Facebook owns both. I think it’s obvious the powers above have slowly been trying to turn Instagram into another form of Facebook (Facegram? Instabook? Either way, terrible names).

What does the future hold?