Consumer Social is Eating the World

Zoom Bachelorette tapped into everything I love about consumer tech. Every product that makes it easier for individuals to create gives rise to novel behaviors and ingenuity in applications. Breakthrough consumer apps—from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and now Clubhouse—all satisfy a core user need and make it simpler to express one... See more

1) Social Connections: ocial acceptance and improved digital experiences will usher a new wave of growth in friendly hangouts (House Party), shared screens (Squad), asynchronous catchups (Marco Polo), or finding love (Bumble).

In the short-term, we’re seeing audio-first social serving users based on relevance or familiarity: either they (1) serve niche communities with relevant, shared interests whether it be a topical interest or a functional interest (Clubhouse, QuarantineChat), or they (2) serve small groups with people that are familiar with each other (Rodeo, Chalk,... See more

A few seemingly quirky social apps will tune into the under 16 demographic’s distinct approach to creation as a form of self-expression and tolerance for transparency by default... the future of social is exciting and, contrary to popular belief, will not be constrained to today’s dominant social networks.

Poparazzi seems to lack any of the hallmarks of anything lasting. There is nothing new to the mode, nothing that cannot be done elsewhere, nothing truly unique or interesting. Restricting what you can do in a social network works with the length of a video, but it doesn’t really work with photos. It’s just another app that will be gone in a few mon... See more

Even the existing social networks are finding their top innovations embrace the multiplayer model. Instagram leapfrogged Snapchat Stories by adding tagging, questions, polls, and other interactive elements.

Still, such micro-networks and the control they offer might redefine how we think about and use social media in the next decade, whether it is Cocoon or another app that follows in its wake.