New Media = Old Media

As this (paywalled) Washington Post article says, ‘Social media is turning into old-fashioned network television.’ Although, arguably, it isn’t happening; it’s already happened. And it has significant implications for anyone working in marketing.

But first, how has this happened?

One reason is that there is very little that is truly ‘social’ about today’s platforms. Most of us refrain from sharing private thoughts publicly; we leave that for WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal or maybe DMs.

Another reason is the unstoppable rise of TikTok (barring more government bans) has proven that people actually quite like the TV-format; they just like it on their phones as well as their TV’s. Further proof is the launch of shows like Cobell Energy, launched on TikTok but very much a TV show for the modern era.

So, if we’re all on the same page that this shift has already happened, why does it matter?

Does it mean the end of longer-form content? Definitely not, as movies are actually getting longer. But it does mean that the mediums are blended to a point where it’s harder to see the difference…

In a world where ‘social’ platforms, streaming services and traditional TV are almost interchangeable, it’s likely that the quality of the content will need to increase. People aren’t going to accept poor quality content from brands when they are seeing Hollywood-produced shows in the same feed.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that every post needs to be polished like the latest Spielberg or Cameron blockbuster, but the idea needs to be even stronger.

Finally, as the platforms continue to ‘empower creators’, using influencers will become even more important if you want to reach - and engage - an exponentially larger audience. This is supported by the data that - in most markets - the power of influencers is only growing.