Social media is one of the most popular and well-used kinds of digital products out there—but of course, it’s not without its problems. That’s why we’re talking about a new trend in social media, where digital product creators are building alternatives to the Facebooks and Twitters of the world. In these “anti-social media” products, creators are paving the way for a new future and building distinct communities through tech. 

This episode is part 1 of our two-episode exploration of anti-social media. Listen to part 2 when it releases on Jan. 25. 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to see the latest in Better Product, a show part of the Better Product Community powered by Innovatemap. The community is the connection point for product leaders & practitioners to learn and share what it takes to design, build, market, and sell better products. Learn more at betterproduct.community. 

Takeaways:

• Social media as we know it is a product that’s “outgrown itself to a point where it’s almost unmanageable.”
• Our lives are increasingly not just built around social media; our lives, in many ways, are becoming one with it.
• Anti-social media products are trying to correct the problems big social media created.

Things To Listen For:

• [0:30] Christian & Meghan explore when they first discovered social media
• [3:00] When we think social media became a term/concept
• [4:00] Tony Hawk & the original Twitter influencers
• [5:30] Our lives are increasingly not just built around social media; they are becoming one with it (think about the Metaverse)
• [6:15] What to recognize about our concept, anti-social media, and its origin
• [7:00] Why we’re dissatisfied with most social media today
• [7:45] Why we’re thinking about social media like an invasive plant, kudzu
• [9:00] Was there ever a time when social media as we know it had promise?
• [11:00] Why social media community goals are at odds with the business model
• [13:30] What messaging and brand obligations social media has to consumers
• [15:00] The possibility in different revenue models, like Twitter’s new subscription
• [16:00] Defining “anti-social media products” and why they’re not “antisocial”
• [16:30] What we think about product design in “anti-social media”
• [19:45] What we think about brand & product marketing in “anti-social media”
• [21:30] Considering the power of brand manifestos in “anti-social media” products
• [22:30] Exploring Diem, one example of an “anti-social media” product
• [28:45] Exploring Glasp, another example of an “anti-social media” product