Mainstream Social Media: Is That What Users Want?

Every day, we further mainstream social media. It’s hard to watch a news program that isn’t talking about what’s going on in tweet-land or what’s being posted on Facebook. How many TV and radio commercials now ask you to follow, like, and print ads with Twitter and Facebook logos? My perception of social media’s growth is due to poor programming content with traditional media. We are constantly being sold something that we’re not interested in. Individuals are always looking for entertainment avenues and exploring places to be able to speak their minds. Those searching found it on social media.

Aren’t We Already in a Mainstream Social Media Environment

Facebook began as a place to keep in touch with people you went to college with. It has evolved to be a place to reconnect with your old high school acquaintances and distant relatives. Twitter was filled with news and information, offering a place to speak your mind. Fast forward to today and Facebook and Twitter continue to offer the same options as before, the difference? More bad content. More companies are trying to sell you something you don’t want.  Hundreds of articles and blogs are published, tweeted, and posted daily, giving businesses advice on how their company should approach social media. And every day, even more, they revert to traditional media advertising because that’s what they know: sell, sell, sell rather than communicate. So, many social media users became users to escape the mainstream. But every day, social media becomes more mainstream. My big question is: what will happen, and where will all the rebels and cool people go when social media IS the mainstream?