Shifting Engagement: Feeds to Direct Messages
The world of social media is witnessing a significant shift in user engagement. Over the last 5 years and counting, user engagement has began to shift away from public feeds and more towards private direct messages (DMs). Gone are the days of publicly liking all of your friend’s posts to show that you’re engaging with them: instead, keeping in contact with them via private direct messages is the norm. This trend is reshaping the way users interact with each other and with brands on social media.
The Privacy Factor
Privacy is a growing concern among social media users. With increasing regulations about user data, consumers are more aware of how their personal information is being sold by social media platforms on a day to day basis. As a result, many are choosing to not share everything about themselves on a public feed and choose to engage in more private spaces like DMs. This shift allows users to have more personal, one-on-one conversations without the prying eyes of the public feed (or advertisers). It also provides a safe space for users to share sensitive information or discuss topics they may not feel comfortable sharing publicly.
The Personal Touch
Direct messages offer a more personal form of communication compared to public feeds. Instead of commenting a generic praise, you can now be direct and open with the account you are messaging and explore a deeper, more meaningful, conversation. Users have the option to have real-time, back-and-forth conversations that feel more like a chat than a comment thread. For businesses and brands, this can translate into stronger relationships with customers and more effective customer service.
The Role of Brands
Businesses and brands also help play a role in this shift towards DMs. Consumers look to social media as one of the quickest ways to get in contact with Customer Support. Customer Support accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, are common places for consumers to get direct access for help and inquiries. Over the years, platforms like Instagram have began to incorporate customer service tools into its messaging services. Business accounts on Instagram are able to tag individual direct messages as: Booked, Lead, Ordered, Paid, Shipped, and more!
These tools empower businesses to handle social inquiries and complaints in a private, controlled environment, something very different compared to old school. Some brands are even using DMs for marketing purposes, sending personalized messages and offers directly to users’ inboxes in an effort to incentivize conversions.
The Impact on Content
The shift towards DMs is also impacting the type of content that’s being shared on social media. In the privacy of DMs, users are more likely to share personal stories, sensitive topics, and controversial opinions. While this can lead to more authentic and meaningful conversations, it poses a challenge for businesses and brands to stay consistent on their messaging. For content creators, this means a need to create content that encourages this type of deep engagement, so long as the audience allows for it.
The Future of Engagement
As privacy concerns continue to grow and users seek more personal connections, this user shift towards DMs is likely to continue. Brands and content creators will need to adapt their strategies to this new reality, focusing on building deep, one-on-one relationships with their audience and solidifying a unified public / private messaging tactic.