Is There Too Many Features On Social Media?
Is there too many features on social media apps? Sure, the goal of every social media app is to keep you on the platform for as long as physically possible; but as a SME or marketer, is there just too many to keep track of? Today we’re going to explore that.
First off, Broadcast channels
Broadcast channels are a public, one-to-many messaging tool for creators to invite all of their followers into and engage with their most interested fans. Creators can use broadcast channels as a casual, quick way to keep followers up-to-date. They can use text, photo, video and voice notes to share their latest updates and behind-the-scenes moments and even create polls to crowdsource fan feedback. Only creators can send messages, while followers can react to content and vote in polls.
The new feature comes a matter of months after Instagram Introduced their competition to X. Threads hit the scene well, despite the high drop off rate immediately after it’s release. While it’s great that Instagram is looking for ways to build a community on the platform, it’s just getting a bit too much.
Important features
In addition to the global launch, Instagram announced experimental features, including the following:
Question prompts for collecting feedback and AMA content.
A dedicated tab in the inbox for easier access and discovery of joined and new channels.
Collaborators to invite guests on your broadcast channel.
Expiration dates and times for broadcasts.
Addition of content moderators.
Preview links to share with followers to encourage them to join a channel.
Zuckerberg tested the Collaborators feature last month with Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram.
While most channel members were interested in more creative tools, a poll at the end of the Collaborator session showed that many are also in AI chatbots and image generators.
Social Media Fatigue
As I mentioned earlier, the goal of every single social media app is too keep you on the platform as long as possible. More time on the app, more ads to show you, and more money for them. Instagram/Meta have chosen to try boost screen time by creating a “community” of more engagement and conversation - but as they bundle more and more features onto an already diverse app, it’s only really going to lead to a burnout.
Marketers and small business owners looking to make their mark online become overwhelmed with new features to understand and utilise, consumers become inundated with notifications from broadcast channel requests and messages, not to mention the constant reminder we’re abandoned Threads on our home feed.
Too much of anything is bad for you, and Mosseri’s introduction of BC’s is only going to overwhelm the audience and potentially get them to turn their backs on the platform. Whilst doing some research for this article, I found at least three mainstream news outlets publishing articles helping users turn off the “annoying” channel notifications (something I will be doing today…).
Whats the alternative?
Honestly I think it’s time Instagram and Meta took a step back and started to improve the features they’ve already implemented on the platform. More stickers for stories, enhanced editing features for Reels, and even better formatting for Grids. It feels like previously introduced tools are being abandoned and unkempt for the sake of shiny new selling points and the majority of users (including myself) feel lost trying to navigate the hot new feature that will boost your Instagram reach.