I May Have Cracked Why People Still Swarm to Facebook Instead of Steemit
Facebook is the big dog in the social media yard. No doubt. Even though there are problems with that service, such as their shoddy privacy protections, potentially spying on users, etc, people still flock to it like no ones business. I think I know why.
Their friends are there
This is a big one, it is also a catch 22 that all new services face - if you depend on users to use your product then you face this catch 22. People want to be where their friends are. They want to be around like minded people too. That is why a lot of people go ahead and join Facebook or Snapchat or Twitter - because their friends, or someone they like, use it already. Most people don't wake up and think, "I want to join a social media site where I am potentially spied on, my private information is nearly out in the open, etc."
No.
Most people cave to peer pressure and go with the crowd, whether it is their crowd or one they want to be a part of, they go. A lot of people are going to Facebook (if you check out statistics by third parties though, you may realize it is not all "people" behind those accounts). Potential, and current, users see the blue and white Facebook "F" in the corner of shows, commercials, etc. It is clear that Facebook is trying to become an intranet of their own and they need users for that.
How do we fix it?
We just have to keep chugging along at our own pace. Facebook did not get as big as it is overnight. They were "large" for years when they existed only for college students to interact with each other. They exploded when they opened up the gates to anyone with an e-mail address.
Steemit is still in the "college" days as far as a comparison to Facebook. Things are getting better. People are talking. Bigger fish are spending money on advertising and pushing the site out in front of more people. That is stuff we need to have going on if we are going to grow as we get closer to leaving the Beta stage. You don't have to spend money to get people to hear about Steemit. I have reached out to many friends and family this year and gotten many of them to sign up and so far, they love it here.
Features of Facebook that Steemit needs. Yesterday
A trending news sidebar. Not one from people here on Steemit - we already have a "trending" button at the top (though it would not hurt to make those words more pronounced so new users know they can click them). No, we need a trending world news style ticker or sidebar so people can keep up to date on things.
Integrated chat and private messaging. I know, we have several options for this but they all require users of Steemit to sign up on those sites and hope they are talking to the person they think they are talking to (usernames are not protected between Steemit and external chat sites). We desperately need a private messaging option here on Steemit.
Options to show support other than just upvotes. Facebook got a lot of media love when they rolled out the emotions per comment or post. Maybe we need something like that here on Steemit. Sometimes I find a post hilarious and it would be nice to have an option other than just upvoting and then explaining in a comment that I found the post hilarious (which seems like I am asking for an upvote/follow back which I am not).
Got any suggestions for stuff Steemit needs that Facebook, or other social media, has?
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Mod that Console
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What I miss Most About Being a Gamer
Movies:
War for the Planet of the Apes Videos
Sports
WWE’s First Women’s Money in the Bank Match
Steemit
Hard Fork 19 Has Hit
I May Have Cracked Why People Still Swarm to Facebook
Technology:
Amazon Continues Home Infiltration
Bitcoin to Become Legal Tender in India
Canada to Outlaw Locked Cell Phones
Microsoft’s Invasion of Android
I am new to steemit. I am still on FB and I don't want my friends and family to follow me.
Why would you not want your friends to follow you to #Steemit?
Don't get me wrong I love my family and friends I just need some space! ;) Eventually they will follow.
Okay, that is a good reason to not wanting them to follow you here. lol. Upvote for you!
lol, I can understand that! I think that is why there will always be a 'market' for people who want to use social networks NOT named facebook ... regardless of how many people get sucked in.
You don't have to spend money to get people to hear about Steemit. agree, but how to disagree with guys like @decentralizd, who's plan is just so cool!
Things will evolve naturally and we'll graduate the 'college' over the next few years.
Hi man, nice to meet you! Just made a similar post on my feed. It's a pitty people are so used to FB or other social media platforms. It's so hard to get them over here... A new interface would help for sure, from what I hear is people think this site looks a bit boring. But probably most sheeple are to dumb to understand the benefits of this new platform. And don't have something interesting to say.
This the article you are talking about?
I agree with your article there, I think FB is censoring #Steemit discussion over there.
That's been FB's model for some time now; They always censor competing social networks; especially ones that pay people to use them. I've been in the "social networks that pay space" since 2010 and so I've seen this happen over and over. No doubt, facebook will eventually tell people the steemit links are spam, or phishing, to keep them from visiting the site. It's just how they do things. When Instagram was starting to get too much attention, facebook Bought Instagram. They Bought WhatsApp for the same reasons; so it can all be part of their empire .... just how they do things over there, from what I have observed.
That brings up an interesting point about Steemit. They cannot exactly purchase it since new #Steem would just be made as time goes on via the built in inflation. I wonder how #Facebook would handle it, maybe just censor the words and make the links "spam" as you mentioned.
The 'why won't people leave facebook' .... conversation, has been going on for years now. I've resolved that I won't worry about them. Facebook did me a favor, and I've been thankful ever since. However, others are still 'locked in' to helping facebook make money, because they're totally satisfied with their jobs. Truth is, most people who use social networks, have no desire to get paid while using them. So, no amount of "Hey you can get paid for this" is going to get through to them. Even if what we're saying makes sense. The 'desire to earn money', outside of going to work every day - just isn't in them...
Very true. If they want to make money they will do it and a lot of people are not on social media to earn money, they are there to socialize and interact with friends.
PS I did have to go thru 5 days of notifications to find this! LOL
Thank you for taking the time to find this post and share your thoughts. Much appreciated.
This doesn't warrant a whole post but one thing that could make things easier on steemit is a way to categorize your following list. Like I have active users and would like to easily switch to just view those posts from those users... Make sense? Like you would be on that list so I can see your posts and not have to ruffle thru other posts that have no meaning or value or people who do not actively engage with me.
I definitely agree with your idea about categorizing our friends list. I follow people that cover just politics, or gaming, or life, and I love checking those articles out. When I am in the mood for a certain type of article though, it would be great to be able to sort just based on those, from the people I follow - avoiding having to slog through tons of other posts to find that certain content I want.
Another thing.. A private messaging system
YES! This is a big problem here on Steemit. A lot of the people that I talk with about coming here ask if there is a PM system in place. When I say no, they lose interest. Then when I explain the options available their response is often "how do I know it is you?" Big concern for sure.
I have 4 chat windows from facebook open right now talking to people on here...
I am the same way. I am in probably 10 group chats over there for clients and websites I am involved in. Such a shame a similar option is not available here.
I know right.. Btw I upvoted your comment but i am really out of voting power...
Thank you for the upvote. The support is appreciated.
Welcome to the steemit community
Hope you are lucky here follow me here @chanya
I have a lot of suggestions but it probably is too much to type LOL
Write them up in an article and let people like me know about it. I am always interested in seeing the ideas others have in regard to growing Steemit.
I will do that.. I just posted an article about Facebook and the simplified algorithms that they use and how the user can tell if someone is viewing their profile! @triverse
I will have to hit your page here on #Steemit and read that article. Thanks for the heads up.
#imkindaweird is my tag so people can find my stuff easier.
Good to know. Thank you for the heads up.
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