What's trending at present?
Major social media networks, including Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook study declining numbers of users or flat user growth. It'south beingness dubbed "peak social". Over one-half of regular users (55%) say compared to a year ago, they find themselves using social media a lot less, according to new inquiry from Regina Corso Consulting.

At that place've also been changes in social media behaviour. People are turning to platforms for information and are posting less. Engagement with Facebook posts of major brands dropped more than 50 percentage over the terminal 18 months, according to research from Buffer and BuzzSumo.

Concerns such as privacy, faux news and too many ads are among the reasons for the growing exodus of consumers from social media platforms. Furthermore, many users, especially younger ones, are finding some platforms uncool, specially if they are being used by their parents.

Why information technology's important
The plateauing of social media is, at this stage, not a cause for huge concern for marketing and communications professionals. This is because the social networks withal reach millions of people. However, communications professionals will demand to consider fresh strategies that tailor their messaging and delivery for unique audiences on different platforms.

They will need to have into account that while some consumers are leaving social media completely, others are turning to closed messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger instead of making public broadcasts.

"What people seem to be clamouring for more and more is community, whether it's going to private group chats on existing platforms like WhatsApp groups, or going to new platforms that have emerged," says Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, the social news aggregation and word website.

What'southward the butterfly issue?
Two apps that are going to get increasingly popular are Discord and Telegram. They are messaging apps with voice telephone call capabilities that offer practiced alternatives to traditionally popular messaging apps. Discord has a specific focus on gamers who desire to talk to one another while they are playing.

Online social gaming, such as Fortnite, has become an alternative to socialising through social networks. The wildly pop online video game has evolved into a place that'southward not habitation or schoolhouse, where kids can get together and socialise on their own terms. It's the new mall.

The pioneers
Nextdoor, at present active in around 169,000 neighbourhoods in the United states of america, connects you with people who alive nearby. This allows you for case to buy or sell used article of furniture, throw a street party or have intendance of local issues like potholes. Once you've made a few friends, their posts volition begin populating your Nextdoor news feed, an feel much similar using Facebook. Need a bodyguard at brusk discover? Spotted a law-breaking that your neighbours should be aware of? Nextdoor could be the answer. The website has indicated it will be bachelor in South Africa at some point.

MeWe is a blockchain-based messenger with an emphasis on privacy and anonymity. The emphasis on user information protection and security ways that users do not demand to worry about who sees what they share. Their information is their own.

Telegram is a cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging app with a focus on security and speed. Developed in the Uk, it is almost a like-for-similar substitute for WhatsApp, with many of the same features. It was the get-go mainstream messaging app to offer its users encryption and has similar privacy credentials to WhatsApp.

The global hot spots?
The world wide web

Past Faeeza Khan

Nearly Faeeza
Faeeza Khan is curious about the world around her and what the time to come holds. This is what attracted her to working in the trend space. Her role as Operations Assistant at Flux Trends ranges from full general office management tasks to Public Relations. She manages the media appearances of the Flux trend experts and ensures that the broader public stays informed of Flux Trends research through social media

Flux Trends' experts are available for comment and interviews. For all media enquiries please contact Faeeza Khan on info@fluxtrends.co.za .

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Image credit: Christian Wiediger