My Big Predictions For Social Media In 2017

Steve Fogg 6th Jan 2017 Digital

0 Shares

I made some predictions last year about social media in 2016. Some of them came true, some are on the way. Here is what I think will happen in 2017.

Live video streaming is ever changing. All the social networks are scrambling to own the video space. Broadly speaking video is the big prediction. If you want to be ahead of the game, build a content video team for social media.

Twitter Live

Twitter is finally catching up and making live streaming from it’s native app much simpler and smarter. It’s still branded as Periscope but you don’t need the Periscope app anymore to broadcast from. Check out my Twitter live video of ‘One important update to your website you may need to make in 2017’ here.

Prediction: Twitter is way behind the eight ball here, but it because of the real-time nature it still has the advantage in areas like sports and news. If it can make some smart plays here it can leap-frog Facebook.

Instagram Live

While it is still only available in the USA I expect that it will be rolled out sooner rather than later for the rest of us. The unique thing about this is that the live video isn’t available for replays which means the live experience will be even more important for people to tune into. Otherwise they will miss out!

Prediction: Instagram will keep bloating its functionality to try and match Snapchat and any other younger networks. Instagram Live will grow but not to the same extent as it is on Facebook.

Facebook Live

Facebook Live has had the advantage of being first for nearly a whole year. Many people I know are using it. Every single month they are adding subtle updates to its functionality. If you haven’t used it yet get on board before they throttle back its reach. Read more about the 11 different ways I’ve seen churches use Facebook Live here.

Facebook released a super cool update feature for the live video. Facebook Live 360. What I love about this idea is that it is much more immersive. This is a major update and points towards their development in augmented reality (AR) and making that more seamless with a social experience in the future. Read more here. Watch the first ever Facebook Live 360 video here that National Geographic did.

Facebook has also just released Facebook Live Audio. More on that here.

Prediction: AR will merge eventually with Live/recorded streaming/vision to create an immersive experience. I don’t think this will happen in 2017 but it will come very quickly once TV companies and web TV on demand companies figure out a way to monetise it. Eg. Think being in the ball game and choosing a player. It may cost you a dollar or two extra to choose your favourite player. Or think church online and checking out a church and actually being inside the church through AR. Again I don’t think this will happen this year, but it will come.

Check out these eleven examples of churches using Facebook Live right now.

The bottom line

I think the explosion of live social video means that churches have a genuine opportunity to reach their local communities through social media. The person that has never visited your church can actually check you out in their social media feed. Amazing.

How will this change where you put your media human and technical production resources?

Will you invest intentionally create a service that isn’t just ‘sanctuary/auditorium’ focussed?

Curious about my 2016 predictions? I reckon I did quite well, but make up your own mind. Read them here.

Your turn

What trends do you see? Disagree or agree with anything I’ve said? Got questions? Comment below. I love hearing what people think is coming!

0 Shares

5 Comments

Kenny - January 7th, 2017 at 4:09 am
As long as we’re talking live video features. . . .

One of the big things lacking in the “Live” experiences is the real-time 2-way communications. There’s a lag. There’s video only 1-way. Clicking emoji’s all days long and chatting with a lag is tiresome and not fun after awhile. This is going to push Facebook Live into more of a Broadcast medium than intended as people just sit back and watch, not interact.

My prediction is that since Social is on a dog-year life-cycle, and video only speeds that up, we’ll see attempts to solve those 2-way interactions on a large-group basis.

HouseParty already solved it in a small-group sense. Haven’t heard or used it yet? You will. They already have over 1 million people on the platform. Regardless, HouseParty will have imitators (Instagram are you listening to this?) and copycats for sure.

What we need is a Google Hangouts XL. In an app. That works. For everyone. Instantly.

Thoughts?
Steve Fogg - January 10th, 2017 at 3:32 am
Some great points there Kenny. I’ve not used Houseparty, although I love what Facebook is doing with their messenger app with multi-video which may blow it out of the water depending its functionality.

I don’t really use G+ any more to be honest. It has a lovely clean interface and Hangouts is great, but non of my friends are really on it.
Kevin Kolbe - January 11th, 2017 at 3:05 am
Good stuff! I tend to agree with you on Twitter and even Instagram to a degree. Even though Facebook isn’t perfect, they do tend to get out in front.

Also get what Kenny (the other guy) is saying about it all being “one way” but I think that’s okay. If you consider blogs and podcasts, it’s all “one way” but allows us creative types and also Christ-followers ways to share…and learn.

Thanks
k2
Steve Fogg - January 11th, 2017 at 3:12 am
They can all be one way, but you can make it interactive through having good community management answering questions and engaging during the live streams – on Facebook anyway!
Matt - January 12th, 2017 at 1:40 am
Love the Blog Steve… Thanks for the insight.. We did our first promoted Facebook live post due to weather conditions here.. We had Tremendous Turn out even people that have just wanted to see what we are about but wouldn’t get out of there Comfort Zones to come and visit came to the Live event and are saying that they are coming to visit the Church.. God can and will use every avenue to reach his people we just have to be good stewards of it. We are planning on using Facebook Live periodically in our services with out Recorded services to continue to reach the People Of Jonesborough for his Glory..
Thanks of the Tips!

In Christ,
Matt