Dabble

Building social platform on 10 Insights

Social Media has taken quite the turn, and we aren’t happy. So we’re building a new system bent on contrarian fundamentals.

1 - Social Media ≠ Social Network

Social Apps were built for connection. A few years ago, one was solely on Instagram for their friends; Today reels and external content dictate most of one’s interaction.

2 - Content Creation vs Curation

The primary play for apps like Instagram and Tik-Tok lays in ‘curating content’. The large majority of one’s time on these system bares within ‘sharing content’ with friends.

In fact, the only apps that focus purely on content creation are Snapchat and BeReal — which is what most kids under 25 use.

Younger people side towards “Content Creation,” and older towards “Curation.”

3 - Creator and Follow Culture

Social systems were designed as networks that facilitated interaction; but the more they morph into “Social Media,” they tend towards creator and follow culture.

Creators are branded as ‘leading voices’ and domineer large chunks of one’s time on these platforms (bolstering Engagement Rates).

4 - Engagement vs Participation Rates

All platforms that monetise on ‘Ads’ focus on : “Engagement Rates” — everyone wants to hook you on for time.

Hence, platforms must perpetuate quality content — ie influencers and leading voices.

My twitter feed is taken aback with blue ticks and people I don’t know. Participation seems to stem singularly from influencers.

When was the last time your friends actively tweeted ? How many young kids today actively tweet ?

2–5% of Twitter’s user’s create 95% of its content. And the same is the case for Reddit and Medium (All Forum Spaces)

6 - Participation Rates bifurcate ‘Networks’ from ‘Media’

Are we on twitter because our friends tweet, or because someone famous tweets ?

Twitter is far better classified as a “Peer to Peer Media.”

Participation must paramount to the core interaction for a platform to be a true network.

7 - Communities DEPEND on Participation

Digital communities don’t feel like communities. And how could they with participations rates so low ?

Our experience with communities on twitter and reddit can best be portrayed as a mere “interaction.”

One’s rarely derives a sense of ownership from these spaces.

8 - People voice their Opinions in Closed Spaces

So where do people voice their opinions ? Where do people feel like they are part of something ? What’s the ultimate platform for communities ?

Discord ? Whatsapp ? Messages ?

9 - Deadness reaps through even Closed Communities

Closed systems illicit a far greater interplay. Even yet, there lays in our core issue — groups die.

How many discord servers and groups are you on ? How many of them are truly active ? and How many of them are you “truly active” on ?

10 - Theme vs People based Communities : Obligation

The reality is that most groups die; and the one’s that don’t, circle on a sense of obligation.

Only people based communities survive — theme based never sustain.

And they all thrive on “Identity and Obligation”.

So…

Can we build the paradigmatic platform for Digital Communities ? : A Closed Social Network, built on Participation, with a core play on Identity and Obligation.

Can we somehow merge Theme and People based communities and invent an all new social dynamic ?

Dabble : Here’s a peek ;)

Communities that could never exist, would on dabble !

We’ve invented the Nomination !

Find us at contact.dabble@gmail.com to learn more.

Team Dabble :)