It’s 2011, social media is not new, and for all intents and purposes, there are no new form factors, just better versions. Innovation in the space revolves around better form factors and features. This can be likened to innovation in established sectors, like better DSLR cameras for consumers. Point being, we’ve entered the post social media revolution era.
This is the era when the dust settles. It’s the time when consolidation occurs, and best practices are refined.
Traditional media companies and new competitors are entering through acquisition or innovation upon the old forms of social media. Social media experts seem a little tired, rehashing the same lessons within the “new” innovations.
Consider that the greatest innovations and progress this year in U.S. social media have come from Google+, Spotify and Instagram (hat tip: Allyson Kapin). None of these are truly new form factors. They play off of and better predecessors like Facebook, Napster and Camera+. That’s not to belittle the innovation that these tools have brought to the market.
But there are no new form factors, and no major revelations about the conversation anymore. People are still people. And many of them young and old have experimented with social media. Your grandma uses Facebook now (1/3 of 50-64 year olds now use social networks).
Social media has grown up. It may not grow much bigger. Growth rates are now in the single digits year over year within the U.S. adult population. Conversational media is now finding itself in a bit of a routine.
And the revolution? Well, let’s pull-up an arm chair instead. That MacBook can get a little heavy after a while.
What do you think about the state of social media innovation?