Defining our own Trends

Every year we are told what the next trends will be. All the big tech companies - insert my eye roll - tell us what we should see next year. From the very first time I experienced this I remember thinking, "well, that's self-fulfilling." If you ask me, their predictions only come true when we comply. "Video will continue to be the preferred content next year" and everyone goes out and makes as much video-form content as possible. Here's the thing. If no one made video content, there would be no preferred video content, and the trend would be forced to change. 

How quickly we forget that we generate the content - we produce the product. These platforms can't dictate the trends without our contribution and cooperation in the form of said content. If the content generated was long form captions or photos of food - like it once was - that's what would become the trend because that's the product that exists.

What if we rebelled? What if we refused to play their game? I'm here for the day we say, "hey, we know snack-sized video content is basically junk food for our brains - let's do better." 

Clients often ask what type of content they should create. My reply? What feels the most genuine? I don't ever think content should be performative, nor should life be performative. I don't think you should ever make and release something just because of the trend. And audiences, they know when something isn't genuine - even on these pocket-sized screens we carry around - humans can feel what's real and what isn't. Your content won't connect with others when it's performative and forced. Your content will flourish when it's genuine, timely, and honest. Your caption will connect with your audience when it's written with feeling. 

Let's wake up. Let's do our part to create the change we need. Let's define our own trends because we are the product makers and we can define them. Let's acknowledge that shorts are destroying our attention, connection, and quality of life. Let's take back ownership of what and why we share things - not because it has the best chance of being seen but because what we are sharing actually matters.

Social media doesn't seem to be going anywhere for now, so why not do what we can to make it a better place. 

- Love from, Maria

P.S. and if you're still here and you read this whole thing, you're probably yearning for the platforms of days gone by. Go on and post what makes you happy.