Launching a social media app like Facebook is a big move. Considering that you will be competing with the industry giant itself, you need some serious preparations. Making a permanent place in the lives of target users is one of the important factors that determine your app’s success. Therefore, we have some precious details that you must know before moving ahead with your plans.
Different social media apps are ruling over the devices of users from different age groups. Over the past few years, the users’ approach to social media apps took twists and turns. Time changed, interests changed and only those who matched speed with transitions are now ruling the industry.
Before you invest resources into Facebook clone app development, we would like you to understand some insights. No, we didn’t say that you have to change your mind. But make sure that you serve what the target users want (that’s how you win).
Addressing the Shift in Interest
The inside news from Facebook indicated some alarming data earlier this year. The age of Facebook users’ community continues to grow to cause a decline in young users.
Teenage Facebook users in the US had declined by 13 percent according to reports in 2019. By 2022, this drop is likely to be more than 45 percent. Young adults in their 20s and 30s were expected to fall by 4 percent.
The younger a user, the less average time they would spend on the app. Everything clearly says that Facebook is gradually losing its hold on millennials and Gen Z. Considering that the industry giant was making profits through its growing ad market. This is bad news!
Facebook’s struggle to attract young users isn’t new. This problem has been there since 2012. However, it got severe recently. The current user base is around 2 million but more and more young users continue to quit the app.
It’s high time that Facebook-like apps take strong steps towards making themselves compatible with young users. Otherwise, the growth charts may stop bringing good news anymore.
However, we cannot solely blame the growth in elderly Facebook users for millennials and Gen Z leaving the app. There are certainly some factors that Facebook may be missing out on. Before you reach out to a social media app development company, it’s better to know how you can target and engage millennials.
Bringing Millennials and Gen Z Back to Apps Like Facebook
In one of the interviews, a teen stated the reason why millennials and Gen Z are actively using Instagram while ditching Facebook. She said, “Facebook is more like a mom and dad version of Instagram”. Well, the generational gap speaks loud enough here.
With more parents and grandparents logging into Facebook, the younger group is distancing themselves from the industry giant. They have turned towards other social media platforms, specifically Instagram.
Since their lives are driven by influence, Gen Z’ers and millennials need a platform that has plush, engaging features. So, if you’re making plans regarding a Facebook clone app for Android or iOS, here’s something that the young users may want.
1) More Visual Appeal
Millennial and Gen Z users prefer visual content over messaging. They like to see the world through filters and high-quality images. There’s a shift from long-form blogging and detailed Facebook posts to crisp, attractive pictures and videos.
One of the recent reports says that only 51% of US teens use Facebook. It’s time to learn from these stats and come up with social platforms that engage growing teens in the way they want. Snapchat and Instagram being visually oriented platforms are getting immensely popular among young users.
Photos and videos are a major source of engagement, letting the users consume and create the same. Whether enjoying a vacation or having a wholesome meal, teens want to put their joy on display with the most enticing filters.
2) High-Quality Video Streaming and Entertainment
Over the years, social media platforms have become more than just a place to connect with friends and family. Millennials and Gen Zers are actively using these apps for mass entertainment. This is an era of social media influencers, reels, and videos that keep users hooked to their phones.
Despite dwindling popularity, Facebook reported 100 million hours of videos watched every day. Certainly, with the entry of Instagram reels, the records are likely to break. This is something you don’t even need proof for. Just take a look around. You will find 6 out of 10 youngsters busy scrolling through the reels section on Instagram.
When developing a Facebook clone app for iPhone or other Android phones, seamless video streaming is an important feature to consider. Social media apps are not meant to just connect with people but to find worthwhile entertainment content.
3) Ephemeral (Short-Lived) Content
Most teens are diagnosed with FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). They want updates on all the influencers they follow and what their favorite celebrity is doing today. Thus short-lived content like snaps, stories, and live videos are the best ways to engage.
Creators and celebrities have also adopted it as a major source of interaction with their audience. Although Facebook offers these features too, upcoming apps can definitely make improvements. Snapchat streaks and Instagram stories have become centers of attraction for growing teens.
Leveraging this tendency can make your apps successful. P.S. You have to find an excellent Facebook clone app development company to support your endeavors.
4) User-Generated Content Over Unrelatable Marketing Copies
With social media marketing, Facebook slowly turned into a place where businesses continually try to engage their target customers. However, Instagram handled marketing quite differently with its aesthetics. It’s obvious that social media platforms are supposed to be interactive and entertaining, not an ad base for firms.
Instagram is a good example of user-generated content. It’s a platform where users not only consume but also create extensively. Even ad copies on Instagram are so thoughtful that viewers do not get annoyed. Those are qualities you surely need for Facebook-like apps.
Not only Facebook but Twitter also lost their popularity. The tweets were nothing but a platform for promoting web links and retweets. Although marketing is the responsibility of respective brands, providing the necessary features to create and showcase is dependent on app developers.
5) Influencing Powers
Apparently, every teen wishes to be a social media influencer. Especially Instagram has contributed to the need of creating a strong, attractive online presence through the content they share. Based on their interests, most users are delighted to create content in various forms.
Upcoming social media apps like Facebook have to focus on bringing in new features that take content creation to the next level. Young users want to build such an image for themselves that makes other users wish to have the same. Since they want to remain in the frame of perfection, curating such features is necessary.
We don’t need to go too far into the past when commendable creations turned users into influencers overnight. Offering a platform that promotes deserving creations while keeping up with ethics should be your concern. Along with influencing powers, young users should be given enough data privacy and protection against possible exploitation.
Final Takeaways
Whether Millennials or Gen Zers, the social media perspective has transformed for all. You need greater ideas and perfect execution even when developing clone apps. Signing up for Facebook clone app development with Narola Infotech would be a great decision. We make sure that your ideas are dressed up with the best app structures and programming ethics.
Moreover, if you want to target Millennials and Gen Zers with your social media apps, the above-mentioned facts and details shall help.
