hesitance on audio in social media
estimated length: 2 minutes
there has been a resurgence of audio (generally in the form of podcasts) that has bled into other formats, resulting in many bombastic claims such as…
do i think audio, in its current form, is the future of social media?
absolutely not.
here’s why.
the rise of the selfie on social media is parallel to the rise of the photo editing app and face filter.
apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok, have seen the importance of photo filters and have included them as a core part of their sharing experience. filters make people feel more comfortable, emotionally (and literally) smoothing the rough edges of sharing.
the current state of uploading audio is like taking a flash front-facing selfie and uploading it. sure, there are complex programs you can go into edit audio, but that’s not what i’m talking about here.
users need to have a seamless, realtime filter experience for them to feel comfortable with sharing their voice, something that current filters play around in a childish capacity (making your voice really high-pitched), but not in the practical way for a social network.
your voice is a deeply personal characteristic and in order for a network to succeed and for you to feel comfortable sharing on it, your voice needs to be presented in the best way possible.
current programs and implementations of audio-based social are neglecting this sharing dynamic and, as a result, will have a difficult time acquiring users who share anything beyond professional insight.
sometimes in order to truly be yourself, you need a filter.
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