More users are opting to share updates within intimate circles within DMs rather than posting to their main, public feed on social media platforms, indicating a significant shift towards private sharing. The polarising nature of social app conversations, particularly around political and topical issues, has pushed people towards private sharing. This has resulted in a greater emphasis on messaging, with platforms such as Meta introducing new features such as ‘Channels’ and integrating Messenger into the main Facebook app.
This shift has marketing implications because brands must consider incorporating DMs and providing more ways for customers to message them directly. Metrics must also be revised, with click-throughs and page visits becoming more important indicators. Other platforms are likely to follow suit as more interactions shift to DMs, opening up new opportunities for direct chat discussion and building more dedicated, direct engagement methods.
