Facebook, a social media pioneer, is preferred by older generations, while younger users choose Instagram and TikTok for photo and video sharing. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, wants to change this idea.
Meta’s head of Facebook, Tom Alison, said the platform’s original goal was to help people connect with family and friends. However, its future goal is to help people make new connections and grow their networks, which is more in line with how younger people now use the internet.
Alison said in an interview, “We see young adults go on Facebook when they are going through a change in their lives.” Marketplace helps them set up their new homes when they move to a new city. They’ll join parenting groups when they have offspring.
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New Tabs Coming to Facebook: Local and Explore
Facebook showed off two new tabs at the event. They are called Local and Explore and are being tested in some towns and markets. The Local tab collects information about events, neighbourhood groups, and items for sale in the area. The Explore tab, on the other hand, suggests content based on the user’s interests.
Facebook needs to attract young people because it has a lot of competition. One hundred fifty million people in the U.S. use TikTok, a famous app for short videos, mostly young people (Gen Z). Because of this, Meta made Reels in 2021 to fight.
Facebook said that young people spend 60% of their time watching videos on the site, and more than half use Reels daily. A new video tab that combines short-form, live, and longer films will also be available in the next few weeks.
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According to the company, Facebook’s dating feature has grown significantly since it launched in 2019. The feature lets users look at and connect with suggested profiles. The number of conversations started on the app has increased 24% year over year among young adults in the U.S. and Canada.
As Facebook navigates a competitive landscape dominated by platforms like TikTok and Instagram, it’s clear that the social media giant is determined to reclaim its relevance among younger generations.
By introducing new features like Local and Explore, enhancing its video capabilities, and prioritizing personalized experiences, Facebook aims to create a more engaging and dynamic platform that resonates with today’s youth’s evolving needs and preferences.
Whether these efforts will be enough to reverse the trend remains to be seen, but Facebook’s renewed focus on youth engagement is a significant step in the right direction.