Despite some organisations still aiming to “beat the algorithm" by building up their Instagram following so much that it can’t ignore them, we can’t help but think this is a very short-sighted approach.
Just this week, concerns are circulating about Meta's new commercial terms coming into effect on October 30, and while we're no experts on commercial law, we do know there has been concern for a long time about the ethics and impact of their behaviour. So, the question is, when are we going to do something about it?
When are we going to get off Meta? And how?
Some businesses, such as the Sustainable Business Network, have already taken the progressive step of leaving the platform, while others choose not to join in the first place. Yet others, such as ourselves, are yet to make any sudden moves.
There is of course an argument that some organisations can’t leave yet, due to the need to reach communities who may not use any other platforms.
For us, it’s been more about building up alternative methods of connection before cutting the tie altogether. You may have noticed we stopped investing so much in Instagram content a while back and started focusing on these email newsletters.
But with the updated terms coming in to effect on October 30, it’s making us stop again and think about what we need to do now.
We're not saying a move has to happen all at once, but it does seem like there may come a day in the not too distant future where we are in some way forced to leave altogether — and it’s a good idea to start preparing early, for an easier transition. This sounds familiar…
The good news is many people are already using or experimenting with alternative platforms. You might have noticed engagement on Instagram and Facebook isn’t what it used to be.
One things certain. In this post-Meta world, there’s no single equivalent. But I think maybe that’s a good thing.
When people talk about finding an alternative to Facebook, they expect it to be one platform to solve all the same needs, but wouldn’t that create the same problem — one platform with too much power?
We're okay with a mix of solutions to replace the dominant media platforms, it’ll just take us a little while to figure out what fits.
Our mix so far is this:
We're also wanting to trial Signal for messaging and group chats.
Whatever your preference, we’d love to hear about your experiments.
What alternatives are you trialling to Meta?
