Let’s face it, Web2 social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok have their fair share of problems. From irrelevant content and a broken search function, to arbitrary algorithm changes, these platforms can be frustrating for users. Yet, most of the Web3 world still tends to congregate on Web2 platforms, despite their many flaws.
In the Web3 social media space, apps like Lens and Warpcast, built on Farcaster, have experienced moderate success, but they still haven’t managed to disrupt legacy platforms. One of the main challenges faced by these platforms is reaching a critical mass of users. It seems that people generally only use a platform if they see others using it as well.
Web3 platforms have the potential to offer economic motivators that can attract users, however, they can also give rise to negative behaviors like inauthentic engagement and “paid shills.” Genuine engagement and communication can be distorted when value is introduced, influencing how users interact with one another.
A noteworthy approach suggested for driving user adoption on Web3 platforms is to replicate content from Web2 platforms. An example of this strategy is demonstrated by Airbnb, which initially pulled listings from Craigslist and added an attractive interface. This allowed the platform to establish a large amount of content quickly, attracting users in the process.
Icebergy, the developer and angel investor who created the popular market-tracking Twitter account Whalebot Web3, believes that Web3 platforms will need to offer a “value add” that doesn’t exist on platforms like Twitter in order to draw users away. With the long list of upcoming Web2 social media platforms, such as Bluesky and Instagram’s Twitter clone, it can be overwhelming for users to choose which platform to use.
However, there seems to be an opportunity for Web3 platforms to establish a place in the market. To succeed, these platforms must find new ways to insert adopters into the user “flow” and develop innovative methods for content delivery, curation, and engagement.
As technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Web3 social media platforms develop and if they’re able to gain more significant traction against their Web2 counterparts. Only time will tell if Web3 platforms can overcome the challenges they face and offer users a truly enhanced, seamless experience that justifies their shift away from traditional social media channels.
Source: Blockworks
