If the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago was something that affected all of humanity around the world, then the news of the turmoil that unfolded on the Twitter platform this year as a result of its handover to a new owner, Elon Musk, would not be an exaggeration to call another thing that has had an impact on internet users worldwide as well. That is because the Twitter app, which is like a secret hideout for many netizens, has had to face all kinds of changes, from a shift in the platform's format, to a new CEO who came in and clashed with users, as well as problems with layoffs or unfair treatment of employees and much more. As a result, Twitter users, especially those overseas, have started looking for a new social media platform that can meet their own needs.
And one of the social media platforms that is beginning to be coveted is none other than Mastodon, a newcomer platform (that has actually been around for more than 7 years) which is steadily gaining in popularity, with a look and features similar to Twitter, but with a working system that is quite different from Twitter. And right now it is not only popular among foreigners, but many Thai people themselves have also started to migrate, giving rise to a wide variety of communities on the platform. So today, Relevant Audience would like to take everyone on a deep dive to see just what is so good about this Mastodon platform, and how marketers can make use of it. If you are ready, let's take a look.
Mastodon, the New Alternative Platform
Mastodon is a Decentralized social media platform, which translates literally as "a platform of distributed power, secure, with no central point of control, where no one is able to own all of the data." Many people may be familiar with the term DeFi, which falls into this same category, except that DeFi is a term that refers to platforms related to a new financial system in which, when various financial transactions are made, they do not need to go through a bank or financial institution, but instead use blockchain technology to help.
Originally, Mastodon was a platform developed by a non-profit organization, and it has been crowdfunded and operated by Eugen Rochko since 2016. That means that in reality Mastodon is a platform that has been around for quite a while, but the platform only began gaining popularity in late 2022. Because it is a Decentralized platform, Mastodon is a platform made up of many independent servers, operating through ActivityPub, which is a type of protocol that allows other apps to connect. This means that anyone can launch their own system, and can create rules, set various penalties, or bring in other software to customize it as they wish. Importantly, on the Mastodon feed there is no algorithm system sitting there curating which post should appear first or later, but instead it displays posts according to the people we follow and shows them in chronological order only. For anyone who still cannot quite picture it, it is similar to when we play a game and have to choose various sub-servers to enter. In addition to the Decentralized structure that is its standout feature, the other basic features typical of other social media platforms are all provided in full, whether it is creating a profile, the reply button, writing a status, liking posts, retweeting, starring, sharing, and so on. You could say it comes fully loaded.
We believe that anyone who can now picture it along with us probably feels that it sounds really worth using, right? But let us warn you in advance that after actually trying it out, we found that the platform's interface still feels somewhat cluttered, and using it still leaves you a bit confused by some of the features. But overall it is considered another social media platform that, if you give it a try, will certainly not disappoint.
How Can Marketers Make Use of Mastodon?
Above all else, because Mastodon is a platform developed with the philosophy of a non-profit organization, the platform itself is therefore inherently free of advertising. That means the option for brands or marketers who want to expand their user base on new platform channels may unfortunately have to be shut out, because the platform does not have features that would help any one post get more reach. However, brands or marketers can still make use of this platform for more than just running typical ad campaigns. The recommendations we have gathered for you are as follows:
Closing Thoughts
Whether or not this platform will become a malignant tumor for Twitter, we have to say that users like us will certainly benefit from this competition. We will just have to keep following along to see whether Mastodon itself will develop its features as well as its interface to make it look more appealing to use. If it can do that, then we have to say Elon Musk had better brace himself for a chill that lasts all year long.
Source: Hootsuite
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