2024: The year of branded digital networks

Happy 2024! Here's to more meaningful engagement and value that will be created via niche yet powerful branded digital platforms. To the decentralization of social networks, and to the democratization of social media tech.

Why? Well, there have been early trends all over the place:

• Corporates want employees to be influencers: how will they provide them content to share, track and craft that narrative - they need their network with their content hub and community. Think Cisco wanting to train 84,000 employees to be social media influencers.
• Brands want to get closer to customers: how will they provide genuine value and stay top of mind - they need their own branded platforms to invite, engage and empower their community, where they don't compete for attention of a rented audience. Think Sephora and the Beauty Insider as a content and community play.
• Politicians want to connect deeper with citizens: how will they present a welcoming space to citizens, build trust and elevate civic engagement - they need their own digital townhalls.
• Professional creators and entrepreneurs will launch spectacular new ventures: how will they integrate and monetize their offerings, own their audience and grow together - they need to go beyond static websites and have their own digital network.

There's so much more brewing. As content creation gets easier with AI, community engagement is where the levers of conversion will shift.

Owning your network is one of the biggest assets going into 2024.