Why Social Media Platforms
are competing on Protocol level

We are at a turning point in the history of social media. Much like the late ’90s, when the internet was still in its infancy and technologies like Skype, RealPlayer, and Adobe Flash were vying for dominance, a similar battle is taking place today. This time, the stakes are much more fundamental: it’s about the protocols that determine how social platforms communicate with each other and how users maintain control over their own data and digital identity.

Why is this crucial for your organization?

As a CTO, CMO, or technology leader, you’re facing important strategic decisions. Social media is a core part of almost every business strategy, whether it’s customer interaction, marketing campaigns, communication, or internal processes. Closed platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and X (formerly Twitter) provide powerful tools, but they also limit your organization due to a lack of control, flexibility, and insight into user data.

Open, decentralized alternatives like Mastodon (with ActivityPub) and BlueSky (with AT Protocol) give back that control, flexibility, and transparency to organizations. They break down the walls between closed ecosystems, offering you the chance to actively shape your own digital experience. For CMOs, this also means that campaigns and communication no longer have to be entirely dependent on one closed platform but can be tailored to fit their own objectives and values.

Strong brand, open network

The choice between open and closed social networks affects more than just technological or marketing decisions. It’s also directly tied to your organization’s brand and brand promise. Open protocols offer the freedom to stay true to your brand values without being reliant on external parties that may change their rules. This allows you to not only communicate consistently and reliably with customers but also be transparent about how you handle their data. This strengthens trust and contributes to a positive brand perception in the long term.

New strategic opportunities

The shift to open social networks presents opportunities to reconsider your digital strategy. By opting for open platform strategies, you determine how to handle brand communication, data exchange, and user experiences. This means you can develop interfaces that align with your needs and brand identity, without being confined by the rules of closed platforms.

What does this mean in practice?

Open protocols create room for innovation. They allow you to personalize and optimize your user experience and marketing communication without being limited by the rules of large tech companies. Additionally, interoperability increases your organization’s resilience: you become less dependent on the whims of a single platform and can easily adapt or expand your digital strategy.

Practical challenges and how to address them

Of course, open platforms come with their own challenges: scalability, interoperability, and effective moderation are complex. Organizations can overcome these obstacles with proven methods for design and implementation:

• Scalability and Adoption: User-friendly and attractive interfaces lower the barrier for users.
• Interoperability: Integrations between different platforms ensure seamless communication and data exchange.
• Moderation and Governance: Effective policy and management of decentralized networks help organizations maintain control over quality and safety.

The battle for social media is taking place at the protocol level. Organizations that strategically embrace this will be ahead in an open and innovative digital world.

Want to dive deeper into this topic? Send us a message for a free strategic session.