A Marketer’s Guide to the Fediverse: Content Preferences

What do consumers want to see from brands building a fediverse footprint?

In the siloed social landscape, brands face a tall order to develop content fit for each platform… and also effectively communicate the effectiveness of content. What if marketers and content creators could post on one social platform and it would also post on every other platform? And the engagement they receive on one platform carries through to the others? This creates a more cohesive and compelling narrative for marketers to prove efficacy.

That’s the fediverse promise. Brands and creators can theoretically build a community of followers with built-in connectivity to other platforms. The fediverse is far from widespread consumer adoption right now, as we established in our previous Guide to the Fediverse article. But growth may be near with Threads’ new footprint. Here, we’ll explore what consumers want to see from brands in these new spaces.

Why are consumers drawn to or deterred from the fediverse?

To start, brands should understand what appeals to consumers about these platforms and, equally as important, what deters them from joining.

Organic content is king

Since the fediverse is all about giving power back to the people, it makes sense that users want control over the content they see. Brands looking to resonate with fediverse users must prioritize a strong organic strategy that aligns with the values underpinning these networks. 

Respect for consumer privacy goes a long way

People like the privacy-centric framework. While mainstream platforms offer data collection opt-outs, privacy policies remain complicated and vague. The fediverse has eliminated these shortcomings by creating an entirely public domain, owned by no private entity. 

The fediverse’s novelty drives reticence

Many consumers either aren’t familiar with the fediverse or don’t understand it. Networks have some work to do to win people over. While the concept remains new to most, fediverse marketers should pair education with engaging organic content.

Consumers don’t feel they need (or trust) something new

Disinterest in the content (23%); satisfaction with current platforms (22%); and distrust in new networks (22%) also drive reticence. Fediverse platforms need to build trust and credibility with today’s consumers to truly rival traditional social platforms. Brands must also deliver resonant content that builds trust to unlock engagement in the fediverse.

What content do consumers want to see in the fediverse?

There are now fediverse platforms rivaling most traditional social media formats. Mastodon to Twitter (X)... PeerTube to Youtube… PixelFed to Instagram… Lemmy to Reddit. Let’s look at which appeal most to consumers.

Like traditional social, video is a strong strategy for resonating with consumers. Given the communal nature of the fediverse, forums and podcasts also offer avenues to foster conversations and build deeper relationships. Marketers should implement a test-and-learn approach to their content to determine what makes the most sense for their brand.

How can brands build a community in the fediverse?

Brands that win in the fediverse should focus on uplifting their community. They will need to throw out their traditional social media playbooks to develop new engagement tactics.

People want more control over the content they’re served. Feedback opportunities and exclusive content also resonated with over a quarter of consumers. Open dialogue with communities will go a long way in building effective brand experiences in the fediverse, fostering long-term trust and loyalty. 

How prepared are you to take on emerging platforms?

Fediverse adoption is not mainstream yet, but given the meteoric rise of many of today’s most popular social media networks, brands must be positioned to quickly adapt. This also means keeping a pulse on consumer attitudes and ensuring your measurement frameworks are ready to take on new platforms as they emerge. Find out how ready you are…

The final article in A Marketer’s Guide to the Fediverse will cover actionable takeaways from our insights to help you level up your social media strategy. Stay tuned!

Insights are based on a survey of 13,000+ consumers, fielded January 8-10, 2024. Weighted to represent the US audience on age, gender, and income.