Online engagement and communications sites are changing

There are two broad reasons for this.

First, the increasing proliferation of AI-generated content which is flooding the internet and will, at some point, force audiences to find channels with authentic, relevant content.

The second, and more pressing reason, is that social media has become an absolute dumpster fire. I think that we’ll look back at this era and realise that a key moment in the decline of the main social media platforms for public engagement is the revelation that many of the negative attributes of these channels are actually intended to be there – that they are features, and not bugs. These include addictive algorithms, polarising content, dissemination of fake news and conspiracy narratives. In the darker reaches of social media it is extremely dark, and there’s a genuine question about how long many organisations can ethically continue to use these channels.

From a practical perspective, a key problem with social media is that it is no longer a safe space for engagement and conversation – what was called 'internet 2.0' has died a death.

This trend has started with media channels, with news and other outlets moving their content towards private or 'subscription' channels. Now we’re seeing content creators move to them in greater numbers too...an obvious example is that a lot of 'thought leaders' (I hate that term, but you know what I mean) are moving from public channels like LinkedIn to 'private' or subscription services like Substack.

For website owners, a gateway approach for this type of engagement is a kind of Holy Trinity that consists of a newsletter platform (Mailchimp or Campaign Monitor), a CRM, and your website. The tools and approaches that were largely developed for marketing purposes are increasingly being deployed by organisations (including Haunt) to retain a personal connection with their audiences without having to rely on social media.

The potential reach is smaller, it has the potential to feel more direct and targeted. And it's just the first step.

As is so often the case,it’s hard to separate the trend from the advances in the technology they rely on. Chicken, egg.

Microservices (such as CRMs and mail services) are making it easier and more efficient to engage directly with a community. Engagement-focussed websites will follow the trail being blazed in marketing for personalisation of content, funnelling audiences towards deeper engagement pathways, e.g. signing up for a newsletter and/or into some other kind of activation or connection with an organisation.

For membership organisations, for example, it is easier to give audiences a taste of being a member online. This could be something like giving them some member benefits or access to information, fostering some initial engagement in a kind of mutual 'suck-it-and-see' arrangement. That sentence is to prove I’m not using ChatGPT to write this! Another 'back to the future' moment will be audiences once again curating their information sources like back in the days of RSS feeds, but with an additional engagement element.

There’s no rush, but my key considerations for public sector, membership, and community-focussed website owners are:

• If not already in place, consider adopting a mail service and CRM to plug into your website. These tools are made to play nicely with most web platforms so there's no meaningful barrier to their adoption.

• Once you’re there, set up your first 'onboarding' flow – so when someone signs up for your newsletter, send them a few emails a few weeks apart to bring to their attention some key articles or bits of information.

• Start to define an audience conversion metric. For many, it could be a sign-up to a newsletter, but it could be an enquiry, or visiting a specific page. Ideally this is a simple, single metric that can be measured and you can orient your website around.

Having a metric like this can really focus attention on the type of content you create and share, and how your website is structured. The idea is to pick a metric that you are confident will deepen engagement with your audiences in some way.

The shift from public to owned digital spaces is both a reaction to the changing online environment and an opportunity to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with audiences.

While social media’s decline as a trusted engagement channel poses challenges, it also opens the door for website owners to reclaim control over how we connect. With the right tools and a measured approach, organisations can foster authentic engagement, deliver targeted value, and future-proof their digital presence in a world that’s rapidly moving towards safer, more intentional online interactions.

Ok ChatGPT help write that last paragraph.