If you’re an active social media user, you’ve probably spotted that most sociable apps are beginning to really resemble one another. Whether it be stories, reels or simply a common interface, apps are becoming a spitting image of each other. But why?
In October 2013, Snapchat came out with a new feature that soon took the virtual world by storm: Stories. Soon enough, apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and even LinkedIn incorporated Stories into their digital environment. Additionally, dating apps such as Bumble and Match have added this same feature as a tool to better express oneself for potential connections and relationships.
On another note, I am sure you have also noticed a change in scrolling trends since the launch of TikTok. While the Story feature was simply introduced as Stories on many apps, copying TikTok’s “For You” page was a much harder task. This wasn’t only about replicating a single feature, but instead creating a whole new environment that is fit to display endless videos which users can scroll through. Ever since, many social media apps have implemented entirely separate feeds that encourage scrolling through streams of content. Thus, Youtube shorts, Snapchat Spotlight, Instagram and Pinterest reels were born.
So why do social media apps look the same?
The answer is actually quite simple: because it works for us. At the end of the day, the user is the most important part of any app and therefore developers must ensure they have an enjoyable experience. I would be lying if I said that scrolling through an endless stream of content can't be fun sometimes. The data doesn't lie. For example, TikTok was the most visited website in the year 2021, beating both Google and Facebook. According to The Wall Street Journal, TikTok boasted around 1 billion monthly users in 2021. So if one app's success inspires other apps to copy them, so be it. In fact, is this really such a bad thing? Should app uniformity even be approached as a problem to be solved?
Don Norman, who coined the term User Experience (UX) in 1993, says that the only issue with an interface is that it has to exist: it interferes by default and consequently gets in the way. So, an optimal interface design is one that makes itself invisible to its users and facilitates their interaction with the application. App uniformity may actually prove beneficial when it comes to usability. The less an interface comes between a user and their goals, the easier it is to use.
Indeed, a common interface may aid users in switching to different apps, since there isn’t much new to learn — usability wise. Though, isn’t this what software developers are trying to avoid? Isn't the main goal of an app to acquire as much screen time possible from its own users? What is so appealing about one app if you can enjoy the same features anywhere else?
With apps becoming more and more similar, they are also becoming more interchangeable as a side effect. They all share the same look and feel, in order to stay in the loop of the ever-changing social media environment. As a result, they lose their sense of uniqueness by conforming to digital trends that prove to be successful.
This all brings me to my final question: Should social media apps strive for individuality or simply follow digital trends?
While the former favors much more diverse results with each app creating a unique digital world of its own, it may also cause plenty of app fatigue. If every social media app were unique, learning a variety of features across apps would be no easy task. And, while the latter option seems to strip apps of all their digital creativity, this business model already satisfies the needs of billions of users.
I figure that social media apps should strive towards some level of uniqueness. This can be achieved by creating their own digital trends instead of just following others. By taking a risk through innovation, an app may find itself in the most triumphant position of all when its competitors eventually start replicating its own digital trends.
