Media Made Social: Part 2
In the first part of this series I explained how a few design choices allowed Tik Tok to create an environment that produces heightened feelings of social connection and intimacy. I want to expand on this idea and explain exactly how the format of communication can influence the tone, intimacy and frequency of social connection.
What Are Affordances?
Affordances are the elements of an environment or design that suggest the available range of actions and uses one can expect when interacting with a object. The handle on a door is a perfect example, affordances make it clear whether or not you can push or pull to open it.
Now let’s look at Instagram. The momentum-based scrolling implemented throughout the app is a kind of ‘ever present’ affordance for the user. The feed continues to move in one direction at a speed proportional to the amount of force used when making the scroll gesture. The extra milliseconds of scrolling suggests a surplus of content and lets users know they can keep scrolling as much as they want. The Instagram landing page further reinforces this story.
The layout has just enough information to reassure users that they will be able to find more content if they keep browsing. Signs of activity are given priority and it is always clear that you are in a populated place.
Talking To The Room vs. Talking To A Friend
Let’s compare Instagram’s landing page to Tik Tok’s again to pinpoint where these designs diverge.
On Instagram users see content along with the profiles of 4 other creators whenever they open the app. This puts users in competition for other user’s attention in a measurable way. As an experience, this frames all social interactions within a hierarchy, one that reminds users of who they are ‘ignoring’ while they choose to engage with someone else.
Tik Tok’s layout presents only one piece of content made by one user. All that matters is how you feel about the content directly in front of you. Framing interactions in this way works because we are predisposed to connect in 1-on-1 situations. It is always easy to ignore someone trying to get your attention at a crowded party but it’s a lot harder to do that when they catch you in line for the bathroom.
