Solving Problems, Not Adding Features: The Real Key to a Better Social Platform
It's a common belief that a new social platform can win over users by offering a superior set of features. However, history suggests this is a flawed approach. The failures of technically robust platforms like Google+ and Mastodon to displace giants like Facebook and Twitter show that features alone are not a compelling reason for people to switch. The core of a successful platform lies not in what it can do, but in the problems it can solve.
The "Problem-Solving" Mindset vs. The Feature Checklist
A more effective way to think about product development is to shift from a feature-centric to a problem-solving mindset. As one contributor put it, "amateurs talk features, professionals talk problem solving." A feature is merely a tool, a checkbox on a list. For example, "allows image posting" is a feature. The problem it solves for the user might be "creating envy among those who missed a party" or "sharing cherished memories with faraway family."
To attract users from established networks, a new platform must identify real problems—be they functional, social, or emotional—and offer a better solution than the incumbent. Pitching features will likely be ignored, but pitching a solution to a persistent annoyance has a chance of gaining traction.
What Problems Do Modern Social Platforms Need to Solve?
If problem-solving is the key, the next logical question is what problems users currently face. The discussion highlighted several critical areas where existing platforms fall short:
- Prevalence of Bad Behavior: This includes everything from constant posts about the "outrage of the day" to users who habitually blame entire demographics for societal or personal problems.
- Unwanted and Malicious Contact: Direct messages (DMs) are a major vector for scams. Users are often inundated with messages from scammers attempting to initiate romance or financial fraud.
- Context Collapse: A significant issue where different social circles—family, friends, professional colleagues, and public figures—all merge into a single feed. This creates awkward situations, such as not wanting to interact with an OnlyFans creator on the same platform where you connect with your sister-in-law.
Solving Problems by Subtracting Features
Counterintuitively, the solution to many of these issues may not be to add more complex features, but to strategically remove them. For instance, the problem of scammy DMs could be completely eliminated by not supporting DMs at all. While this would be a dealbreaker for some, it could be a primary selling point for a user base tired of constant digital harassment. The design of a platform and its features directly shapes the community and the quality of discourse within it.
Is the Real Problem Social Media Itself?
An alternative perspective is that complex social media platforms are themselves the problem. Some argue that what many users truly want is a simple blog and an email newsletter—a way to publish their own content and communicate directly with an audience. The administrative and technical overhead of running a personal blog has historically been a barrier, but modern tools have changed the landscape. Services like GitHub Pages and Netlify allow anyone to host a static site for free with minimal setup. While this approach solves the problem of platform control, it re-introduces the challenge of discoverability, which is where social networks still hold a major advantage through syndication models like POSSE (Publish on your Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere).