Immediacy

The real-time or almost instant nature of interactions, responses, and content delivery on social media is what makes the platform truly special. These days, it's just expected that communication happens rapidly and that users of social media engage immediately with one another. We're almost at the point where it's weird if you don't respond to somebody's comment right away.

And if you think this is bad for users, just consider how much pressure it's putting on social media managers, public relations professionals, and customer service representatives. Immediacy not only serves as a descriptor for the pace of life on social media but also underlines the greater societal value of being timely, quick, or, even better, first. The expectation is that brands, organizations, or individuals should be among the first to participate in the trending conversation, should serve as the hook to reel in the attention of those who may have noticed a trending topic on their feed, or should be right there and then for an instant service moment to maximize customer satisfaction.

To talk about immediacy, then, is really to talk about the desirability of all the associated social media dynamics for users and creators alike.