How Communities Are Adapting to a Changing Mobile World

It might feel like not much has changed in the mobile landscape since we last talked about why communities matter on mobile. But in reality, everything about how people use mobile devices to engage with content and each other has evolved—sometimes subtly, and sometimes dramatically.

While mobile usage numbers haven’t shifted drastically (mobile now accounts for about 62% of web usage as of early 2025), how people are using their devices has transformed. The devices themselves have changed, platforms have shifted, and user expectations have increased. In this piece, we’ll break down the core trends that matter most for communities navigating this new mobile era.

1. Mobile Video Consumption Still Leads, But It’s More Fragmented Than Ever

The short-form video format, largely pioneered by TikTok, continues to dominate mobile usage. Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook have all followed suit, and short, vertical videos are now the standard.

Creators don’t need fancy setups anymore. The ease of going live or creating professional-looking content from a phone has helped expand the creator economy and fuel community growth around individual personalities and micro-niches.

But here’s where it matters for you: communities increasingly form not around platforms, but around creators who operate across multiple platforms. Some users prefer YouTube deep dives, others only follow TikToks, and some engage via newsletter platforms or microblogs. This creates a fragmentation of community identity and engagement—and makes platform-specific community building harder unless you meet users where they are.

2. Platform Shifts Show How Willing Users Are to Leave

When Elon Musk purchased Twitter (now X), the result wasn’t just headlines, it triggered a user migration. Whether for ideological, UX, or moderation reasons, a large portion of the community sought out alternative spaces.

Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, and others all saw varying levels of success, with Bluesky’s algorithm-free, invite-only model hitting a nerve that brought it over 30 million users in under two years. The takeaway here is that no platform is too big to fail, and users will migrate if they believe another space offers a better experience.

Community managers can’t assume their users will tolerate friction, toxicity, or stagnation. Creating a welcoming, low-friction, responsive experience is more important than ever.

3. Privacy and Data Awareness Are Shaping Community Expectations

Users are savvier than ever about how their data is used. Ad blockers are the norm. VPN use is up. People are ditching invasive apps in favor of mobile web experiences. Some are even seeking platforms with clearer opt-in/out controls for how their data is used for training AI.

This affects community platforms in two major ways:

1. Monetization strategies relying heavily on ads and tracking are increasingly ineffective.
2. Communities without clear, user-first privacy practices are seen as untrustworthy.

If you don’t already have a clear data policy that is visible, understandable, and respectful, now is the time to put one in place.

4. Community Experiences Must Adapt Across Platforms and Formats

We’re in an era where communities are decentralized by default. One part of your community may prefer TikTok content, another might engage in a forum, and another may only check in via a newsletter. Fragmentation isn’t going away.

That means your role as a community builder is evolving:

1. You must meet users where they are, without assuming a single platform or content type will satisfy everyone.
2. You need to think about content formats and discovery paths across multiple platforms.
3. You need tools, structure, and messaging that can flex with your community.

TL;DR: What to Keep in Mind

1. Video is still king: but fragmented. Prioritize mobile-first video experiences.
2. Users will leave: even popular platforms lose communities quickly.
3. Privacy matters: be transparent and offer real control over user data.

Diversify community touchpoints, single-platform communities are vulnerable.

The mobile community landscape hasn’t stood still. In fact, it’s moving faster than ever. To stay relevant, communities must be just as adaptive and thoughtful as the users they serve.