Identity & Graph
- Social Graph Model
- Profile Identity Style
- Relationship Visibility
Build a social network where identity, discovery, and interaction actually fit together.
Social products win when the graph, feed, posting model, and conversation structure reinforce one another. If those choices conflict, growth creates noise instead of connection.
For teams designing social products that need a clear point of view. The product is not just a feed. It is the system that determines how people connect, what they see, how they respond, and why they return.
- Define the relationship model before you optimize engagement.
- Make feed logic and discovery behavior coherent for users and creators.
- Treat messaging, replies, and monetization as social-system choices.
Supported Decisions
What the workspace can actually scope
These decision areas and option sets come from the application-type specs used by the workspace.
Content Model
- Primary Post Format
- Feed Composition
- Ephemeral Content Pattern
Discovery
- Discovery Surface
- Grouping Model
Interaction Model
- Engagement Actions
- Conversation Structure
- Messaging Integration
Creator Ecosystem
- Creator Participation Model
- Creator Monetization
Planning Signals
What to keep visible while scoping
These notices are generated from the same priority and mapping files used by the workspace.
High-priority choices
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Recommended Feed Composition
Feed composition materially changes moderation, ranking, and analytics expectations.
Related scope notices
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Notice Ephemeral Content PatternWhen: Persistent + Ephemeral Mix
Mixing persistent and ephemeral social content should align with the core retention policy.
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Notice Messaging IntegrationWhen: DM + Group Messaging
Rich messaging should align with stronger abuse-control decisions.
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Notice Creator MonetizationWhen: Subscription Content
Paid creator subscriptions should align with a subscription revenue model.
Identity and graph rules shape the entire product
Follow graphs, mutual friends, group-centric graphs, and hybrid models all create different social behavior. The same is true for identity style. Real identity networks behave differently from pseudonymous networks or creator-first platforms built around audience and reach. The product scope should acknowledge that these are foundational choices because they determine trust, safety expectations, and how users interpret visibility.
- Choose a graph model that matches the social behavior you want to encourage.
- Be explicit about identity style and relationship visibility.
- Use graph design to set expectations for trust, safety, and status.
Feed composition decides how the network feels
Post format, feed logic, and ephemeral content create the texture of the product. Short text, media-first posts, mixed feeds, and long-form surfaces each serve different forms of participation. Chronological, algorithmic, interest-based, and hybrid feeds also change how transparent the product feels and how much users believe effort maps to reach.
- Make the posting model and feed composition legible to both users and creators.
- Use ephemeral content only when it strengthens the network rhythm.
- Design discovery to expand relevance without overwhelming identity-based trust.
Interaction layers determine whether the product is conversational or performative
Likes, comments, shares, threaded replies, quote posts, and direct messages all shape the social pressure of the network. Some products are designed for lightweight response. Others need deeper conversation structures or group messaging that support relationship building beyond public posting. These are application-type choices because they define how participation scales.
- Choose engagement actions that match the intended tone of participation.
- Decide whether conversations live in public threads, private messages, or both.
- Treat interaction mechanics as part of the product culture.
Creator ecosystems need a clear value exchange
Not every social network is creator-first, but every growing network must decide what role creators play. Casual social sharing, emerging creator participation, and explicit creator-economy behavior each demand different tools and different discovery logic. If a platform depends on creator energy but gives creators weak audience visibility or poor monetization clarity, the product becomes unstable quickly.
- Explain whether the network is relationship-first, creator-first, or intentionally mixed.
- Connect creator participation to the discovery model and audience-building path.
- Choose monetization mechanics that reinforce the kind of ecosystem you want.
Decision Criteria
What To Evaluate First
Use these questions to decide which supported options deserve attention before a project is scoped.
- Is the graph model clear enough to guide trust, visibility, and moderation choices?
- Do post formats, feed composition, and discovery surfaces reinforce the intended social behavior?
- Will interaction and messaging layers deepen retention or simply add noise and pressure?
- If creators matter, is the audience and monetization model strong enough to sustain them?
Call To Action
Social products are defined by the relationships they make possible.
If graph design, feed logic, interaction layers, and creator incentives align, the network feels alive and understandable. If they conflict, every growth gain becomes harder to hold.