What VCs Are Looking For In The Next Great Social Network

I think a certain cynicism has developed/is developing in social network users. Certainly almost a great deal of my peers have come to a state where they generally loathe facebook and merely tolerate G+. In fact, it seems that the only market segments where facebook is still wildly popular are the 50-somethings who are enthusiastically posting stuff the rest of us saw months ago on reddit or pinterest.

IMHO the next "great social network" will be hard pressed to shake the feel of corporatism, because users are slowly coming around to the idea that they are the products being sold to advertisers.

Any new mobile-first social network will have to be platform-agnostic and maintain (the illusion of having) grassroots status.

"In searching for the next generation of successful social companies, VCs will look for not only growth, but engagement, mobile success and strong intent."

It will be interesting to see if/how more companies focus on mobile first, while at the same time not undermining the desktop experience.

-AC

I guess things will be clear once the social bubble bursts and dust settles.