How would you say social media has evolved in the past fourteen years?

Would love to hear your thoughts @Nycole @Anna Laura McGranahan @annarangos @dan.levey @Katy4Riskonnect @alexia.monsen @brad.keeling @Val @melissa.macgregor @julia_calstrs @raven.gill!  

For me, social has evolved from having a certain number of followers to being all about engagement and creating meaningful conversations. It’s now about being educational and entertaining to the audience. 

I miss the days of being able to boost a post on Facebook without having to deal with Meta Business Manager and actually achieving legitimate results. 

Wow - I love this question, @Jonathan Zuluaga! 

Social media has evolved so much over the past 14 years -- I think the biggest way we’ve seen it evolve in the B2B Marketing world is that LinkedIn has become ‘the place’ for SMMs to focus their time in terms of creating content for a platform where key buyer personas (C-Suite, decision-makers, etc.) can be targeted both organically and via LinkedIn ads. 

LinkedIn was my ‘in’ as a social media marketer -- it is literally the reason why I do what I do. Other platforms never really hooked me quite like LinkedIn did back in 2019 in what I like to call ‘the wild west’ of content creation over there. We’ve seen so many changes on that platform since 2019 -- from the intro of carousels, to polls, the invent of LinkedIn Live, and the new LinkedIn video feed. 

A 2010s social media trend that I’m nostalgic for...hmm...I’d have to say #ThrowbackThursday was a great IG and Facebook trend because it provided an opportunity to use social media to capture the magic of a moment from the past. Some of my favorites from that trend were when people would use a physical photo from the ‘80s or ‘90s or maybe even a pull out a super old Polaroid. 

And to throw things way back -- Myspace was the best social media platform of all-time, lol. I loved all of the ways that you could personalize your Myspace profile -- from adding your favorite song to play when people landed on your profile, to being able to add a custom background, and list your besties on the page. It’s crazy to me that many Gen Z people have no clue what Myspace is. Does that make me old?! 😂

The evolution of social media marketing has been remarkable, transitioning from fun brands targeting teenagers to an essential tool for nearly every industry. Initially, social media platforms were primarily used by brands for broadcasting messages, much like digital billboards. However, the landscape has shifted significantly, causing a change in brand strategies. The current emphasis is on fostering conversations, engaging audiences, and creating interactive experiences. This transformation allows brands to build stronger relationships with their audiences, respond to feedback, and create a sense of community, ultimately leading to more meaningful and lasting connections.

A trend I’m nostalgic for...Facebook pokes. I know they are still a thing technically but they are so buried and it’s no longer fun. I remember at one time having up to 20 poking wars with my friends from high school at any given moment. It was just an easy quick thing to let someone know you were thinking of them, without needing to actually say anything. 

What a great question, thanks for the tag @Jonathan Zuluaga! (and sign me all the way up for that Owala Tumblr and “Organic Social Media” by @Jenny Fowler!)

Q: How would you say social media has evolved in the past fourteen years? What 2010s social media trends are you nostalgic for?
 

A: Evolution evolves at lightspeed in social media. In the dawn of early aughts platforms like Myspace and Facebook, social platforms were bright and shiny. They were the next frontier of human connection and communication, a status symbol, and a place for fun. (remember Facebook Flair, pokes, and Top 8?)

Moving into the 2010's, we saw the rise of Instagram, social ads, YouTube beauty gurus, and early influencers. Social became more monetized and metrics became more important. It was also around this time that "working in social media" started feeling like a viable career path for many.

Pandemic social media was an entirely new era focused on authenticity. TikTok and Twitter especially rose up to educate, entertain, and expand people's worldviews. I saw social media being used for genuine connection at a time when travel was restricted and people were feeling isolated.

In 2024, social continues to rapidly evolve. We've seen countless new platforms, algorithms, and expanded advertising capabilities. The communication is still happening, you just might need to be on 7 different platforms to keep up with your friends. And as legacy social platforms lose sight of their original objectives and try to become "everything" platforms, they run the risk of diluting user experience.

Aside from Facebook Flair (RIP), I think I'm most nostalgic for early Instagram and Vine trends in ~2014-2015. Everyone was using Valencia filters to share their breakfast and laughing at 6-second jokes on Vine. Before all the ads and algorithm changes (and Meta/Twitter takeovers), social felt a little more carefree.

@raven.gill I had the *biggest* crush on this guy in high school. Instead of actually talking to him, we communicated solely via Facebook poke. 😅

Q: How would you say social media has evolved in the past fourteen years? What 2010s social media trends are you nostalgic for?

A: I miss the old instagram. When it was strictly just photo sharing. No super hard sales or gimmicks (personally) 

From a professional standpoint, social media ads were much easier to put into play back in the 2010s 

I think one of the biggest changes I’ve seen is how marketing happens on social. For instance, I think brands are much more focused on branding now than they used to be (though this seems to evolving again as consumers prioritize authenticity). Still, when you view a company’s grid, it’s usually obvious that they have a visual brand. This was not always the case. 

I don’t know that I necessarily “miss” this trend, but I often remember how you used to be able to see everyone’s likes on Instagram and could see people’s best friends on Snapchat. Knowing that X is planning to take away the ability of seeing likes soon, it almost feels nostalgic to think about how nosy we all used to be on social! I think it has evolved for the better in that way, but at the same time, it all felt so authentic back then. 

I think social media has evolved the most as a marketing tool. A lot of businesses don’t even have websites anymore because they know folks are going straight to social media to find them.

What I miss the most is when all social media posts were shown in chronological order by default. Those were the good ol’ days.

One of the most significant changes has been the rise of mobile technology. Back in 2010, accessing social media on-the-go was not as seamless as it is today. Now, with smartphones and apps, social media is an integral part of our daily lives, allowing us to stay connected anywhere, anytime.

As for social media trends from the 2010s that I'm nostalgic for, I'd say the simpler times of Facebook. Back then, it felt more personal and less commercialized. I miss the days of posting status updates about daily life and the excitement of connecting with old friends. Also, the era of early Instagram with its straightforward photo-sharing and quirky filters brings back fond memories.