Social Media Then and Now: How Social Has Changed Over Time

Love it or hate it, social media has found its way into most of our lives. A lot of us roll over and immediately check our phones when we wake up, and end our day roughly the same way.

In fact, the average American checks their phone 144 times per day. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and many others have become such a huge part of our lives that it’s hard to think of a time when they didn’t exist.

But when did social media start? How did it evolve into the platforms we know today? And when did we become a generation of short-form videos, trending audios, and comment sections?

In this blog, we'll explore the dawn of social media and how social media has changed over time.

Table of Contents

• When Did Social Media Start?
  • The Rise of Forums and Blogs (Mid-to-Late 90s)
  • From Digital Diaries to Social Circles (Early-to-Mid 2000s)
    • Friendster
    • Myspace
    • The Facebook Effect

• The Era of Video and Viral Reach 
  • YouTube Makes Video Creation Accessible
  • Twitter Opens Up the Conversation
  • Snapchat Introduces a New Kind of Sharing
  • TikTok Redefines Discovery and Speed

• Social Media Today
  • Community Engagement Is Moving Into Smaller, More Focused Spaces
  • Social Platforms Are Now Search Engines
  • Brands Are Adapting by Showing Up More Like Creators

• Social Media’s Ongoing Evolution
  

When Did Social Media Start?

Before social media became the polished, algorithm-driven experience we know today, it was more experimental—built from simple tools, evolving interests, and a whole lot of curiosity. Let’s rewind to where it all began.

The Rise of Forums and Blogs (Mid-to-Late 90s)

In the late ‘90s, the internet’s early adopters found ways to connect through forums and blogging platforms. These weren’t technically “social media” by today’s standards, but they laid the groundwork: 

• Forums gave people a space to ask questions, swap tips, and connect over whatever they were into. Whether it was a favorite TV show, a gaming obsession, or a niche hobby—there was probably a forum for it.
  
  
• Blogging sites like LiveJournal and Xanga turned online writing into a public experience. You weren’t just keeping a diary, you were inviting people in. Readers could follow, comment, and form connections around shared experiences and ideas through these blogs.

Together, these platforms shaped the early culture of online communities: expressive, niche, and sometimes surprisingly personal.

From Digital Diaries to Social Circles (Early-to-Mid 2000s) 

By the mid-2000s, a new wave of platforms started moving past anonymous usernames and into more personal, profile-based networks.

Friendster

Friendster launched in 2003 and helped pioneer the idea of connecting with “friends of friends.” It introduced features like user profiles, friend lists, and status updates—things that would become core to future social platforms. But it couldn’t quite keep up with demand, and users often found themselves waiting… and refreshing… a lot.

Myspace

Around 2005, Myspace started to take center stage. With full-page customization, auto-play music, and the infamous “Top 8,” it gave users full creative control over their digital personas. It was messy, vibrant, and wildly popular. For a while, it felt like the internet’s biggest hangout.

The Facebook Effect

When Facebook opened to the public in 2006, it changed the game completely.

Compared to the glitter and chaos of Myspace, Facebook was a breath of fresh air with a sleek layout, real names, and no cluttered, intrusive advertising. 

What really set Facebook apart was its mass appeal. It created a space that felt universal—where digital connection finally started to mirror real-world relationships. And once it took off, the rest of the internet followed suit.

The Era of Video and Viral Reach

As social media matured, it started shifting away from just connecting primarily with people you knew and toward sharing, discovering, and engaging with people you didn’t. "Virality" entered our collective vocabulary and people's thoughts and ideas were able to reach further than ever before.

YouTube Makes Video Creation Accessible

YouTube was one of the first platforms to make video creation feel truly within reach—and one of the first places where videos went viral. What began as a simple site for uploading clips quickly became a launchpad for new voices, trends, and careers.

It introduced something the internet hadn’t really seen before: everyday people making content for fun, building massive communities, and—eventually—turning that into a full-time living.

These early creators became the blueprint for what we now call the influencer era, all thanks to a few key factors: 

• Anyone could create and share content, no matter their skill set or resources.
  
  
• Audiences connected with authenticity, whether it was a how-to tutorial, a product review, or a personal vlog.
  
  
• Viral hits spread in days, reaching global audiences without the backing of a media company.

YouTube democratized content creation and proved that an individual with a camera could shape internet culture, inspire trends, and make a career out of creating.

Twitter Opens Up the Conversation

Where YouTube leaned into storytelling, Twitter thrived on speed and simplicity. Instead of long-form content, it offered real-time thoughts, updates, and interactions. For the first time, users could participate in public conversations with people far outside their immediate network—and those conversations could scale globally in minutes.

Revolutionary new features changed how information spread, how movements gained momentum, and how communities formed online:

• The “follow” model let users connect with public figures, journalists, creators, and communities directly—breaking down the walls between audiences and voices of influence.
  
  
• Hashtags organized global conversations and made it possible for anyone to contribute to cultural moments, grassroots movements, or live events in real time.
  
  
• Live commentary and instant reactions turned Twitter into a digital town square for everything from breaking news to sports to pop culture, often making it the first place people went for updates.

Snapchat Introduces a New Kind of Sharing

Snapchat arrived with something social media hadn’t seen before: disappearing images and chats. It felt fresh, playful, and different from the feed-based platforms people were used to—more like a conversation than a broadcast.

Then came the feature that would change the game: Stories. This new format let users post a series of photos and videos that told a running, day-in-the-life narrative, available for just 24 hours. It was casual, creative, and built for mobile—and it quickly became the feature every other platform wanted to replicate.

Stories worked because it fit seamlessly into how people were already using their phones:

• Vertical video and full-screen design made content feel natural and immersive.
  
  
• 24-hour expirations encouraged authentic, low-pressure sharing.
  
  
• Sequential storytelling turned small, everyday moments into quick, engaging narratives.

With Stories, Snapchat introduced an entirely new rhythm to how people share and consume content online.

TikTok Redefines Discovery and Speed

TikTok’s biggest innovation wasn’t just its short-form video format—it was its algorithm. By shifting the focus from who you follow to what you engage with, TikTok completely changed how people discover content. The “For You” feed built a personalized stream that could make any creator, trend, or sound explode overnight.

This discovery-first approach had a ripple effect: trends became more frequent, content creation felt more casual, and virality wasn’t reserved for the accounts with the biggest followings. 

This algorithm-driven shift was powered by a few defining features that set TikTok apart:

• The “For You” feed prioritized interests over relationships, surfacing videos you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them.
  
  
• Built-in editing tools, effects, and sounds made it easy for anyone to jump in and create, no professional skills required.
  
  
• A continuous, scrollable feed of short-form video encouraged quick consumption and constant engagement.

TikTok didn’t just change how people watch—it reshaped how they create, interact, and even think about what’s possible on social media.

Other Social Media Platforms Follow Suit

With TikTok setting the pace, other platforms had to pivot. Short-form, mobile-first video became the default content format—and everyone rushed to keep up. This next wave of features reflected that shift:

• Instagram launched Reels, which later spread to Facebook, directly competing with TikTok’s format inside its existing platform.
  
  
• YouTube introduced Shorts, bringing bite-sized video to a space known for long-form content.

The result has been a social media environment where video is front and center, content discovery isn’t limited to who you follow, and creators can find their audience faster than ever before.

Social Media Today

These days, social media is less of a single experience and more of a layered, personalized ecosystem. It’s where people go to be entertained, informed, and inspired—but also to search, shop, scroll, and sometimes, just tune out.

What makes today’s platforms feel different isn’t just the speed or volume, it’s how the experience adapts to each user, in real time. Here’s what defines social today:

Community Engagement Is Moving Into Smaller, More Focused Spaces

As feeds become more saturated, users are turning to smaller, more focused spaces for genuine connection. These spaces offer context, shared purpose, and a break from the noise: 

• Private channels like Discord servers, Telegram groups, and group chats are now key places for community-building and conversation.
  
  
• Reddit, Threads, and niche networks are regaining momentum, especially among users looking for topic-based discussion rather than performance-driven posting.
  
  
• Even mainstream platforms are investing in community tools, like Instagram Broadcast Channels and LinkedIn groups, to keep engagement high.

Public content may get the views, but private spaces are where relationships are being built.

Social Platforms Are Now Search Engines

People are no longer just using social media to scroll—they’re using it to find things. From where to go on vacation to how to troubleshoot a product, users are treating social as a search tool. And AI is making the results smarter, faster, and more personal.

This search engine shift is changing user behavior in clear ways:

• TikTok and Instagram have become go-to platforms for search, especially among Gen Z users who prioritize video-first answers over traditional web results.
  
  
• Product recommendations, tutorials, and service reviews are increasingly found through social discovery, not Google.
  
  
• Generative AI tools on platforms are enhancing recommendations, summarizing long-form content, and streamlining search within social feeds.

Social isn’t just a place to find people anymore, it’s where people go to find answers.

Brands Are Adapting by Showing Up More Like Creators

The days of treating social media as a billboard are long gone. Brands that thrive are the ones that think like creators—leaning into content that’s native to the platform, not just polished for it.

This creator mindset shift is changing how brands produce and show up:

• Short, casual videos often perform better than slick campaign content, especially when they feel timely or authentic.
  
  
• Brands are investing in storytelling, personality, and responsiveness, not just product promotion.
  
  
• Consistency and relevance are now core metrics, with engagement often tied more to cadence than content quality alone.

If it looks like an ad, users scroll past it. If it looks like relevant and vital information, they stick around.

Social Media’s Ongoing Evolution

From the early days of niche forums and customizable Myspace pages to today’s algorithm-driven, video-heavy feeds, we've seen how social media has changed over time. Each new platform, feature, and format has reshaped how we connect, share, and discover—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for both individuals and brands.

The story of social media doesn't stop here, though. The platforms will keep changing. Algorithms will keep shifting. Trends will come and go faster than ever. But one thing remains constant: the brands that thrive are the ones that know how to adapt without losing sight of who they are and who they serve.

If you want your brand to not just keep up, but lead the conversation, you need a strategy built for today’s social media—not last year’s. Modern Driven Media can help you craft the kind of presence that connects, converts, and stands out in any feed. Reach out to our team today to start the conversation.