World Social Media Day

A Brief, Bizarre, and Occasionally Brilliant History of Social Media

On 30th June each year, we celebrate World Social Media Day – a date which, frankly, feels a bit like the internet throwing itself a surprise party. But instead of jelly and balloons, it’s hashtags and hot takes.

Social media has gone from awkward teenage years (remember Faceparty?) to full-blown global dominance, shaping everything from politics to pop culture – and marketing, of course. For those of us who’ve been in the trenches, using it both personally and professionally, the evolution has been… dramatic.

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When the Internet Was Just Trying to be Social

Before social media as we know it, there were forums, bulletin boards, and MSN Messenger, where status updates included:

“BRB, dinner” — even though no one asked.

Then came MySpace, the moody teenager of the social media family, where your profile song defined your personality, and “Top 8” friendships could start wars. For a glorious few years, everyone was suddenly a web designer thanks to HTML custom backgrounds and glitter gifs that could give you a migraine.

Then Facebook arrived in 2004, demanding our real names, relationship statuses, and every conceivable life update — all on a beige-blue interface that screamed, “I’m boring but addictive.” Marketers took a while to figure it out. Meanwhile, people gleefully “poked” each other (a feature that now seems mildly criminal).

From Cats to Clout: The Influencer Invasion

The 2010s saw the rise of Instagram and the slow death of grainy photos. Suddenly, everything had to be filtered, framed, and blessed with hashtags like #nofilter (even though it definitely had a filter).

Snapchat turned communication into something that self-destructs, like Mission Impossible but with dog ears. Vine gave us 6 seconds of chaos. And then, in came TikTok – where people somehow have the time to learn 38-step dances before breakfast.

In the middle of it all, influencers became a thing. Once mocked for taking selfies on rooftops, they’re now mini-media empires. We went from “influencer marketing is a fad” to entire budget lines dedicated to #sponcon.

When Brands Found Their Voice (and Sometimes Lost the Plot)

For marketers, the turning point was when brands realised they could be funny, fast, and occasionally feral online. The Wendy’s Twitter account roasted people with the sass of a stand-up comic. Everyone else tried to copy it – some with charm, others like your dad trying to rap.

Social became the land of real-time marketing. Remember Oreo’s “You can still dunk in the dark” tweet during the Super Bowl blackout? It wasn’t just a biscuit pun – it was the moment marketers went, “Oh, this is serious now.”

Fast forward to now, and social is where product launches happen, scandals break, and trends are born (and die within 48 hours). Algorithms shift more than British weather, and organic reach is mostly wishful thinking unless you’re a golden retriever with a GoPro.

Things You Probably Forgot (or hoped to)

  • LinkedIn once had pokes too. Yes, the professional network encouraged poking. No one knows why.

  • Facebook status updates started with “is”, forcing millions to write things like “is eating cereal” or “is tired”. Deep stuff.

  • Twitter’s original 140-character limit created a generation of marketers who now write like Morse code operators.

  • People used to “Like for a TBH” – a barter economy based entirely on insecurity.

  • Influencers once insisted that Flat Tummy Tea was life-changing. It was, if you count needing to be near a bathroom as life-changing.

Social Media: Friend, Foe or Just That Weird Cousin?

Let’s be honest – social media is exhausting, chaotic, wonderful, and a bit terrifying. It’s democratised content creation, but also created echo chambers. It’s brought people together, but also amplified division. It’s a vital marketing tool, but one that never switches off.

For marketers, it’s no longer a ‘channel’ – it’s the living, breathing front window of a brand. Customers don’t just scroll anymore – they shop, complain, compliment, meme, and expect a reply in 0.6 seconds.

It’s not just about reach or engagement. It’s about relevance, consistency, and not sounding like a robot when you inevitably jump on the next viral audio.

TL;DR

  • World Social Media Day (30 June) is a nod to a digital force that’s reshaped how we live, laugh, and sell stuff.

  • From MySpace and MSN to TikTok and Threads, social media’s journey has been chaotic, comical and creative.

  • Marketers must now balance authenticity, agility and humour in real-time — or risk sounding like an HR department trying to go viral.

  • Let’s raise a virtual toast to the good, the bad, and the algorithmically blessed – and to the fact that we no longer have to rank our Top 8 friends in public.