Is Social Media Still Social?

Once upon a time, social media was exclusively content from friends and family. Everything – from conversations to musings — happened within your safe space.  

Then, in what was probably the most significant change, newsfeeds were introduced. Social media became a stream. Chronology went out of the window, and you were served content from those you engaged with most regularly. 

Since the feed, comparatively glacial changes have evolved the experience right under our thumbs, making the original platforms sound dystopian to the millions of users who never enjoyed its charms. 

Friends and family content was sidelined by celebrities, as “follows” succeeded friend requests. Followed content was superseded in turn by algorithmic suggestions, which now account for 70 per cent of what we see. 

Advertising moved from an occasional interruption to, on average, every fourth piece of content being an ad. 

Feeds have become flooded with “ambient chaos”, constant digital noise and content overload, and we’ve witnessed the rise of the cognitive miser online. Users have become ruthlessly efficient with their mental energy and opted out of active social citizenship.  

Scrolling > posting

There’s no need to actively seek when the algorithm provides effortless cognitive ease. There’s no need to risk the social vulnerability of posting when the feed offers the guaranteed, slot-machine dopamine hit of variable rewards. 

Ofcom’s recently released 2026 “Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes” report confirms this; social media has become more “passive” as it’s become less personal, with only 49 per cent of adults actively post, share, or comment, compared with 61 per cent in 2024.  

That’s a 20 per cent decline in two years and signals the future trajectory. 

What does this mean for advertisers? 

The playbook needs a radical rewrite, and there’s never been a better time to do it. 

Advertising on social media is no longer intrusive, standing out against the backdrop of precious updates from your friends and family. It’s familiar. It’s expected. It’s can be impactful. 

Great content will demand attention and drive action, the “ad” of it all is irrelevant, regardless of what the industry wants to believe. There are countless examples of this. 

Our colleagues at Ogilvy produced the fantastic “Social with Substance and the Return to Real” as a blueprint, guiding brands on how to make advertising into the content users want to see. Get intimate and earn trust over time through a series of repeatable formats, where brands behave like hosts. Show proof of craft and the endless effort, progress, and work which has sculpted what you’re selling. Understand the human algorithm and the tastemakers and gatekeepers of the communities that matter most to your audience, then borrow their voices. 

And once you’ve done that, make sure the pathway from inspiration to action is instantaneous, because friction is failure. "Shop while you watch" culture is here, and it’s driving real commercial impact; 88 per cent of consumers made an influencer inspired purchase in the past year, and more than 50 per cent do so monthly.  

With users in a passive state of maximum cognitive laziness, every additional click or page is a cognitive tax they may be unwilling to pay; don’t take that risk. 

So, is social media still social?  

Probably not, but don’t worry about the name. WPP no longer sells Wire and Plastic Products. 

As with all media, if we understand the behavioural science and plan thoughtfully, there’s significant value to be unlocked. Social media and Influencer marketing are no different. 

Josh Gornell is head of paid social for WPP Media