Social media was originally supposed to connect people.

Then came feeds, algorithms, creators, advertising, endless scrolling and platforms designed to keep us consuming.

Could the next era of social media move back toward where it started?

In this episode of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright step away from the usual spend and pricing reports to examine the changing state of social media—and what today's emerging trends might tell us about where it goes next.

The stakes for advertisers are enormous.

Sean estimates that Meta alone represents roughly 25% of global advertising spend, illustrating just how central social platforms have become to the advertising economy.

But the products themselves are changing.

Snapchat has introduced Snapchat Plans, designed to help users organize real-world events with friends. Kelly sees it as part of a broader post-pandemic desire to move beyond purely digital interaction and reconnect in person.

At the same time, some users appear increasingly fatigued by algorithmically generated feeds.

Sean discusses efforts to revive an older Twitter-style experience centered around real-time posts from real people, while MySpace's current owners are exploring what a comeback could look like with a more anti-algorithmic approach.

Even physical media is part of the conversation.

From W Magazine launching a youth-focused print publication to renewed interest in vinyl records and resistance to all-digital video games, Kelly and Sean see signs that people still value things they can physically own, share and experience together.

Then there's Reddit.

Its forum-like structure feels almost old-school compared with today's heavily algorithmic social feeds. Yet both its users and advertising business are growing. Sean points to Guideline data showing Reddit ad spend growth of roughly 52%, alongside the platform's emphasis on communities and human interaction.

Smaller platforms may matter too.

Sean highlights Spill, a social platform founded by former Twitter employees and focused on communities including people of color and LGBTQ users. Guideline's data shows approximately 140% ad spend growth on the platform.

The individual examples differ, but Kelly and Sean see a common thread:

community and connection.

Neither expects people to abandon their phones or social media entirely. Instead, the next generation of platforms may have to rethink how technology facilitates genuine communities without relying entirely on endless algorithmic consumption.

The episode also marks an important moment for Media Monitor.

Kelly announces that she will be stepping away from the podcast and passing the torch. Sean reflects on their time together and confirms that Media Monitor will continue, with interviews and other episodes planned while the team prepares for the show's next co-host.

In this episode:

• Why social media matters so much to global advertising
• Meta's enormous share of advertising spend
• The evolution from social connection to algorithmic consumption
• Snapchat Plans and real-world events
• Why users may be experiencing algorithm fatigue
• The potential return of a Twitter-style experience
• Why physical media is making a comeback
• W Youth and renewed interest in print
• Vinyl, video games and the value of ownership
• Reddit's resurgence
• Guideline's Reddit advertising data
• Why platforms are emphasizing human users
• MySpace's possible comeback
• What an anti-algorithm social network could look like
• Regulation of addictive algorithms
• The rise of smaller community-focused platforms
• Spill's advertising growth
• Why younger generations choose different platforms
• Community as the future of social media
• Kelly's Media Monitor announcement
• What's next for the podcast

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If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

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