Authentic Connection a rare commodity on social media

Here’s a question for you: when was the last time you had a real conversation on social media? Not a like, not a double-tap, not a fire emoji—but an actual back-and-forth exchange. Hard to remember, right?

That’s because social media has quietly shifted from a place of connection to a stage for performance and a marketplace for sales. For postgrad marketers understanding this shift is crucial. If you want to stand out in tomorrow’s digital world, you’ll need to put the “social” back into social media.

Algorithms Call the Shots

Your feed isn’t yours anymore—it’s the algorithm’s. Platforms prioritise content that keeps you scrolling, not content that builds connection. That’s why outrage, trending videos, or sponsored posts often appear before updates from actual friends. A good example is how Aussie retailer The Iconic uses hyper-targeted ads on Instagram and TikTok. The algorithm places their products seamlessly in your feed, driving conversions—but the interaction ends at the purchase, not at a conversation.

From Sharing to Performing

Social has become less about sharing and more about performing. Content is polished and curated to earn likes or views, not to invite dialogue. Influencer culture has only amplified this shift, where every post feels like it’s on stage. Take Mecca, for instance. Their influencer-driven campaigns on Instagram deliver reach and visibility, but they’re less about sparking meaningful two-way conversations and more about showcasing perfectly curated lifestyles.

Platforms or Marketplaces?

What began as spaces for communities now look more like online malls. Instagram doubles as a shopfront, TikTok acts as a discovery engine, and Facebook groups are filled with promotions. Cotton On has mastered Instagram’s in-app shopping features, turning casual browsing into seamless buying. It’s a brilliant business move, but it shows how “social” interactions are increasingly replaced by commercial transactions.

Engagement Without Depth

We scroll, like, and share more than ever, but these quick-fire interactions don’t equal connection. They’re signals, not conversations. Qantas on Twitter (X) illustrates this well—the airline’s updates rack up likes and retweets, but the deeper engagement often happens offline or in private messages. Publicly, the interaction remains surface-level.

Why This Matters for Marketers

For the next generation of marketers (yes, that’s you, ECU crew), this shift is a challenge worth tackling. If platforms are rewarding performance over conversation, how can brands reclaim authenticity? The answer lies in building purpose-driven campaigns. Aussie social enterprise Thankyou does this brilliantly by using social media not just to promote products but to spark dialogue around social impact. Their campaigns prove that when brands prioritise meaning, people are still willing to engage deeply.

The Takeaway

Social media might feel less social today, but that’s exactly why tomorrow’s marketers have an edge. If you can cut through the noise with strategies that create dialogue, build trust, and foster genuine communities, you’ll move beyond the algorithm and into real impact. The brands that bring the “social” back to social media won’t just get noticed—they’ll get remembered.

Disclaimer: This content is for the sole purpose of teaching and learning at Edith Cowan University and has not been endorsed or otherwise approved by the organisation it promotes.