How do you think social media is going to evolve?
We went from status updates → stories → short-form video.
From friends → followers → strangers with shared interests.
From flexing → performing → now… what?
Feels like something's about to break, and rebuild.
Here’s a take:
The next wave won’t be about going viral - it’ll be about belonging.
Smaller circles. Real-time hangs. Less algorithm, more intention.
Curious what you think comes next.
Replies
🎯 I strongly agree that the next wave is about Belonging.
Two thoughts I'd like to share with you:
1. “The Internet of Meaning” ✨
It's no longer information overload; it's “meaning overload”-certainly in a positive sense. We are drawn to content and communities that truly feed our souls, help us grow, or make us feel less alone. Algorithms may evolve from “guessing what you like” to “guessing what you need” or “helping you find your kind”.
2. “Slow Social” (Slow Social) ⏳
In response to the fast-paced short videos, there may be a trend towards “Slow Social”. Fewer notifications, deeper interactions, and more focus on quality rather than quantity. Like hand-brewed coffee, enjoy the process, not the instant flavor in one gulp.
Curious if you've spotted any new products or features that already reflect this trend? 🤔
@partick_support That was beautifully said, and I really hope we move in that direction. But I worry we don’t have the attention span for it anymore. People crave belonging but the pull of the mainstream is strong. Brainrot is real. Both can exist, but mass behavior still leans toward the quick hit.
Yeah, totally with you on this, Furqaan.
It feels like we’ve hit a wall. Everyone’s kinda tired of performing, chasing views, posting for the algorithm. It’s starting to feel empty. I think what’s next is way more low-key smaller circles, private spaces, stuff that feels real. More group chats, voice notes, late night calls. Less polished, more present. Not about going viral anymore. Just about feeling like you belong somewhere.
@sayeed1440 Fully agree!
@sayeed1440 rightly said !!
minimalist phone: creating folders
A lot of conversation and showcasing is shifting from feeds to DMs so you can expect more ads in your inbox.
There is also an AI trend with avatars to spark engagement.
I once wrote about the future of social media in 2025 in my Substack newsletter and avatars was one of trends (even AI avatars earning better than humans) :)
@busmark_w_nika I hadn’t thought about that, but yes, I can totally see it happening (even though I’d personally hate it).
Just checked out your Substack,really great stuff. I especially liked the AI + SEO article. I’m working on a directory/community project at my current company, so we’ve been deep in the SEO trenches too.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@chaosandcoffee The thing is, the more AI models are effective, the more our future is unpredictable – the labour market is shrinking, we desperately need to create new career roles :D
"The next wave won’t be about going viral - it’ll be about belonging." - I agree but we will still find ways to compete. It's human nature. If it won't change then we should focus on rewarding valuable members properly.
Currently social media algorithms reward views and engagement stats. Which leads to spamming and hate speech and suppress deep niche content. Even private skool communities give 1 point for 1 like, but not all likes are same.
Maybe some kind of AI moderator will come which would do more than suppressing banned words. Some kind of personal assistants. Don't know whether it's scalable at this moment.
@admiralrohan Absolutely agree with this. One thing I really like about Product Hunt is how valuable members actually get rewarded, it feels earned. Substack claims to do the same, but I’m not really seeing it.
We are seeing some mild shifts though, like how Instagram now rewards videos based on viewer watch time. So if your content is genuinely valuable and keeps people engaged, you get more reach.
@chaosandcoffee Yes product hunt is really spam free. Also hackernews but it's tough to follow due to old UX.
The vibes are definitely changing. I see younger users opting out of public accounts entirely, they’re curating privacy now, not content.
Love this topic, thank you for bringing it up!
I agree, the next wave will probably be more about the smaller circles. That's why the demand for nano-influencers has started to increase in the last couple of years, and why there's so much talk around the importance of building communities.
I do believe we'll see an increase in the number of people who use the internet more intentionally and cautiously, trying to stay away from mindless scrolling or oversharing. With this, we'll probably see more and more startups that focus on helping users stop their social media addiction / learn to use social media in a way that doesn't affect their mental health. It will surely be interesting to see how the social platforms will adapt, and I assume we'll unfortunately start seeing more and more ads in the messaging area.
@ruxandra_mazilu Yeah, I’m really concerned about the long-term effects social media will have on mental development, we’re still too early to fully understand how damaging it could be.
I think the next stage of social might actually go full circle and pivot back to IRL. You can already see it with dating apps shifting focus to in-person connections, some are even organizing run clubs instead of pushing endless swiping.
Lancepilot
Social media’s moving from broadcasting to bonding, less “look at me,” more “hang with me.”
I think the next wave is niche, real-time, and participatory. People don’t want more content, they want connection.
@priyankamandal So a bunch of engaging micro-communities?
Foundity
I saw some people saying that social media is in the 'creator founder era,' what do you think?
@isabelle_dijkhorst I think as an early-stage founder, it’s almost impossible to get traction without having a social presence. And now with AI lowering the barrier to building and launching, we’re definitely going to see a lot more creator-founders emerge. So yeah, the term feels pretty accurate.
Umm.. I believe AI is absolutely going to reshape the next era—whether we like it or not. Imagine:
Personalized AI 'agents' that filter content for you (not just what keeps you scrolling)
Real-time hangouts with AI-facilitated convos (no more awkward silences?)
Micro-communities where AI helps curate members based on deeper interests, not just surface-level engagement
But I love your point about belonging over virality. The best-case scenario? AI helps us cut through the noise to find real connection. Worst case, more artificial than ever. Either way, the ‘social’ in social media is due for a reboot!
Querri