Each day, the average person spends 2 hours and 23 minutes scrolling their chosen social media platforms…
But it wasn’t always this way. How did people communicate before Instagram and Facebook came about, and how did we get here?
Insight Social Media delves into the history and evolution of social media… Because if there was no Instagram to scroll, what on earth did people do in their first hour of waking?
1837 – The Telegraph
We know what you are thinking – were telegraphs really social media? We think yes! Telegraphs presented an opportunity to communicate and connect with people from all over the place and also saw a profound economic effect due to money being wired across vast lands.
Telegraphs were in development by many people for many years, but it wasn’t until 1837 when the concept was patented by Samuel Morse (the same guy who invented Morse Code)! Once 1844 rolled around, Morse sent the very first telegraph, which said, “What hath God wrought?” from the Bible, to express awe.
1876 – Phone Calls
Not long after the telegraph, Alexander Graham Bell patented the first telephone. Opening a wide world of communication, the telephone changed the way businesses were run. Person to person, fast and affordable communication meant people were talking to others they may usually never have the opportunity to.
1978 – Bulletin Board Systems (BBS)
We all know what a bulletin board is… But did you know the first computerised version of one shaped what digital social media would look like? Created by Ward Christensen and Randy Suess, BBS allowed those with a computer to post simple messages from user to user – all before the World Wide Web was invented! BBS was all text-based and accessible through a terminal program, allowing uploading and downloading data, reading news and bulletin posts as well as engaging with others through messages.
1989 – World Wide Web
Originally designed to meet the demand for instant sharing of information between scientists in universities and institutions across the globe, the World Wide Web was invented in 1989 and available to the public domain in 1993. Once free for all, the WWW saw instant messaging services boom – the first few being ICQ, AIM and then Yahoo! Messenger.
2004 – Facebook launches.
Social networking as we now know it begins. Initially launching as TheFacebook, what is now known as Facebook was only available to those with a Harvard email address and allowed each user to upload a photo, share interests and connect with others and make “friends”. The site proved so popular that it became available to students at Yale, Columbia and Stanford not long after its release. Two years on, the site was available to anyone and everyone with an email address above the age of 13.
You’ve probably been alive for the rest of it.
Since 2006, we’ve seen huge advancements in the digital space. YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok and many other platforms have been born so loudly into the space that it has become hard to imagine what life was like before it all.
What do you think will be next?
Plan like a boss and tie content to key events like you’re living your best year yet, with our 2024 Social Media Calendar. If getting your social media plan into shape and creating stand-out content are on the top (or bottom) of your 2024 must-do’s, we’ve got you covered!
Content creators are forging more relevant connections with consumers than many other sources.The ever-changing world of digital marketing is no longer about mass reach. Relatable connections are a must, and the next big shift is afoot. Is creator marketing the next big thing for brands? You bet!
LinkedIn is the world’s pre-eminent ‘professional social network’. Founded in 2002 it become dominant within its niche and was purchased by Microsoft in 2016. Amidst the constant churn and change of social media, LinkedIn has grown steadily and consistently.
Plan like a boss and tie content to key events like you’re living your best year yet, with our 2024 Social Media Calendar. If getting your social media plan into shape and creating stand-out content are on the top (or bottom) of your 2024 must-do’s, we’ve got you covered!
Content creators are forging more relevant connections with consumers than many other sources.The ever-changing world of digital marketing is no longer about mass reach. Relatable connections are a must, and the next big shift is afoot. Is creator marketing the next big thing for brands? You bet!