by Robin Lauffer, Director of Strategy & Insights

Remember when social media felt… social? When a post got likes, comments, laughs? That’s fading. I thought it was just me, but the reality is that today, people scroll endlessly, consume endlessly, but interact far less. Social media has become a theater you watch, not a conversation you join.

The numbers:

• Facebook: Overall engagement down 36%
• Instagram: Down 28%
• TikTok: Down 34%
• X: Down 38%

People are still on the platforms—they just aren’t talking, sharing or saving.

Why it’s happening:

• Algorithms over humans: Our feeds now favor revenue, trending content and over-heard conversations over real connection.  Note to self: don’t talk about anything embarassing in ear shot of my phone.
• Content overload: Too many posts, too little attention.
• Platform fatigue: Stories, reels, notifications, they blur together. Passive scrolling is now the norm.

While engagement is down across the board, it’s most notable among Zoomers:

• They crave authenticity over polish.
• They want privacy and control.
• They flock to platforms where interaction feels authentic and earned.

The result: a quieter, more deliberate social experience.

What It Means for Brands

Likes and shares aren’t enough anymore. To connect today, brands must:

• Feel real: Authentic content – at the right time, in the right place – beats polished campaigns that scream “marketing”!
• Invite participation: Polls, challenges, discussion threads work better than one-way broadcasts.
• Add value: Entertain, inform, inspire, don’t just push product.

Brands that get this can turn passive scrolling into genuine engagement, even in an increasingly “unsocial” world.

At Little Big Brands, we help brands cut through the scroll, spark real participation, and stay unmistakably human. Together we can make social, social again.