When you sit and really think about it, how crazy is it that we can talk to people all the way across the world through a piece of plastic in front of us? Far and away are the days of asking your mom permission to make a long-distance call to your friend from summer camp, or sending actual paper invitations to your next rooftop rosé party. Today’s innovators are coming up with new ways to connect every day, but for #ThrowbackThursday, we salute the tools that paved the way to this interconnected world in our Social Media Timeline:

 

1997 – AOL Instant Messenger

How can we forget those embarrassing screen names from AOL Instant Messenger? When AIM first launched in 1997, it was a huge deal, as it was one of the first Internet platforms that let people talk to each other in real time. People loved the idea of getting an immediate response, and so began our evolution towards instant gratification. Our screen names embodied all that we stood for, and our profile info ensured our friends knew where they stood in our lives. R.I.P sk8rgrl38595674432, your away messages will be missed.

2002 – LinkedIn

Since 2002, LinkedIn has changed the game with how people can search, connect, and apply for jobs and internships. Colleges are now making it mandatory for students to create a LinkedIn profile to simplify their internship and job searches, and the professional social network not only continues to bring together prospective employees with hiring businesses, but it is also great for brands to connect and link with other companies to relay ideas and forge partnerships. Most recently, LinkedIn reported having 380 million members worldwide.

2003 – Skype

In 2003, the world of face-to-face communication was gifted Skype, a cross-OS video chat that let friends see each other’s faces instead of typing messages out. Although iChat may have been popular among Mac users, Skype prevailed as the most accessible third-party video calling application, as iChat went offline in 2012. With over 300 million users today, Skype remains at the forefront of video-conferencing technology and is the favorite of many bloggers and long-distance callers worldwide.

2003 – Myspace

Arguably, Myspace birthed the selfie, inspiring emo kids everywhere to come up with more creative and outrageous angles and pouty faces all for the sake of a good default profile picture. Some of us even got HTML-savvy and experimented with glittery profile layouts and decorations. Myspace enamored teenagers everywhere with a virtual community of bulletin surveys and friendstorming, where we were happy to share the bond of Tom’s mutual friendship. Then came Mark Zuckerberg…

2004 – Facebook

We’ve all seen The Social Network and are familiar with the early days of Facebook, where connecting with college classmates you never met IRL was status quo. It’s funny to think how archaic the platform once was at first launch – you couldn’t even tell who wrote what on your wall! Aside from the advantages for brands everywhere, Zuckerberg’s monster network has since become a kind of personal marketing tool, where those Myspace-honed selfies are published in hopes that the digital community will note its approval with gratuitous likes and perhaps the occasional text comment. There are 1.49 billion monthly active users as of March 2015.

2005 – YouTube

YouTube is the Internet’s original haven for videos of cats and other forms of filmic creativity ranging from vlogs, tutorials, and amateur comedy, because what better way to pass time than by watching music videos/make-up how-tos/funny babies all day? Anyone can post content, and some people have even gained Internet fame and notoriety from their original works.

2006 – Twitter

Just when options in the realm of social networking seemed to be getting stale, Twitter emerged onto the scene as the prime method of sharing your 140-character thoughts. Users could mention friends, tweet at them directly, and share content and reactions in real-time. Today, the Twitterverse abounds with opportunities for marketing, news sharing, and personal interactions alike. As of June 30, there are 316 million active users.

2007 – Tumblr

Tumblr began as a microblogging platform where users could publish text posts on a single chronological feed. Similar to Twitter’s retweet, users can also reblog and share their favorite posts on their own pages. Tumblr has evolved into a haven for every fangirl of every fandom everywhere, a world where personal interest takes precedent and obsession is optional.

2010 – Instagram

Instagram capitalized upon the basic, easy-sharing principles of Twitter, but focused primarily on photo-sharing rather than text posts. The visual format provides an outlet for photographers, stylists, and those who happened to snap the perfect candid pic of themselves and friends. Instagram works in a similar way to other social networks we’re comfortable with in the way of followers and liking content, but no reading required!

2011 – Snapchat

Snapchat revolutionized the mobile instant-messaging world, giving people the chance to share funny, candid pictures and videos that self-destruct immediately after viewing. No need to worry about miscommunicating through text when your message can instantly be seen on your face! Even brands are catching on to the Snapchat revolution in an attempt to entice users with 10 seconds of behind-the-scenes looks and exciting product previews.

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We’ve seen how quickly the internet has given us text messaging, first in the form of email, and then instant messaging. It wasn’t long before we could even communicate face-to-face without needing to be in the same room, or even on the same continent. The innovations in the ways we e-communicate got more exciting as mobile technology found its way into the pockets of all of your friends, parents, little siblings, and even your grandparents. Only time will tell what the next trending social networking platform will be.

Metter Media LLC is a Boston-based social media management company that implements community-based, localized social engagement strategies for small businesses and corporations alike. Need help with your social media? Email Lauren today.