✨ the SPARK 222 ~ The Beginning of the Decline of Big Social

Feel Free to Let Go of What No Longer Serves You

One of the things I loved doing way back when (15 years ago, maybe?) was spending a couple of hours on a Sunday morning reading the newspaper (the physical newspaper), having my coffee, and watching HGTV. 🗞☕

Something about that ritual set me up for a day of ease; even if I spent the rest of the day getting things done around the house, I loved my Sunday mornings.

Back then, if you had told me there would be a time when physical newspapers would be scarce, and I’d have little trust in legacy media, I don’t think I would have believed you.

We’re seeing something similar happen with social media, websites, and how people do business online.

Is this an exodus or just a significant shift in behavior?

I won’t go too sideways with the big platforms; plenty of opinions are out there, but there’s also some interesting data. For the sake of today’s newsletter, let’s look at social media (and not all platforms).

Personally - here’s what I’ve done/am doing:

• Deleted X entirely (with 19k followers)

• Primarily only use FB to stay in touch with people (have some old automations that send stuff to a page)

• I am rarely on LinkedIn (it’s a bandwidth thing -not for or against it, and I may step it up if I can do it while staying sane)

• I spend most of my time on Substack

• I have a Bluesky account; I just haven’t done much with it

• Instagram/Threads - I’m pretty indifferent

• TikTok - I still have my account and enjoy seeing #worldtok content, but that’s about it.

• YouTube - Working on a revamp/relaunch of my channel (SOON!)

I *might* use Meta to run ads again, but I think there are better alternatives for list growth (newsletter ads, swaps, YouTube, YouTube ads, referrals, recommendations, etc.).

Even without data, I think we can all feel the change in the air. This means staying open to different opportunities and hopefully validating your personal choice if you want less time on social (and zero judgment if not).

I went to Perplexity.ai to see if my gut feeling (a decline in social usage) was more than just a feeling.

I compiled all the data into a PDF. You can download it here (without opting in). It’s not fancy; it's just a simple document with links to the sources if you want to explore further.

Here are a few standout points. My primary question about the decline was with the older/bigger platforms (FB, X, and LinkedIn—YouTube got its own question 😉).

Facebook

Facebook's share of referrals to third-party websites fell to its lowest recorded level in September 2024. It now accounts for fewer than 60% of social media referrals globally.

X / Twitter

Only 19% of people aged 12 and above currently use X, representing a 30% drop from 2023 (this age demographic feels like an odd statistic).
User opinions about X are mixed: 42% are positive, 32% dislike the platform, and 22% remain neutral.

LinkedIn (Good news for LI users)

Only about 1% of LinkedIn's monthly users share content weekly, although these users generate 9 billion impressions (hmm… missed opportunity?).

LinkedIn sessions have increased significantly, with over 443 billion feed updates viewed annually. This indicates a shift towards content consumption rather than creation.

Here are a few fun facts about YouTube (and why I’m revamping my channel):

• The platform hosts over 5.1 billion videos as of 2025, with approximately 2.6 million new videos uploaded daily.

• Over 80% of creators who earned money from YouTube in the U.S. agreed that the platform provides unique content creation and monetization opportunities.

• The platform is shifting towards more authentic, less-edited content. Many successful videos feature creators simply talking to the camera without flashy editing.

• Successful growth on YouTube in 2025 requires creators to focus on audience-first content and creating unique experiences, rather than relying on "lazy tactics".

Lastly, here are some things to keep in mind with the digital shifts that are occurring:

• Overwhelm is real – We're drowning in content streams and the constant pressure to stay connected. That nagging feeling of "missing out" if you step away? You're not alone in feeling that exhaustion.

• Trust has been broken – After years of data breaches and privacy scandals, we have become understandably guarded about what we share online. It's like inviting someone into your home who's been caught snooping before.

• Mental wellness matters. The connection between excessive scrolling and feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and comparison is becoming impossible to ignore. More people are asking, "Is this serving my well-being?"

• Quality over quantity – Remember when your feed was mostly friends and family? Now, it's a sea of misinformation, heated arguments, and suspiciously perfect strangers trying to sell you something. No wonder we're seeking alternatives.

• Finding our digital tribes – Instead of massive platforms, many are gravitating toward private messaging and niche communities (Substack) where conversations feel more genuine and purposeful.

• Intentional digital living – The mindless scroll is being replaced by purposeful engagement—using platforms with specific intentions rather than defaulting to them whenever we have a free moment.

I know this was pretty long (and a little heavy on data), but more than anything, I hope it gave you a little insight and freedom to find the best option for you and your business.

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SPARK Spotlight 🔥

This isn’t a new share; however, the developer continues to add fantastic features, making it worth mentioning again!

The latest update lets you create AI portraits (like the example in the first carousel on the homepage of the Pixar-like character) to add to your carousels.

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A Little Brainpower 🧠

I’m considering setting up filters in Gmail. “How to Subscribe to All the Substacks You Love Without Losing Your Mind,” by Down the Rabbit Hole.

ICYMI, I wrote this earlier this week. A disruptor most marketers didn’t see coming (that has nothing to do with marketing but is changing consumers buying behaviors). Read, “Are Marketer’s Ready for This?”

Not surprising. “The World's Largest Search Doesn't Want You to Search,” by The Honest Broker.

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Tool Time 🛠

I have a little prediction before we get into the tools. 🔮

I think we’re going to see much more niche-specific AI tools being developed by people who know their audience and want to develop a complimentary tool to a problem they solve.

In other words, much less general tools since most of the big ones (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.) can do what a lot of these other tools do (if you know how to use them properly).

• AI Agents: A new way of doing customer service. Respond instantly to any customer, anytime, anywhere. Try JotForm AI Agents free here.

• YouTube: This is the most unique thumbnail creator I’ve seen. Train it on photos of you, get help with prompts, and voila! Check out Minimimic.me here.

• Signature: This is great if you don’t have access to a tablet & stylus for creating a handwritten signature of your name. Try SignaturePro generator free here.

• Email: Filters out your low-priority emails and get a clean, daily summary with TLDRs of every newsletter. Try Forage for Gmail free here.

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Not really, but too funny not to share 😂

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I’ll keep this sign off short & sweet since this was a bit longer this week.

I hope the last couple of days of February are easy and March brings us all little bits of joy wherever we can find them.

With kindness & coffee,
Kim

p.s. I used that sign off in my other newsletter and have kind of fallen in love with it.
🫶☕