Social Media Is in a Recession - So What Do We Do About It?

Let’s talk about the elephant in the feed - namely all the businesses and creators baffled as to why engagement is not what it used to be. Social media is in a weird place right now. It's not dead, but it's in a more cautious place than it was even last year.

If you have an online presence, you’ve probably felt it. People are leaving fewer comments and likes. They're scrolling, they're consuming content, but it's a passive consumption. It’s not just your content - it’s the climate. We're living in uncertain times both politically and economically, and people keep things closer to the vest when they feel their foundations shaking. Pair that with a select few losing jobs over their online footprint (many of them rightfully so tbh), and folks are clamming up.

What’s Actually Happening?

Right now, users are still on social media, but they’re not showing up the way they used to. Here’s what we’re seeing:

• People are consuming content passively, out of habit, not intention.

• Public engagement (likes, comments, shares) is down across the board.

• More users are retreating to private accounts, group chats, and DMs.

• The pressure to perform or post “perfect” content has driven people inward.

• AI fatigue, algorithm burnout, and sensory overload have numbed the scroll.

In short: We’ve got more eyeballs than ever before, but less visible action.

And yeah, I come bearing data:

• Facebook interactions are down 80%

• TikTok brand engagement is down by half - from 5.69% to 2.63%

• Instagram has an average 0.43 average engagement rate

That's not all!

67% of TikTok users never post

92% of TikTok interactions are passive views

Pinterest's 'silent inspiration' drives 89% of purchasing decisions

Sources: SproutSocial, RivalIQ, Social Insider

What Less Engagement on Social Media Means for You

If you’ve been wondering why your engagement tanked in the last 6 months, it’s not (just) you. This is the new normal.

Now, take a deep breath and don't panic. This isn’t a death sentence for marketing — it’s a pivot point. While public engagement is down, people are still watching. Still buying. Still clicking. Just in quieter ways. Instagram itself announced that they see sends (shares) as a priority metric. They're no longer valuing public numbers such as likes and comments as top performance indicators.

So, How Do We Handle Marketing in This New Era?

1. Prioritize Resonance Over Virality

The new scroll is fast, numb, and semi-conscious. If your marketing doesn’t feel real, it won’t register.

Forget loud gimmicks. Forget trending audio for the sake of it. Focus on clarity, tone, and “holy shit, that’s me” messaging. Speak directly to the problem your audience is quietly Googling at 10pm.

2. Stop Measuring Success by Likes

Likes are vanity metrics, and right now, they’re the worst ones to chase.

Start watching:

• Clicks

• DMs

• Saves

• Cost per result (for ads)

• Actual conversions

  
  

The best content in 2025 is the stuff that works in the background, not the spotlight.

3. Tap Into Private Behavior

If people are spending more time in group chats, make your content shareable there. Shareable content is king. Before posting, you want to ask yourself:

• Would someone send this to a friend and say, “this is so you”?

• Would this make someone nod to themselves and hit save?

• Does this feel like a conversation starter, or a billboard?

The more your content sounds like a person talking to a person, the more likely it’ll break through the blur.

4. Go Deeper, Not Louder

People are tired of being shouted at by strangers online. They crave trust, expertise, and authenticity.

If your content has real depth and strategy behind it, it doesn’t need to be loud.

The best ads right now feel like:

• Gentle nudges

• Well-timed answers

• Reassuring guidance

• Quiet confidence

• Funny as heck and slightly unhinged

What This Means for Your Marketing Strategy

This social media “recession” is your reminder that visible performance ≠ popularity. If your content is reaching fewer people but converting more of them, you’re doing just fine.

This is the time to:

• Audit your funnel

• Refine your messaging

• Focus on long-game strategy over short-term likes

• Reconnect with your audience like the algorithm isn’t watching

Want to learn a little bit more about how social media works in your sales funnel even when the metrics aren't super visible? Check out our post on why social media attribution is a mess right now - Why Tracking ROI on Social Media is Harder Than Ever.