Have We Given Too Much Power To Social Media?
In the last few days, or should I say months, I’ve been thinking a lot about how much power we’ve given social media to decide who we are, how good we are, and how we measure success.
As a small business owner, I constantly hear how essential social media is. How it helps people find you. And that may be true. But by trying to follow the rules, understand the algorithms, and reach the “right” audience, I’ve started to question what social media is actually designed to do.
It no longer feels like a tool to genuinely connect supply and demand. Instead, it feels more like a game of “catch me if you can.” Algorithms keep changing, visibility feels unpredictable, and the underlying message seems clear: social media is built to connect, but also to hook us into a constant cycle of hype.
With every post comes anticipation. Will this one work? Will it reach people? Will it finally convert? There’s excitement, hope, and but often disappointment. Maybe now. Maybe the next post.
When I search for guidance on how to play this game better, I find endless content about what to post, when to post, and how to optimize engagement. Much of it comes from content creators and social media professionals. Their feeds are often beautiful, inspiring, and visually impressive.
But when I ask a simple business question, how do you measure ROI? - the conversation often stops.
From a business perspective, social media is an investment. Time, energy, creativity, and often money go into it. Expecting some form of measurable return, especially a monetary one, feels reasonable. Yet the most common answer I hear is: “I’ve never been asked that.”
Of course, there are many professionals in the industry who truly know what they’re doing. People who manage to connect demand and supply, build brands, and generate real results. This isn’t about dismissing their work.
But it brings me back to the core question I keep circling around:
Have we given too much power to social media?
Too much power to define our worth, our success, and whether what we’re building is ‘good enough’ instead of trusting slower growth, real connections, and value that isn’t always immediately visible.