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Fed up with Facebook, Instagram, and X? Creatives in 2025 are reclaiming control, ditching social media for owned platforms that foster independence and authenticity.
We’ve been talking for some time about the death of social media. But now, here in 2025, it feels like things are really coming to a head.
You can’t have failed to notice it. So many creatives are either leaving social networks altogether or slowing down their posting to a trickle or an absolute stop. And this isn’t merely about abandoning ship. It’s about reclaiming control.
Take writer Philippa Moore. “I quit all my personal social media platforms, apart from LinkedIn, which I use occasionally, in January 2022, and have rarely looked back,” she explains. “I was sleeping better, my resting heart rate was down, my screen time dropped by 81% in the first week, and, crucially, I got my brain back!”
She considered joining Substack (where many creatives have headed). But she thought, as she already pays for Squarespace hosting and her own domain, why not use that? She adds, “I was tired of giving my content, time and creative energy to platforms that were only making morally dubious billionaires even wealthier.
“Every time there’s another Elon or Zuck drama or another massive privacy breach, I sigh with relief that I’m out of it,” she says. “I suspect at some point Substack will go the same way. I hope I’m wrong! But history is the best predictor of the future, as we are currently seeing play out.”
Buying, not renting
Philippa is not alone. Across the creative industry, we’re seeing professionals make a decisive shift away from social media and other ‘rented’ platforms, choosing instead to invest in spaces they truly own.
This movement, brewing for years, has reached a tipping point in 2025, marking what may turn out to be the end of social media’s golden era. Although some believe its death happened as early as 2016.
So what do we mean by ‘rented’ here, exactly? As Elizabeth C, growth marketing director at Gembadocs, puts it. “Using a social platform is like being on rented land, subject to a landlord’s whim, while having your own website is like buying your own house with the help of a mortgage provider—i.e., a hosting service. In the long run, the mortgaged property will prevail.”
Brand strategist Hammad Aslam takes a similar line. “Many creators have built empires on rented land, only to watch the algorithm shift and take it all away,” he notes.
The return to owned media
Instagram’s prioritising of suggested content over personal connections, X’s lurch toward rewarding rather than punishing trolls, Meta’s ongoing privacy concerns, the broad shift from text and images to short-form video, and the controversial role social media CEOs are playing in Trump’s government—all of these issues and more have left creatives questioning their investment in these spaces.
But what’s emerging instead is something very positive: a renaissance of personal websites, newsletters and blogs. Startup advisor and writer Birgitte Rasine is typical when she says: “I’ve decided to build my own forever home. A space I own and have full control over, not someone else’s platform.”
Of course, the transition isn’t without its challenges. Kelly Smith, designer and founder at Spelk Studio, raises a common concern: “When you publish on your own platform, you’re simply not visible. Unless people discover you and care enough to check back regularly, nobody will see your great content.”
Many creatives, though, are finding ways around this. Typically, they’re adopting hybrid approaches: maintaining minimal social media presence while focusing their energy on building robust, owned platforms. SEO, email newsletters and genuine community building are replacing the quick hits of social media engagement.
That’s pretty much the approach we’re taking here at Creative Boom.
We haven’t cancelled any of our social media accounts yet: you don’t kiss goodbye to 121K Instagram followers lightly. But we’ve taken a big step back from posting. Instead, we’re putting all our efforts and energies into building our own bespoke community, The Studio: a private, distraction-free sanctuary for creatives to connect, collaborate and grow. (You can find out more about that and how to join here).
A new dawn
Overall, it really does feel like we’re entering a new era. Susie Carini, director at zed creative, speaks for many when she says: “The golden era of social media, where platforms felt like genuine communities and organic reach was achievable, seems like a distant memory. It feels like we’re at a crossroads where creators and businesses are reevaluating their dependence on these networks.
“I’ve recently deleted our business X account and will shortly be deleting our Facebook page too,” she continues. “This shift might be uncomfortable, but it’s also an opportunity to rethink how we connect with audiences in a way that’s more meaningful and enduring.”
There’s also a generational angle to all this that can’t be ignored. “Not sure social will ever fully disappear, but it’s clear it’s changing,” says CMO at Corebook. “With Gen Z moving towards private Discord servers and closed chat groups, the shift is pretty obvious. The real kicker? My latest student group had zero clue Clubhouse was ever a thing; completely off their radar. This says a lot about where social media stands in their world: it’s just not on the priority list. Some even don’t recognise Snapchat as a thing any more.”
The good times are coming back
Ultimately, though, this is about more than just a change in platform preference; it’s a fundamental rethinking of how creatives connect with their audiences. Remember the glory days of blogging and owning our own spaces? Whisper it, but it feels like they’re coming back.
And this is not just in our heads: countless creatives are telling us the same thing. Creatives like Miro LaFlaga, co-founder of Six Cinquième who says: “Honestly, it is a growing movement. I’m seeing more and more creators and professional creatives leave social platforms. I do feel we are slowly moving towards in-person meetups and closed communities and groups.”
Copywriter and SEO consultant Kiri Nowak-Smith captures the zeitgeist perfectly: “I recently shut down my main Instagram account, and I feel like a new woman,” she enthuses. “I think the next five years will be all about owning your own spaces to speak freely.”
Conclusion
The message is clear: the future of creative expression online isn’t about renting space on someone else’s platform—it’s about building your own.
As the appeal of social media continues to deteriorate for creatives, those who invest in owned platforms today are positioning themselves for a more sustainable and independent tomorrow. The question now isn’t whether to make the switch but when and how.
Brand writer and content designer Sarah Farley concludes: “When you don’t own or pay to use a platform, you’re not really a user. You’re the product.” In 2025, creators are choosing to be owners instead.