It can be hard sometimes to remember what life was like before the internet. Some of you reading this may not have even been around for those “prehistoric” days. When we think of content creation our minds go to videos and creators on social media platforms, but there was a time when content creation was something else. Content creation at is core is the ultimate form of self-expression. Before the internet self-expression was embodied through photography, written and spoken word. In reality, content creation goes all the way back to the 1800’s. Some argue that it may even go back to Ben Franklin in 1732 when he created Poor Richard’s Almanac to promote his printing business. No one really knows exactly what moment content creation began, but in the 1900’s it started to take hold. Printing presses made content creation main stream. Michelin Guide was printed in 1900 and Jell-O release a recipe book in 1904. These types of content would reign until the conception of the internet.
The internet began in the 1960’s as a result of the Cold War. it was started as a means for government to share information between researchers even if under attack and was called Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). The official birthday of the web is considered to be January 1, 1983 after much development and transition to widespread infrastructure. We cannot get into the entirety of the history of the internet because that information could fill a novel. It was in the 90’s that blogging, then called online diaries, became popular. This was the first recorded digital content creation of our time. Shortly after, in 1997, social media platforms are constructed. The first one was called Six Degrees and would be followed by the famed Myspace in 2003. We remember when Myspace first came out and you better believe we decked it out with our favorite songs, back drops and thoughts. This was the first of its kind and was the parent site of those we know today: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. These all become mainstream in the 2000’s. Younger generations would probably find it strange that we’ve actually had our Facebook accounts since the very launch back in 2004. YouTube was founded shortly after in 2005 that created opportunities for vloggers and video editors. Thusly, the era of the digital content creation was spawn.
The first digital content creator and/or social media influencer was a person named Jeffree Star in 2003. He was known for his controversial opinions and unique fashion style on his Myspace profile. The formation of Myspace was the first time that people began to realize that they could create content as a representation of who they are. This took off like wildfire and not long after, influencers started popping up everywhere around 2009. This new era of self-expression through means of digital content was something that almost all of us would embrace. Some more than others. It was an outlet for creativity. A place for us to get thoughts out of our heads and help others in similar fields. It’s creative freedom. Content is what we do. We believe in user-generated content as a means to connect authentically. The future will be ruled by self-expression, and we’re here for it.
