There's a vibe shift afoot on our socials, and it's not happening where you may think.
Every night in bed I like to watch my favourite show: my boyfriend scrolling Reels on his phone while I am happily tucked up in the crease of his elbow. This is somewhat of a ritual of ours: giggling at the nonsensical brainrot his feed produces like Jesse and James of Team Rocket. But recently, we also like to dabble in the comments section.
Why? Because people on the internet are funny as f*ck. More specifically, everyday users who have half the sense to respond to content with something diabolically insane, and all the confidence in the world to do so.
According to The Drum, 91% of people say they spend time in the comments, and about a third actually join in. Even more telling, 65% say the comments are funnier than the original post.
So, what's going on here?
Feeds are cluttered, algorithm-driven, and overrun with ads. We know every "relatable" TikTok is secretly a brand deal. Every Instagram carousel feels focus-grouped. The comments, though, feel alive. They're spontaneous, chaotic, sometimes concerning, but always human.
It's one of the last places online where culture feels like it's bubbling up from the bottom, not being pushed down from the top.
Why we love the comments
The comments section is where the inside jokes start, where strangers riff off each other until the replies are funnier than the original video. It's where people admit, "glad it's not just me," or tag their friends into the chaos.
It's kind of like eavesdropping on the internet's group chat, only you're invited to join in (fun! Hehe.)
Enter the brands (but tread carefully)
Of course, wherever people are paying attention, brands want to be. And yes, there's opportunity here. A clever brand comment can get more engagement than a paid ad. It's cheaper, it feels organic, and when done right, it earns a kind of cultural relevance you can't buy.
But... and this is a big but, comments are a delicate ecosystem.
One bad, corporate-sounding quip can tank the vibe faster than you can say "How do you do, fellow kids?" If your brand wants to join the conversation, you need to:
Match the tone: Speak like a human, not a press release.
Add value: Be funny, be in on the joke, or move the conversation along. Don't just drop your slogan.
Know when to sit it out: Not every comment section needs a brand cameo. Sometimes the best play is to just let people talk.
Don't, for the love of god, kill the vibe.
The comments section has become the new living room of social media: a space for connection, comedy, and community. Brands can pull up a chair, but they're guests, not hosts. Come in too loud or too salesy, and you'll ruin the freaking party.
If the feeds are broken, maybe the comments are our way of fixing social media? Turning it back into something weird, funny, and human again.
So if you're a brand, just remember that this isn't your show. You're lucky to even have a seat.
-Sophie Randell, Writer
