It would be hard to overstate the influence that the Internet—more specifically, the World Wide Web—has had on society since its introduction. Accessible at all times from our computers, phones, and tablets, this collection of electronic pages serves as a reference library, communications channel, source of entertainment, and transactional marketplace.

Social media refers to Web sites and software applications that allow users to create and share information and ideas in online communities. Considering the strong foothold that social media has in our personal lives and in business activities today, it’s hard to imagine that its technological underpinnings didn’t even exist 25 years ago. There was no way to “live chat” over the Internet, let alone stream the digital images or videos that have evolved to become an integral part of Twitter, Snapchat, and other social media sites.

For a sense of what it was like when the first public Internet service provider was introduced in 1989, it would have taken between 10 minutes and several hours to download a single 3.5 MB song at a transmission speed of 0.1 Kbps (kilobits per second). It would have taken several days to download a 700 MB movie file. Luckily, for everyone, after this very slow start, transmission speeds and bandwidth (which enables faster delivery of larger files) increased substantially.

Today, for the generation that grew up with the Web, as well as those who experienced its evolution, participating in social media—texting, tweeting, posting, sharing, or talking—is integrated into many facets of our daily lives. And social media has also become a useful and lucrative marketing channel. Until very recently, companies (and celebrities) marketed their movies, music, games, and drinks to target customers through broadcast or print media. It was very much a one-way conversation. While customer feedback might have been welcomed, it was slow in arriving—usually through “snail mail.” The feedback would rarely have informed a company’s next outgoing message or promotion as it can today.

But technology has enabled a real shift. Marketing using social media follows an entirely different model. Companies interact directly and in real time with their target customers, and, whether they’re young or old, customers respond enthusiastically when it’s done well because it feels a lot like a relationship. In other words, there’s give and take: the companies don’t do all of the talking. They release content, and the customer participates by liking and sharing content, asking questions, and leaving comments. The company responds to these actions and then releases new content.

This two-way conversation helps consumers and fans feel less like they’re being exploited and more like partners whose opinions matter. Think about it: Before the 1990s, if someone wanted to express an opinion about movies or products or even politics, he or she could write a letter to the company or to a magazine or local newspaper. It was up to an anonymous editor whether the letter was actually read or published. Today, by posting comments and sharing pictures of their favorite things or videos they like, consumers do as much as the marketer in getting a brand’s message across.