The year was 2014. I was a high school student attending an all-girls Catholic high school. Facebook was beginning to decline, platforms like Snapchat and Vine were gaining popularity, and Tumblr was still holding on by a thread. During this time, I, like many others, discovered the digital phenomenon known as BuzzFeed.
With BuzzFeed becoming popular with their listicles and trendy news stories, I feel like our generation was the first to really live our social lives online, even when the internet still felt new.
Attending an all-girls high school was definitely an eye-opening experience for me. Nearly everyone was either chatting about boys, getting their second ear piercing, or taking a BuzzFeed quiz, which was a topic of conversation before every class. For me, I was introduced to the Try Guys by a friend, and I quickly became a fan. This marked my entry into a world of quizzes, viral news, and familiar faces, which I now recognize as an adult.
The Digital Shift: From Facebook Feeds to Viral Listicles
BuzzFeed did not just report the news; it made it personal and relatable, offering an alternative to the traditional sources our parents were accustomed to, especially in entertainment. In my opinion, at its cultural peak, BuzzFeed dominated social feeds with content designed for the millennials and early “zillennial” generation, who desired to be seen and understood.
My friends and I watched every Try Guys, Taste Test, Worth It, Ladylike, and other BuzzFeed videos on our iPads during lunch almost every day (technology was just being introduced in schools at the time). It’s wild to think about how our generation saw the rise of memes, viral videos, and funny, unfiltered content before becoming a civilized society. Now, as I write this, I realize I barely noticed the change from those early days of social media to now.
This is one of my favorite Try Guys videos.
The Try Guys Try Not To Die At Sea // Sponsored by The Shallows (2016)
This generational shift in how we consume content was especially clear when comparing our habits to those of our parents. Before BuzzFeed’s “Know-Hows” or “Get-Readys,” our parents relied on Facebook’s topics and updates to keep up with trends and news. Unlike them, my generation and millennials wanted news told in a fun, quirky way, or tweets read by people who looked like One Direction lookalikes. We still used Facebook, but it wasn’t our main source for connection or news feed, and we preferred platforms that offered a playful twist on current events.
For us, BuzzFeed quickly became that go-to platform, a fresh alternative to the more adult-focused spaces our parents used.
The Evolution of Digital Influencers
Not only did BuzzFeed change how we consumed viral content, but it also helped shape early internet celebrity culture by turning regular employees into well-known online personalities. The Try Guys, for example, started out as regular BuzzFeed employees and eventually built a huge audience before leaving to start their own brand. This big move showed that creators no longer needed traditional platforms to succeed in their craft.
Over time, as the late-2010s progressed, I witnessed YouTube creators starting to adapt BuzzFeed’s content style, independent podcasts emerging, and platforms like Patreon allowing content creators to connect directly with their audiences. These examples show how the early BuzzFeed model influenced digital content creation.
Thinking back, it’s wild to realize I was there to watch all of these changes happen in real time.
The Rise of Meme Culture and Virality
Transitioning from the rise of digital creators, another defining feature of this era was how memes and viral content shaped the internet.
Meme culture, I feel, is by far the longest-running and most prominent form of funny content, surpassing viral videos. Before memes lived primarily on TikTok or Reddit threads, they lived on Facebook timelines, Twitter retweets, and group chats, and BuzzFeed was often the source. Now, I see the same memes and even new ones in the comment sections on TikTok, which makes me feel old, unfortunately.
BuzzFeed also helped popularize reaction-style content. GIF-heavy posts using scenes from The Office, Parks and Rec, or Mean Girls became a universal language and still are to this day! Instead of replying with words, it was shorthand communication.
What set BuzzFeed apart was how naturally things went viral; nothing felt forced. You didn’t think about whether something was sponsored or planned; BuzzFeed just seemed to get it. For my generation, it was the first place to see a viral video before it even made it to Ellen. Once BuzzFeed posted something, you knew it was everywhere.
For instance, I remember when One Direction broke up in 2015. I was in my textile art class when a girl shouted the news after reading a BuzzFeed article. Next thing you know, at lunch, every girl was crying hysterically. We had BuzzFeed and Tumblr to thank for spreading the news so fast.
“Which Disney Princess Are You?”: The BuzzFeed Quiz Phenomenon
Alongside memes and viral stories, BuzzFeed quizzes became another cultural touchstone for my generation.
It was not about the news articles or serious journalism for me. It was about the quizzes. I remember answering questions about my favorite snacks and personality traits, and waiting for the final verdict. This was my new therapist, in a way. Figuring out about myself and deciding whether to believe it was the whole point of my high school experience.
Participating felt necessary, not optional.
Looking back, discovering BuzzFeed honestly sparked my creativity and inspired me to be more authentic. I started making my own quizzes on our teenage experiences; even making K-pop quizzes was a big deal for my friends.
Try these BuzzFeed Quizzes from the past:
Find out if you’re mentally living in 2014, 2019, or 2023
Are You More Taylor Swift Or Swiffer WetJet?
Build A Salad And We’ll Tell You Your Best Quality
My Internal Spark Behind the Presence of Buzzfeed
If I look back, the summer of 2014 was marked by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which combined social media virality with genuine charity. Taylor Swift’s 1989 was the theme song to our high school experience. We were also learning how to take a Snapchat selfie in Biology class and joking about “Adele Dazeem” after John Travolta’s Oscar mishap.
This time was marked by memories of beautiful friendships and inspiration during a time when people were learning how to just be themselves.
On a personal note, BuzzFeed stood out because it offered something a bit more mature than the platforms that came before. While Tumblr thrived on aesthetics and niche communities, BuzzFeed gave both us Zillennials and Millennials a place to explore new ideas, learn about trending topics, and laugh, all in one spot. It struck a unique balance, feeling grown-up but still accessible, and never losing its playful spirit.
Even now, I believe BuzzFeed’s influence is still seen in today’s content world. I’m genuinely glad I got to watch the company grow from its early listicle days to the multifaceted platform it is now.
The way I approach writing as an adult comes from discovering BuzzFeed when I was still figuring out who I was, and honestly, I’m still figuring it out!
Beyond the Nostalgia
Looking back, I did not realize how fortunate we were as teenagers to discover BuzzFeed at its peak. It even inspired dreams of joining taste tests or working there one day.
Although times have changed, BuzzFeed’s impact on the entertainment and news industries has transformed how we make content and receive news. While my perspective may not fully capture what BuzzFeed was like during my high school years, I can say it was a memorable and unique time.
Of course, everyone experienced BuzzFeed differently, which makes reminiscing all the more interesting. Whether it was the quizzes that spoke to you, the viral videos you couldn’t stop watching, or the articles that kept you scrolling, each person’s BuzzFeed era holds a special place in their memory.
On this final note, I just want to say that I am proud of both present and former BuzzFeed creators and wish everyone well from the 2014-2018 era, especially Quinta Brunson!
BYE!!!!!!!!!!
If you remember BuzzFeed between 2014 and 2018, feel free to share your favorite videos or content creators from that period.
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