Last night, something extraordinary happened—not just in the skies, but in our communities.

All across the world, people stepped outside, looked up, and gasped in awe as the Northern Lights painted the night sky in vivid waves of pink, green, and violet. Some knew it was coming,  many didn’t. But as images and videos began to fill our social media feeds, Instagram stories glowing with color, Facebook posts from friends saying “Go outside now!”, a ripple of excitement spread faster than any weather alert could.

Within minutes, social media transformed from screen time to shared time.

Families bundled up and drove to parks. Neighbors who’d never met stood side by side in fields and open spaces and mountainside roads became community gathering spots. Faces were illuminated not by phone screens, but by the aurora above (ok, lots of phone screens were taking photos and videos too). Strangers pointed out streaks of light to each other, swapped stories, and laughed in disbelief.

And here’s the magic part: 

No one cared what anyone was wearing. No one cared about politics, background, or appearance. In the dark, there were no divisions, just people connected by awe and wonder at a global diversity of colors.

Social media (and a solar storm) made that happen.

At its best, social media reminds us that connection is its true purpose. It can unite people in real time around shared joy, discovery, and inspiration. When used intentionally, it’s a tool for belonging, a digital spark that ignites human moments offline.

As marketers, this is the power we strive to harness every day. At Wild Iris Marketing, we believe that authentic connection, not algorithms, is what makes social media powerful. When businesses, nonprofits, and individuals share genuine stories, helpful information, and moments of beauty, they invite their communities to engage, participate, and feel something real.

Last night’s Northern Lights reminded us of something essential:
When used for good, social media connects us to one another, to our world, and to experiences that remind us how connected we all really are.