From thefacebook.com to ChatGPT: Why Character Still Wins in a Digital World

This article was written by Chad Shoonmaker and published by Crossroads Professional Coaching.

I remember the exact moment I heard about thefacebook.com. It was 2004, and my Greek friends in college couldn’t stop talking about it.

Everyone was joining. Everyone was friending. And poking (do you remember the “poke” feature??)

And me? I hadn’t been invited to join yet.

But the FOMO was real. I didn’t even fully understand what The Facebook was—but I knew I wanted my face in that book.

Fast forward 20 years, and Facebook—yes, still a thing—has fundamentally changed the way we communicate, advertise, market, and run businesses.

Now? I’m getting déjà vu.

Because that same gut feeling I had about Facebook back then… I have now about AI.

“Is This Just Another MySpace Moment?”

The skeptic in me wants to believe that AI is a passing trend—just another shiny platform like MySpace that I’ll add to my Top 8 and then watch it fade into the digital graveyard.

But let’s be honest. That’s not happening.

AI is already everywhere.

It’s optimizing workflows, writing blogs (not this one), generating images, creating ads, and even building websites.

It’s one of the  top apps on the App Store, the go-to solution for quick generic, content for entrepreneurs to use in a bind when they have something else to promote and don’t want a new intern to pay.

So yes, AI is changing marketing. In all the ways.

But here’s the deal: the more AI-generated content I see, the easier it is to spot.  And as a consumer, I don’t want to connect with a faceless, soulless robot.

Why Personality Still Matters in a World of AI

Bottomline:

 You can fake intelligence, but you can’t fake character.
You can automate content, but you can’t automate connection.

In a digital landscape that’s increasingly AI-generated, human personality is your advantage.

That’s why the job of every business owner, brand, and marketer in 2025 isn’t to keep up with AI.

It’s to stand out from it.

So, how do we build brands and showcase clients with heart, humor, and humanity?

HERE’S YOUR PLAYBOOK:

1. DEFINE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

• Clarify what makes you different. Your quirks, your passions, your values—they’re all part of your recipe for success online.
  • Think about the days when you were first starting your business. Maybe it was your family business that your inherited. What was important to you then? What did your customers appreciate about you in the early days?
• Write a bio that doesn’t put people to sleep. Think conversation, not resume.
• Be visually consistent across platforms. Be consistent with the same profile pic, same vibe on all platforms.

2. SHOW UP AUTHENTICALLY

• Share your real thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes moments.
• Talk like a human, not like a press release.
• Humor? Yes. Honesty? Always. Wit is memorable.

3. ACTUALLY TALK TO PEOPLE

• Comment. Respond. Like. Engage.
• Social media is social. Don’t forget the human part of the algorithm.
• I recently attended a master class on LinkedIn and we were encouraged to send voice notes instead of texts. Again, reinforcing the “I’m a real human” message and opportunity to genuinely connect.

4. KEEP IT CONSISTENT (BUT NOT ROBOTIC)

• Use a clean, professional headshot.
• Make sure your bios and pages reflect what you actually do.
• Show up regularly—even when you don’t feel “perfect.” Being authentically human isn’t about being perfect, that’s what AI is for. 

5. USE THE RIGHT PLATFORMS FOR YOU

• Not a TikTok person? That’s okay. Write. Podcast. Blog. Post Reels. Share Stories. Send memes to your customers and friends.
• Choose platforms where your audience and customers hang out—and where you actually enjoy spending your digital time.

6. GROW YOUR NETWORK LIKE A HUMAN, NOT A BOT

• Follow people who inspire you.
• Collaborate with others in your space.
• Show up to things (yes, even virtual ones). Join Groups on LinkedIn that are focused on your industry.

7. CHECK THE DATA—THEN TRUST YOUR GUT

• Use analytics to guide your strategy.
• Stay curious about trends, but don’t chase them blindly.
• Adapt. Improve. Keep what feels true.

BOTTOM LINE: AI CAN CREATE CONTENT. YOU CREATE CONNECTION.

AI is powerful. It’s helpful. And it’s not going anywhere.

But if your brand sounds like it was written by ChatGPT with an over zealous personality and too much caffeine, you’re going to lose the very thing that makes you memorable.

So lean into your you-ness.
Build your brand with heart.
Because in a sea of sameness, the ones who win are the ones who feel real.

And unlike MySpace… that’s never going out of style.