Every year in social media brings platform shake-ups, audience shifts, and new creative possibilities. But 2025 isn't just another year of changes — it's a turning point in how brands, creators, and audiences connect.
Inside this report, you'll discover the strategic, tactical, and platform-specific shifts that will define 2025, like why the era of the do-it-all social media manager is ending, how brands are turning their social feeds into binge-worthy entertainment, and why every platform is going all in on communities. You'll discover what's driving each shift and how to apply them to your strategy (before they become common knowledge).
Start with our video breakdown below, where we highlight the 12 trends you need to know for 2025.
Ready for the full analysis? We've broken it down into four key areas:
- Social media marketing trends: The death of the mega-influencer, the return of forums, and why your next brand event might not include any influencers at all.
- Social media content trends: Reality TV-style storytelling, the end of trend-chasing, and how brands are creating content that actually keeps audiences hooked.
- Social media career trends: The great social media job evolution, and why employees might be the secret weapon in creating authentic content.
- Social media platform predictions: Bold (but educated) guesses about where each platform is heading — from LinkedIn's creator revolution to the battle for Twitter's former crown.
Let's dive in.
Social media marketing trends
In 2025, social media platforms and brand strategies will keep shifting towards a community-centric approach. Rather than seeking out polished, singular voices, users increasingly trust collective input and smaller, authentic creators. They want transparency, meaningful connections, and authenticity — often found within niche groups and smaller creator communities.
1. Decentralizing influencers
The era of the mega-influencer is fading as consumers fill their feeds with smaller creators who prioritize community building. These creators aren't just posting content; they're sparking conversations and turning their comment sections into vibrant micro-communities where followers keep coming back to participate in ongoing discussions.
The most successful creators are those whose posts consistently generate meaningful discussions where followers share tips, ask questions, and build on each other's ideas. People hit follow not just for new content, but to add their POV in the comments.
Quick take: Whether partnering with creators or building your own community, prioritize engagement over reach. Look for or make content that sparks genuine discussions and gives people a reason to return beyond just consuming content.
2: The public forum is back
People want environments where they can interact openly with creators and each other. That’s why we’ve seen the rise of platforms that enable niche communities, like Patreon, Discord, Reddit, and Substack. The big social media platforms are taking notice, launching forum-like features such as YouTube Communities and Instagram Broadcast Channels.
TikTok creator Chris Olsen's private TikTok, dubbed "Club Chris," shows a clever approach to this trend. While he occasionally opens it to new followers for a limited time, he has created an exclusive community where he shares secrets and behind-the-scenes insights about his main account while encouraging lively discussions in the comments.
Quick take: Explore community-building approaches that fit your available resources. This could be as simple as creating engaging polls in your Instagram Stories or as involved as launching a Discord server. The important thing is to start somewhere and grow your community strategy alongside your content strategy.
3: The rise of consumer events
Brand trips are getting a rebrand. Gone are the days of VIP-only brand events — smart brands are now inviting their actual customers to experiences, turning loyal fans into authentic advocates. Companies like Refy and Tarte have pivoted to “community trips,” while smaller brands like Fish Wife have created exclusive customer-first pop-ups that hinge on their community’s word of mouth.
Image source: Quick take: Invest in creating experiences that make your real customers feel like VIPs. The authentic content and word-of-mouth marketing will be worth way more than another sponsored post.
Social media content trends
In 2025, content is getting more sophisticated, more narrative-driven, and more community-focused. Here's how brands are leveling up their content game.
4: Brand social goes unscripted
Think less corporate messaging, more reality TV vibes. Brands are taking cues from unscripted television, creating ongoing storylines with real characters and authentic moments that keep followers hooked. This approach turns everyday brand moments into must-watch content, complete with story arcs, character development, and the kind of dramatic tension that brings audiences back for more.
Just look at Dr. Miami's wildly popular social content, with recurring characters like his social media manager Alex and his son Mini Miami stealing the show. Or, consider Duo — the big green mascot for Duolingo who repeatedly goes viral for his chaotic antics on TikTok (or Legal Steve, who has to deal with Duo's antics).
Quick take: Consider how you can bring more narrative storytelling into your content strategy. This could mean highlighting team personalities, sharing customer journeys, or creating episodic content around your brand's mission.
5: Trends break out of the viral format
The exhausting chase for viral moments is giving way to something more sustainable. Smart brands are zooming out to tap into broader cultural movements instead of relying on fleeting formats that may quickly lose relevance. By focusing on cultural context, brands can produce content with staying power while avoiding the pitfalls of constantly chasing trends.
Take Nutter Butter, for instance — the brand has created its own distinct voice by leaning into Gen Z's cursed humor, brain rot aesthetic, embracing deliberately unsettling and surreal memes that subvert what you'd expect from a cookie brand. By committing to this weird authenticity, they've built a loyal following that engages with their content whether it's trending or not.
Quick take: Don’t waste your energy chasing every viral moment. Instead, identify broader cultural movements that align with your brand and create unique content that can stand out and evolve with these longer-lasting trends.
Social media career trends
While social roles are becoming more focused and specialized, we're also seeing companies tap into their employees' expertise in new ways. These shifts are transforming how social teams are structured and how brands approach content creation. Here's what's changing in social media careers.
6. Social pros niche down
The days of the do-it-all social media manager are numbered. In 2025, we expect social roles to get more specialized as companies realize that expecting one person to be a TikTok guru, video editor, graphic designer, community manager, AND paid ads expert isn't just unrealistic — it's a strategy that spreads your social presence too thin to make meaningful impact.
Just scroll through current job postings and you’ll see more specialized job requirements and responsibilities targeted at specific platforms, functions, and strategies. Companies are slowly recognizing that each platform and strategic approach requires its own expertise and dedicated attention.
Quick take: For social media professionals, focus on mastering one to two high-impact areas (like short-form video or community management) rather than trying to be a master of everything. For employers, stop looking for unicorns. Build a specialized team where each person excels in their lane. You'll see better results than hiring one person to juggle everything.
7. More employee-generated content
In 2025, we predict more brands will discover their most powerful advocates: their employees. More brand advocacy will come from the inside out, with programs that empower employees to share their deep product knowledge and insights.
Who better to explain a product's hidden features, share creative tips, or highlight lesser-known benefits than the people who know it best? When employees share these insights, it builds trust in ways that polished marketing content simply can't match. Plus, it strengthens internal culture by making team members feel valued and heard.
Recent viral moments from Chick-fil-A and Waffle House employees show both the potential and the pitfalls of employee advocacy. While the employees’ viral videos demonstrated how engaging employee-created content can be, the aftermath highlighted why brands need clear guidelines around it. Without proper policies in place, what starts as positive exposure can quickly turn into PR challenges for both the brand and the employee.
Quick take: Consider developing an employee advocacy strategy that harnesses your team's unique knowledge and experiences. Focus on creating clear guidelines that protect both the brand and employees, while empowering team members to share the kind of insights that your audience can't get anywhere else.
Social media platform predictions
Some platforms are doubling down on what made them successful in the first place. Others are evolving to meet changing user needs. While we can't predict the future, here’s where we think the major platforms might be heading in 2025.
8. LinkedIn embraces the limelight
More professionals are finding success building personal brands and engaged communities through consistent content creation — and LinkedIn is taking notice.
The platform has started rolling out creator-friendly features like its scrollable video feed, and we expect this trend to accelerate in 2025. Watch for new tools designed specifically for content creators and business influencers, potentially including:
- Enhanced community-building features
- More sophisticated content creation tools
- Monetization opportunities for creators
- Better analytics for measuring content impact
Quick take: If you're sharing professional insights on other platforms, it's time to take LinkedIn seriously as a content platform. The audience is engaged, the algorithm rewards consistency, and the platform is finally building tools with creators in mind. You can start with these 20 LinkedIn post ideas.
9. The YouTube Renaissance
YouTube is doubling down on what it does best: building engaged communities around video content. And it's working — YouTube is Gen Z's platform of choice.
In 2025, we expect YouTube to push even further into community-driven features. It’s already testing new tools like Hype in select countries, which lets viewers boost videos they love, and launching new community features that let viewers find others who share their interests, create custom feeds around specific topics, and engage more deeply with content they love.
Quick take: Don't abandon long-form video yet! YouTube's success with Gen Z shows that audiences still crave deeper, more substantial content. Now that it’s backed by strong community features, consider how you can use the platform to build a following.
10. TikTok ban déjà vu
This time last year we were all wondering about the TikTok ban … and not much has changed. But with a new administration taking over, we might see swift movement on this prolonged case.
Quick take: Keep calm and carry on, but prepare for potential disruption in the short-form video space. Focus on building your audience across multiple platforms and making your content format-flexible so it can be easily adapted if needed.
11. Instagram doubles down on community
There's a clear pattern in all of Instagram’s new feature roll-outs: they're all about building stronger communities. From broadcast channels to collaborative posts to Notes, recent updates focus on helping creators and brands foster deeper connections with their audiences.
In 2025, we expect this community emphasis to grow even stronger. It might look like ...
- Tools that look a lot more like Facebook Groups
- Enhanced features for collaborative content, like collaborative broadcast channels for multiple creators or brands
- New metrics that capture "dark social" engagement (those DM shares and saves that currently fly under the radar)
Quick take: Start thinking about your Instagram strategy in terms of community building rather than just content creation. The most successful accounts in 2025 will be those that foster genuine connections, not just chase likes.
12. Bluesky and Threads duke it out for X’s spot
As X continues to lose users and advertisers, two platforms are positioning themselves as alternatives for text-based social media. But they're taking very different approaches: Threads is building a politics-free zone focused on casual conversations, while Bluesky is recreating the original Twitter experience with decentralized technology.
In 2025, we'll see if either platform can capture Twitter's former magic. Threads has Meta's resources and Instagram integration on its side, while Bluesky's hands-off, open-source approach and familiar feel appeals to Twitter veterans. Either way, we're excited to see the drama play out, starting with Bluesky roasting Threads ... on their Threads account.
Quick take: Don't put all your eggs in one text-based basket. Experiment with both Threads and Bluesky to understand where your audience engages most, and keep an eye on their evolving features and user bases.
How to work these trends into your 2025 social media strategy
We’ve covered a lot of new ground, but the goal of social media stays the same: to meet your audience where they are and connect with them through great storytelling.
You don’t need to overhaul your approach to make that happen. Here's what to focus on:
- Build community: Create spaces for authentic audience connections using new platform features
- Explore new storytelling approaches: Make content more engaging through narrative, from simple behind-the-scenes to ongoing storylines
- Encourage employee voices: Enable your team to safely share their expertise and experiences
- Right-size your social team: Pick the platforms and content types where you'll make the biggest impact
- Think long-term: Prioritize content strategies you can maintain long-term over chasing every trend
Remember, these trends aren't commandment — they're opportunities to explore. Pick what works with your goals on social and adapt them to fit your unique needs.
