The 2025 social media report

People often assume that the new will replace the old. On social media, stories offered an alternative to posts, niche apps were expected to grab more seats at the table, video came to replace text, and AI influencers have started pushing out content faster than real ones. 

It’s incredibly easy for businesses to jump the gun. 

But consumer attitudes and behaviors move slower than the technologies driving them, and can even start back-pedaling. As we’re going to see, old habits really do die hard. 

We don’t have a crystal ball - no one does. Instead, we’re serving up the top changes that have taken place over the last year, and suggesting ways for brands to prepare for what’s next. 

Social media's latest plot twist: Threads

When Threads launched in summer 2023, many wondered if the hype would last. Was the instant success just an Instagram-fueled rush or could it actually lock in regular users? 

Fast forward to today, and it’s now the fastest-growing social platform across all generations. To put this into context: the share of people logging onto it each day matches the share who work in the IT sector. So, it’s definitely one to watch.

Read the room, rewrite the playbook

Maybe more important than understanding what the most used platforms are, or which apps are trending, is understanding why scrollers scroll in the first place.

A growing reason for using social media is consuming news. Not only is this a top use case for various text-based platforms, but more people are turning to video-based apps or features to get their news fix. In fact, some major news outlets now rely on Reels more than carousels on Instagram. 

There are other big shifts happening on these apps too. For starters, a bigger share of users are logging on to message friends, and to share or post content. This is lighting up DMs and group chats around the world, and driving social media sites to invest in those spaces. Brands can ride this wave by prioritizing content that taps into inside jokes and common experiences among their target audience. Humor lands best when it's personalized.

And most importantly for brands, more scrollers are doing product research on certain sites. Understanding how content’s discovered on each platform should be an important part of any social strategy. It’s not just about reach either, it’s about getting in the middle of relevant or trending conversations. Hilton, for example, finds people discussing imminent travel issues and jumps right in.

Debates around free speech are everywhere, and they're linked to several key trends. 

There’s been an ongoing rise in Americans distrusting the media, with half of Republican voters wishing news outlets were less biased. Many people think contentious, yet valid, perspectives are being unfairly filtered out. And podcasts' ability to offer uncensored, unedited information has been put forward as a reason for them having a surprisingly big impact on 2024’s US election.

Telegram Messenger might be growing for a similar reason: it presents itself as a censorship-free space.

All the signs seem to point one way: free speech matters to consumers. And if you ask them, most will agree. 

We should take that with a pinch of salt though. People generally believe there’s a difference between hate speech and free speech, with more caring about user safety than the latter. Around half also agree that social media sites should be able to control the content users see, which is a seemingly contradictory outlook experts call “the moderation paradox.” Basically, consumers don’t want companies to censor them too much, or troublemakers to put us in harm’s way either. 

This is partly why people have turned to BlueSky; having a safe space to post in, liking its approach to content moderation, and no viewing restrictions are popular reasons for signing up. Users can essentially create or join nodes, each with its own unique moderation policy and rules, which caters to the demand for both user safety and free speech. 

The Reddit-ification of social media

Not only is there interest in the community-driven model, but several platforms have replaced fact-checkers with community notes. Once enough people believe a note is helpful, it’s then shown to others. This seems to be the way social media’s headed, which could influence our behavior and expectations.

In the past, we’ve been told: “Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it.” People know the internet’s written in ink and many are wary about expressing their opinions, in case it gets misread, scrutinized, or puts them at risk of being “canceled.” Even 12-15 year olds are mindful of this; just 39% feel they can say what they really think on social media, which is partly why there’s so much passive consumption.

Still, change may be on the horizon. In a fact-checker-free zone, it’s possible more will feel it’s their responsibility to rate content and start behaving like Redditors, especially with TikTok introducing a dislike button that echoes Reddit’s up-vote/down-vote system. And brands have an opportunity to drive conversation even more and help turn some observers into commenters.

To start with, it’s worth knowing what online self-expression means to consumers. 

According to those who use social platforms for discussing opinions, it’s not just sharing personal thoughts - it’s about sharing them spontaneously, showcasing interests, and reflecting. And there are a number of platform features that can help here.

Breaking the ice

The crown jewel: Video marketing

Video comes with this added bonus: scrollers are generally more receptive to video-based marketing than its text-based equivalents. 

Of all the different media types we track, people who turn to vlogs for product research are the most likely to trust online reviews. Vloggers can walk viewers through the whole experience from unboxing a product to a final review, providing lots of social proof in the process. 

Product demos can also help influencers reassure followers in today’s low-trust environment, as many are motivated to buy from influencers because they’ve seen them use a product.

And think about where these video reviews or vlogs are most likely to land. For instance, those who watch videos on Reddit are more likely to follow gaming and fitness experts, so brands in these sectors may want to be more active on the platform. Meanwhile, people who watch videos on Facebook are most distinct for following politicians, royalty, and TV shows or channels, so this might be a better space for broadcasters and their brand ambassadors.

Up for review? Outdated KPIs

Consumers are using platforms more to find content, message each other, and do product research - and video’s in the driver’s seat. If brands want to nail this, it all starts with a strategy that focuses on the right metrics. 

Consumers consistently watch videos made by brands, but there’s been a drop in people following accounts across the board. Instead, consumers trust their feeds to show them relevant topics and “bring them back” to content they like. Welcome to the age of algorithm-based social media.

Brands should start prioritizing other metrics over follower count when they pay to promote their videos. Things like watch time, video completion rates, and the number of actions like shares, saves, and forwards show how engaging content is, and how likely it is that people are talking about what they’ve seen.

Learning how each platform’s algorithm works and differs from others will also be important for brands as they reshuffle video KPIs. Many platforms have promotional offers, and learning the ins and outs of how (and how much) these push their content is vital. 

Memes wield a lot of power in our culture, but brands don’t need to join in on every trend. The meme cycle moves fast, and brands can risk being seen as out of touch if they act too slowly or miss the mark. Instead, partnering with meme accounts and creators can put consumers in a good mood before seeing products. 

Scroll past the memes on an average social media feed and you might see some influencer content. It’s understandable that brands want to direct consumers to their own account, but picking the right influencers to get them there is essential. It's an even bigger deal for beauty and fitness companies, given these kinds of accounts are taking up more room at the table.

Needs-based marketing is the best marketing

Brands need to pick influencers that have a clear use case for their product, and an audience of potential customers who could realistically make use of it. There are plenty of good examples of collabs, but how can brands know what’ll work for them, and what won't? 

Influencer followers, just like all consumers, are motivated by their needs first and foremost. In fact, over 40% say it’s what matters most. Appealing to style and lifestyle aspiration may be more attractive to influencer followers than others, but brands often overlook the basics by trying to be trend-driven. Instead, messaging should focus on solving real problems or demonstrating how a product or service can improve their life right now. 

This highlights the importance of brands understanding their audience, and the audience of their target influencer even more. This can save tons of money in the long run, boosting ROI for both parties. 

And companies should remember: influencers know their audience best and want to feel like they’re part of the team, instead of being used for one-off projects or promotional posts. 

Influencer marketing is less about bringing promoters in at the last minute, and more about consistently working with ambassadors to create content and products they know their fanbase will love.

Meet your audience on the platforms they’re on

The only thing left to consider is the platforms to concentrate your efforts on. There’s a slight disconnect between the apps companies use, and where consumers and business decision-makers spend their time. 

When it comes to technology and regulation, so much has changed in a short space of time.

Social media’s largely gone unregulated until recently, and governments are finally catching up. Laws are being suggested left, right, and center, with more on the way. And AI’s been weighing on marketers’ minds since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022; they want to avoid getting left behind, while being careful not to rub audiences the wrong way. 

It’s a lot to think about - we get it. But these actionable insights will hopefully help you get equipped for the days ahead. 

Some AI-generated content has a headstart

Let’s start with AI. We asked marketing professionals how their companies have adopted it, and two of their top three use cases were content creation and customer service - both of which affect the social media side of their jobs. 

And it’s important to keep track of consumers’ feelings towards all this. When it comes to companies using AI to make content, their reaction will partly depend on what it is. More people say they’d be interested in AI-generated music (60%) and comedy videos (57%) than ads (34%) or podcasts (35%).

Consumers aren’t so excited about ads in general because they know the end goal is selling to them, and they often get in the way when browsing. That doesn’t mean AI-generated marketing is a dead end though, just that companies may want to set up some focus groups before launching anything big and aim to use these tools in original ways. In 2022, Heinz asked Dall-E to create a picture of ketchup, which ended up looking a lot like its design. The final campaign joked that even machines think of the brand first. In this case, AI didn’t just generate a campaign, it inspired it. 

Beyond that, AI-generated media is more welcome on certain platforms. Scrollers on apps like BeReal, Reddit, and X aren’t as ready for it, while Maybelline’s mascara CGI video stirred up a lot of interest on TikTok.  

Regardless of where it ends up, this kind of content should be clearly labeled as such. Before paid partnership tags were introduced on platforms, people got annoyed when influencers didn’t openly admit that their content was an ad, and they won’t make an exception for AI-generated media. No one likes to feel lied to.

Play a better customer service game with AI on the team

Chatbots are another popular AI use case for marketers, and people think they have their strengths. They can provide fast responses, are available 24/7, and stay neutral when faced with any issues. And there’s an opportunity for brands to use AI to get the conversation going with messaging app users. 

Over 1 in 10 consumers interact with brands on messaging apps each month, and those who do are 1.5x more likely to use ChatGPT than average, and 1.9x more likely to send voice clips on social apps. 

So, it makes sense that various brands use AI-powered chatbots on Facebook Messenger and are making moves in the AI audio space. Uber lets people order a cab simply by saying the words and other apps even give voice updates. We wouldn’t be surprised to see AI-generated brand voices replying to messages or comments in audio format sometime soon. 

While AI chatbots can clearly enhance customer service by speeding it up, humans should still be on hand to follow up when people have complex queries, or aren’t satisfied with their answer.

Meeting tomorrow’s regulations today

Preparing for future bans is a bit trickier, especially as their effects aren't always immediate or universal. TikTok was banned in India years ago, yet a proportion of the nation still say they use it, presumably through VPNs. And Australia’s under 16s ban is set to take effect at the end of 2025, but there’s a lot of uncertainty around how it’ll be enforced, and debate over whether tweens’ usage can even be moderated. 

That said, brands should have a gameplan and avoid putting all their eggs into one basket by building a strong presence across 2-3 video-based apps. Across 11 markets, Instagram and YouTube are the apps TikTokers say they’d rely on more if it got shut down in their country. There was a brief spike in RedNote, Xiaohongshu, and Triller downloads in the lead up to what ended up being a 12-hour US TikTok ban; but in the long run, the majority would likely turn to platforms that they or their friends already use.

And in the case of teens, brands should think about where their social media time is likely to be redirected. Based on our data, we suspect a fair bit of it would shift to gaming. Given the line between gaming and social media is especially blurred for younger groups, companies can look to future-proof their brands by experimenting on their digital hang-outs like Roblox. 

End of the feed

Social media doesn’t sit still, and neither should brands. They have to respond to AI, new platforms, and shifting behaviors in a carefully thought-out way.

Our advice? Show up where conversations are happening, make your content worth sharing, and turn insights into action. Brands that can show they really get consumers will have the edge it takes to stand out.