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As we move into 2025, social media trends continue to shift and develop, bringing new business opportunities and challenges. It is essential to be aware of the current trends in the digital world and be able to incorporate them into the process. This article provides insights into the year’s biggest and latest social media trends, plus tips on leveraging them in your marketing efforts.
TikTok and Instagram Reels remain the most popular social media platforms for short-form video content. These videos, which range from 15-60 seconds, grab the viewer’s attention and keep it long enough to convey a message or present a humorous skit. In 2025, brands focusing on short-form videos will likely attract a broader audience and higher engagement levels.
Making good short-form videos is a combination of art and science. The best videos are fun and informative, providing the viewer with something valuable in a short time. For instance, tutorials, behind-the-scenes, and short product demonstrations are popular video types that captivate audiences while selling your brand. Also, keeping track of the current trending sound, effects, and hashtags can increase your content’s exposure. This is because posting short-form videos frequently will ensure that your audience stays engaged and always checking back for more content.
The importance of micro-influencers will remain high in 2025. Such people, who may have fewer followers than celebrities, have followers who are very loyal and believe in their recommendations. This makes them particularly valuable for brands who want to reach specific audiences.
To fully leverage micro-influencers, identify the ones who share your brand values and those who engage with competitors. It can span from product reviews to co-creation, which gives social media marketers access to their dedicated audience. Such collaborations are usually more genuine than engaging with big influencer marketing, which results in better audience interaction and sales. Whether you are introducing a new product or seeking to target a specific market, micro-influencers present an affordable yet effective means of increasing brand awareness.
Social ecommerce, the use of social media for the direct selling of products, has received a lot of attention in 2025. Apps such as Instagram and TikTok enable users to scroll, shop, and buy products without leaving the application. Integrating social media apps and e-commerce revolutionises how consumers purchase and engage with businesses.
For this to be effective, businesses should develop interesting content that can be easily navigated and purchased within social media platforms. Strong visual appeal, impactful text, and persuasive prompts make the sales. It is also necessary to update your product catalogues occasionally and ensure that the shop in social networks corresponds to the existing stock. The best brands in social commerce ensure that the transition from discovery to purchase is seamless and that users can purchase products with minimal effort.
Founder-generated content (FGC) will rise in 2025 as people want more genuine content from the brands they subscribe to. When founders use a social platform to write about their own stories, experiences, and knowledge, it makes a company more relatable, which is an important aspect of brand loyalty.
Determine which parts of your founder’s story are relevant to your brand message if you want to use founder-led content. Some ideas for content could be a glimpse into the day-to-day activities of a business, the process of creating a new product, or even a business owner's thoughts on current events. Your brand can cut through the noise in a competitive market through such insights and engage the audience more effectively.
In 2025, Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) is revolutionising social media marketing, enabling brands to craft visually stunning and imaginative content that captivates audiences. A notable example is Maybelline’s recent campaign, where they utilised CGI to create a virtual mascara wand towering over London’s skyline, seamlessly blending the product into the city’s landscape.
Leveraging CGI not only showcased Maybelline’s product boldly and memorably but also engaged viewers through its creative execution. By integrating CGI into their social media marketing strategies, brands like Maybelline are connecting with digital-savvy audiences, delivering next-level storytelling that stands out in the crowded social media space.
AI is widely used in social media management nowadays. Artificial intelligence has become indispensable for companies that fine-tune their social media approach, from AI-generated content to customer interaction. These tools analyse big data, providing recommendations that can be used to make content more relevant to the target audience, schedule posts, and even respond to them using chatbots.
For instance, Hootsuite and Buffer are social media management tools with AI capabilities that enable brands to publish posts at the right time. These platforms also offer data to measure the effectiveness of the content, allowing social media marketers to adjust their approach in response to the results. Integrating AI into your social media management allows you to work smarter and spend less time on operational tasks and more on content creation.
Street interviews, or “man on the street” content, are a powerful way to bring authenticity to your brand’s social media strategy in 2025. These candid, unscripted interviews capture genuine reactions and opinions from everyday people, creating relatable and engaging content that resonates with audiences.
By showcasing real people and their honest thoughts, street interviews build trust and credibility, making your content accessible and attuned to current social media trends, cultural movements and individual insights. This format is especially effective on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where spontaneous and unfiltered content thrives, helping brands connect with viewers in a memorable way.
Peer-to-peer consumer research, the process of relying on fellow consumers’ reviews and recommendations over traditional advertising, has become essential in purchasing decisions.
Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have become central to this trend, serving as hubs for user-generated content and authentic reviews. Consumers often turn to these platforms to research products, valuing the genuine insights shared by their peers. Brands can harness this behaviour by creating engaging content that motivates users to share their experiences. For example, launching hashtag campaigns or challenges can inspire customers to post about their interactions with a product or service, generating authentic testimonials that resonate with potential buyers.
By fostering a community where customers feel valued and heard, businesses not only build trust but also expand their reach through organic, peer-driven promotion. This approach aligns with the growing consumer preference for authenticity and transparency in marketing.
In 2025, social media communities are set to grow as people increasingly gather in groups on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Discord, and Reddit to connect, share, and engage over shared interests. These spaces go beyond basic social feeds, offering deeper, topic-driven discussions that encourage lasting interactions and loyalty among members. Discord’s real-time chat channels and Reddit’s niche subreddits exemplify how social media is evolving to support meaningful, community-centered experiences.
For marketers, this trend presents a powerful opportunity. Engaging with users in these focused spaces—by offering exclusive content, hosting Q&As, or sharing early announcements—can help brands tap into highly engaged, interest-based audiences. Building and nurturing communities can foster genuine connections and drive lasting brand loyalty.
Awareness of the impact of social media on mental health is prompting both users and platforms to prioritise digital wellbeing. Features that encourage mindful usage, limit screen time, and promote positive interactions are becoming more prevalent, reflecting a collective move towards healthier digital habits. (SavePin)
This shift aims to counter the negative effects of excessive screen time, such as increased anxiety, sleep disruption, and FOMO (fear of missing out), and to support users in creating a balanced digital lifestyle.
One recent example is Instagram’s “Quiet Mode,” which allows users to set specific times when they won’t receive notifications, encouraging them to take breaks from constant online engagement. TikTok has also implemented screen time management features that prompt users, particularly younger audiences, to monitor and reduce their time spent on the app.
Brands can contribute to this movement by endorsing healthy usage habits, advocating for digital detoxes, and aligning their messaging with positive, well-being-focused content. These actions not only support a healthier social media environment but also resonate with audiences seeking a more balanced approach to digital life.
As we head into 2025, the adoption of AR and VR technologies is accelerating, enabling brands to create immersive experiences that seamlessly blend digital and physical interactions. These tools are transforming the way consumers engage with products, offering virtual try-ons, interactive advertisements, and storytelling that feels more personalised and engaging than ever.
This trend is especially prominent in industries such as fashion, beauty, and real estate, where consumers can visualise products or properties without needing to visit a physical location.
For example, CSG (Computer Solutions Group) has integrated AR into its marketing solutions, helping brands develop custom AR campaigns that captivate audiences and drive higher engagement. Major fashion brands like Gucci and Nike now offer virtual try-ons through their apps, allowing users to see how clothing or shoes would look on them in real time.
As we wrap up the insights into 2025’s top social media trends, it’s clear that successful brands will be the ones who stay adaptable and responsive to evolving consumer preferences. From short-form videos and micro-influencer collaborations to immersive AR experiences and digital wellbeing initiatives, each trend offers unique ways to engage, inspire, and connect with audiences on a deeper level.
By integrating these social media trends thoughtfully, your brand can build authenticity, foster loyalty, and create meaningful interactions that resonate with users long after they’ve logged off. Embrace these shifts, and let 2025 be a year where your brand keeps up and leads the way in a dynamic social media environment.
Ready to make social media work for you? If & When, Sydney’s #1 social media agency, is here to help you leverage the trends and craft strategies that connect, engage, and inspire.
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