The top social media trends for 2025 and what they mean for your business
The world of social media is forever changing and evolving, and the new year is no exception. We can expect to see lots of new developments in 2025 that will guide our marketing strategy.
Here’s a look at some of the key trends that will shape our social media in the year ahead. These trends go far beyond what is trending - they highlight bigger shifts we’re likely to see across social platforms.
As ever, social media offers endless opportunities for businesses to connect with their audience and build stronger relationships.
1. Community remains the centre of everything
"Community" is about to become one of the most overused buzzwords in marketing. In fact (and should), argue that it already is - yet it's already losing its meaning.
The real value lies in understanding what community actually means. Many brands, businesses and marketers are talking about building a community, but the majority of them are referring to audiences. The differentiation is important.
An audience is passive followers who simply consume content and are ultimately expected to buy.
Your community is active, engaged and loyal. Community building requires active participation from both sides, where value is exchanged without the expectation of a transaction. A real community takes time to build.
Remember that people (i.e your customers) are using social media to be SOCIAL and it's very easy to forget that the numbers relate to real human beings. There is a massive opportunity to foster strong, lasting relationships with your community in 2025 if you can authentically and thoughtfully connect with them.
2. AI will play an even larger role in content creation
Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to play an even bigger role than it currently is in our marketing - from ideation, content creation and even strategy. Tools like ChatGPT are helping brands save time and streamline their processes, however, not everyone will get it right.
AI can be an incredible help for smaller, time-capped teams with limited budgets, but there's a fine line between using it to enhance our processes and relying on it; striking a balance is key. No business wants their content to look, sound or feel AI-generated, and there are tell-tale signs of AI content.
In 2025, the standout brands will be the ones using AI as a creative partner rather than a crutch, making sure their content retains its unique voice and continues to connect with their audience.
3. The rise of authentic, behind-the-scenes content
Expect to see a move away from polished, posed and curated content. We're moving towards more relatable content that feels authentic and real. After all, that's how we can connect with our community on a human level. Maybe it’s behind-the-scenes footage, unfiltered stories, outtakes or content shot on our phones. Share the human side of your business.
4. Going viral is out, micro-virality is in
Content going 'viral' is a goal of the past, as we all quickly learned that chasing these unpredictable moments is not a sustainable strategy.
In 2025, we know that it's far more impactful to focus on building our engaged, active community within our niche. A way of doing this is by focusing on smaller-scale virality that goes 'viral' but only within our audiences.
So whether you choose to leverage AI to enhance your content creation, take time to build genuine communities, or embrace the perfectly unpolished authenticity, the trends shaping marketing next year all point to one thing: the focus is shifting from how content performs to how it connects.