AI-generated content is filling our social media feeds as brands turn to new tools for the messages, captions and visuals they share. As a result, audiences are already showing they’re thirsty for authenticity.
To make this the year your social content stands out, you won’t be able to rely on content-generating tools alone. You’ll need to dig deep into the coming trends and figure out what you can adapt for your own brand’s messaging.
Whether it’s a testimonial or fiction, storytelling is a way you can stand out amidst the noise. This year, skillful social media management is going to be more important than ever, and video content will continue to be king. It’s time to go beyond recreating a trend and rephrasing the same marketing tactic. Instead, think about how you can tell the story of your brand and how it got to where it is now. Ask your customers for testimonials. Think about ways of being thought leaders in your category. All these things can be done with visual storytelling. This will help your audience build a connection to your brand.
Social media managers everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief: everyday posting cadence is very much out, and creating good, quality content is in. We hear a lot from social experts that we should be posting every day, but what is that really doing if we’re not creating quality content? When creating, you should be thinking “is there anything someone could take away from this video?” Whether it’s entertainment, information or inspiration, your audience should be able to gain something from watching. We tend to forget about quality when we’re racing toward quantity, because we need to “be consistent and post regularly.” But consistency isn’t defined as daily, just reliably. As long as you’re not going dark or have an irregular cadence, posting once or twice a week is just fine
The twelve-hour ban on TikTok should be a lesson that all your eggs can’t be in one basket when it comes to social platforms. We’re going to see more brands and influencers spread out across multiple platforms. Because while the TikTok app is back for now, for example, who’s to say in six months it won’t be gone again? It’s important to spread yourself across multiple platforms and learn your audience on each one. Just because you have followers on one platform, doesn’t mean they’ll be the same on the other.
Each platform has a specific purpose (even though it seems like they’re all copying one another these days). Things you see on Instagram, you’re probably not going to on LinkedIn. In 2025, I think we’re going to see more people adapting to the platform, being purposeful, and focusing in on their audience. Really showing all the different sides of their brand. If this is something you’re thinking about, pay attention to who follows you and where most of your engagement comes from. If it’s different from another platform, that’s okay. It’s a good thing actually. It’s a way to show all your strengths and expertise across all platforms. (Plus, if you’re reposting the same content across all platforms, it doesn’t really give people an incentive to follow you on your other pages.)
Influencer events are out. Community events are in. Influencer events are not only becoming out of touch and unrelatable, but we see these large creators get invited to brand events where they don’t even use the product. What’s the point? A creator’s audience can see right through that. Instead, brands should be focusing on the people who actually use the product and love the brand. You can still find influencers to attend your events, you just have to find the ones who genuinely enjoy your brand and use the product. Focus on those people who can then tell their friend, neighbor, or family member that have a lot more trust than some influencer with a million followers who doesn’t even use the product. Those attending community events may have smaller followings, but they most likely have followers and friends who trust them and their opinion.
A great example of this is BEIS. This brand hosted a community event to a ‘BEIS Car Wash’ after getting negative comments about their bags scuffing online. They invited any and all to restore their bag for free. This went viral on TikTok and BEIS became a brand people couldn’t stop talking about. Not saying you need negative PR to do something like this, but it just shows that anything can be a community event, and you don’t need influencers in order for it to be successful.
Follower count is out. Community-first strategy is in. This is where we’ll see the rise of micro-influencers. People crave authenticity and community, and that’s where micro-influencers have the advantage. More people now are starting to understand that you should be focusing on community/engagement over numbers. In 2020, that was when we saw a lot of up-and-coming influencers and it was a lot easier to go viral based on the volume of videos being posted. People started to see how you could start a career on the app and wanted to build on that. So in the beginning, it was a huge numbers game. But just because you have the numbers, doesn’t mean you have a community that’s going to engage with your content. It’s a lot harder to go viral now, but building a supportive community is more important than one viral video. If you’re going to take anything from this blog, it should be community first strategy.
Long-form content is in, and YouTube is a fantastic home for these deeper dives. It’s why content creators who want to do more of it are starting to migrate there. The audience for long-form is definitely on YouTube: according to Global Media Insight, the platform had a total of 868.4 million users in 2023. In 2024 there were a total of 933.4 million users. And in 2025, YouTube is predicted to have 996.4 million users. That’s a whopping almost one billion total users. (And while yes, TikTok and Instagram have upgraded their platforms to allow long-form content, audiences don’t expect it there; those platforms prioritize short-form videos.)
Vlogs are also on the comeback. With the development of AI, people are wanting to see more natural content in contrast. While most influencers make their money through short form, creating a YouTube channel can show a more authentic version of themselves, and vlogs can also create a feeling of escapism for their audience.
Not everything has to be an ad. Especially for a brand, it’s a given that you’re trying to sell your product or increase brand awareness. We don’t need a CTA to the website every time. It’s overkill. Most people are using their social media as a break, and what audiences are starting to seek is escapism content. That’s not just a daily trend or funny video, but content that creates a sense of relaxation. Something that draws you in but you don’t have to think about. Just simply enjoying.
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