Social media continues to be a hugely important marketing tool for businesses of all sizes. But with new social networks popping up all the time—and users’ behavior shifting—how can you stay on top of social media trends and make sure your company remains relevant and competitive?
While we can never be quite sure what the future holds, it’s clear that some trends are set to continue for years to come. The big ones we’re seeing are:
- The increasing use of AI and automation in social media
- Short-form video continuing to dominate
- In-app shopping features becoming more popular
- Users preferring platforms/communities that are more niche
Let’s dig into some of these before taking a look at some key priorities for social media users in the future. We’ll also cover some emerging technologies and their likely effect on socials.
Top Social Media Trends for 2025 and Beyond
During 2025—and beyond!—we’re certain to see a few big trends continue.
1. Rise of AI and Automation in Social Media
During 2023 and 2024, more and more content creators got on board with using AI for their social media posts. Images, text, captions, hashtags and more can now be instantly created by AI—saving a ton of time, especially if you’re managing a busy social media profile.
Generative AI like ChatGPT has grabbed a lot of the headlines—but AI isn’t just about creating content. Social media teams are also using AI for personalized marketing and for chatbots that can respond intelligently to users.
As Lifei Chen, Founder at buysmart.ai, explains, “AI tools will continue to take over repetitive tasks, making marketers’ lives easier while adding real value for users.”
We’re likely to see more and more AI built into social media platforms, letting you seamlessly generate content and respond automatically.
2. Short-Form Video Dominance
Over and over again, we’ve seen how TikTok can make previously little-known people, books, or institutions famous. A 65-year-old curator at a Leeds, UK museum found himself going viral when he used popular Gen Z slang terms to describe the museum and its exhibits.
Short-form video is here to stay, with not just TikTok, but also Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts proving hugely popular: in 2024, 81% of consumers wanted to see more short-form videos from brands.
To win at this type of content, you want to focus on telling a story in a very short space (15–60 seconds). Visuals matter, and humor can connect well with your audience.
Toni Farrell, Marketing Manager at Coastal Motorhomes & Caravans says, “The shorter the content, the harder it has to work to grab attention—but it’s worth it!”
3. Growth of Social Commerce
In the past, users often made purchases based on influencers’ recommendations, visiting third-party sites through a link.
Now, social platforms have built-in ecommerce features. TikTok Shop is especially popular, as is Facebook Marketplace. Instagram has Instagram Shopping. Social users are increasingly expecting to be able to buy without leaving the app.
With influencers’ reviews and promotions getting products in front of users, it’s easier than ever to go from initial interest to completed purchase. Or, as Max Tang, CMO at GEEKOM puts it, “Social commerce bridges the gap between browsing and buying. It’s the next big online shopping shift.”
4. Increased Use of Niche Platforms and Communities
In recent years, more and more platforms have emerged to cater to specific interests. For instance, Discord has become hugely popular with gamers—though there are also non-gaming servers devoted to other interests. The streaming service Twitch is also primarily popular with gamers.
Other more niche platforms include Goodreads (for booklovers), Reddit communities (for all kinds of interests), and Ravelry (for yarn-lovers). Even big, generalist platforms like TikTok have specific sub-groups like BookTok.
As a creator, you may find that it’s easier to get traction by focusing on engaging with a small community that’s highly interested in the type of products or services you offer. You could even create your own social media community, e.g. as a subreddit or a Discord channel.
Morgan Taylor, Co-Founder of Jolly SEO explains, “People want meaningful online interactions. Niche communities let them connect with other people who value the same things as them.”
User Behavior Predictions for 2025 and Beyond
So how are users going to behave on social media in 2025 and beyond? What types of content will they want from you? What expectations will they have? Let’s take a look at some key predictions.
1. Privacy Will Continue to be a Big Concern for Users
Social media users are increasingly sophisticated and aware of the adage that “If you’re not paying for it, you’re the product.” They may be concerned about how their data is being used or mistrustful of the platform itself: 64% of users feel their data is less secure now than it used to be.
Some privacy-focused platforms like Signal and BeReal have become increasingly popular, and even users of regular social platforms may be wary of how their data could be used.
As a company, it’s vital that you build trust with your social media users. At a bare minimum, you need to be sure you’re clearly fulfilling legal requirements relating to users’ data. These vary between countries—and between states in the USA. For instance, if you have customers in California, you’ll need to abide by the CCPA rules.
This issue applies to social platforms as a whole, not just to the companies using them: 36% of people have removed a social media account due to privacy concerns. Matt Wouldes, Founder at Land & Sea NZ, says, “Trust will be the currency of digital platforms. Without it, users will leave.”
2. Users Will Continue to Prefer Authenticity—Not Perfection
The days of professionally shot videos and highly polished social media content may be coming to an end. Today’s users prize raw, authentic content where they feel truly connected to the brand or individual creating it.
There’s also been an increased focus on user-generated content (UGC) for brands. That might include things like video reviews, unboxing videos, or even tips from your users.
When it comes to influencer marketing, users want “realness”. While they may still enjoy aspirational content, they want to see that influencers live normal lives and face normal challenges—just like they do.
Dr. Mo Ziaei, Cornea & Vision Correction Specialist at Re:Vision says, “Audiences are tired of overused filters and staged content. They want genuine stories they can actually relate to.”
3. Gamification Will Remain Popular With Users
Many social media platforms incorporate gamification elements like badges, rewards, and streaks, which are aligned with social media trends for 2025 and the growing importance of social commerce. These features encourage social engagement and loyalty, particularly among Gen Z, who are highly responsive to latest trends. For example, Snapchat’s Snapstreak feature has become a top social tool for fostering daily interaction, reflecting significant trends in social media. Similarly, social marketers and their social team can utilize gamification to enhance social media management strategies and align with social media trends 2025.
Using gamification aligns with top social media trends, such as incorporating influencer marketing to amplify reach and staying updated on social trends to attract more social media marketers. Leveraging latest trends in social media, such as gamified features, is an effective way for brands on social media to engage with their audience while increasing their visibility in the global social space. Tools like social listening and analyzing social media news can help brands track social media advertising performance and identify opportunities to implement the right social media tool.
Gamification can also support the rise of social media by driving interactions on social media today and aligning with a company’s 2025 strategy. As part of current trends, brands can integrate gamified elements into their campaigns to target major social platforms, improve social search rankings, and stay competitive in the evolving 2025 social media landscape. By focusing on important social media strategies, brands can remain relevant, informed, and successful in the dynamic world of social media and digital marketing.
The Role of Emerging Technologies in the Future of Socials
The last few years have seen a huge rise in different technologies, which could have a dramatic effect on social media companies and social channels. Emerging technologies are set to influence social media use, as well as how users interact with a social network. For instance, new hardware could revolutionize user behavior, much like the rise of smartphones a decade ago that shifted most users to accessing social media from a phone instead of a computer.
By using social SEO techniques and analyzing social data through social media analytics, brands can adapt to these changes and make informed decisions about which trends to follow. These advancements are also likely to impact social strategies like social selling, creating social content, and maintaining a strong social media presence across different social platforms.
Let’s have a quick look at some emerging trends and technologies that are going to change the landscape of current social media trends over the next 5–10 years. To stay ahead in 2025, social marketers use social listening tools like Sprout Social to track popular social media and social media trends you need to follow. By aligning with the 2025 report, marketers can better understand the trends you need to know and ensure success on social by staying updated with the 10 social platforms that matter most. Integrating these technologies into part of the social and leveraging insights will help brands stay on top of trends and thrive in the ever-evolving world of content creation and social media.
Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Integration
We’re increasingly seeing social media integrate with VR/AR. While this was once mainly seen in games like Pokemon Go, it’s now set to become more mainstream.
Meta (the parent company of both Facebook and Instagram) has an AR/VR hardware roadmap through to 2027, which involves releasing smart glasses and a neural interface smartwatch.
5G and the Evolution of Content Delivery
By 2025, 5G networks will probably cover a full third of the world’s population. With the widespread use of fast mobile internet, high-quality video streaming is becoming a reality for more users than ever before.
This opens up a whole host of possibilities for brands, including the increased use of live events and immersive shopping experiences, as well as the VR/AR experiences mentioned above.
Blockchain and Decentralized Social Media
When you think “blockchain” you might think of Bitcoin—but blockchain technology is being used in all kinds of other ways.
We’re likely to see more blockchain-based social media platforms with a focus on transparency and decentralization, rather than top-down control. There may be more of a barrier to adoption than with traditional social media, however.
How Can You Future-Proof Your Company’s Use of Social Media Platforms?
Social media is always changing and evolving, and this evolution of social will continue to shape the rise of social media platforms in 2025 and beyond. The 2025 social media trends report highlights how social media marketing trends will play a critical role in ensuring successful social media campaigns. For brands and social media teams, it’s important to focus on trends to keep and leverage the biggest social media insights to maintain relevance.
To stay ahead, avoid relying solely on specific tactics, such as focusing on one platform. Instead, think about your broader social media marketing strategy and how it aligns with creating memorable brands on social. With more people using social media daily, effective marketing and social integration requires using social listening tools to track memes and trends and gain actionable social insights.
Social media managers should focus on delivering unique experiences on social and leveraging the latest social media trends to engage audiences across top social platforms. Platforms like Sprout Social offer all-in-one social media solutions that can help in adapting to new social media shifts. Social media driving brand recognition and engagement depends on consistently refining strategies to suit the 2025 social media landscape, according to a 2024 analysis. By embracing innovation and flexibility, you can transform challenges into opportunities and build a thriving presence on free social media platforms and beyond.
