Top Social Media Trends for 2025

Social media has come a long way from just a place to share life updates—it’s now a must for businesses. It’s where brands can build trust and influence buying decisions, which is why it’s at the center of so many marketing strategies today. In fact, companies are pouring money into digital ads, with spending expected to reach $802 billion by 2026, making up more than 65% of global ad budgets. The great thing about social media is that it levels the playing field. You don’t need a huge corporate budget to succeed. With a smart, well-thought-out strategy and by following top social media trends, smaller brands can compete neck to neck with the big players.

Let’s look at the future trends in social media.

The Growth of Social Media as a Marketing Platform 

Last year, businesses in the U.S. spent a jaw-dropping $68.45 billion on social media advertising. And with spending projected to rise even further, social media is quickly overtaking traditional advertising platforms like TV. By 2028, businesses are expected to allocate over 26% of their marketing budgets specifically for social media. 

Platforms like Meta and ByteDance (the company behind TikTok) are grabbing a massive share of this market. By 2024, these two alone are expected to pull in nearly 52% of all global ad revenue. Meta, especially Instagram, is leading the charge, with predictions showing it will command 64% of global social ad spending next year.

On top of that, influencer marketing is exploding. It’s growing 3.5 times faster than traditional social ad spend. Brands spent almost $2 billion on Instagram influencers in 2023, and that number is only going up, with influencer budgets expected to increase by at least 14% annually through 2025.

For marketers, understanding these shifts is critical. Social media keeps changing, and the social media trends in 2024 are a reflection of how consumer behavior and expectations are evolving. So, let’s discuss what’s trending in social media: 

Augmented Reality

One of the most exciting trends taking off right now is the rise of Augmented Reality (AR). It’s no longer some futuristic concept—it’s here and changing the way people shop online. 

With so many social media users losing interest in old forms of social media ads (about three out of four, actually), brands are realizing they need to get more creative to keep people interested. That’s where AR steps in. By blending the digital and real worlds, AR allows users to interact with products in a way that goes beyond just scrolling past an ad. Whether it’s virtually trying on makeup or using filters to play with different looks, AR makes online shopping fun and immersive.

For example, beauty brand Nykaa lets users “try on” makeup virtually, and Lenskart offers a 3D AR feature that helps customers see how glasses will look on them before making a purchase. These tools make the whole shopping experience more decisive, reducing the guesswork and hesitation that often comes with buying online.

Short Form Video Content: Top Social Media Trends

Short form video content has pretty much taken over platforms like TikTok and Instagram. With attention spans getting shorter, quick, visually appealing videos are the best way to grab people’s attention. Scientists tell us that an average person can focus on a particular thing only for about 45 seconds only. This is a steep drop from 2.5 minutes earlier. 

It’s no wonder, brands that can tell a story or deliver a message in under 30 seconds are winning big. In these 30 seconds, you can create a product demo, or a customer testimonial or share some interesting facts and figures. The longer video content can be linked to the short videos. 

Micro and Macro Influencers

Influencer marketing is shifting. People are trusting big celebrity influencers less and turning to micro and macro influencers—those with fewer than 100,000 followers. 

These smaller influencers come across as more authentic and so, their engagement rates are higher. As a budding brand, you should focus on finding influencers who share the same values and connect with a similar audience. Building long-term relationships with these influencers, rather than opting for one-off promotions, can create deeper connections with potential customers.

Social Media as a Search Engine

Social media platforms are turning into search engines. More consumers are searching for brands and products directly on Instagram and TikTok, often bypassing Google. 

As a brand, you should optimize your profile so that they can be easily found. As social platforms integrate e-commerce features, make sure to make it easy for users to directly shop through the app. 

Ephemeral Content: Top Trends in Social Media 

Ephemeral content, like Instagram Stories, is a great way to keep audiences engaged. Because these posts disappear after 24 hours, they create a sense of urgency that encourages immediate action. Ephemeral content is perfect for limited-time offers, flash sales or providing sneak peeks at new products. 

If you’re looking to grab attention quickly, this format works the best. 

Sustainable Branding: Top Trends in Social Media

More and more consumers are choosing brands that align with their values, especially as conscious consumerism grows. People want to support companies that care about the environment and adopt ethical practices. Even fast fashion brands like Zara and H&M have hopped on the sustainability train, showcasing their efforts to be more eco-friendly.

Top social media trends: brands are taking care to highlight their ethical practices 

Take H&M, for example—they’re highlighting their ethical practices on their website, focusing on how they’re trying to make a positive impact. Brands that can show they’re using sustainable materials or cutting down on waste are the ones that will really connect with today’s consumers.

A great example is Phool, a brand that collects flowers from temples and other places of worship and recycles them into charcoal-free incense sticks. Not only does this help prevent pesticide-laden flowers from polluting rivers, but Phool also employs women from local communities, adding a social responsibility aspect to their mission.

In a time when consumers are growing more conscious about class realities or environmental impact, it’s crucial for brands to genuinely care about these causes. 

Livestream Shopping: Top Social Media Trends

Livestream shopping blends the convenience of e-commerce with the personalized experience of in-person shopping. It’s like turning into a live show where products are demonstrated in real time, and viewers can instantly purchase what they see. Unlike traditional TV shopping, this format allows for a lot more interaction—viewers can ask questions, comment, and even request different angles of the product during the stream. 

What makes livestream shopping even more exciting is its ability to reach audiences anywhere, from coffee shops to living rooms. 

While platforms like Facebook Live and Instagram have added features for businesses to showcase their products, newer apps like Popshop Live and TikTok Shopping are gaining traction, particularly among younger consumers. 

AI-Powered Content Creation: Social Media 2025 

AI has become a game changer for content creation and it would be foolish to not incorporate it into your marketing. Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini can help you in brainstorming ideas for content. 

As different social media sites require different types of content, AI can help you tailor your content accordingly. Plus, AI makes research a breeze by quickly gathering and organizing information, letting you focus more on analyzing and synthesizing rather than spending hours hunting for data.

But the benefits don’t stop there. AI tools like Grammarly can streamline your writing process by helping you edit for clarity and optimize your content for search engines. 

While AI won’t replace the unique touch that comes from human creativity, it certainly makes the entire content creation process more efficient and effective, allowing you to produce high-quality work in less time.

Data Privacy: Developments in Social Media

Consumers, now are more aware than ever, of how their personal data is being used, and they want more control over it. Brands need to be transparent about the data they collect and how it’s used. Offering easy-to-understand options for managing privacy settings will help build trust in your brand and build a stronger connection with your audience.

The Bottomline on Top Social Media Trends 

In short, staying ahead of these trends isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for survival in a competitive marketplace. As we look toward 2025, those businesses that adapt, innovate, and connect authentically with their audiences will not just survive—they will thrive. 

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