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Happy 2025. We’re less than 10 days in, and Meta has already dropped fact-checkers, faced its own AI scandal, and YouTube Shorts is getting a major upgrade… oh, and TikTok’s fate is set to be heard by the Supreme Court in a matter of hours.
But what does the rest of 2025 look like for social media? Here are my predictions, as someone who kinda-sorta creates across platforms and has been working on the corporate side, making global campaigns, for nearly a decade.
Oh, and to address the elephant in the room—since this could be the biggest social media news of the year—I don’t think TikTok will be banned.
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Platform Evolution
Everything Everywhere All At Once: Fragmentation Persists
For the rest of 2025, social media will remain fragmented. Platforms like Bluesky, Threads, X, Mastodon, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat will continue to coexist, forcing creators to spread their efforts thin. It feels like we’re all shouting into multiple voids, hoping one of them echoes back.
Get in, Loser, We’re Going to the Fediverse
The Fediverse—a network of interconnected but independent platforms—is gaining traction as a decentralized alternative to big tech. Users can create a single account on a "home base" server (e.g., Mastodon for posts or Pixelfed for photos) and interact with others across different servers.
While it offers privacy, freedom, and user control, it’s not without challenges. The experience can be clunky, and the average user might find decentralized social media too complex to navigate. “Just join!” isn’t exactly helpful advice for those unfamiliar with the tech.
Still, the Fediverse is a haven for tight-knit communities and could become a powerful tool for grassroots activism. For now, it’s a niche hangout for the "cool losers"—a term said with love—and its growth will likely remain steady but incremental in 2025.
Rising News Consumption on Social Media
This one’s easy to call. Research from Pew already shows more Americans turning to TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for their news, and with 2025 shaping up to be politically chaotic, it’s a safe bet that even more people will rely on social platforms for updates, debates, and commentary.
Threads Launches Ads
Come on, babe, you didn’t really think Meta was going to keep Threads unmonetized, did you? Meta has been quietly improving the integration between Instagram and Threads, and I think they’ll finally pull the trigger on ads sometime in Q2 or Q3.
They’re likely holding off until Threads’ user base stabilizes and the platform finds its footing. Meta thrives on ad revenue, and Threads is their next big opportunity to expand it. With brand spending on social media predicted to rise in 2025, there’s no way Meta won’t want a larger slice of the pie.
Bluesky > Threads: The Real Conversations
While Threads might have the numbers, Bluesky is where meaningful conversations are thriving. For those fed up with X (formerly Twitter) and Elon Musk’s polarizing leadership, Bluesky is perhaps the best option.
Rebuilding communities elsewhere isn’t easy, which is why many remain on X. But as discontent grows, I see Bluesky carving out a stronger niche, especially for users seeking to not be on a platform overrun with Nazis.
Content & Marketing Trends
Evolving Brand Engagement Tactics
Brands are rethinking how they connect with customers. Influencer brand trips—once infamous for their extravagance—are now under scrutiny (Tarte, I’m looking at you), with many questioning their effectiveness. In 2025, we could see a shift toward customer-focused trips, rewarding loyal consumers with unique experiences instead of relying solely on influencers.
Meanwhile, live selling is poised to gain significant traction, driven by platforms like TikTok and Whatnot (which recently raised $256 million in Series E funding). This trend will turn brands into their own mini QVCs, creating real-time, interactive shopping experiences that engage audiences directly.
In-House Content Creators
More brands will hire dedicated content creators to produce engaging material in-house rather than outsourcing to agencies. These creators won’t just work behind the scenes—they’ll take on-camera roles and act as company spokespeople, giving brands a consistent and authentic voice.
This trend reflects a shift toward prioritizing long-term brand identity and storytelling over one-off campaigns. By having creators embedded within the company, brands can craft content that aligns closely with their values and messaging, all while maintaining flexibility to adapt quickly to trends.
In-house creators also allow companies to build trust with audiences. Viewers are increasingly drawn to relatable, humanized content, and an on-camera personality who represents the brand day-to-day fosters that connection. Think of them as a hybrid between an influencer and a traditional PR representative. Can you tell I’m really passionate about this?
The Worst Coworker You Know is About to Become a LinkedIn Influencer
The coworker who never responds to your Slacks is about to pivot into sharing posts about “good cross-functional team management” on LinkedIn. Jk (kind of), but let’s be real—2025 will see even more corporate influencers emerge.
As personal branding becomes the workplace buzzword of the year, employees will increasingly use LinkedIn to build their professional personas. Expect a surge of posts about leadership lessons, “pivoting with purpose,” and “leveraging synergy,” all wrapped in polished carousels or overly relatable stories like, “That time I failed and what it taught me.”
And with that, we’ll probably see companies stepping in with tighter workplace social media policies. Time to tap dance for quarters.
Conversations Around Creator Burnout and Boundaries Will Intensify
Creators, especially mid-range ones without large production teams, will increasingly open up about the realities of being a creator. Topics like parasocial relationship boundaries, work-life balance, and burnout will dominate discussions. We’ll also see more creators establishing "offline" periods—taking breaks from posting or outsourcing content management to prioritize mental health.
AI Slop Will Drive Viewers to Seek More Meaningful Content
Let’s face it: platforms are drowning in AI-generated slop. From bizarre personas (Meta) that feel like fever dreams to truly questionable YouTube thumbnails, viewers are burning out and demanding something better—content that feels human, intentional, and worth their time.
Granted, I do think, unfortunately, that there are still people who can’t distinguish reality from AI, which grows more concerning every day.
With that, storytelling—and I MEAN real, authentic storytelling—will stand out. People want creators and brands to craft narratives that hit deeper: behind-the-scenes moments, honest journeys, and posts that spark a real emotional connection. It’s not enough to game the algorithm anymore; the content has to resonate.
Soooo, you ready?
Social media in 2025 is going to be chaotic, fragmented, and full of change. Basically, 2024—but cranked up to 100,000. Buckle up, babes, because we’re in for a ride.
One thing’s for sure: the only constant in social media is change.
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