5 things that will set the pace of social media in 2025

Authenticity, AI and short form videos are still the thing, but they’re not everything

The annual effort to predict exactly what will dominate social media is often futile - because actual trends are fast, dynamic and simply anything but predictable. What’s more, some things have been buzzwords for so long that it’s almost pointless to mention them again. 

Authenticity, AI and videos are no longer new discoveries. Yes, they’re definitely an important part of success on social media - short videos perform better in the long run in both organic reach and campaigns than static content. At Proficio, we’re seeing up to double the CTR and half the CPC across clients for videos compared to static creative. 

Our benchmarks for UGC videos

Artificial intelligence, in turn, is changing the way most of us work in the long term - but so far there’s little accurate data on how much impact it’s really having and where its development is going. 

#1 Less is sometimes more: Brands bet on nano-influencers

While at first glance it might seem that everyone would want to work with the most recognizable names, the opposite is true. The numbers are clear - nano-influencers (i.e. influencers with an audience under 10,000 followers) can generate up to 60% higher engagement rates than their “macro” counterparts. 

As a result, more and more brands are betting on smaller names not only for their authenticity but also for their lower cost. This is because they can reach a very specific target audience with specific interests and are much more affordable, especially for smaller businesses. This combination helps brands to better target their campaigns, build brand credibility and achieve better results. 

Source: https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report/

This trend has been helped by the great rise of UGC content, which builds on authenticity, simplicity and accessibility for a wide range of creators. As a result, brands are more interested in working with smaller influencers, not only because of the lower cost, but also because of the greater efficiency of the output. 

Rather than one-off campaigns with large influencers, more brands are moving towards creating sets of videos and long-term content, which often yields more measurable results and higher ROI as part of performance strategies.

#2 New content moderation rules will change the scene of Meta

Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that Meta will simplify its policies regarding content moderation and censorship to “restore free speech on its platforms.”

What specific steps will they take? 

• Fact-checking by independent organizations will be replaced by a system of community notes, similar to that of X.
• Community policies will be simplified and restrictions on topics such as immigration and gender will be removed. 
• Automatic filters for policy violations will focus on illegal and very serious violations (such as terrorism, child sexual abuse, drugs, fraud and scams). 
• For less serious violations, Meta will rely on users to report the content before removing or flagging it. 
• Additionally, with a greater degree of personalisation, it will suggest political content in feeds to users again. 

New developments in Meta’s approach to content moderation should mean fewer errors, less deleted content and profiles. But it may also make it easier for misinformation and hate speech to spread on the networks. Reporting harmful and false content by users themselves will therefore also be more important than ever. 

#3 Community Marketing: Forums are back in the game

Remember the days when online forums were the thing, Facebook was full of groups and looked like one big chat room? Users are craving that side of social media more and more, and platforms that focus on community interactions continue to grow in popularity - such as Patreon, Discord, Reddit and Substack.

Big social media are responding by introducing similar features - YouTube Communities or Instagram Broadcast Channels, which allow creators to share not only text messages but also videos, voice messages or polls with a smaller audience. 

This allows them to reach their audience more directly and effectively, sharing information with them quickly and easily. In addition, new features - such as time-limited prompts or replies - give them more opportunity to engage and build a sense of belonging in the community. 

This additional form of communication underlines the importance of building valuable content for customers. Instead of relying on remarketing audiences and advertising, community marketing allows brands to establish long-term relationships with specific people through authentic and direct interaction. 

#4 EGC: Employees as the face of your brand

We all know UGC - but have you heard of EGC? Underneath those letters lies Employee Generated Content. It allows brands to showcase their personality or products through real people in their ranks. It’s not limited to LinkedIn anymore - you can also find short videos based on various trends on Instagram or TikTok. 

Behind-the-scenes glimpses increase  brand credibility - and that’s one of the most important factors for customers when making purchasing decisions. EGC can be shared on company networks, but also on employees’ personal profile they gradually become brand ambassadors, giving space to more different faces and stories. 

It also strengthens employer branding and the company’s position in recruitment - potential employees have a better idea of how the company works. 

Viral EGC on the profile of Kaufland Slovakia, that has caught the whole Czech and Slovak internet. 
Source: TikTok Kaufland Slovakia

#5 The TikTok ban in the USA: A situation we’ve never had before

The TikTok ban in the US has been the buzzword across the internet for the past weeks. TikTok was supposed to be banned on January 19 and there were even speculations about Elon Musk buying it. On Sunday, January 19, the app actually went down for a few hours - but in the end, the ban was delayed for 75 days. It looks like the US will be negotiating with Chinese company ByteDance to ensure TikTok continues to run in the US.

Although the TikTok ban applies to the US and the platform has not been and is not banned in Europe, it could have a big impact on the app as a whole. If it were to be sold, for example, many creators and users could leave the platform, similar to what happened to Twitter when it turned into X. 

So far, there seems to be no need to worry - but a complete ban of an entire platform is an interesting precedent in the Western world, and one that has happened for the very first time. It’s therefore a good idea not to underestimate the situation - we at Proficio are keeping a close eye on how the situation develops. So don’t forget to follow us to make sure you don’t miss any news.

Keep your eyes open - trends don’t wait

As we mentioned at the beginning - social media trends are anything but predictable. So the most important thing is to stay alert and keep an eye on what’s happening on the networks. The next viral video could very well be yours! 

And if you’d like help with your content, let us know – we’d be happy to polish it up for you too!

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