Where did the time go? Did anyone else feel like 2024 was a whirlwind of a year? It was a huge year of change. From brands throwing the brand book away on socials, to hashtag following being retired on Instagram and the rise of AI on our feeds (did you know up to 60% of the content you see on your feeds is AI generated now?) We predict 2025 will be a transformative year for marketing. Brands will experiment more than ever to strengthen communities around them, and audiences becoming more attuned to AI content, generated by tools like Jasper.AI which creates copy and AI-generated images from tools like Canva. It’s going to be a topsy-turvy year, but we’ve put together our top predictions for 2025 to help you navigate your way through the next 365 days.
AI is having its moment, with a huge amount of development having happened in the last 12 months. From the launch of Google’s Gemini 2.0, which has new features like native image generation and audio output, to TikTok Smart+ which can create an AI-led campaign, and the Meta Movie Gen tool, which allows you to create up to 16 seconds of video from a text prompt, and much more. Meta is also pushing users on Facebook and Instagram towards sharing AI-generated content. It’s an exciting time to start using AI as it moves out of its experimental phase and into the mainstream of business.
There may be some pushback to this large increase in AI as feeds are filled with AI-generated posts that may take away from the social aspect of many social media platforms. We predict that customer behaviour will shift towards wanting more human connection and they will seek out content and features that connect them with real life.
We’ve started to see platforms do this, with Snapchat introducing more indicators on SnapMaps in late 2024 which allows users to show more of the places they’ve been and the experiences they’ve had. LinkedIn also experienced the search for connections in 2024. They saw a rise of 14.4% (compared to 2023) of people utilising their live events broadcast in the app.
Tapping into this desire for connection will be crucial in 2025. Engaging with your audience through DMs or comments is one way of doing this. Using Micro-influencers will also be important this year. This search for connections may also lead to increased use of platforms like WhatsApp as marketing tools.
In response to this need for community and connection, we predict that brands will experiment a lot more in 2025. Large brands saw success with this last year, (see the RSPB’s TikTok.) Smaller businesses would be wise to jump on the experimenting bandwagon. As social platforms are shifting this way; seen with the launch of Instagram’s Trial Reels, which will help brands test what resonates. Jumping on trends will also be a stepping stone to increased engagement on socials. In addition, brand partnerships will move beyond transactions to co-creation, leading to more innovative marketing.
Tele-shopping is back, well kind of. Live streams and interactive filters to sell products saw a boom in 2024, and this tactic is only set to rise in the next year as more and more shops open on Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok. In 2024, the number of shops on TikTok in the UK doubled to a staggering 200,000, and people shopping through social has seen a 32% increase since 2022. In addition to the popularity of live streams and the increase in shops, social platforms are becoming the new way to search, making social commerce more streamlined and easier to access.
Social media algorithms are increasingly prioritising content that uses SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation, where AI generates a quick and clear overview of search topics.) in post copy and alt-text. Especially as social search has grown over the past year, with 40% of Gen Z’s in the UK alone using social media as their primary form of search. Paid search was also introduced on TikTok back in September. Hashtags are also facing their end as Elon Musk is planning on phasing them out on X and Instagram having retired their hashtag following feature, making SEO even more important.
So, it looks like it’s going to be another busy year. The digital landscape will continue to evolve as people seek out real human connection and as AI advances and is adopted. To stay ahead of the curve and to get to grips with AI check out our AI Cheat Sheet which is full of useful tips and techniques which will help you get the most from AI.
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