In social media, there are few things you can know for certain. Will it go viral? Will it post the same day that a new trending audio takes off and absolutely fall flat? Only the algorithm knows!
However, when you spend hours each month combing through social media trends, news, feature tests, and client social analytics like our team, there are some clear indicators of what to expect. Here are five things we know will be true for content marketing in 2025:
Google has long been the king of online search, with its name even becoming a popular verb. Soon though, social media platforms may be coming for the crown, with Gen Z leading a shift in search behavior.
We’ve noticed this year that search has slowly worked its way into the top traffic source for our clients’ social profiles (see examples in screenshots below). If companies want to continue (or start) thriving on social media in 2025, they can no longer ignore the importance of social SEO.
For better or worse, TikTok has revolutionized the way people consume content. This has caused other platforms to quickly adapt, with LinkedIn being the latest to integrate a dedicated vertical video tab.
In fact, it almost seems like the traditional 16:9 format is slowly disappearing. On streaming and YouTube ads, we’re seeing an influx of vertical video used instead of the 16:9 format. And with the new measurement partnership between Nielsen and TikTok, this new trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
While the Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal on the TikTok ban, the fate of the platform in the U.S. is still unclear beyond January 19. However, we want to emphasize that *regardless* of the outcome with TikTok, vertical video is here to stay and should be a part of your social media strategy in 2025.
We recently attended the Digital Summit in Dallas, and one of the presentations that captured our attention was from cross-cultural marketing innovator Paige McCrensky. In the presentation she brought up how influential Gen Z has become when it comes to content and breaking the traditional marketing funnel.
Gen Z spends the most time of any generation consuming content, with at least a quarter of each day designated to the activity. With how much content Gen Z consumes each day, McCrensky pointed out that “brands need to become almost like media companies” to hold Gen Z’s and future generations' attention.
To capture Gen Z and future digital native generations, companies must evolve their content marketing from simply serving as mini ads, to tapping into humor and pop culture geared toward entertainment and building relationships. Two great examples of companies doing this are State Farm and Southwest Airlines.
Ditch the models and stock images in 2025, because the most powerful and effective content features your employees. Employee content helps humanize your brand and creates a deeper connection between you and your audience. It also performs really well. Every month this year our clients’ reports show videos featuring employees (even videos from last year) amassed some of the most views and engagement.
Activating your employees for company content can also have unintended benefits. At Digital Summit Dallas, Southwest Airlines’ Derek K. Hubbard (who we happened to meet while getting signed in) mentioned how a TikTok video featuring ramp agents that intended to capitalize quickly on a trending audio was useful in attracting new employees.
This year I digitally attended the Motion Creative Strategy Summit, and in an event packed with great insights, one particular quote has been stuck in my mind for months. AI and advertising expert Alex Cooper predicted
“even though there’s going to be a lot more ads on our feed, content’s going to get uglier, and ads are going to get uglier as we try to signal that we are not AI, we are real people.”
Consumers have grown tired of ultra-edited branded graphics. From what we’ve witnessed for Foreword clients, branded graphics are almost always out-performed by iPhone photos or video. In an AI content landscape, people are craving authenticity and a human feel to the content they consume.
Adjusting your strategy on social media can feel daunting. If you want to learn how to incorporate these 2025 must-haves into your strategy for the New Year, reach out!
Foreword has a history of award wins for clients, including:
If you’re ready to strategically elevate your brand, get in touch today!
