Social media trends 2025: you need to know these highlights

Social media is a dynamic environment in which trends are constantly evolving. For marketing managers, this means staying up to date and integrating new developments into their own strategies in a targeted manner. After all, those who know what’s trending can gain advantages from early implementation and stand out from the competition.

Social media trends for the year 2025

The year 2025 brings several social media trends that will shape both user behavior and marketing strategies. These trends not only open up new opportunities for reach and engagement, but also help you to position your brand authentically and sustainably on social media.

Short-form videos: The dominant format

Short-form videos continue to grow in popularity and will remain indispensable for successful social media strategies in 2025. They make it possible to convey messages quickly and concisely, which is perfectly aligned with user behaviour. Users prefer content that they can consume in just a few seconds – and brands can utilise this advantage to increase attention and engagement. The top three platforms where short-form videos dominate include TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

TikTok

TikTok will remain the leading platform for creative short videos in 2025. With around 1.69 billion users* worldwide and continuous growth, TikTok offers both entertainment for consumers and an attractive advertising environment for brands.

The average video length is around 43 seconds**, which corresponds to user’s preferences for quickly consumable content. With a variety of features such as effects, sounds and trends, content can be created that has the potential to go viral.

Due to its great popularity among users, it can be assumed that TikTok will continue to play a leading role in the social media sector. The platform will therefore remain an important marketing channel in 2025, especially for brands aiming to reach younger target groups.

*Status: 2nd quarter 2024; source: https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1356493/umfrage/anzahl-der-tiktok-nutzer-weltweit/
** Source: https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1482881/umfrage/durchschnittliche-laenge-von-tiktok-videos/

Instagram Reels

Reels on Instagram are the counterpart to short videos on TikTok.

The format will remain an important feature of the platform in the new
year. With over 2 billion monthly active users worldwide***, Instagram offers enormous potential for brands to reach a broad target group.

The integration of Reels into the Instagram feed and the ability to play out content to both existing followers and new target groups in the Explore area make the format particularly effective. Thanks to the versatile editing functions and seamless integration into the platform, reels will continue to be a central component of successful social media strategies in 2025. Brands that create inspiring and entertaining short videos can benefit from a high reach and strong engagement.

*** Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/

YouTube Shorts

Thanks to the success of short videos, YouTube has created an ideal addition to the classic, longer videos in the form of so-called shorts.

The shorts format allows videos of up to 60 seconds. Brands can use this short video duration to present products in a creative way or to provide short tutorials and insights.

Thanks to the combination of short videos and YouTube’s search engine function, Shorts have the potential to not only generate short-term attention, but also offer long-term visibility and reach. For companies, YouTube Shorts therefore remain an indispensable channel for addressing different target groups in a targeted manner.

Micro-influencer marketing: successful with niche content

Micro-influencers will continue to gain in importance in 2025, as their authentic and approachable nature is an ideal response to the growing scepticism towards traditional advertising messages.

With smaller but highly engaged communities, they offer brands the opportunity to address niche target groups in a targeted and credible way.

Their lower prices compared to large influencers also make micro-influencers attractive for smaller budgets, while their proximity to the community creates trust. Combined with user-generated content, micro-influencer marketing reinforces the authenticity and reach of brands and is therefore a key component of modern strategies – even in 2025!

Social commerce: the holy grail in e-commerce

Social commerce, the combination of e-commerce and social media, will reach new heights in 2025.

The seamless connection of e-commerce and social media makes it easier for users to buy products directly via platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. This simplified purchasing process not only promotes interaction and conversion rates, but also the relationship between brands and customers.

Social commerce makes it possible to personalise the purchasing process by allowing brands to present their products authentically on social media and actively involve customers through comments, likes or UGC. This builds a more emotional connection to the brand, which supports customer loyalty in the long term. Social commerce will therefore become an indispensable part of the digital marketing strategy for many companies in 2025.

Social media trends 2025: The relevance of UGC

User-generated content (UGC) has become one of the most effective formats in modern marketing.

All of the social media trends presented – from short videos and micro-influencers to social commerce – benefit from the authenticity and credibility that UGC offers. Brands should rely on this strength in 2025 to address their target groups directly and build lasting connections.

UGC in short videos

Short, concise videos are the dominant format on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

UGC videos that show real usage scenarios and genuine customer opinions are particularly credible and appeal to the target group emotionally. Brands can use these videos to present their products authentically and encourage interaction with the community.

UGC and micro-influencers

Micro-influencer marketing is complemented and strengthened by UGC.

The synergy of user-generated content and influencer recommendations gives brands credibility and increases their reach in specific niche markets.

UGC in social commerce

UGC plays a central role in social commerce. Customer reviews and videos that show products in action create trust and increase the willingness to buy. Companies can specifically integrate UGC in video ads or on product pages to guide potential buyers from inspiration to purchase. The combination of authentic content with direct purchase options makes social commerce particularly effective.

Conclusion: User-generated content is and remains a trend

The social media trends for 2025 show that authenticity and interaction are crucial for the success of brands.

Short-form videos, micro-influencer marketing and social commerce offer brands the opportunity to address their target group authentically and build lasting loyalty. User-generated content reinforces these trends by increasing trust in the brand and expanding its reach. Companies that focus on these developments at an early stage secure a decisive competitive advantage.