Beyond Formats: culture, ideology, and narratives that will define Social Media in 2025

It’s always fun to play Nostradamus, pull out the crystal ball, and try to predict the future. The social media landscape increasingly mirrors the sociopolitical and economic changes happening in the world, leaving behind its early days when these corners of the internet felt like a refuge from reality.

Without a doubt, the evolution of social media in 2024 has been a hot topic… Elon Musk controversies, Threads vs. X, Meta’s new user policies, the rise of LinkedIn, the “TikTokification” of traditional platforms, and more. But today, we’re not here to recap everything that has happened this year. Instead, we want to share the trends that will once again disrupt the social media ecosystem in 2025.

Buckle up—there’s a bumpy ride ahead.

1. Evolution of Social Media.

Meta: Instagram and Facebook.

In 2025, Facebook continues to face the challenge of being “the forgotten giant”. While it has lost users and its engagement continues to decline (Metricool report), it remains one of the platforms with the highest traffic, surpassing 3 billion active monthly users. In Spain, it stands out with a strong presence among users aged 40 to 64, who represent 50% of its base. To stay relevant, the platform is focusing on video and Reels as ways to revitalise interactions. Brands active on the platform are leveraging these features to take advantage of its massive reach.

Recently, Zuckerberg announced changes to Instagram and Facebook’s fact-checking policies, following X’s lead in the tech sector’s standoff with government regulations.

Meanwhile, Meta is looking to the future by betting on the metaverse as the next step in digital evolution. Its goal is to create an environment where content is tailored to each user, introducing products like Movie Gen and the augmented reality (AR) capabilities of Meta Quest, promising more immersive and personalised experiences.

The cultural and aesthetic battle.

Though TikTok and Instagram initially offered opposing approaches to content creation and consumption, they have grown increasingly similar over the years. While Instagram maintains its polished, aspirational aesthetic, it is shifting towards a more authentic, natural look. Reels feeds are now filled with everyday, unfiltered moments, embracing a less curated narrative to connect more directly with audiences—a path TikTok has long dominated with its spontaneity and rapidly evolving viral trends.

This cross-pollination has resulted in two value propositions that, despite being radically different at first, are becoming increasingly aligned.

The constant evolution of social media means brands must adapt to new dynamics, including optimising SEO for videos and adopting diverse formats such as longer videos and interactive storytelling.

Meanwhile, TikTok has firmly established itself as much more than a video platform. It has become a cultural search engine, a “place to be” where movements are born and users seek not only trends but also advice, recommendations, and educational content. This evolution aligns with the growing trend of longer content, a shift we will continue to see in 2025.

TikTok is also doubling down on e-commerce integration through TikTok Shop, creating a complete ecosystem that connects shopping with content experiences, redefining how we consume, interact, and shop on social platforms.

However, TikTok faces an uncertain future in the United States. After a 14-hour ban overturned by a Trump executive order, questions remain: Who will buy the U.S. subsidiary to keep the platform running? ByteDance, Elon Musk, MrBeast, or perhaps a new player? Some users have already begun migrating to Rednote, another Chinese app that welcomes American users with cultural differences in both format and content.

X, Threads, or Bluesky: which platform will lead?

A very controversial CEO.

The “Wild West” spirit that characterised the early days of Twitter—limited to 140 characters—is gone. Now, bots and users trying to exploit blue-check monetisation dominate. That once-lawless and identity-free landscape has become more of a propaganda tool and information channel than a conversational network. How many of us nostalgically wait for the return of the bird and favourites, like prisoners with Stockholm Syndrome?

As we recently discussed, since Elon Musk’s acquisition, the platform’s strategic decisions have polarised users and advertisers. The withdrawal of traditional media outlets and political tensions have jeopardised its position as the go-to platform for unfiltered, real-time information.

Turbulent waters.

This unrest has created a gap in a niche that previously lacked competition. Threads and Bluesky are emerging as alternatives, vying to win over disenchanted users. Bluesky experienced a surge following the U.S. elections, attracting those who value a decentralised network free from corporate or political influences. It now presents itself as an alternative, drawing in more users and media outlets.

This rise can be seen as an internet lifeline amidst Elon Musk’s platform’s recurring controversies, such as criticism of its censorship system and algorithm changes promoting content of questionable accuracy. Despite Musk’s appointment of the DOGE mascot, recent opinions and updates about X are beginning to cause friction even within the U.S. alt-right.

This battle is not only redefining the future of social media but also its role in disseminating accurate information, directly impacting the credibility of content for users.

Dilemmas and challenges for emerging platforms.

Bluesky has had a promising start, albeit slower compared to Threads, which initially surged but eventually lost momentum. Threads now benefits from the political dispute caused by X’s presence, as several progressive and liberal-leaning media outlets have abandoned Musk’s network. This has turned the debate between platforms into an apparent ideological battle. Could this slow down Threads’ growth?

That said, abandoning the X ship in search of the “old Twitter” in these new alternatives remains utopian. Rather than replacements, we view the rise of Bluesky and Threads as a moment of emergence in the social media ecosystem. What now seems like competition could be an opportunity for new beginnings—and perhaps even new formats.

X aspires to become an “all-in-one” app, a broader multimedia hub, increasingly diluting its original identity (and losing more users along the way, who are wandering in search of refuge). Bluesky could very well grow into that haven for niche communities, though it still needs to prove that its decentralised approach can scale without compromising its essence. Meanwhile, Threads will need to redefine its value proposition to avoid becoming an irrelevant extension of other platforms.

LinkedIn: The ‘Place to Be’ in 2025.

LinkedIn has evolved from a niche platform for corporate or B2B brands into a strategic channel—even for native social media brands targeting younger audiences, such as Nude Project (whose founders consider LinkedIn to be “the future of communication”). The platform is shifting towards a model centred on more dynamic formats, like video, and a more accessible tone to connect with broader audiences.

This shift presents a challenge for brands and creators, who must adapt to these changes without losing the unique identity that makes LinkedIn the leading platform in the professional realm: long-form, expert content.

This evolution has opened the door to greater creativity, ushering in a diversity of ideas and content that, until recently, seemed unthinkable in a space dominated by political correctness. We’ll see fewer profiles discussing the benefits of waking up at 5 a.m. and quoting Nobel laureates, and more senior executives sharing clips from streamers and other internet personalities, aiming to illustrate their ideas in a more direct and relatable way.

New audiences are introducing humour and authenticity that once felt out of place on the platform. Although still limited, these elements are proving to be powerful and disruptive tools when used wisely.

The future of LinkedIn will depend on balancing its professional essence with this shift towards democratising content creation. The platform is expected to experience significant growth in content, investment, and audiences. Companies that understand this trend and encourage employees and executives to publish content, amplify their voices, and promote advocacy will be better positioned to lead this change.

2. From novelty to necessity: the present of AI.

The integration of artificial intelligence has become a critical factor in social media’s evolution, optimising content creation while enabling more personalised experiences.

By 2025, AI tools will reach wider audiences, becoming a natural extension of creativity rather than a luxury for select creators. With entry barriers disappearing, content production will multiply, heightening the need to stand out in an increasingly saturated information landscape.

The recent addition of Grok to X flooded the platform with memes and AI-generated images, illustrating how the native integration of AI tools fundamentally changes user behaviour and, consequently, social media content.

At the time of writing, the 2025 Australian Open is leaning heavily on similarly innovative solutions: using AI to narrate matches and animated avatars to broadcast games, bypassing image rights conflicts. 

The inclusion of AI-powered agents is shaping up to be the next major breakthrough in 2025. Their perfect complement will be brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Technologies like Meta’s smart glasses (Ray-Ban Stories) are already bridging the digital and physical worlds. Though still a curiosity for the general public, they have the potential to revolutionise how we consume content and interact with our surroundings. Could this unlock new possibilities in gamification and interactive content? Think back to the summer of 2016 with Pokémon Go—a first taste of augmented reality for many. Will 2025 be the year these technologies move from being niche novelties to mainstream must-haves?

3. Digital Culture that transcends.

The internet doesn’t just reflect culture; it shapes and transforms it. The rise of terms like “brainrot,” named Word of the Year by Oxford, or movements like BookTok, which continues to drive book sales and library visits, are tangible examples of this phenomenon.

In a digital world where standing out is increasingly difficult, some brands—particularly in the luxury sector—have seen their exclusivity eroded by opening up to wider audiences. Two trends have emerged:

1. Revaluing physical experiences as symbols of authenticity: Brands like Miu Miu are scaling back their digital presence, focusing instead on creating tangible experiences that connect consumers in real life.
2. Embracing digital connections: Brands like Loewe, with a strong presence on TikTok and collections inspired by gaming culture, demonstrate how digital-first strategies can also build prestige.

Both approaches have yielded significant success, placing these brands among the most highly valued in recent years.

What’s next?

As 2025 approaches, the big question for brands, creators, and agencies remains: What’s next? How will we find fresh air in this saturated environment, and where should we place our bets?

Our commitment is to help brands adapt to this fast-changing pace. Are you ready for what’s coming in 2025?