Cake blog 001
SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS TO WATCH THIS YEAR
01 - CONTENT EXPERIMENTATION
Brands are starting to push their “normal” creative boundaries. This year, brands are straying away from what is “on-brand” and trying to catch the attention of Gen Z, and the fast-paced culture created by TikTok.
Take Nutter Butter on TikTok, or Wendy’s on Facebook for example, they are using bold engagement strategies to build community, entertain, and enforce their brand identity.
In 2025, it’s time to think outside the box: entertain, inspire, and educate - but stand out.
02 - Social listening
Like we talked about in 01, TikTok created a new social media culture. One that is extremely fast-paced, driven by engagement. This means that brands have to work quicker than ever and utilize social listening tools:
Identify emerging trends, and refine their strategy in real time.
You might be asking, how will I keep up with trends while maintaining my current content strategy? That’s easy, plan your monthly content in advance. This will save you time, and make sure that you are free to hop on a trend quickly, resulting in fresh, relevant content that keeps your audience engaged. By having a solid content plan as your foundation, you’ll have the flexibility to adapt to trends without sacrificing consistency or quality.
03 - AI INTEGRATION
Generative AI is becoming more popular, helping brands create content, improve customer service, and personalize marketing. It makes things faster, easier, and more engaging for audiences.
What is Generative AI? Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can create content, like text, images, music, or even videos, based on prompts or data.
It’s important to make sure you aren’t relying on AI, but using it as support to brainstorm ideas.
04 - EMPHASIS ON Short form video
This one isn’t new. 2024 was the year that short form video solidified its dominance, becoming the go-to format for brands looking to maximize reach and engagement across all social media platforms.
Short-form videos catch attention fast, fit perfectly into fast-paced scrolling feeds, and are easy to watch. This works best on platforms like TikTok and Instagram because they keep users engaged longer, encouraging binge-watching and boosting overall retention.
Short-form videos perform better with the algorithm because they have higher completion rates—people are more likely to watch them all the way through. This boosts engagement, helps content reach a wider audience, and makes it more shareable for organic growth.
