Intimate connections and minimal risks: the role of social media in 2025
In its latest report titled "A Liveable Web", social media agency We Are Social predicts that social media trends will shift dramatically over the next few years, shaping online spaces in 2025. The report's global head of research, Paul Greenwood, provides insights into the changing landscape of digital connectivity.
The "Liveable Web" represents a departure from the original promise of social media connectivity as a means for fostering friendship and community. Instead, Greenwood explains, social media is increasingly becoming a platform for entertainment, driven by the transition from the "social graph" to the "interest graph" and the rise of platforms like TikTok.
Despite progress in accepting diverse beauty ideals and expectations of success, Greenwood highlights concerns about the expansion and amplification of societal pressures on individuals, fueled by social media. A growing backlash against late-stage capitalism and intergenerational wealth gaps is also palpable, as younger generations seek to redefine their relationship with consumerism.
Trend cycles, news, and gossip also contribute to the feeling of being overwhelmed, prompting some individuals to re-evaluate their use of social media in pursuit of a more sustainable digital experience. Greenwood observes that such re-evaluation became more evident during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as people sought larger "mono-cultural moments" to foster collective unity following the fragmentation of digital communities.
Five overarching trends emerge from the report:
- "Primal Renaissance" is a return to raw, authentic, and hedonistic content, as people reject the polished aesthetics of the past in favor of messier lifestyles and more playful, joyful experiences online.
- "Low Stakes Social" is a push for lighter and more playful content that reduces the stress and weight that permeates the real world.
- "Intentional Consumerism" is a movement advocating for conscious and thoughtful consumption, asking brands to provide meaningful experiences and value beyond simple product promotion.
- "Modern Mythmaking" involves brands utilizing social media, culture within social media, and adjacent categories for creative inspiration and insights.
- "New Intimacies" focuses on finding a balance between niche communities and broader monocultural moments, creating valued digital spaces for users to build and protect their tribes.
Greenwood was asked about the relationship between social media platforms and user preferences, arguing that trends travel across platforms and evolve over time, rather than being solely platform-driven. While older generations are engaging more with youth culture than ever before, and younger generations yearn for nostalgia, the lines between generations are increasingly blurred.
Addressing the question of authenticity in a increasingly homogenized digital landscape, Greenwood suggests that younger generations prefer personalities with fluid, evolving identities over static ones. He also emphasizes the importance of brands being able to stand out from the crowd through paradoxical and thought-provoking content.
Discussing the complexity of community building, Greenwood advises brands to approach it carefully, applying a top-down or grassroots strategy, depending on the brand's size and resources. Smaller brands might benefit from working with influential figures or personalities to create engaged communities around their products.
As for how brands can differentiate themselves and discern which trends to prioritize, Greenwood recommends creating a robust content strategy rooted in a brand's unique point of view and tone. By staying flexible and adaptive, brands will be better equipped to capitalize on emerging trends while maintaining a clear brand identity.
Greenwood also ponders a decline in the number of people creating content on social media versus merely consuming it. While consistent data is not readily available, he notes that platform-specific engagement figures suggest that the majority of users consume content, and the share between platforms varies. The abundance of AI-generated content also contributes to the perception of an increased volume of online content, he adds.
Turning to the question of platform copying, Greenwood acknowledges that it is reasonable for platforms to experiment with new features to cater to emerging user behaviors. However, he cautions that not all features may resonate with a platform's user base, and some trial-and-error is to be expected.
Finally, Greenwood provides some examples of brands excelling on social media, such as Mark Jacobs and Loewe. Both brands have prioritized trend monitoring, rapid response, grassroots collaborations, and an authentic, relatable tone to connect with their target audiences.
- In the "Liveable Web" of 2025, social media platforms will primarily serve as entertainment hubs, transitioning from a focus on fostering friendships and communities, as per the insights given by Paul Greenwood.
- The report "A Liveable Web" identifies trends such as "Primal Renaissance", which emphasizes raw, authentic, and hedonistic content, in contrast to the polished aesthetics of the past.
- According to Paul Greenwood, brands can differentiate themselves and stay ahead of trends by creating a robust content strategy that reflects their unique point of view and tone.
- Trends, such as "Modern Mythmaking", encourage brands to find inspiration in social media culture and adjacent categories for creative insights.
- News and gossip contribute to the feeling of being overwhelmed on social media, leading some individuals to re-evaluate their digital experiences during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Greenwood argues that trends travel across social media platforms and evolve over time, with older generations engaging more with youth culture than ever before, blurring the lines between generations.
