If we’re all being honest, social media trends can feel like they come and go with the wind. But 2025 isn’t just another year of fleeting fads. We actually think it’s proving to be more of a moment in how brands, creators, and customers engage online.
Our social team work with a wide range of businesses to transform clicks into customers and followers into loyal brand advocates.
So, what’s actually worth your time in 2025? Find out in this article.
1. AI-Powered Content Creation Isn’t the Future, It’s Here!
AI has officially gone from novelty to necessity. Don’t look up the prompt theory if you don’t want nightmares!
While it used to be about dabbling in AI filters or letting ChatGPT write your social captions for a laugh, it’s now becoming a big part of content creation at scale.
In 2025, savvy brands are deploying AI to:
- Prompts that generate tailored visuals (Check out the trend we jumped on using Chat GPT below!) that fit brand aesthetics
- Draft dynamic content for posts and ad creatives
- Predict content performance before hitting publish
- Localise content across markets with linguistic nuance
2. Personalisation is No Longer Optional
In 2025, users expect bespoke experiences. They want content, ads, and offers tailored to their preferences, habits, and needs. The good news is that platforms are giving us the tools to deliver it.
With better data insights and AI-driven segmentation, personalisation can now happen:
- By location, to deliver region-specific promotions
- By interest, to serve relevant product drops or content
- By behaviour, like re-engagement nudges
But beware of the fact that creepy or over-personalised messaging can backfire. There’s a line between “how did they know I needed this?” and “are they listening to my conversations?”
We help clients walk that fine line, using data responsibly to craft experiences that feel thoughtful, not invasive!
3. Using Micro-Influencers Instead (and That’s a Good Thing)
Remember when influencer marketing was all about who had the most followers? Bigger was always better, and brands spent small fortunes to have a big influencer awkwardly hold their product for 30 seconds on Instagram. Thankfully, we’ve evolved.
Micro-influencers, which are classed as those with between 1,000 and 100,000 followers, are now really important if you’re going to be doing influencer-type partnerships. Why? Because:
- They tend to have higher engagement rates (people actually comment and care)
- Their followers trust them more
- They’re cost-effective for brands, especially SMEs
- They’re often niche specialists, so your message reaches the right ears
Micro-influencers are shaping conversations in areas from sustainable fashion to finance, and audiences are listening. A Gen Z shopper doesn’t care if a celeb with 2 million followers promotes a moisturiser. But if their favourite skincare micro-influencer with 4,000 followers raves about it, they’re in because they trust them.
Focus on partnerships over one-offs. At Maxweb, we help brands build genuine, long-term relationships with micro-creators that drive sustained growth, not just fleeting little buzz.
4. UGC & the Rise of the ‘Unfiltered’ Content
User-generated content (UGC) has long been a valuable tool since forever. But now we’re seeing a shift, which is simply that people want more real.
Gone are the days of only posting overly polished, studio-lit testimonials. Audiences crave relatability. They want to see your product in someone’s messy flat, not always a curated showroom. Unfiltered UGC.
Think of it as the anti-Instagram aesthetic. Raw footage. Voiceovers with imperfections. Shaky camera work. And surprisingly? It works beautifully, and you’ll see this being done a lot over on TikTok.
Here’s why:
- It feels real and unscripted
- It mimics how real friends recommend things
- It breaks the over-produced’ ‘ad fatigue’ cycle
- It aligns with platforms like TikTok (can be repurposed over on Instagram, too), where realness tends to perform much better
Brands that embrace this trend are likely to see higher engagement and conversion rates. We help clients curate UGC strategies that combine realness with brand messaging, so it feels genuine without losing your voice.
And let’s be honest. We’re all a bit tired of perfection anyway.
5. Authenticity is the New Currency
I know authenticity has already been covered here, but I wanted to highlight how you can achieve this for your brand outside of the context of not relying solely on UGC or micro-influencers. At Maxweb, we work with businesses to create social identities that reflect who they really are.
The modern audience is sharper than ever. They can smell performative posts from a mile off, and they won’t hesitate to unfollow if they sense a lack of sincerity. This is especially crucial for brands. If you’re just jumping on trends for the sake of it, without adding value, insight, or personality, you’ll lose people fast.
Instead, we recommend:
- Showcasing behind-the-scenes content
- Sharing brand values and purpose
- Responding meaningfully to comments and DMs
- Being OK with the occasional misstep, as long as you own it
6. Social Commerce Isn’t Coming, It’s Here, It’s Big, and It’s British
It’s official: social platforms are no longer just for socialising. They’re fully-fledged shopping centres, and we, as UK consumers, are embracing the shift. From TikTok Shop to Instagram Checkout, 2025 is the year social commerce becomes mainstream.
Some eye-opening stats:
- More than half of Gen Z Brits have made a purchase directly through social media in the past six months
- The latest data shows that TikTok Shop’s daily sales have grown by almost 100% YoY in the UK markets
- Live shopping events are driving 50% higher conversion than traditional ads
But, and this is important, it only works if the user experience is seamless. Clunky checkout processes, unclear shipping information, or unappealing product images will, as usual, harm your conversions.
Our team at Maxweb ensures your social commerce strategy is rock solid from backend integrations to product tagging and influencer partnerships. The aim is simple: turn scrolling into shopping.
7. SEO on Social
One last thing. If you’re not thinking about social SEO, you’re missing a trick.
Search behaviours are shifting. More users, especially younger ones, now also search on TikTok, Instagram, and Google for product recommendations, tutorials, and reviews.
What this means for you:
- Your captions, alt text, and hashtags now need to be search-optimised
- Your video titles and hooks should align with popular search queries
- You need to treat social platforms like search engines
It’s a different skillset, but it’s one worth understanding. At Maxweb, we combine traditional SEO with platform-specific social strategies to ensure your brand appears where it matters most. Because what’s the point of great content if no one can find it?
Need Help With Your Socials? Get In Touch
The trends shaping this year, AI, micro-influencers, unfiltered content, authenticity, social commerce, and social SEO, are not isolated; they’re interconnected. And when woven together strategically, they can transform your digital presence.
At Maxweb, we’re here to help UK brands navigate that transformation. Whether you’re a start-up trying to grow your Instagram or an established brand looking to turn TikTok views into revenue, we’ve got the tools and the team to make it happen.
If you’re ready to ride the wave, not get swept under it, let’s talk. Call us today on 0151 652 4777.
Posted on Friday, May 30th, 2025 in Latest News.
