How to Stay Ahead in Social Media: Key Trends for the Second Half of 2025
The social media landscape is evolving faster than ever—and if you're still relying on strategies from early 2025, you're already behind. As platforms compete for user attention and brands battle for engagement, it’s crucial for businesses to adapt quickly.
Here’s a breakdown of the key social media trends for H2 2025—what they mean for your brand, how to implement them, and how working with a forward-thinking agency like Majorform can help you stay ahead of the curve.
Search-Optimized Social (Social SEO) Dominates Discovery
In the second half of 2025, social platforms are doubling down on search. TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram are all functioning more like search engines. According to Google’s Internal Data - nearly 40% of Gen Z now uses TikTok as a search engine instead of Google.
“Natural” searches are now taking stage as search engine algorithms improve their Natural Language Processing (NLP) functionalities. Instead of searching “Interior Designers Singapore”, users now search “what are some interesting designs for my home?” instead.
What’s changed:
More users are searching for how-tos, reviews, and local recommendations within platforms.
TikTok SEO is now a core part of Gen Z discovery habits.
How to use it:
Add searchable keywords in your captions and on-screen text.
Use long-tail keywords in your audio/transcripts.
Optimize hashtags and geo-tags for discovery.
In fact, only just a month ago, Google rolled out “Short Video” tabs as part of their search platform where Google crawls and indexes data from short form platforms making them searchable via Google instead. This highlights how important it is to ensure the videos are searchable on Google as well.
Performance Creators over Influencers
Influencer fatigue has set in. In H2 2025, businesses are shifting budgets from traditional influencers to performance creators—those who create content optimized for conversion, not just vanity metrics. In fact, Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2025 Mid-Year Report shows a 43% increase in performance-based creator contracts which focus beyond reach but lower funnel metrics like Engagement, ROAS.
What’s changed:
Creator partnerships are being judged on ROAS and engagement-to-follower ratios.
Brands are hiring UGC creators and TikTok-native talent to produce content that can be used for ads readily.
How to use it:
Work with niche creators who understand your audience and can create scroll-stopping ads.
Focus on content that mirrors organic trends but is designed to convert.
Short-Form Video Ads Get Smarter (and Simpler)
In H2 2025, the best short-form ads don’t feel like ads at all. The trend? Hook-fast, story-light, mobile-native content that fits seamlessly into feeds. Beyond just making trendy videos - TikTok has even released data to show how important it is to build a smarter video for example - 90% of ad recall impact is captured within the first 5 seconds.
What’s hot:
3-5 second hooks with emotional payoff
Split-screen reaction videos and remixes
Voiceovers with UGC-like footage
How to use it:
Test multiple creative angles using the same footage.
Focus on thumb-stopping intros and native transitions.
The TikTok Creative Center is an excellent source of inspiration to find new videos and ideas.
Social + CRM Integration for Smarter Retargeting
Social isn’t just for acquisition anymore. In the second half of 2025, smart brands are using first-party data and social CRM tools to retarget smarter and boost retention. Beyond using social as a tool for discovery, think about how your existing social data can be used for targeting and retargeting campaigns, and altering messaging to take advantage of this.
What’s evolving:
Instagram DMs, WhatsApp chats, and email flows are being synced into all-in-one CRMs.
Paid media teams are working closely with retention and lifecycle marketers.
How to use it:
Collect leads via Instagram or TikTok lead forms, then sync to CRM platforms Klaviyo, HubSpot, or GoHighLevel.
Create campaigns, retarget promotional ads to different types of audiences or build lookalike audiences based off the 1st party data collected.
Creator-Led Brand Communities Take Over
Audiences are no longer just passively following brands—they’re engaging with communities led by creators who feel like trusted insiders. Although some brands had started this in 2024, 2025 is the year for more and more brands to explore content creator networks and branded communities to build a network of brand advocates for their product who can help to seed their brand in a crowded social space.
What’s trending:
Niche creators are building their own communities around specific lifestyles, interests, or challenges—and smart brands are embedding themselves into these ecosystems.
This is especially powerful on platforms like Discord, Geneva, or even Patreon-style models integrated into Instagram Subscriptions.
How to use it:
Partner with micro-creators to build co-branded communities around shared values.
Sponsor regular creator-hosted events or content drops within these communities.
Need Help Bringing These Trends to Life?
At Majorform, we help brands navigate change, craft high-converting short-form content, and build performance-focused marketing engines across every major platform.
Whether you need:
Native creative for TikTok, Meta or YouTube
UGC that converts
A strategy rooted in data, not guesswork
—we’re here to help, contact us here.
