2025 Social Media Trend Round-Up
- Cloudia Edinburgh
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Social media in 2025 was loud, messy, experimental - completely different from anything we’ve seen before. Algorithms shifted, creators changed their approach, and audiences demanded something deeper, more honest and more human.
From AI-generated dolls to the rise of “rage bait,” here’s your all-in-one recap of the trends that defined 2025, and what they mean for brands heading into 2026.
AI Became a Playground, Not a Tool
This was the year AI content moved from being a “helpful assistant” to full creative playground. Creators weren’t just using AI to write captions, they were using it to build moments, visuals and experiences that didn’t exist before.
The Doll BoxTrend
Back in April, the world turned themselves into AI-generated dolls and the internet went crazy!
It blurred the lines between reality and imagination and showed just how quickly audiences embraced playful, hyper-edited visuals.
Check out our team as dolls!
AI ASMR
AI-generated whispering, tapping, humming and ambient soundscapes surged on TikTok and Reels. These videos created a weird but addictive sensory experience, plus reminded brands that AI isn’t just visual. It’s full sensory storytelling.
This year has shown that AI isn’t a shortcut, it’s a creative medium and unexpected, fun content wins.
Authenticity & Relatability Came Back Even Stronger
We’ve said “authenticity is trending” for years, but 2025 took it to a new level.
Audiences became exhausted by curated feeds and picture-perfect aesthetics. Instead, they gravitated to content that felt real, unfiltered and imperfect.
Day-in-the-life snippets, behind-the-scenes moments, ramble-style talking videos, “shot on phone” visuals and real reactions over scripted ones performed the best.
Brands that embraced relatable over aspirational content saw stronger engagement, loyalty and saves.
So, what does this mean? People don’t want to be impressed, they want to feel connected.
Anti-Overconsumption & De-Influencing Took Over
The rise of the “you don’t need this” creator marked a major shift in the culture of social media.
De-influencing is not just telling people what not to buy. It’s a movement pushing back against the pressure to constantly purchase, endless product hauls and the viral “TikTok made me buy it” hype.
Creators offered honest reviews, encouraged mindful buying, and asked people to think twice before adding to cart.
Audiences rewarded their honesty and trust in creators increased when they weren’t afraid to critique the very products they were sent to promote.
From this, brands should learn that honesty beats hype, real reviews beat rehearsed scripts and transparency sells better than pressure.
Food Marketing Became a Power Move
One of the most surprising trends of 2025? Pairing products with food to trigger cravings.
Brands like Summer Fridays, Rhode, and Jacquemus started packaging their products next to beautiful, indulgent foods - and it worked!
This blew up because food is universally appealing, it evokes comfort and desire, it links feelings of indulgence to the product and creates instantly fun shareable visuals.
Think of visuals like Rhode’s lipgloss next to glazed donuts, Summer Fridays products in a bowl of whipped cream and a Jacquemus bag styled with fresh citrus.
It wasn’t about eating - it was about craving the aesthetic.
For brands looking to up their social media game, this is a must! Associating your product with sensory-rich visuals is an emotional shortcut to desirability.
Rage-Bait Ruled the Algorithm
Whether we liked it or not, “rage bait” was everywhere, so much so that it became the Oxford Word of the Year!
“Rage Bait” is content designed specifically to provoke outrage or anger so people engage with the content more by commenting, arguing, quote-posting, sharing and stitching or dueting.
This works because platforms heavily reward emotionally charged posts, and there’s not many emotions that spread faster than anger! As P.T Barnum once said - “any publicity is good publicity”.
The trend sparked conversations about online polarisation, emotional fatigue, the ethics of “bait content” and the responsibility of creators.
“Rage Bait” is an interesting tactic but participating is risky business (we hold no responsibility!!) - but being aware of it is essential.
What brands (who don’t want to get cancelled) should do instead:
Focus on thought-provoking content, not divisive content.
Engage, don’t antagonise.
Be bold, not inflammatory.
Final Thoughts: What 2025 Told Us About the Future
2025 was a reminder that social media is shifting towards two extremes: highly creative and deeply human.
AI content exploded into playful innovation, while authentic storytelling reclaimed its power. Consumers pushed back against pressure to buy, even as brands found new ways to tap into sensory emotion. And through it all, the algorithm made it clear: strong reactions drive reach - for better or worse!
Heading into 2026, we think brands should focus on:
Creative experimentation with AI
Vulnerable, real human storytelling
Honest marketing over hype
Sensory-led visuals
Ethical, emotionally aware content
The brands who blend creativity + integrity will be the ones audiences trust most.