Social Media Marketing in 2025: How to Do It Right
Many businesses assume that digital marketing begins and ends with social media. While social media is an important channel, digital marketing is much broader. The key is identifying the right digital marketing mix for your business.
Let’s take a closer look at one piece of the puzzle—Social Media Marketing.
Over the past few years, social media has evolved from a platform used primarily for customer engagement to a powerful tool for customer acquisition. Businesses now use social media to find, connect with, and nurture potential customers, turning engagement into sales. This shift means businesses must rethink how they plan and approach social media marketing.
For example, a 2022 report by Meltwater found that 6 million Australians used social media for online shopping—a number that has only grown. So, how will you use social media to your advantage in 2025? How will you turn followers into paying customers?
Here are three key ways to improve your social media strategy this year.
Adapt Your Social Media Marketing Strategy
As social media continues to evolve, businesses must adapt their strategies to stay relevant and competitive. In 2025, success on social media isn’t just about posting consistently—it’s about understanding how platforms prioritise content and leveraging new trends to maximise engagement. Here’s what businesses need to focus on:
AI and Personalisation in Social Media
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how content is delivered on social media, making it more personalised and interactive than ever before. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok use AI-driven algorithms to determine which posts appear in a user’s feed, prioritising engaging, relevant, and timely content.
To take advantage of AI-driven personalisation, businesses should:
✅ Use interactive content – Polls, quizzes, and AI-generated product recommendations keep users engaged and encourage participation.
✅ Leverage automated chatbots – AI-powered messaging tools can provide instant customer support and improve response times.
✅ Create dynamic content – AI tools can suggest captions, analyse engagement data, and help businesses optimise their posting schedule for maximum reach.
Why it matters: Personalised content sees higher engagement because it feels more relevant to the user. Brands that tailor their social media approach with AI-powered insights will outperform those that rely on a one-size-fits-all strategy.
Searchability of Social Media Content
Social media is no longer just for scrolling—it’s also a search engine. More people are using platforms like TikTok and Instagram to search for products, services, and recommendations, often replacing traditional Google searches.
To improve discoverability:
🔎 Optimise post captions – Use natural language and include keywords that match what people are searching for (e.g., “Best coffee in Melbourne” rather than just “Great coffee”).
🔎 Use alt text and descriptive hashtags – Adding alt text to images improves accessibility and helps social media algorithms understand your content.
🔎 Leverage trending topics – Engaging with popular hashtags and challenges can increase visibility and attract new followers.
Why it matters: If your content isn’t searchable, it won’t be found. By treating social media platforms like search engines, businesses can increase organic reach and attract potential customers.
Social Proof and User-Generated Content (UGC)
Consumers trust real people over brands. That’s why user-generated content (UGC)—content created by customers, brand advocates, or influencers—is one of the most effective ways to build credibility and drive sales.
💬 Why UGC works:
✔️ 90% of consumers say UGC influences their purchasing decisions (Nielsen).
✔️ Social proof builds trust—when potential customers see others using and enjoying your product, they’re more likely to buy.
✔️ UGC creates a sense of community, encouraging more people to engage with your brand.
To integrate UGC into your strategy:
📢 Encourage customers to share their experiences – Run campaigns asking followers to post photos, reviews, or testimonials.
📢 Reshare customer content – Feature UGC on your social media pages to highlight real-world use of your product or service.
📢 Partner with influencers – Collaborating with micro-influencers (smaller, highly engaged audiences) can be more effective than big-name influencers.
Why it matters: UGC feels more authentic than traditional ads and creates a more trustworthy brand image, helping businesses attract and retain customers.
Prioritize Quality over Quantity.
When it comes to content, quality beats quantity every time. Your content should follow the FUCE rule—Fun, Useful, Creative, and Engaging.
To stand out, businesses must create content that is valuable, well-executed, and tailored to what their audience actually wants. Social media feeds are crowded, and people scroll past anything that doesn’t immediately capture their interest.
A few things to keep in mind:
✅ Know your audience – Understand their interests, pain points, and what type of content resonates with them.
✅ Be clear and concise – Overloading your posts with too much information can make them easy to ignore.
✅ Use high-quality visuals – Whether it’s images, videos, or graphics, visual appeal matters more than ever.
Key takeaway: Focus on creating content that provides real value, rather than simply posting for the sake of it.
Embrace Reels or Short Videos
Video is no longer an optional extra—it’s the most powerful content format on social media. In 2025, short-form videos (Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts) will dominate. According to a HubSpot study, 72% of consumers prefer video content over text when learning about a product.
Because more people are watching videos than ever, and platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube prioritise video content in their algorithms - if you’re not creating videos, you risk falling behind.
Here’s how to make video content work for your brand:
🎥 Keep it authentic – People connect with brands that feel real. Your videos don’t need to be perfect; they need to be genuine.
🎥 Showcase your brand’s personality – Whether it’s behind-the-scenes footage, tutorials, or customer stories, let your brand’s unique identity shine.
🎥 Experiment with formats – Short-form videos perform well on Instagram and TikTok, while YouTube is better for longer content or vlogs.
Key takeaway: Video content is a must. Start small, keep it real, and have fun with it.
Plan your social media content by considering key dates and seasonal changes in the year.
Successful social media marketing in 2025 isn’t just about posting great content—it’s about posting the right content at the right time.
Key takeaway: Be proactive, not reactive. A well-planned content strategy keeps your brand relevant and top of mind.
A strong content calendar includes:
📅 Key seasonal events – Leverage major holidays, cultural moments, and industry-specific dates to create timely, engaging content.
📅 Trending topics – Keep an eye on social media trends and adapt your content to what’s relevant right now.
📅 Community engagement – Run competitions, live Q&As, and interactive polls to keep your audience engaged.
Not every season is about sales—some are just about building brand awareness and engagement. Balance promotional content with posts that showcase the human side of your business.
If you need help planning your content and getting ideas that will generate meaningful engagement and see a boost to your social media take a look at Scroll Stoppers.
This organic social media posting guide provides 125 templates in the hook and payoff format.
Final Thoughts
The average social media user is looking for information, entertainment, and connection—not just products. If your content is overly salesy, it’ll be ignored. The key is to pre-empt what your audience wants and provide value first.
By focusing on high-quality content, embracing video, and planning strategically, your business can cut through the noise and build a strong presence on social media in 2025.
Want to boost your social media strategy? We can help you create an engaging social media strategy, optimise your reach, and drive real results.
Contact us today for a tailored organic social media strategy or social media management.
