Social media – the industry’s biggest questions, answered

1. What platforms should we prioritize in 2025 and which ones are fading?

Think focus rather than Fomo, here. Prioritize platforms where your audience is active and your content has room to breathe. And don’t put all your short-form eggs in one basket.

Instagram and Facebook are still relevant, but you’ve got pay-to-play more now. Organic is shrinking fast, so double down only if you’ve got the ad budget and creative firepower to stand out.

TikTok is still a key player, especially for discovery and culture, but regulatory headwinds are starting to hit hard. Build data-handling, age-gating and compliance contingencies into your strategy.

It’s worth testing out Threads sooner rather than later: it’s gaining traction for real-time conversations and brand personality. Especially where X (formerly Twitter) has lost trust.

Lemon8? It’s got niche appeal and algorithmic potential, but it’s still experimental for most brands. Check it out with curiosity rather than commitment at this stage.

Meanwhile, LinkedIn is booming – and not just for B2B, but for thought leadership, employer brand, and high-intent engagement. If you’re not leveraging its organic reach and improving video tools, you’re leaving serious value on the table.

2. About that declining organic reach… how do we create content that breaks through the earned engagement barrier and tackles algorithm changes?

In terms of trends right now… short-form vertical video is still king – whether it’s TikTok, Reels or Shorts – but that doesn’t mean static is dead. Carousels are quietly crushing it on Instagram and LinkedIn for depth and dwell time. And Stories are great for urgency, not reach.

And when it comes to long-term strategy? Blend formats that stop the scroll and serve the algorithm’s current appetite for watch time, saves and shares, not just likes. Create a flexible content framework: 70% should reflect your core brand story and values, 20% should follow platform-native trends in your own voice and 10% can be wildcards that test boundaries. That way, you’re evolving with the feed without losing your identity.

Algorithms will always change, but attention is earned through relevance, consistency and creative edge. The smartest brands treat content like a product, iterating fast, analyzing deeper and betting on quality over quantity.

3. But how do we build genuine engagement, community and trust in an era of declining attention and growing skepticism?

Shift from broadcast to conversation mode. Forget follower counts: real engagement happens in comments, DMs and discords.

Influencers are still powerful, but the game has changed. Mega-influencers are losing credibility. Micro and niche creators win because they feel real. Collaborate with them, don’t dictate to them. That means letting them shape the message: their followers will know if they’re just parroting a brand line. The ultimate proof of follower engagement is user-generated content (UGC). So, elevate it, incentivize it and embed it into your strategy, not just your Stories.

Most importantly, invest in actual community management. Respond. Acknowledge. Invite. Build spaces (comments, groups, events) where people want to stick around, not just scroll past. And above all, show up consistently. You build trust when audiences know who you are, not just what you’re selling.

4. What’s the best way to integrate AI and automation into our social media strategy?

AI is no longer a nice-to-have in social – it’s the engine behind speed, scale and smarter decisions. But it should enhance your brand voice, not replace it. The moment you let it run your brand without oversight, you lose what makes your brand you. Integrate it like it’s your smartest intern, not your CMO.

Tools such as ChatGPT, Jasper and Canva’s Magic Studio are great for ideation and first drafts, but tone, cultural nuance and brand personality still need a human touch. Use AI to do the heavy lifting like caption writing, trend monitoring, scheduling, but use humans to give your content some soul and originality.

AI-powered trend prediction from tools like Trendpop or Glimpse help you stay ahead without chasing every piece of hype. Meanwhile, for automation, tools like Sprout Social, Hootsuite and Brandwatch streamline publishing and customer response without killing authenticity. Just don’t let bots handle your DMs blindly: audiences can smell robotic replies a mile off.

5. How can we effectively measure ROI on social media campaigns?

A lot of marketers don’t trust their social media ROI reporting. But that’s not so much a measurement problem as a strategy problem. Fix the plumbing, choose fewer, clearer metrics and start measuring what matters.

Track impact – what actually moves the needle? Sales, leads, sign-ups, lifetime value? If your social campaigns aren’t tied to clear business outcomes, you’re flying blind and about to lose future budget.

The KPIs that matter tend to be conversion rate, cost per acquisition, revenue per click and assisted conversions across the funnel. Tools like Google Analytics 4, HubSpot and Triple Whale are essential to connect the real-time dots between content and commerce. And yes, UTM tagging should be your religion.

Multi-touch attribution is messy, but necessary. Social rarely converts in one click – it influences along the way. Use attribution models that reflect reality (eg, linear or data-driven) rather than last-click laziness. Consider platforms that integrate across CRM, paid and organic channels to give a fuller picture.

Explore more in our Social Media for Drummies hub.