Labubu mania. AI controversy at Cannes. The echoes of infinite “I’m a mommy” clips ricocheting by way of our brains.
Simply over midway by way of 2025, we’ve endured sufficient platform information and surprising content material traits to fill at the very least three full yr calendars. Which is why at Sprout we’re always checking in with audiences and social entrepreneurs to know what’s touchdown in at the moment’s social panorama, what’s falling flat and whether or not manufacturers actually need to concern themselves with the newest type of mind rot.
Our latest Q2 and Q3 2025 Pulse Surveys of over 2,000 social media customers throughout the US, UK and Australia dug into an array of points—from which rising platforms are piquing audiences consideration (and why) to what folks actually suppose it means for manufacturers to be daring on social. Here’s what we discovered.
All through this text, * signifies Q2 Pulse Survey information and ^ signifies Q3.
The rising platforms customers flip to and why
Between boycotts, bans and new entrants, the final couple years have created unprecedented ranges of community fragmentation. Greater than ever, social groups (and their leaders) are asking questions on which rising platforms they should prioritize and methods to allocate already restricted inside assets.
Sprout’s newest information exhibits that social customers are most keen to extend their time on community-based platforms like Reddit within the close to time period, extra so than nascent areas like Bluesky or Mastodon. No matter platform kind, Gen Z and Millennials are almost definitely to drive adoption. Male customers are additionally extra possible than feminine customers to wish to check these platforms.
However what’s pushing folks into new territory? Throughout demographics, customers’ major motivation for making an attempt new platforms is after they already know folks utilizing them—signaling a possible need to get away from sponsored content material and again to the essence of OG, human-to-human social. Gen Z is barely extra prone to be swayed if influencers they like have already got a presence on these platforms.
Zooming in on Bluesky
Bluesky stays a one-to-watch, with a person base rising over 370% YoY as of June 2025. Our analysis reveals extra about what’s behind the decentralized community’s enchantment.
Present and future customers are most compelled by the prospect to regulate what exhibits up of their feed quite than succumb to a different algorithm, and revel in an area unmarred by adverts. Though private and political opinions should not a number one motivation for utilizing Bluesky over alternate options, Liberal-identifying customers (37%) are notably extra prone to checklist this as an element v. Moderates or Conservatives (21% every).^
However how do audiences need manufacturers utilizing the platform? Customers primarily need manufacturers adopting Bluesky for buyer care, together with leisure and academic content material.
And (as with most platforms) audiences need manufacturers to prioritize short-form video beneath 60 seconds, together with text-based posts and user-generated content material.^ For manufacturers whose goal audiences are already energetic on Bluesky, counting on UGC will help you construct a presence sooner with out pressuring groups to create net-new content material.
Social media ethics get extra nuanced
Social media doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it’s a microcosm of our broader financial, social and technological local weather. For manufacturers, this implies the “easy” act of posting may be political.
Throughout all demographics, at the moment’s customers are most involved with manufacturers posting (however not disclosing) AI-generated content material, and firms mishandling their information. Gen Z and Millennials, nevertheless, usually tend to rank AI content material disclosure as their prime concern, extra so than information safety.^
Shoppers’ minds are additionally altering—once more—about whether or not they need manufacturers talking out about broader social or political points. As not too long ago as 2023, solely 1 / 4 of customers instructed us that memorable manufacturers communicate out on particular causes. However as of Q3 2025, the pendulum is beginning to swing again: 47% say they’re extra possible to purchase from manufacturers that do that on social. This goes as much as 63% for Gen Z and Black customers, and 61% for Asian customers.^
There’s no scarcity of points manufacturers may weigh in on. Greater than ever, entrepreneurs want the processes and information to find out which matters they need to give attention to.
A stunning twist on the non-public impacts of social media
Debates about social media’s influence on our wellbeing return so far as the unique networks themselves. Extra not too long ago, they’ve served as the premise for proposed social media age limits in sure areas. However throughout the board, our Pulse Survey respondents really feel the professionals of social far outweigh the cons.
Most customers (60%) say social has had a constructive impact on their psychological well being during the last six months, in comparison with solely 18% who report a damaging impact. Greater than half (53%) say it’s positively impacted their social lives, and 47% really feel it’s improved their monetary selections. There’s a motive “edutainment” continues to prime the checklist of content material sorts audiences hunt down on social. Folks wish to be taught one thing new, and so they need it delivered in a compelling method.
Throughout every of those areas, youthful generations are probably the most optimistic. Fairly than understand social as a time suck, a magnet for impulse purchases or a solo exercise, Gen Z and Millennials are curating their feeds to grow to be a welcome reprieve from troubling present occasions and mining platforms for a lot wanted monetary training (e.g., FinTok) and group bonding that’s additive to their in-person social circles.
How customers need manufacturers to point out up proper now
No day passes on the earth of social with out a new instance of manufacturers striving to be unhinged, or a marketer waxing poetic in regards to the significance of authenticity. However how does this line up with viewers expectations?
Our analysis exhibits that buyers understand “daring” manufacturers to be sincere and inspirational—extra so than fashionable, humorous or unfiltered.
Reinforcing our findings from The 2025 Sprout Social Index™, the businesses that stand out on social are these which might be upfront about their merchandise, companies and what they stand for. So it’s unsurprising that the #1 factor audiences would name out manufacturers for is being unethical—extra so than their pricing, or the stances they tackle public points.
Rising demand for serialized content material
On this context, it’s clear folks aren’t opening up their social apps simply to see a stream of manufacturers leaping on the newest AI-generated content material development. When requested what manufacturers ought to prioritize most on social proper now, customers put equal weight on viewers interactions and publishing unique, recurring content material collection.
Like The 2025 Content material Benchmarks Report highlights, making an influence on social isn’t essentially about posting extra—it’s about creating useful content material and connections. Serialized content material offers manufacturers the room to inform richer tales and make their prospects really feel seen.
Respondents instructed us that they’re most compelled to have interaction with model collection after they inform full tales inside every submit or episode, and after they characteristic a forged of characters they get to know over time. The very best half? These constraints are community and format agnostic.
eBay Motors’ not too long ago went all-in on an Instagram collection the place they despatched two auto influencers to the 2025 Miami Grand Prix (the primary two episodes alone earned practically 5 million views). Taking video utterly out of the equation, courting app Hinge introduced the second “season” of its No Bizarre Love Substack collection, the place writers inform the true love tales of {couples} who met by way of the platform.
Craving content material with the human contact
All through 2025, we’ve seen manufacturers begin to embrace AI-generated content material traits, from motion figures to Studio Ghibli-inspired illustrations—to blended viewers reactions.
In the present day, 55% of customers say they’re extra prone to belief manufacturers which might be dedicated to publishing content material created by people v. AI. This rises to 62% for Millennials, and 61% who establish as Liberals.^ There may be nonetheless debate round who’s accountable for disclosing when social content material is AI-generated, however for many audiences, crediting the folks behind the posts is the true mark of distinction. Manufacturers like Fishwife, for example, have made it some extent to focus on the craftspeople behind content material like this mussel shell style assortment impressed by their latest product launch. Additionally they constantly credit score the photographers and stylists who deliver their posts to life.
This sentiment holds on the subject of influencers too. Virtually half (46%) of customers should not comfy with manufacturers utilizing AI influencers and 31% say it is determined by the marketing campaign.^ Digging into demographics, male customers are barely extra comfy with these digital collaborations (28% v. 19% of feminine customers), as are youthful generations (32% of Gen Z and 33% of Millennials, in comparison with 23% of Gen X).
Social media and the client journey
We’ve stated it earlier than but it surely bears repeating: All enterprise is social. Our newest information confirms that manufacturers must be investing in social as a full-funnel channel (not only a peripheral tactic)—or threat dropping market share to opponents that do.
Exhibit A: the rise of social search. Whereas most individuals’s major intuition when on the lookout for data continues to be to show to conventional serps—Gen Z ranks social because the #1 place they flip to. Whether or not they’re on the lookout for product opinions, restaurant suggestions or how-to tutorials, audiences more and more need solutions from actual folks (and sometimes, in video type). Social networks ship on each.
As customers commit extra consideration to their feeds, the potential for social to drive real-world monetary implications grows. Regardless of the way you take a look at it, the actions manufacturers take—or fail to—on social influence audiences’ choice to purchase or defect.
Greater than three-quarters (76%) of Pulse Survey respondents say social (be it adverts, influencer or model content material) has impacted their purchases during the last six months. And nearly as many (64%) say when a model companions with one in every of their favourite influencers, they’re extra prepared to purchase.
Even in a tough financial local weather, youthful generations usually tend to purchase issues they uncover on social. Between the downstream impacts of tariffs and continued company layoffs, solely 28% of all customers say they’re extra possible to purchase one thing they discovered by way of social within the coming months. This rises to 43% for Gen Z and 36% for Millennials—proving that audiences are nonetheless prepared to pay for the fitting services or products. This development is especially noticeable on platforms in style with youthful demographics; for instance, latest Snapchat statistics present vital engagement and buying energy amongst its person base.
A brand new supply of fact for monetary training
Realizing what number of customers really feel social has positively impacted their monetary selections, it is sensible that 61% plan to make use of social to analysis monetary steering within the close to future. Greater than 80% of Black, Asian and Gen Z customers plan to make use of social to search out monetary data, together with 77% of Millennials.^
Shoppers are almost definitely to seek for matters associated to constructing a long-term monetary cushion, together with investments and financial savings accounts. This presents an enormous alternative for monetary companies manufacturers. A captive viewers is actively searching for academic details about monetary wellness, making an attempt to know their choices. Manufacturers that heed this name can be prime of thoughts when customers resolve to open an account or rent a brand new adviser.
The go-to vacation spot for journey planning
Elevate your hand in the event you additionally misplaced hours looking out TikTok for itinerary inspiration forward of your final journey.
You’re not alone: Leisure journey is anticipated to grow to be a $15 trillion {industry}, and 69% of customers will possible use social to plan an upcoming getaway. This rises to 81% for Millennials and 87% for Gen Z.^
Buyer suggestions on evaluation platforms is the #1 issue impacting customers’ choice to e-book with a journey or hospitality firm, adopted by the standard of their social buyer care. As our 2025 Content material Benchmarks analysis exhibits, inbound engagements are as much as 127 per day for journey and hospitality manufacturers (properly above the cross-industry commonplace). Audiences aren’t on the lookout for these companies to submit extra, however to have interaction extra and reply sooner.
Middle your technique across the (present) state of social media
The neatest modifications to any social technique are pushed by actual viewers insights, not random stakeholder requests. Whether or not you’re debating a shift to a brand new platform or constructing out your content material plans for the months forward, let these Pulse Survey findings function a useful intestine verify.
In some methods, the state of social media proper now could be extra sophisticated than ever. However our information hints at just a few methods manufacturers can begin to simplify: Discover alternatives to revive the 1:1 nature that so many customers miss in regards to the early days of social. Free your staff from chasing questionable traits and as an alternative give attention to unique content material collection solely your model can personal. Most significantly, don’t underestimate the enterprise outcomes social can drive—while you make investments correctly.
For extra insights round how entrepreneurs can adapt to the present state of social media, obtain The 2025 Sprout Social Index™.
