When you want to see further, stand on the shoulders of giants, suggested Isaac Newton; and that’s exactly what we did. Hootsuite, whose expertise in social media is widely recognized globally, published its Hootsuite Social Media Trends 2025 report and it mentions the impact of artificial intelligence several times. We broke down the document and extracted the most relevant AI trends in social media for 2025.
In addition to the AI insights, we’ve compiled 20 general highlights from the document and shared them with you. We’ve also included a link to the report at the end in case you’d like to review it in detail.
Relevance of the report on the future of AI in social media
The Hootsuite report isn’t simply a trend analysis; it’s extensive research spanning 99 countries, 16 industries, and more than 3,800 respondents. This document offers a comprehensive view of how brands are adopting, adapting, and redefining their strategies with the support of tactics and technologies, including, of course, generative AI.
The data is overwhelming: top-performing social media teams don’t just follow trends; they analyze them, contextualize them, and integrate them into their corporate strategies. This approach allows them to be agile but also informed, an essential balance in a fast-paced world where what’s in today is obsolete tomorrow.
At the center of this evolutionary storm is artificial intelligence, which has evolved from a support tool to a true strategic partner.
From content generation to strategic planning, brands are using AI to amplify their creativity, optimize their processes, and, above all, improve their ability to connect with their audiences. It’s essential to understand the what and the how, but perhaps more importantly, the why.
Ultimately, “Hootsuite Social Media Trends 2025” is more than a compendium of data; it’s an invitation to rethink our relationship with social platforms and emerging technologies in a future where AI will be the centerpiece.
AI Trends in Social Media for 2025
Adoption and perception of AI
● Over the past year, marketing professionals’ perception of AI has changed dramatically. What was once seen as a threat is now considered a significant asset. In fact, 69% of marketing professionals see AI as a revolutionary technology not only applicable to the entire customer journey but also opening up job opportunities.
● The use of generative AI tools for on-site and social media content creation has increased significantly. This is due to brands’ need to maintain a consistent presence and the ongoing pursuit of ROI.
● Organizations in highly regulated industries use AI more than those in less regulated industries. This indicates widespread adoption and increased reliance on AI to improve communication strategies.
Uses of AI in Social Media Marketing
● AI is used for a variety of tasks, including:
- Write captions, ad copy, and scripts.
- Suggest relevant hashtags.
- Generate automatic responses to direct messages and comments.
- Create images and short videos.
- Develop content ideas.
- Write contact emails or proposals for partners and influencers.
● Brands are using AI for creative brainstorming, writing copy variations, adapting posts, and editing images. This allows marketers to save time and explore new trends.
● AI is also used to analyze data, manage projects, and track performance, allowing strategists to optimize campaigns and manage budgets more efficiently.
Strategies and best practices:
● It’s critical to train AI tools to adapt to your brand’s style and voice. It’s suggested to use the same tools repeatedly, provide style guides and web content, specify formats, and upload approved visuals.
● The report highlights the importance of a “sandwich” approach to AI image creation, which combines human intervention at the beginning and end of the process. This approach ensures authentic, high-quality images.
● Marketing teams are encouraged to continually explore new AI tools and features to stay current and improve efficiency.
AI and strategy
● Those responsible for social media strategy use AI more than those in charge of execution. AI has become a thought partner for planning and decision-making. In this sense, AI has a place in everything from creating buyer personas to analyzing results.
● Organizations that update their strategy more frequently also use AI more, underscoring the importance of this technology for agility and adaptation to change.
● It’s recommended to start with simple strategic tasks to gain confidence and begin using AI effectively. The importance of mastering prompt development to get the most out of the tools is also emphasized.
The future of AI in social media:
● Using AI to create social content at scale will be critical in the future. Organizations that don’t adopt it will be left behind. This is perhaps the loudest wake-up call among AI trends in social media for 2025.
● Brands must integrate AI into their strategies and workflows to become more efficient. It’s also essential for building strategic AI capabilities and improving marketing effectiveness.
In short, and speaking specifically of social media, AI has gone from being an experimental tool to becoming an essential component. Its adoption not only improves efficiency but also enhances creativity and strategic decision-making. Brands that adopt a proactive and strategic approach will be better positioned to achieve their business goals in the future.
Highlights from the Hootsuite study
And as we promised at the beginning, here are the general insights from the Hootsuite Social Media Trends 2025 report:
- Trend agility: Top-performing companies don’t jump on every trend, but rather integrate social listening into their strategy to act on the right trends. This means being selective and strategic rather than reactive.
- Entertainment content: Nearly half of brands (43%) focus on creating content that entertains, educates, or informs, rather than directly promoting their products or services. Entertainment content is key to engagement.
- Risk-taking brands: 24% of brands generate between 81% and 100% of their content for entertainment purposes. These brands are willing to try new forms of communication and break traditional brand management rules.
- Brand inconsistency: Brands are prioritizing creativity over traditional brand consistency on social media. This allows them to better connect with audiences and adapt to each platform.
- New brand voices: 43% of organizations have tested a new tone of voice, personality, or persona on social media in the last year. This reflects the need to connect with audiences in a more authentic and personal way.
- Creativity Results: Marketers who publish creative content frequently are more likely to have a positive impact on their business. Creativity is a driving force for success on social media.
- Engagement metrics: It’s recommended to prioritize engagement and sentiment metrics when measuring the success of creative and risky content. Vanity metrics can be relevant in this context to measure the impact of new communication strategies.
- Outbound engagement: 41% of organizations have been experimenting with proactive engagement (commenting on others’ posts). This practice allows them to gain visibility and build community relationships with their audiences.
- Medium-length comments: Comments between 10 and 99 characters generate the most outbound engagement. Conciseness and clarity are important to achieve the desired impact.
- Timely comments: Comments on posts should be made within 24 hours of the original post to maximize engagement. Timing is crucial to seize the moment.
- Creator response: Engagement increases 1.6x when the original creator responds to a brand comment. Interacting with creators can amplify a brand’s reach and impact.
- Influencers and outbound marketing: It’s advisable to combine outbound engagement and influencer marketing strategies to build genuine relationships with creators. Influencers remain a great source of credibility and authenticity.
- Prioritized social listening: Social listening is the second most important priority for organizations on social media. It’s essential for understanding audiences and improving decision-making.
- Confidence in ROI: Marketers who use social listening tools have greater confidence in the ROI of each platform. Social listening allows them to measure the real impact of marketing actions.
- Leads from social media: Leads from social media require special attention from sales teams, with rapid follow-up and personalized sales strategies. Speed and proximity are important for generating conversions.
- Social Media Performance Cycle: It’s recommended to memorize the social media performance cycle, which involves: insight > action > impact. This approach allows you to understand and measure strategies and actions.
- Micro-virality: Brands will focus on achieving “micro-virality,” that is, a specific resonation with their audience. Brands will seek to connect on a deeper level and not just chase passing trends.
What you have to learn is…
Hootsuite’s report highlights a significant shift in the way brands approach social media. Agility, creativity, active listening, and the adoption of artificial intelligence are the fundamental pillars for successfully navigating today’s digital landscape.
Social media AI trends for 2025 are also a factor to consider because the bottom line is, literally, adapt or die.
Brands that adapt to these changes, that put the customer at the center without bias and ethically, and that are not afraid to experiment, are the ones that will be best positioned to build lasting relationships, achieve tangible results, and maintain a competitive advantage in 2025 and beyond.
The Hootsuite report not only identifies the challenges, but offers a clear and actionable roadmap to address them, providing the tools and insights needed for brands to thrive in today’s ever-evolving social environment.
