Social Media From 2015 to 2025
How to Succeed on Social Media Today
Social media has come a long way in the last decade. I have worked in social media since 2012 when we were really only concerned about Facebook and Instagram. It's crazy to think how much of a hold Facebook had on us back then.
For brands (and individuals), it’s transformed from a relatively simple tool for visibility and communication/connection into a dynamic space for storytelling, community-building, and cultural relevance. Understanding how strategies have evolved can help brands stay ahead in this ever-changing landscape - because as you know some brand managers (typically who hate social media themselves) are still trying to execute on 2015 strategies and not even consider video as an option - they are falling behind rapidly.
What Brands Were Doing in 2015
In 2015, social media was a simpler and more straightforward environment. Brands focused on:
Posting About Social Media Holidays: Quirky events like National Donut Day or International Coffee Day drove engagement.
Cute and Shareable Content: Babies, pets, and humor consistently performed well.
Flat Lay Photography: Aesthetic, top-down images dominated Instagram.
Hashtags for Growth: Using trending and niche hashtags was a key strategy for discoverability.
Posting Daily: Chronological feeds rewarded high-frequency posting.
Growth was often measured by follower counts and likes, with less emphasis on deeper metrics like engagement rates or conversions. Brands were focused on creating visually appealing, universally appealing content and relied heavily on consistency to stay relevant.
As social media platforms evolved from 2015 - 2024, so did the strategies needed to succeed. Key changes included:
Introduction of Algorithms: Platforms like Instagram and Facebook shifted to algorithm-driven feeds, prioritizing relevance over recency.
Rise of Video Content: Short-form videos, particularly with TikTok and Instagram Reels, became dominant.
Cultural Relevance: Brands began tying their messaging to trends, memes, and societal conversations to remain part of the larger cultural dialogue.
Community Building: The most successful brands nurtured communities, empowering audiences to create user-generated content and spark organic conversations.
Decline of Overposting: Quality overtook quantity, with storytelling, authenticity, and engagement driving results.
What Brands Should Be Doing in 2025 to stay on top?
As we enter 2025, social media continues to be a powerful tool for brands, but the rules have changed. Here’s what brands should focus on this year to see growth:
Prioritize Authentic Storytelling
The narrative that has been pushed for several years now - the way we do it has shifted a bit, but it's important to strategize how your brand can do storytelling.Engage Through Community Building
Invest in building and nurturing communities. Long gone are the days of Facebook Groups being the center of community - new tools like Broadcast Channels, Geneva, TYB.xyz and more are the ways brands are building community outside of their own content.Focus on Cultural Relevance
Stay attuned to trends and broader cultural conversations. Brands that can align with these moments in a meaningful way will remain top of mind for their audience. Hoping on trends still works.Test Multiple Accounts
For brands with diverse audiences, product lines, or campaigns, testing multiple accounts can offer a way to hyper-target messaging. Separate accounts for regional markets, niche campaigns, or B2B versus B2C strategies allow for tailored content that resonates deeply with specific audiences. Just ensure you have the resources to manage and grow these accounts effectively.Embrace Video and Interactive Content
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have proven that short-form video is king (how many times do we have to say this?). Interactive features such as polls, quizzes, and augmented reality filters keep audiences engaged and invested in your brand.Leverage Data-Driven Insights
Use analytics to refine your strategy. Understanding what resonates with your audience will allow you to personalize content and offers, driving both engagement and conversions. When I work on social media audits for brands and they talk about high engagement on posts and others plummeting, the first thing I want them to do is break down the content analytics to see the similarities.Partnerships
We may still be exploring giveaways with brands - but how can we go larger in 2025? Although your brand may not have enough followers to gain attention from other brands - we are seeing many smaller brands still able to collaborate based on the synergy and honestly the connections their team has. How can you leverage that for your brand in 2025?
The evolution of social media over the last decade has been remarkable and honestly I am so happy to still be in this industry and see the growth (personally) since 2012. From the hashtag-driven, high-volume strategies of 2015 to 2025's focus on storytelling, community, and cultural relevance, the landscape has transformed completely.