Digital marketing is evolving faster than ever, and 2025 is shaping up to be a year of major shifts. From short video content to the rising demand for authentic content, here are the key trends brands need to stay ahead of:
UGC + EGC = Authenticity That Converts
User-Generated Content (UGC) and Employee-Generated Content (EGC) are more important than ever in building trust and driving engagement.
User-Generated Content:
User-Generated Content is content created and shared by your customers. UGC comes in many forms: unboxings, product reviews, stories or even a TikTok trend. This type of content attracts views because it’s real, raw, and most importantly, it’s trusted.
When it comes to purchasing decisions, customers are far more likely to trust a content creator that has no link to the product it’s promoting. Why? The modern consumer is tired of a perfectly crafted campaign ad created by a large corporation. Seeing a friend or a fellow user genuinely enjoy a product builds immediate credibility. It feels organic, relatable, and unforced - things that today’s audience respond to.
Employee-Generated Content:
With Employee-Generated Content things are a little different, but equally powerful. EGC refers to content created by your employees: stories about their work, behind the scenes photos, team events etc. All this may seem redundant for some but is equally as important as UGC, it humanizes your company and builds connections from the inside.
Why does EGC matter? Well, it puts a real face on your company. It shows your work culture, highlights the employees that are passionate about their work they do, and showcases the humans behind your brand. Trying to be an untouchable, polished brand isn’t cool anymore, it’s actually the opposite. EGC creates the bridge, it creates connections, loyalty, and turns your brand from a name to something that is tangible and trustworthy.
In 2025, the most popular brands won’t be the loudest, they’ll be those who give up the idea of a perfect campaign and turn to real people, sharing real stories.
Human + AI-Generated Content = The Burnout Solution We (Almost) All Need
For most people in the marketing industry, 2025 feels like everything has been done. Every idea, every trend, every campaign format has been created, shared, remixed, and talked about. You try and try to find some ideas that may work and the only thing you’ve gained is creative fatigue. But here’s the good news: AI is not here to replace marketers - it’s here to amplify creativity and simplify execution.
Combine human creativity with AI efficiency for the best results:
- Streamline workflows.
- Spark new content ideas.
- Simplify research.
- Create more personalized, relevant experiences.
- Understand your audience better.
Remember, AI is your creative co-pilot, not your competitor. You give it your input but you add the human emotion and the result doesn’t feel robotic - it feels real.
Social E-Commerce: Shopping Without Leaving the App
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest are no longer places to scroll - they have evolved into shopping hubs. Social commerce allows users to discover, explore, and purchase products without leaving the app.
Why it matters:
- High demand for seamless, in-app experiences - Think like your customer, what do they want. They expect convenience, fewer steps into purchasing a product, add to cart and checkout type of thing.
- Ads reach more potential buyers - These are essential, they appear where people spend most of their screen time.
- UGC plays a major role in influencing purchase decisions. - These platforms are filled with reviews, unboxings and try-ons of products and services. Real users showing off products in a relatable way builds trust and increases the purchase intent.
Social commerce is where entertainment meets conversion. And when you sprinkle content created by real users, it doesn’t boost sales - it builds long-term customer loyalty.
The Video Era: Short, Catchy, and Informative
Video is the most important type of content in 2025. But not just any video, the short, scroll-stopping video is the most popular type.Tiktok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, these are the fastest-growing and most consumed content format across all platforms.
Why? Because they respect the golden rule of: catch your audience's attention in the first 3 seconds. That’s all the time you get to catch your viewers. How? Make your videos:
- Engaging.
- Informative.
- Visually appealing.
Whether it's tutorials, behind the scenes, or customer stories, video is essential for capturing attention and driving conversions. If your brand isn’t already producing it, now’s the time to lean in, experiment, and find what makes you viral.
Social media in 2025 is about blending authenticity with innovation. It’s not just about being seen - it’s about being trusted, useful, and everywhere your audience is looking. The brands that thrive will be the ones that embrace UGC, leverage AI smartly, and meet their audience where they are.
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