Consumer Trends on Social Media in 2025

Read Time: 3 Minutes 42 Seconds

Hey there,

In today's edition:

• What the $250 billion creator economy tells us about attention

• Shifting consumer preferences on socials

• Why authenticity remains king (with a twist)

The creator economy is evolving at lightspeed, which brings both new challenges and opportunities.

Today, we’ll look at the current data trends to draw a picture of where social media engagement is heading in 2025.

1. Become Your Viewer’s Best Friend

150 people.

Also known as Dunbar’s Number, it’s the measure of how many meaningful relationships a person can hold at any point in time.

But what's the digital version of Dunbar's Number?

How many creators can one person genuinely follow and connect with before they hit their limit?

It seems like the answer depends on when you were born:

• The average Gen Z consumer actively follows 10 favored creators they seek out regularly

• The average millennial actively follows 5 favored creators

• However, 45% of these consumers specifically report admiring these creators for their lifestyles

As creators and brands continue to saturate social feeds, earning a place in your audience's limited attention span has become the ultimate competitive advantage.

[Source: Forbes]

2. Relatability vs. Aspiration

You saw it during the Super Bowl ads earlier this year.

This one brought tears to our eyes.

While other ads went for the spectacle—expensive sets, CGI, and A-class celebrities—this one was different.

It struck home.

According to the data, it follows that this feeling of relatability has an effect on consumer buying behavior as well:

• Social shoppers are 54% more likely to buy from relatable creators than aspirational ones (39%)

• 56% of consumers believe brands should present themselves as more relatable on social media

As marketing evolves, the brands that embrace genuine human connection over polished perfection will be the ones that capture not just attention but loyalty and trust.

Great job to the Google Pixel team.

[Source: Hootsuite and Morning Consult]

3. The "Content-First" Buying Journey

According to Forbes, brand marketing strategies have fundamentally shifted, with creator content now driving the entire buying process:

• 93% of brands reported they'll either increase their creator budgets or expand the role of creators in their strategy

• 41% of brands are investing at least half of their digital marketing budgets on creators and influencers

• 43% of brands plan to use creator content in connected TV ads

But here's what's really fascinating: creator content is no longer just for social media.

Brands are now using creator content across at least four different channels:

• Content marketing (56%)

• Sponsorships (44%)

• Television advertising (39%)

• Affiliate marketing (31%)

[Source: Forbes and LTK & Northwestern University]

4. Where Discovery Happens Now

The pathways to content discovery have shifted dramatically over the past few years:

• One in five Americans regularly get their news from social media influencers

• News influencers are predominantly on X, Instagram, and YouTube, with 85% having a presence on X

• News influencers are gaining significant influence, with 63% being men

This shift represents more than just changing viewing habits—it represents a transformation in how information flows today.

Traditional media gatekeepers are being replaced by individual voices who are quickly building audience trust through consistency and authenticity.

[Source: Forbes]

It’s our first time diving into data-driven insights on the creator economy, so we hope you found it refreshing!

Thanks for showing up this week. We’ll see you in the next :).

Sincerely,

Ryan & Thomas

P.S. Reply to this email with any questions or topics you’d like us to cover next! We’re all ears.