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A vibrant 3D illustration featuring the year '2025' in glowing pink text on a white, vertical panel surrounded by colorful emojis, hashtags, speech bubbles, and reaction icons, all on a clean white background.

Social Media Platform Updates for 2025

Last Updated

Originally Published

December 13, 2024

Author

Ariadne Rojas

Senior Social Media Manager

The social media landscape is constantly shifting, with platforms rolling out game-changing updates that influence how businesses and individuals engage online. Staying informed on the latest social media updates is crucial for crafting strategies that resonate in 2025 and beyond.

Here’s a detailed look at platform-specific changes and how they can transform your approach.

Instagram Updates

Staying ahead of the curve on social media platform updates is vital, and Instagram continues to roll out features that redefine user engagement and content strategies. These Instagram updates are set to impact how creators, brands, and businesses approach their campaigns, from content formats to performance metrics. Here’s what you need to know to stay competitive.

Key Updates:

  • Carousels Lead Engagement: Instagram is boosting the visibility of carousel posts due to their multiple interaction opportunities. New features include up to 20 frames, mixed media formats, and collaborative post capabilities.
  • Hashtag Relevance Declines: The option to follow hashtags has been removed, signaling Instagram’s focus on content-based algorithmic recommendations rather than hashtags.
  • Primary Metric Is ‘Views’: Instagram now prioritizes “views” as the key performance indicator across all formats, making it critical to optimize content for retention and replay value.

How to Adapt:

  • Leverage carousels with music integration and text overlays for enhanced storytelling.
  • Reduce hashtag use to 3–7 per post, focusing on relevance over quantity.
Side-by-side screenshots of an Instagram post and its analytics on a smartphone. The left shows a user prompt to add content to a collaborative post, while the right displays detailed metrics such as views, watch time, and interactions.

TikTok Updates

In the dynamic world of social media updates, TikTok stands out with innovative changes that reshape how users create and consume content. These TikTok updates introduce tools and features designed to enhance engagement, creativity, and platform diversification, offering exciting opportunities for creators and brands. Here’s a breakdown of the latest developments and strategies to adapt.

Key Updates:

  • STEM Feed Launch in Canada: Aimed at educational content, this feed is curated for quality and relevance with partnerships like Common Sense Networks and Poynter.
  • AI-Powered Content Creation: Symphony Creative Studio introduces tools for video generation, avatar creation, and multilingual dubbing, making content production faster and more global.
  • Lemon8 Emerges: A photo-sharing app blending Instagram and Pinterest functionalities. This signals TikTok’s diversification amid regulatory challenges.

How to Adapt:

  • Explore TikTok’s AI tools to streamline ad content creation and localization.
  • Diversify your presence to platforms like Lemon8 to mitigate risks associated with TikTok’s legal uncertainties.
Two smartphone screens side by side. The left screen shows the TikTok Symphony Creative Studio interface, with options for generating and remixing videos. The right screen displays a TikTok-style feed with images, including a Shiba Inu, a fashion influencer, and food posts.

LinkedIn Updates

Social media platform updates are transforming LinkedIn into an even more dynamic space for professional networking and B2B engagement. These LinkedIn updates highlight a shift toward more personalized, impactful content and strategic influencer collaborations. Here’s how these changes can influence your LinkedIn strategy and help you stay ahead in 2025.

Key Updates:

  • Video Carousels Roll Out: A new feature allowing side-scrolling displays of videos algorithmically tailored to users’ profiles and activity.
  • Influencer Marketing Grows: With a significant rise in C-suite professionals on LinkedIn, influencer-led campaigns are increasingly driving engagement in B2B sectors.
  • Template Posts Removed: The platform is emphasizing original content creation over pre-designed celebratory posts.

How to Adapt:

  • Utilize video carousels to showcase projects or case studies in a dynamic, engaging format.
  • Partner with trusted industry influencers to amplify brand reach and credibility.
Two smartphone screens side by side. The left screen displays LinkedIn’s ‘Videos for you’ post. The Right screen shows a LinkedIn post by influencer, Gabriel Gomez, about the Hootsuite 2025 Social Media Trends report.

General Social Media Updates

As the digital landscape evolves, staying updated on broad social media updates is crucial for effective strategy development. From enhanced privacy measures to the rise of AI transparency and new platforms like Bluesky, these shifts are reshaping how users and brands interact online. Here’s a closer look at the latest trends and how to adapt for success.

Key Trends:

  • Privacy for Teens: Social platforms are enhancing safeguards for younger audiences, introducing features that limit exposure and potential harm.
  • AI-Generated Content Disclosures: AI disclaimers, similar to influencer #Ad labels, are becoming a standard for transparent marketing practices.
  • Bluesky Gains Traction: Bluesky, a decentralized social platform reminiscent of early Twitter, now has over 25 million users. Its focus on privacy and minimal moderation is attracting media and post-election growth.

How to Adapt:

  • Review content strategies to include clear AI usage disclosures.
  • Align with privacy trends to build trust, especially among younger demographics.
  • Monitor Bluesky’s growth to evaluate its potential as a platform for targeted engagement.

Adapting to Social Media Platform Updates for Marketing Success

Social media platforms are undergoing transformative updates, focusing on enhancing user experience and content authenticity. By staying informed about platform-specific changes, such as Instagram’s emphasis on carousels, TikTok’s AI-driven tools, and LinkedIn’s push for original content, marketers can effectively align their strategies for 2025.

If navigating these changes feels overwhelming, let The Influence Agency guide your strategy. With expertise in social media marketing, we’ll help you adapt to platform innovations and drive impactful results.

Contact us today to elevate your digital presence!