7 Predictions for Social Media in 2025 from Creator Economy Experts

We asked 11 experts for their social media predictions for 2025 – here’s what they had to say. 7 Predictions for Social Media in 2025 from Creator Economy Experts

In 2024, we saw social media evolve in many ways — from numerous updates to some platforms (cough Meta) to explosive growth for others (Bluesky!). We’re also watching things like the U.S. TikTok ban, which, as of writing this article, will happen on January 19 if not overturned or paused.

It wasn’t just the platforms that changed — creators also had their moments on social, with some moving to start businesses, some exploring new platforms, and some reaching milestone numbers (Mr. Beast having more YouTube subscribers than the population of the U.S.)

With all the changes on the horizon, it’s safe to say that social media will look a little different in 2025. We asked 11 experts for their thoughts on what would happen in the space this year and found seven common themes across their responses.

Let’s get into it.

Creators and brands will be world-building

Prediction: Creators and brands are moving beyond traditional strategies to create immersive, interconnected ecosystems — what some call the rise of the “cinematic universe” for content.

Lia Haberman, social media consultant and writer of the ICYMI newsletter predicts that 2025 will be the year brands and creators start thinking of themselves as media empires. “Elements like Easter eggs, origin stories, spin-offs, and merch will mimic beloved franchises like Star Wars or Marvel,” she explains.

For example, The Washington Post has created its own “cinematic universe” on TikTok, featuring newsroom characters and serialized content that build its brand personality.

@washingtonpost

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Friday sided with the Justice Department, which argued that the U.S. government has the authority to ban TikTok based on the national security risk that the Chinese government could pressure TikTok to expose Americans’ data or influence what they see. TikTok’s parent, ByteDance, is based in China.

♬ original sound – We are a newspaper. – We are a newspaper.

Lia also points to YouTube’s rollout of the “Seasons and Episodes” feature, which will empower crea