2. Creators will play a legitimate role in media and politics

[shaownhasan]

The Meta platform coming in first is not a complete surprise, given that Instagram consistently ranks as one of Gen Z and Millennial’s favorite platforms, it’s the most popular platform for influencer marketing and it’s the most used platform across generations.

A data snapshot of top social media channels for product discovery. Instagram is the most popular, with 61% of consumers using it for product discovery. The chart also breaks down the types of brand content social users are most usa student data likely to interact with on Instagram, which is revealed to be short-form video and static images.
“In 2025 we’re focused on meeting consumers where they are instead of trying to get them to come to us. Think keyword searches, subreddits and out-of-the-box influencers creating unique content,” said Mikayla Barker, Senior Manager of Social Media and Influencer Marketing at Bachan’s.

However, some of the respondents wished there were more niche or emerging platforms included on the questionnaire—such as Bluesky, Roblox, Reddit and Substack—which serves as a reminder of how fractured and uncertain social media spaces have become.

That sentiment was echoed by Nicole Taic, Director, Creator Strategy at the Trade School agency: “It’s interesting to see because some clients and even creators are ignoring the TikTok ban but many are shifting their focus to Meta, YouTube and Snapchat. They’re also exploring and testing emerging platforms like Substack to see if there is a positive return. With that in mind, I’m very zeroed in on what other key platforms are rolling out over the next few months to inform how we pivot some of our plans.”

When I asked some of the best creators, social strategists and industry leaders what’s going to happen around social and the creator economy next year, they agreed influencers and creators will be seen differently.

No longer discredited for not having “real” jobs, influencers are beginning to be formally recognized as integral professionals within media, politics and other sectors.