The politically charged social landscape: Why 2025 is a turning point for marketers

Social media marketers have had it easy until now. They have enjoyed a relatively straightforward playing field, with a small cohort of platforms dominating the scene for years. By mastering just one or two of these, marketers could reliably reach massive audiences and achieve consistent results. 

There was a time when news that Instagram had ditched its defining 1:1 grid would have been front-page news in the digital marketing world. Today, it barely registers beyond small groups of frustrated social art directors. Why? Because social media’s challenges and priorities have grown far larger. 

The changing of the tide 

In October 2022 Elon Musk walked into the HQ of Twitter, his hands clasped around a kitchen sink, claiming to have ‘freed the bird’. This started a chain reaction which culminated in him entering 2025 standing atop the U.S. inauguration stage. 

Meta was once seen as the answer. In an effort to capitalise on discontent with Musk, they launched Threads, a platform designed to appeal to users frustrated by X’s controversial changes and perceived instability. However at this week’s inauguration scene it was both Musk and Zuckerberg flanking Trump following the recent upheaval at Meta ahead of Trump’s presidency. This highlighted a startling convergence of social media power and political influence over the last 2 years. The imagery underscored how deeply intertwined these platforms have become with global governance and the rightward shift in US politics, signalling a new era where tech leaders directly shape political narratives and alliances. 

Social media has transcended its role as a mere communication platform; it is now a formidable force that shapes public opinion and stands at the heart of determining election outcomes on a global scale 

Stepping into the vacuum 

In the world of social media, marketing spend follows active users. The game is —and always will be—about reaching and engaging audiences where they are. But those audiences are more mobile than ever, voting with their feet (or thumbs) as platforms rise and fall. 

The movement away of users away from the industry giants is startling, driven by concerns over data privacy, political affiliations and a growing distrust of centralised power in the tech industry. Users drawn towards platforms that promise transparency and independence, but these are increasingly few and far between. 

Meta’s market share looks increasingly shaky following Mark Zuckerberg’s polarising appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast. Meanwhile, the short-lived TikTok ban in the U.S. led to an unexpected surge in downloads for Xiaohongshu (“Little Red Book”), a Chinese app that topped Apple’s U.S. App Store charts. 

Globally, users have started gravitating toward alternative platforms like Bluesky, Substack, and Discord. This is not a new phenomenon, as we have seen it before with the likes of Tumblr, Vine, and Clubhouse—platforms that once thrived but eventually faded. Their rise and fall reflect how user preferences and technological trends shape the social media landscape. But somehow this politically charged movement feels different. 

And yet, Meta remains a giant. One of the “Magnificent 7” stocks driving significant S&P 500 gains in 2024 and holding a 63% share of global social media ad spend. It’s difficult to imagine the platform disappearing overnight, just as it would be for X, owned by the world’s richest man. But the dominance of any single platform feels increasingly tenuous in this fragmented landscape. 

The impact on social media marketing. 

For social media strategists, this fragmentation presents a new challenge: navigating a more complex ecosystem. Gone are the days of reaching most audiences by mastering one or two key platforms. Instead, marketers must: 

• Learn the nuances of multiple platforms. 

• Adapt to diverse algorithms and ad formats. 

• Be prepared to spread budgets across a wider range of platforms. 

• Stay agile in response to rapidly shifting audience behaviours. 

• Understand the corporate and reputational risks which can develop from having an active presence on certain platforms. 

This diversification demands a broader skill set, more experimentation, and a willingness to embrace platforms that may still be in their infancy. The ability to create cohesive, cross-platform campaigns will be more critical than ever. 

Have social media strategists had it too easy until now? Perhaps. But the shifting tides of 2025 present an exciting opportunity to redefine the role of social media in marketing and society at large.  

To thrive in this era of decentralisation, strategists must embrace adaptability and innovation, mastering emerging platforms and staying attuned to rapidly changing user behaviours. By focusing on cohesive, cross-platform strategies, marketers can turn fragmentation into a strength, leveraging the unique benefits of each platform to engage audiences in meaningful ways. The future of social media marketing lies in creativity, resilience, and the ability to find order in the chaos—while, of course, keeping clients happy.