End-of-Year Social Media Updates: The Power of Instagram Stories, Video, and Employee Engagement for 2025
As 2025 approaches, social media is continuing to evolve, offering new tools and trends that can significantly boost your brand’s engagement. At RCR Marketing Solutions, we’re here to help you navigate these changes to make sure your social strategy stays effective, engaging, and ahead of the curve. From new Instagram features to the increasing role of videos, here’s what you need to know about making the most of your social media presence in the year ahead.
Instagram Stories: The Key to Connecting with Your Audience
Instagram Stories remain one of the most powerful tools for building relationships with followers. Studies show that 90% of Instagram users view Stories before scrolling through the main feed. This makes Stories the first point of interaction with followers—and an ideal way to connect with them authentically and frequently.
Because Stories are so popular, many users now watch Stories exclusively, which means they may not be scrolling their feed and stopping to “like” a post as often. If you’re seeing fewer likes on posts but higher impressions and views in Stories, it’s a positive sign—your audience is still engaging, just in a different way. Impressions and views on Stories are valuable metrics that Instagram is prioritizing over likes.
With Instagram’s new action buttons, fonts, and animations, Stories also offer more ways to capture attention and drive interactions. Instagram rewards accounts that use these new features, which can help boost your reach and visibility.
Instagram Updates You Need to Know
Instagram’s recent updates reflect a growing emphasis on discoverability and interaction. Here are some key changes:
📷 Photos and Carousels with Music Now in the Reels Tab
Photos and carousels that have music can now appear in the Reels tab, where users go to discover new content. This helps boost the visibility of your posts to non-followers, increasing the chances of attracting new audiences.
💬 Direct Messages Revamped for Better Organization
Instagram has added a “Story Replies” folder in DMs and new tools to sort message requests by follower count and account type. These changes, especially useful for brands and creators, make it easier to connect strategically with high-value followers and potential partners.
Social Media as a Search Engine: Gen Z’s Shift
Recent research from TechCrunch shows that nearly 40% of Gen Z prefers using Instagram and TikTok over Google to find information, including product recommendations and restaurant reviews. For businesses, this means that social media isn’t just about brand awareness—it’s now a primary way that younger audiences discover and research products. A strong social media presence isn’t just valuable; it’s essential for being found by the next generation of customers.
Embrace Video Content: Short-Form, EGC, and the Rise of YouTube Shorts
As short-form video becomes more popular, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are embracing it fully. YouTube Shorts has quickly gained traction, with over 50 billion views worldwide. These 60-second, vertical videos provide a quick, engaging way to share content, perfect for mobile viewing. With such impressive reach, Shorts and similar short-form videos should be a central part of any brand’s social strategy in 2025.
Another key trend? Employee Generated Content (EGC). While User Generated Content (UGC) from customers and influencers is still valuable, EGC leverages your team to act as influencers for your brand. Fly-on-the-wall, behind-the-scenes videos featuring your employees provide an authentic look at your business, helping potential customers feel more connected to your brand and what makes it unique. Plus, these videos build trust and show the real people behind your products or services. This authenticity is exactly what resonates with today’s audiences.
Incorporating EGC doesn’t have to be complex—consider encouraging employees to create short, POV-style videos that showcase their daily tasks, a quick tour of the office, or an inside look at product creation. This type of content is relatable and effective, making your brand feel accessible and human.
What This Means for Your 2025 Strategy
With these updates, it’s clear that video—especially short-form video—isn’t going anywhere. Expect to see more of it in our social strategies for clients next year.
With RCR Marketing Solutions, you’ll always have a team that’s keeping up with the latest trends, tools, and platform updates so your social presence stays optimized and impactful.
