Takeaways from Social Media Week 2025
Adweek’s Social Media Week 2025 brought together industry leaders, brand marketers, tech pioneers, and content creators to explore the evolving digital landscape. Over three days of insightful panels and presentations, several clear themes emerged about what's working in today's social media environment. Here are our five takeaways that can help brands develop more effective creator and social strategies in 2025:
Think Beyond the Feed
Smart brands are maximizing ROI by extending creator content beyond social channels. That means incorporating influencer assets into TV and OOH ads, product pages, in-store signage – you name it, you will find a creator in it. With minor tweaks to content and broader usage rights, a piece of influencer content can have multiple lives. The best strategies will view social content as valuable creative deserving broader distribution.
Depth Over Breadth: Niche is the New Mainstream
Mainstream social platforms are saturated. The most successful brands are now focusing on specialized communities with shared interests and passions. Effective brands don't just follow trends—they actively participate in specific digital spaces where their target audiences already gather.
This shift toward niche communities represents a fundamental evolution in online engagement. Users increasingly seek personalized experiences with like-minded individuals, allowing brands to foster deeper connections and build loyal communities around shared interests.
Don’t Chase Culture, Join It
While viral success might generate temporary awareness, long-term brand building through cultural relevance creates sustainable growth. Brands that thoughtfully participate in cultural conversations that align with their brand values create more meaningful connections. This requires deep understanding of where target audiences gather and what topics matter to them.
Trust The Talent
No message was emphasized more consistently than the importance of giving creators creative autonomy. "Don't give scripts. Trust them, give them the freedom to use their own voice," noted Lucy Kemmitz of Marriott Bonvoy. This sentiment was echoed by TikTok creator Jordan Howlett, who explained at a panel that "the hardest thing for a creator is wanting to work with brands, and immediately there are a lot of rules and things you have to follow."
Creators Don’t Just Influence - They Inform
Several panels highlighted how creators serve as an invaluable feedback mechanism for brands. "Creators are a live focus group that can tell you how a product is working," said JZ Zasiebida of Dremel. By maintaining ongoing and open relationships with creators, brands can gain invaluable insights about product reception, audience needs, and emerging trends.
Even more, when treated as long-term partners, creators become your brand’s fastest source of product feedback and cultural insight. This approach transforms a creator partnership into a continuous loop of feedback and optimization. Instead of one-way messaging, brands must establish two-way conversations through creator partnerships, allowing for rapid iteration based on authentic audience response.
To summarize, social media is no longer just a platform, it's a mindset and creator has become synonymous with social. The most successful brands aren’t just posting content; they’re participating in culture, co-creating with their communities, and listening more than ever. The insights from SMW 2025 offer a clear path forward: trust your creators, amplify their voices, and meet your audience where they already are.
Whether you're looking to go deep with niche communities or scale creator content across your full-funnel strategy, Bobbie can help. We specialize in building trust through authentic creator partnerships that drive real results.
Want to see what that looks like for your brand? Let’s chat: hi@thebobbieagency.com.