Think about what drives our day-to-day marketing lives: social media. Campaigns, conversations, collaborations, memes, and even milestones… all survive social platforms.
From podcasts being clipped and shared on YouTube, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Shorts, to global brand campaigns launching on social first, every touchpoint comes back to where audiences already spend their time, online.
As our three latest Metricool studies show, whether it’s AI, podcasts, or paid ads, social media isn’t just part of the strategy. It is the strategy.
AI’s Role in Social Media
Our State of AI in Social Media 2025 report reveals that 96% of social media professionals are already using AI in their workflows, with the top use cases being for content ideation and writing posts, captions, and duplicate. Newer innovations, akin to image and video creation, measurement, and automation, remain underutilized, indicating that deeper AI tools are still in early adoption.
Six in ten marketers say AI-generated content now matches or outperforms human-created posts, with the top three most used AI tools being ChatGPT, Canva, and Gemini. Still, over a 3rd don’t track AI content performance, leaving a critical gap between creation and measurement.
73% of respondents say that AI helps them experiment with latest formats or strategies. This is where inspiration and motion can meet 🤝 and, of course, the data can support. While AI has transformed day by day workflows and speed, it might probably’t fully replace our unique online voices. This is where marketers can move past the initial hype of AI and examine generated content with a more critical lens.
Podcasting In The Social Era
Our Podcasting and Social Media Study highlights how the top-charted podcasts have evolved far beyond just an audio medium. Among the top 100 U.S. podcasts we analyzed, YouTube emerged as the clear leader, with 87% of podcasts publishing to the network, driving a median engagement rate of 3.13%.
Instagram is the clear runner-up, driving a median engagement rate of 2.08% and 5,517 interactions per post, 724% above platform averages. This is largely thanks to Reels, which account for nearly 80% of podcast content shared on the platform.
Where YouTube drives views and constant engagement, Instagram delivers raw interactions. YouTube attracts committed audiences who want to watch and listen, while Instagram fuels discovery through quick, shareable bites.
Podcasts not thrive on audio alone. They grow on social platforms where visual and interactive formats dominate. While long-form content may construct depth on YouTube, short-form content drives awareness and creates brand hype.
Social Ads: Today’s Digital Bilboards
Our 2025 Social Ads Study reveals that social promoting is the latest billboard marketing, only smarter, faster, and more measurable. TikTok is the clear winner in discoverability, with brands investing 85% more in TikTok reach campaigns.
In the middle of the funnel, TikTok continues to outperform. Its traffic campaigns deliver a 94% higher click-through rate than Meta, accounting for nearly 75% of TikTok’s conversions. Yet, when it comes to closing sales, Meta stays unmatched. Its campaigns drive 61.3% of total conversions at a value-per-motion up to seven times cheaper than TikTok.
Where Meta once dominated ad spend, TikTok is quickly becoming the platform for discovery and traffic, while Meta stays indispensable for sales. This shift reflects the preferences of Gen Z and younger audiences, especially with the rise of influencer and UGC campaigns. This isn’t about strictly selecting TikTok or Meta, but about understanding the role each plays in the customer journey.
In 2025, success relies on meeting audiences where they’re, on social, in video-first formats favored by younger audiences. If it’s not social, it’s not part of today’s conversations or tomorrow’s future.
Visit Metricool at booth #10 this October at DMWF North America, and catch Anniston Ward, US PR, Events, and Education Manager, presenting “Everything is Social: How Data and Digital Innovation Shape What Comes Next”, on the Social Media, Community, and Influencer Marketing Track at 2 PM on October thirteenth.
Read the full article here
