Top Social Media Insights in 2025 to Boost Engagement

In 2025, social media insights are the key to understanding what truly drives engagement and growth. With advanced social media analytics and AI-powered tools, brands can now dig much deeper into audience insights, uncovering hidden patterns, preferences, and behaviors that shape online conversations.

In this article, we’ll dive into the latest social media trends and strategies shaping the future of social media management. 

From personalized content strategy to real-time conversations, you’ll see how to turn audience analysis into action, build stronger relationships, and boost brand loyalty.

• Social media insights are valuable, data-driven findings about your overall social media strategy, including customers, content, competitors, influencers, and more. 
• With advanced social media analytics, you can track brand mentions across different platforms and uncover what truly drives engagement on your social media network.
• By analyzing and interpreting key social media metrics, such as demographics, engagement rates, and conversions, you can refine your marketing efforts to create more targeted content. This helps you boost engagement, stay ahead of competitors, and connect with your audience in a more meaningful way.
• Turning insights into real action is the key to business success. Using data from social media analytics to guide your decisions allows you to optimize campaigns, improve performance, and continuously grow your brand presence online.

What are social media insights?

Social media insights are an in-depth understanding of platform specifics and audience behavior on specific social media channels, needs, and preferences. 

However, I found it’s common for social media managers to confuse them with social media analytics. Although not visible at first glance, the difference between them is huge.

In short, social media analytics collects raw social media data, and insights interpret this data to identify trends and answer “why.”

For example, social media analytics will show a drop in conversions on Instagram; insights reveal that followers’ activity time has changed.

Social media insights tools & social media analytics tools

Generally, the same audience insight tools can be used in both cases. 

Whether you focus on analysis or extracting social media insights depends more on your needs and approach than the tool itself.

It’s easy to see the difference now, isn’t it?

9 key social media insights:

In creating a list of key social media insights for 2025, I wanted to make a practical and easy-to-use list of insights you can quickly apply to your strategy. 

That’s why each insight has a “how to translate it into action?” section, so you can effortlessly turn insights into results.

01 Followers’ insights can help you boost your social media reach

Understanding your followers is the secret weapon of social media marketing success.

By analyzing consumer behavior and actions, I’ve uncovered key audience insights that have allowed me to tailor solutions, improve the customer experience, and meet their needs more effectively. 

These insights about followers have enabled me to create strategies that resonate with them, increase engagement, and deliver impressive results.

For example, I could identify the types of content that drive the most engagement, discover which platforms my audience prefers, and uncover popular topics that kept them coming back for more. 

With this knowledge, I didn’t just drive digital marketing – I built a loyal community.

How do you turn this into action?

To do this, I use social media tools that help me collect data about all my users. 

​​I like to start with native platform tools like Meta Business Suite or Twitter Analytics. These tools offer essential insights, such as audience demographics, age, location, etc. It is a great point to start.

To truly understand my target group, I need more than numbers. For me, it’s essential to hear and see them. Understand their emotions, motivations, preferences, and needs.

That’s where social listening tools come into play. Designed to track real-time conversations, tools like Brand24 can quickly reveal what audiences are saying and feeling about brands.

By monitoring social media conversations, I can uncover actionable insights into social media trends and audience behavior to connect with the audience on a deeper level.

Here, you can see all the IKEA mentions collected by Brand24.

Having all the social mentions in one place shows me what they are talking about, how they feel, and where they are. To speed up searching, you can filter mentions by:

• Sentiment – To quickly identify trends or strong and weak points of social media marketing strategy.
• Language and location – To quickly identify valuable insights into the target audience
• Influence score – To find the most important mentions that can influence other audiences
• Intent—Select goals to gain substantial insights, such as customer satisfaction or brand loyalty.

Then, you can explore themes, emotions, emojis, or hashtags to stay aligned with your audience and connect with their interests and conversations.

02 Proper posting time can increase content engagement

Social media is about timing.

To truly engage the audience, you must hit the sweet spot when they’re most active on the platform. 

For example, if their interactions increase during the evening but you post in the morning. They will miss your content after the entire day.

How to turn it into action?

Analyzing the best hours to post without any tool may be a challenge. Also, searching for “best time to post on social media” will only get me general advice based on all online users – between 9 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon.

But this answer misses the power of social media insights…

Firstly
Each target group can behave differently. I found various preferences among one target group within particular social channels.

Secondly,
Their activity time might differ during the year. Depending on summer sales, holidays, or Christmas time.

That’s why I have leveraged a media monitoring tool where I can monitor audience activity constantly.

The “Hot Hours” tab identifies when IKEA followers are most active. 

As you see, this general advice doesn’t work for IKEA. Engaging with their audience works best during evenings and weekends.

This is a valuable insight; people look for housing inspiration when they are more relaxed and probably at home.

03 Tracking mentions can save you from a PR crisis

Social media mentions do more than just measure your brand’s popularity—they’re a powerful tool to keep your business thriving.

By tracking mentions, I catch early warning signs of potential brand issues before they become significant challenges. 

Using tools focused on sentiment analysis, I uncover social media insights that help keep customers satisfied, identify problems to solve quickly and stay one step ahead of competitors.

How to Turn It Into Action?

Analyze mentions – what are they talking about the company? How do they feel about your service or your content?

Monitor sentiment around the brand – if you notice a sudden spike in negative mentions, react quickly and find out what is causing it.

Track emotions over time to spot early signs of negative reactions, such as anger, fear, or sadness.

Compare customer sentiment and emotions over different periods, which will help you understand whether your actions are improving your brand reputation or the opposite.

Despite those, to sleep calmly, apply the Storm Alert to get information about any sudden change around your brand. 

04 Short-form videos can boost your reach quickly

Short videos have become one of the most effective social media content formats, offering the highest return on investment (ROI) compared to other types of content.

These videos aren’t just perfect for delivering quick, engaging, and educational content—they’re also a powerful addition to your advertising strategy. 

If you haven’t started using them in your campaigns, now is the time to optimize your social media efforts and take the benefits.

Creativity, brevity, and authenticity are the secrets to social media success. When your videos are short, compelling, and genuine, they create value and keep your audience coming back for more.

How to Turn It Into Action?

Start with social media platforms that use those types of content, like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok videos. 

Create content that aligns with your audience and brand message, remembering that the first three seconds are crucial for capturing attention.

No matter your industry, short videos are a fantastic way to showcase your product, share valuable industry insights, boost brand recognition, and foster deeper connections with your audience. 

They’re a versatile tool for building trust and engagement, from highlighting your expertise to sharing fun behind-the-scenes moments.

Experiment with social media trends, formats, and features like sound effects, music, or subtitles.

Before publishing a short video, I ask myself:

• What is the benefit to the audience?
• Is it helpful? Does it provide interesting information?
• Is the content valuable and useful?
• Is my content authentic and consistent with my brand?
• Is the content tailored to the platform?
• Does it grab attention in the first 3 seconds?

If the answer to all the questions is yes, I know that the content will be attractive to the audience, and thus its reach will be greater.

05 Engaging with the audience will increase page views

No one likes to feel ignored, right? 

That’s why sharing valuable and engaging content on social media is essential, as it shows your audience that their voices matter.

It’s all about building a deeper connection with your audience—acknowledging their comments, responding to their feedback, and engaging with their ideas. 

When your audience feels noticed and appreciated, they’re more likely to engage with your content.

Higher engagement means the algorithm will work in your favor, promoting enhanced engagement and experimentation to an even wider audience. It’s a win-win for both your brand and your community! 

How to turn it into action?

• Track mentions and notifications — Stay active by reacting and commenting whether it’s a simple emoji or a personalized message, your response matters!
• Show genuine emotion — Let your audience feel that their feedback resonates with you.
• Focus on the most influential mentions — Prioritize these, as they can shape public opinion about your social media reputation.
• Be consistent — Engagement is like any relationship; disappearing suddenly can harm the connection you’ve built.
• Speak your audience’s language — Use a tone that resonates with them. Personalize your messages, use their name, and sprinkle in popular emojis or hashtags to add personality and highlight your message’s vibe.
• Keep it authentic — Everyone notices when responses feel copy-pasted, which doesn’t leave a good impression. Be genuine.
• Respond quickly — A timely reply carries much more impact. Waiting weeks to respond might miss the moment entirely.

The key is to remember that behind every comment is a real person waiting for your response!

06 Hashtags still work in 2024

Hashtags haven’t died. They’re still a fantastic tool for boosting brand visibility! 

I’ve found that it’s helpful to use hashtags to categorize content to make it easier for my audience to find out what they are looking for. Also, to track hashtags and monitor their performance, for example, during a marketing campaign.

The best part is that many companies have stopped using them, which makes it an excellent opportunity for you to stand out and make it easier for potential clients to find you!

How to turn it into action?

Start by tracking hashtags to optimize your actions. Use them for social media campaigns, your brand name or slogan, events, and relevant happenings in your industry. 

Use the right hashtags that are popular around your audience. For this, I checked the “Hashtag analysis” tab in Brand24.

Look, here’s a list of the most common hashtags around IKEA.

07 The greater the share of voice, the better

The more people talk about your brand, the more influence you have in the industry conversation. 

Share of Voice (SOV) is a key way to see how visible your brand is compared to your competitors. 

For me, it’s the best way to check how much space a brand has in a specific marketing channel – giving a complete picture of its position in the market. 

The higher the SOV, the greater the brand’s authority and influence in its niche, signaling strong recognition and presence. SOV works across major social media platforms.

If you don’t monitor SOV regularly, you miss valuable insights about your brand’s market position and competitive edge.

How to turn it into action?

If your Share of Voice (SOV) is lower than your competitors. In that case, your brand is less visible and less engaged in the market, which may suggest weaker brand authority or a less effective social media strategy.

Here, you can see that Walmart has a higher share of voice than IKEA in the USA market.

• Audit channels: Identify which channels are underperforming by analyzing engagement rates, impressions, and content reach.
• Optimize Content: Create more targeted, relevant, and engaging content that aligns with your audience’s preferences.
• Analyze Competitors: Study what’s working for your competitors—content type, posting schedule, or engagement strategies—and adapt them to fit your brand.
• Leverage Influencers: Collaborate with influencers or key voices in your industry to amplify your brand’s reach.
• Increase Investment: Allocate more resources to SEO, content marketing, or paid campaigns to boost social visibility in key channels.

However, to maintain a high share of voice, you must be regular in your activities and monitor them regularly. 

08 Positive sentiment is important

Positive sentiment is essential to social media performance today. 

If customers share positive experiences with your brand, they are satisfied and have a strong emotional connection—in the end, they want to tell you about it!

I have found monitoring positive customer sentiment extremely powerful. It allows me to identify what’s working in my social media efforts and what needs improvement or drop so that I don’t burn resources.

How to turn it into action?

I like to use Brand24 to track this indicator. With this tool, I can:

• Track how sentiment changes over time to stay on top of the latest industry trends
• Use the relevance of topics in communications
• Compare results over time to understand the effectiveness of marketing campaigns
• Prioritize activities across platforms

As you can see, 24% of the 13M mentions are negative, focusing on customer in-store experiences. This presents a valuable opportunity for IKEA to take action.

09 Influencer collaborations are the easiest way to reach a new audience

Influencer marketing is more than just “another collaboration.”

People crave authenticity and meaningful relationships in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world. Influencers offer genuine human interaction and effective social proof that resonates with audiences. 

Provide authentic experiences and trusted recommendations, increasing their credibility and building lasting trust. In a competitive market, such authenticity sets a brand apart and keeps it in the spotlight.

How to turn it into action?

To do it well, you need to choose influencers smartly.

A vegan influencer might not be the best fit for promoting a new beef burger joint in town, even if their social media content mainly concerns reviewing restaurants.

Identify influencers who talk about your brand and align with your values and mission.

Here’s a list of influencers who have already engaged with IKEA by mentioning it, which means that their collaboration could be more authentic and natural.

What are the best tools for social media insights?

All these insights seem tricky to collect, especially if you want everything in one place.

The good news?

There are plenty of social listening tools and social media analytics platforms that gather all your data, from audience behavior to sentiment, in one dashboard.

Here are my top three picks to make your social media performance tracking smoother and more data-driven:

1. Google Analytics
Still one of the most powerful free social media tools for understanding website and campaign performance. Google Analytics tracks traffic sources, conversion rates, and user behavior, helping you connect your social media efforts with business results. 

It’s perfect for uncovering how visitors interact with your content after clicking through from social channels.

2. Brand24
A leader in media monitoring and online reputation management. Brand24 monitors mentions, sentiment, reach, and engagement across multiple platforms, turning conversations into valuable insights. 

With advanced AI-driven features, such as social listening, insights analysis, LLM listening, and influencer tracking. Brand24 interprets emotions, detects trends, and reveals opportunities that shape smarter social media strategies.

3. Native Analytics Tools
Don’t underestimate the built-in dashboards on your favorite platforms, such as Meta Business Suite, X (formerly Twitter) Analytics, LinkedIn Insights, or TikTok Analytics. 

They provide platform-specific metrics, such as reach, engagement, follower growth, and optimal posting times, helping you shape content strategy for each network.

FAQ

1. What are the benefits of social media insights?

Insights offer multiple benefits that directly impact your online presence. Here’s what they bring to your marketing strategy:

• Deeper audience insights: Discover what truly motivates your followers by analyzing their interests, behaviors, and demographics.
• Data-driven planning: Build a reliable knowledge base to shape your content calendar and boost engagement.
• Smarter content personalization: Tailor posts, campaigns, and messaging to resonate with your audience and drive better results.
• Stronger customer relationships: Spot weaknesses early, improve response times, and strengthen your customer care.
• Competitive advantage: Track your competitors’ strategies and uncover new opportunities to stand out in your niche.

In short, insights turn data into action.

2. What metrics are important for social media insights?

Key social media metrics include:

• Social media reach
• Engagement rate
• Sentiment 
• Share of voice
• Follower growth
• Conversions

Tracking these helps you evaluate your social media performance, identify what content resonates most, and spot areas that need optimization.

3. How can social media insights help companies improve lead generation?

Social media insights don’t just show you who’s engaging, they help you attract the right audience. Here’s how:

• Generate better-quality leads by understanding what your audience actually cares about
• Get to know their behavior, interests, and pain points to shape messaging that hits
• Create targeted, relevant content that naturally draws in potential customers
• Join the right conversations happening in your industry or community to boost visibility
• Connect with people genuinely interested in your brand, products, or services

Curious for more practical tips? Check out my article on social media tips.

4. How has AI changed social media insights?

Today, AI takes these insights to the next level. Machine learning and large language models can now process millions of social conversations in real time, surfacing the patterns, emotions, and opportunities hidden in raw data.

5. What’s the difference between digital analytics and social media insights?

Digital analytics tracks quantitative data, such as website traffic and conversions, while social media insights reveal qualitative data, including audience sentiment analysis and engagement. 

Media monitoring software combines both to help you better understand your audience and improve strategy decisions.

Category	Social Media Insights	Digital Analytics
Character	Actionable conclusions & recommendations	Systematic examination of raw data
Goal	Guide strategy and actions	Understand data patterns & metrics
Focus	High-level takeaways & decision points	In-depth analysis of data metrics
Output	Understand what the data means & what is behind it	Raw data visualizations & detailed metrics

6. What are social media insights tools, and how do they differ from social media analytics tools?

The key difference lies in how you use them: whether you are focusing on deep analysis or extracting actionable social media insights depends more on your business needs and approach than on the tool itself.

For example:

• Brand24 is a great AI tool for media monitoring, tracking engagement metrics, and industry trends. Providing a custom dashboard for social media reporting and competitor tracking.
• Hootsuite and Sprout Social excel at scheduling, engagement tracking, and performance reporting.
• Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics specialize in measuring digital and web performance.

It’s easy to see the difference now, isn’t it? You already have the theories – now it’s time to see them in action. Start your Brand24 trial period today and dive into powerful social media knowledge!