New report reveals an evolving social media landscape

A new report reveals gradual shifts in how people are engaging online. The 2025 Social Media Landscape Report shows that while some platforms continue to dominate in usage, there is a slow but steady fragmentation of attention, purpose and trust, away from the blanket ubiquity of previous years.

“Declining trust is especially significant given the emergence of fake identity and engagement. As a result, the standout stories in this year’s report are not of sudden upheaval, but of a population rethinking how and why it uses these platforms,” says Arthur Goldstuck, CEO of World Wide Worx and the author of the report. “Users are becoming more deliberate in their social media habits, actively rethinking how and why they use each platform, rather than logging in out of sheer novelty or habit.”

TikTok has surged ahead as the platform of choice for habitual video consumption in this year’s study, while LinkedIn has gained meaningful ground in professional circles.

Facebook, on the other hand, continues a steady decline that reflects both changing tastes and a marginal loss of relevance across all demographics. Its daily and weekly active users have declined from 53.8% in 2023 to 51.2% in 2024, contrasting sharply with TikTok’s surge (from 25.1% to 32.4% in highly active users). The youth, once the driving force behind social media adoption, are leading this trend of disengagement, indicating a more mature and critical perspective on digital platforms.

Interestingly, however, the biggest proportion of social media advertising spend continues to be directed to Facebook, followed by LinkedIn.

What the study clearly reveals is that audiences are no longer captive but are increasingly engaging on their own terms. For marketers, this means shifting to a more strategic and nuanced approach to social media engagement, including nurturing genuine, meaningful engagement.

TikTok, the dominant force for short-video content, has grown in penetration (34% to 38.6%) and highly active users, highlighting its continued relevance for entertainment and youth-focused campaigns. Facebook, on the other hand, is losing ground across most demographics as users perceive diminishing value.

Amid these shifts, specialised platforms are gaining traction. LinkedIn has strengthened its position among professionals, expanding its influence in B2B marketing with increased penetration (12.2% to 15.8%) and frequent use. Visual discovery platform Pinterest and community-focused Reddit are also seeing steady growth, indicating a diversifying ecosystem that caters to more specific interests. While WhatsApp remains the undisputed leader in messaging, alternatives like Telegram and the emerging Threads app are steadily gaining users, appealing to those looking for more privacy or novel experiences. This fragmentation means brands can no longer rely on a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, they must tailor their strategies to the unique characteristics and user bases of each platform.

Evolving user behaviour has led to a more sophisticated digital marketing environment in South Africa. The study found that formal social media strategies are now the norm, with 57% of surveyed businesses having structured approaches for B2C and B2B audiences alike. Marketers are diversifying their approach, leveraging new tools, including AI-driven content creation, to enhance effectiveness and efficiency. The growth of previously niche platforms like LinkedIn, Telegram, Pinterest and Reddit has created new avenues for targeted content, pushing marketers to expand their reach beyond traditional channels.

The study shows that though about a third of businesses have increased their social media budgets in the past year, few are planning further increases, suggesting a cautious wait-and-see approach to ensure justified returns. “There is a lot of uncertainty around the returns provided by social media,” says Goldstuck.

There has been a shift in how marketers measure success, with a bigger focus on engagement quality than on volume metrics. Marketers are prioritising traditional KPIs such as likes, shares and click-through rates, with less emphasis on leads and direct revenue metrics, especially on newer platforms where direct conversion is harder to track. More organisations are also adopting sentiment analysis to gauge audience attitudes and brand health. This indicates an industry refining its definition of value from social media, blending quantitative engagement figures with qualitative insights.

Budget constraints, time and staffing shortfalls, leadership alignment issues and algorithm volatility continue to pose barriers, indicating that while tactics and tools have advanced, securing the necessary resources and aligning stakeholders is key to the success of a social media strategy.

Looking ahead, the South African social media marketing outlook is characterised by what the report calls “disciplined innovation”. Marketers are prioritising what works: creative storytelling, rich multimedia content and building in-house skills. AI will continue to play a central role, supported by programmatic tools for optimised targeting. Ultimately, 2025 will challenge brands to balance agility with prudence, leveraging innovation and data-driven insights to remain relevant while solidifying the foundational elements of strategy, resources, and measurement for sustainable growth.

The South African Social Media Landscape Report 2025 is produced by Ornico, World Wide Worx and Ask Africa.

The big take-out: South African social media users are becoming more deliberate, selective and fragmented in their online engagement, forcing marketers to adopt a more nuanced and strategic approach focused on genuine engagement and diversified platform strategies rather than relying on broad reach and traditional metrics.