BNL’s 2024 Wrapped (And What’s Coming in 2025)

What did your Spotify Wrapped look like this year? If you’re anything like us, it was probably full of the year’s greatest hits (Brat Summer, anyone?) and some modern classics (like having Taylor Swift in our top five for the fifth year running). But as we scrolled through our top 100 tracks of the year, we were surprised by some of the songs that made the list. Did we really listen to that “Strangers” song from TikTok 131 times?!

There’s nothing quite like a year in review, giving you the chance to look back at an entire era of your life in a neat little capsule. And with more and more platforms jumping on the Wrapped train, we figured we may as well do one of our own! In this recap, we’re looking back at everything BNL accomplished in 2024, then setting our sights to the future to figure out what comes next.

2024 in Review at BNL

It’s been a hectic year to be in the social media biz. Whether it’s the sudden and all-encompassing tidal wave of AI across every platform (whether you like it or not), the cementing of short-form video as the number one content type, or the many, many world events that shape the way we’re thinking about just about anything, it’s been a year of shake-ups and transitions. In spite of the chaos, we managed to have a great year here at BNL. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Dozens of clients, both in long-term social media contracts and one-off projects like competitor analyses, social media audits, and consulting sessions.
• More than 2,500 social media images created
• About 275,000 words written for caption content
• Over 50+ influencer partnerships and collabs forged and maintained
• Thousands of new followers across all of our clients
• Thousands of likes across clients’ posts
• Tens of thousands of views on short-form video
• 12 BNL Unicorn birthdays!

Of course, 2024 wasn’t always easy at BNL. Whether it was weathering the storm that is social media during an election, helping small businesses market through a postal strike, or even simply keeping up with Instagram’s ever-changing algorithm, this year had its fair share of tests for our team and their social media skills. Fortunately, we’re proud to say that our unicorns took the challenges of 2024 in stride, taking their time to shine and making the most of every opportunity. We couldn’t be more proud of the BNL unicorns, and we’re beyond grateful for all their hard work over the past 12 months.

We can only look at the past for so long, though. So what’s next for BNL and social media in general? Here are a few things we’ve spotted on the horizon as we forge into 2025.

What’s Coming to Social Media Land in 2025?

If we could see the future, we’d be the biggest social media agency in the world. Unfortunately, we’ll have to settle for being really, really good at spotting emerging trends and upcoming changes, which we think is the next best thing. So with that said, here are a few things we’re expecting to see (or see a lot more of) in the social media world in the New Year:

1. AI Is Shaking Things Up

Although ChatGPT and other AI-powered innovations have been on the scene for a couple of years, 2024 really felt like the year this weird, semi-dystopian technology began to hit its stride. As we watch AI creep into every app and site we use, it seems clear to us that we’re seeing it in its infancy. A year or two from now, we’ll probably look back at the current state of AI and think about how cute and quaint it was. Because the truth is, artificial intelligence is finding its way into systems across almost every industry—and social media is no exception.

There are two parts to the AI social media puzzle: The back end and the front end. The former is probably what you think of when you think of AI. More people are using ChatGPT and other large language models for help with writing, idea generation, and outlining, while tools like Canva and Photoshop are beginning to incorporate AI to help with (or automate) graphic design. These are two of the most time-consuming parts of social media management, so it’s no wonder that many people are opting to use AI instead of a dedicated social media team. 

While we don’t doubt that these tools are only improving with time, the truth is that they’re often still missing something. It’s amazing what AI can do already, but we’re waiting to see it begin to pull off finesse, careful attention to context, and more overall accuracy before we can count on it entirely. For more info on AI’s use in social media management, be sure to read our AI rundown from earlier this year.

The other piece is the front end. More people are turning to AI instead of search engines, which is dramatically changing the way people find businesses and professionals. For example, BNL actually successfully converted not one, but TWO referrals from ChatGPT this year. That’s right—these people asked the AI writing extraordinaire for social media consulting recommendations, and the machine sent them our way. Between this and the phenomenon of AI popping up everywhere else (like the Instagram search bar or as the new top Google search result), it’s clear to us that ranking your business for AI is about to become more important than search engine optimization, or SEO. This will mean new rules, new best practices, and probably, an entirely new approach to the way we market business online. 

2. TikTok’s Uncertain Future

As of December 2024, the fate of short-form content giant TikTok is largely in the hands of the United States Supreme Court. While it’s unlikely that any policy change will put this platform down for good, it could be enough to dethrone the longtime leader in the industry. As TikTok’s uncertain future is decided by US courts, us neighbours to the North are paying attention to the rumbles and seeing what we can learn.

We’re not pulling our chips off TikTok, but we’re also keeping an open mind for other platforms. Short-form video content stands head-and-shoulders above the rest in terms of reach, engagement, and conversion, which means we have to stay versatile about how we make it and where we put it. One platform that has remained steady throughout these tumultuous times is the original video site: YouTube. While its main appeal is still longer-form videos, YouTube Shorts (the Google app’s response to TikTok) is steadily growing in popularity, and the overall consistency and reliability of the app makes it a sure bet for anyone in the marketing game.

Of course, we’re also paying attention to Instagram Reels, the second-largest short-form video platform, as well as similar features on other platforms, such as Pinterest. The short answer to this existential question? Diversify your video, and be prepared to make a change in 2025.

3. Live Social Selling Takes Off

One of the biggest changes of the year was the advent of live selling, which many have called the best way to sell to Gen Z. In this practice, brands show off their stuff on live streams, almost like a modern, interactive infomercial that lets followers ask questions, see product demos in real-time, and make a purchase with the simple press of a touch screen. This also gives brands the opportunity to show off their personality and forge real connections with their audience, helping to set them apart from the competition who might still be locked into more traditional marketing strategies. 

Live streaming has taken off over the past few years in general, and it was only a matter of time before it would start being used as a sales platform. We saw a huge trend toward live selling over 2024, and we’re expecting it to rise to even greater heights in the New Year. If you’re looking for a new, modern way to market in 2025, start thinking about how live selling could work into your strategy.

4. The Rise of the Micro-Influencer

For a long time, the status of ‘influencer’ was reserved for those with followings in the millions. There’s no denying the reach and potential selling power of collaborating with these large influencers, but 2024 saw a slight shift in the way we think about follower counts and the value of internet personalities. This year, there was more and more focus on micro- (and even nano-) influencers—people with anywhere from 1,000 to 50,000 followers. Though their audience is smaller, these more niche influencers tend to have a stronger relationship with their following, often leading to better engagement and conversion when it comes to collaborations and brand tie-ins. As social media grows and grows, more people are looking for authentic, down-to-earth content creators to get on board with, and many find it easier to trust a person with a smaller following. So if more influencer collabs are on your list of New Year’s resolutions, make sure you’re not counting out the smaller fish—they might end up being the best catch of the year!

5. More Social Media Platform Options

With TikTok faltering on a policy level, X.com being subject to constant criticism, and doubts about social media giant Meta, more platforms are stepping onto the stage in the hopes of being the next big thing. Most recently, Bluesky emerged as a X.com/Twitter alternative, with many people jumping ship in an effort to distance themselves from Elon Musk’s platform and his many controversies. We’re anticipating more new platforms to make themselves known in 2025, which means it’s going to become very important to know which metaphorical horse to bet on.

Not every new social media platform is going to be successful—not even Meta could dethrone X.com with its text-based Threads app—but these are uncharted waters. In a trend-based online environment, it’s entirely possible that your audience could suddenly jump onto a new platform in 2025, so we strongly recommend keeping up-to-date with new apps and carefully evaluating each one to see where it fits in your social media strategy.

It’s Time To Hit Your Stride in 2025

This is what we’ve seen after a quick look into our BNL magic crystal ball, but there are almost no guarantees. The only thing we’re 100% sure of in 2025? Surprises and changes abound. The ever-shifting nature of social media can be a lot to keep up with, even for us professionals. So it’s no wonder that so many of our clients find themselves overwhelmed with social media as they also work hard to keep their businesses running. That’s where we come in to help.

If you’re looking for support in 2025, the BNL unicorns have your back. We make it our business to keep up with the latest in social media land, helping you make marketing decisions with confidence and giving you back the time you need to grow your business. If you’re ready to start the New Year on a high note, we’d love to hear from you in 2025. Don’t be afraid to reach out to our team and learn how we can make next year your best one yet!