What’s Subsequent for Creators? [Expert Insights]

Few apps cycle via traits as rapidly as TikTok. I spend countless hours scrolling via the app, and it seems like each different day, a brand new trending sound, matter, tune, or problem goes viral.

It may be onerous to maintain up, and I say this as a content material creator and marketer whose job is to remain in tune with the newest happenings on social media.

Thankfully, I and some different creators are savvy sufficient to see what TikTok traits are coming to the forefront in 2025.

So, should you‘re inquisitive about what traits to look out for and what it might take to go viral on the app this yr, you’ve come to the proper weblog. Listed here are some TikTok predictions for 2025 primarily based on our survey information, content material creators, and social media advertising consultants.

What’s a content material development on TikTok?

TikTok content material traits are common sorts of movies or themes that unfold like wildfire throughout the platform as new creators sew, duet, or adapt the content material to their very own story. It might have began with TikTok dances, however now traits can take any type, utilizing music, sounds, challenges, memes and different sorts of inspiration.

You’ll be taught extra about a number of the traits under, the place I speak concerning the Susi Pesto and Pepe Prawn traits. One of the crucial well-known, as I simply talked about, is TikTok’s dance challenges, the place individuals movie themselves dancing to a selected audio clip — generally it’s nice. And generally? It’s downright hilarious.

Understanding the TikTok Content material Tendencies Cycle

TikTok content material traits typically appear to emerge randomly — and shocking issues achieve recognition. The extra particular a TikTok development, the shorter its endurance.

For instance, if individuals are utilizing a selected sound and format for his or her movies, it’s much less more likely to stick round for months on finish than if it’s a easy textual content overlay. The Fancy Like Dance featured a tune by Walker Hayes known as “Fancy Like” and a selected dance:

Whereas it had plenty of endurance, ultimately, it fizzled out as new traits arose.

However, the POV (standpoint) development isn’t more likely to go anyplace. It’s easy, with a textual content overlay of “POV: [whatever the viewpoint is]” sitting on prime of photographs or a video, like this:

How TikTok Content material Tendencies Emerge

As I’ve talked about, there are many ways in which TikTok Tendencies get began — and customarily, the less complicated it’s, the quicker it spreads. Listed here are three of the commonest methods I’ve seen them emerge:

• Organically: A single creator would possibly put up an concept, sound, or format that resonates with others.
• Trending Sounds: As soon as somebody makes use of a sound in a selected manner — typically only a clip of a tune with textual content overlays or dramatic skits, individuals take part.
• Actual-World Relevance: Relying on what’s occurring on the earth, particular cultural references might flip into big-time traits.

When Tendencies Acquire Traction and Peak

As soon as individuals begin seeing greater than a handful of creators selecting up on a development, the traits go viral extraordinarily rapidly, and we begin to see widespread adoption from all types of various creators.

The extra you see and have interaction with a selected development, the extra movies prefer it you’ll see. And as sure sorts of movies get extra common, they collectively begin to get proven extra.

Subsequent, it’s possible you’ll begin to see traits evolve with new twists and modifications. Fancy Like hit its peak when it turned a business that includes TikTokers:

When Tendencies Fizzle Out and Resurge

As soon as issues hit the large time— or after they’re merely in every single place, individuals cease watching each single one, and the following development begins to rise.

Nonetheless, simply because a development is on the downswing, it doesn’t imply it’s gone without end. One in all my favourite TikTok content material traits is the Grace Kelly tune — whereas it petered out a number of years in the past, the tune is hauntingly stunning and catchy.

It was a easy development. Individuals sing all various kinds of harmonies to the identical set of lyrics, layering them on prime of one another: “I might be brown. I might be blue. I might be violet sky. I might be hurtful. I might be purple. I might be something you want.”

Then, because the Grace Kelly development slowed down, Ryan Reynolds and Will Farrell breathed new life into it earlier than the development sunsetted itself:

Enjoyable reality: I nonetheless hunt down this audio, watch this video, and smile.

How Your Model Can Capitalize on TikTok Content material Tendencies

Within the part under on predictions, I’m sharing a number of the traits the consultants I spoke with predict to see in 2025 and past. However earlier than you dive proper in, there are some things you must know and achieve this you possibly can benefit from TikTok content material traits.

Comply with creators in your area.

Take note of trendsetters in your area of interest, as they typically spot and create traits early. However bear in mind, it’s not nearly your area. It’s additionally about traits from different corners of TikTok that present up in your audience’s FYP (For You Web page — the content material TikTok’s algorithm feeds you).

Have enjoyable with it!

TikTok is enjoyable — and to succeed with it, you possibly can’t take it too severely.

By that, I imply err on the facet of playful (maintaining in thoughts #6 under) and check out plenty of issues. You by no means know what mixture could be magic for you. Typically, it’s about timing. Typically, it’s about traits, and generally, it’s nearly luck.

Be constant.

Sure, timing is every part on TikTok, however you don’t need to go large or go house. Merely displaying up and fascinating constantly works. Stuff you don’t anticipate to go viral would possibly take off, and issues that you simply suppose are boring would possibly simply be the ticket to the large time.

Adapt rapidly.

I’ve already talked concerning the unpredictability of TikTok, however haven’t but touched on how rapidly you’ll have to act to capitalize on content material traits.

As Durga Kudumula, Head of Development Advertising at Designity, says:

“TikTok traits transfer quick, and staying related requires pace, creativity, and powerful relationships with creators. Manufacturers want to observe traits, adapt rapidly, and collaborate with creators to make sure their participation feels real. It’s not nearly copying what’s common however aligning traits together with your model story in a manner that resonates.”

Positive, I’ve seen some traits stick round for some time, just like the Susi Pesto development or the Pepe Prawn development, shocking individuals with their shelf life.

Different occasions, traits solely final a number of weeks. So, if you wish to leap on the bandwagon, you possibly can’t afford to attend for weeks and weeks of hemming and hawing.

Set floor guidelines.

In the event you work with or for a model, I like to recommend setting clear floor guidelines about what you possibly can run with, in addition to boundaries and pointers for what you possibly can — and might’t — put up. The very last thing you need is to get into sizzling water with management since you acted with out approval. You additionally don’t need to be to date behind the development that your content material will get misplaced within the ether.

Interact, interact, interact.

The perfect a part of rising your viewers on TikTok is participating within the remark part. Positive, there’s some damaging stuff, however that’s actually the place the magic occurs. But, so typically, I see manufacturers dropping put up after put up and never responding to their individuals. In the event you need assistance with this, HubSpot’s social media administration software program would possibly turn out to be useful — strive it right here.

TikTok Content material Development Predictions for 2025

1. Again Up Plan

Earlier than we go any additional, let’s handle the elephant within the room. The authorized challenges TikTok continues to face within the US imply that if the app turns into unlawful, creators will want a backup plan.

Whereas there may be some dialogue round whether or not it may be used on units the place it’s already downloaded, it’s affordable to imagine that it’s going to grow to be much less and fewer prevalent. A number of creators I observe, together with Below the Desk Information, are making backup plans and creating accounts on YouTube, Instagram, and Substack.

Reality be instructed, even when every part works out for TikTok, it’s at all times a good suggestion to have a backup plan, whether or not meaning backup TikTok accounts or accounts on different platforms. Actually, it’s one thing I at all times advocate to purchasers. You by no means know when one thing goes to occur.

Nonetheless, even when TikTok does go the way in which of the dodo hen (😭 say it isn’t so!), I do consider these traits will proceed with regard to different short-form video content material. So learn up and prepare to slay your TikTok (and Reels and Shorts) movies!

2. Authenticity

It‘s well-known that TikTok is likely one of the hottest apps amongst Gen Z. Actually, 63% of Gen Z social media customers report utilizing TikTok within the final 4 weeks, based on Statista.

It’s additionally no secret that Gen Z customers crave authenticity and relatability of their media.

Do not consider me? A latest survey exhibits that 82% of Gen Z customers would belief manufacturers extra in the event that they used genuine photographs of actual clients of their ads.

Content material creator and information analyst Sundas Khalid says Gen Z’s choice for genuine content material will gas the content material that will get essentially the most consideration on TikTok.

“I anticipate storytelling, authenticity, and spontaneity to be the important thing themes,” she explains.

Khalid says, “Relatability was a giant theme in previous years, and other people discovered worth find individuals they may relate to — however I believe it was overextended to the purpose the place it misplaced authenticity.”

She predicts relatability will nonetheless be useful to TikTok audiences transferring ahead, however not if the creator or model appears too eager on coming off as relatable to audiences.

“Individuals would nonetheless need to relate however provided that it‘s genuine and doesn’t appear to be ‘attempting too onerous,’” Khalid explains. “Being distinctive with out being relatable might be extra accepted and inspired on the platform.”

A few of TikTok’s largest stars grew their platforms by showcasing their actual, genuine personalities. Maybe essentially the most compelling instance is Keith Lee, certainly one of my favourite TikTok content material creators.

Lee rose to fame by doing meals evaluations of native, unbiased, and family-owned eating places in his hometown of Las Vegas.

His distinctive on-camera presence, sincere evaluations, and acts of kindness helped him stand out. It additionally grew his TikTok following to fifteen million and earned collaborations with celebrities like Kevin Hart and types like Chipotle.

Just lately, Lee went to a number of cities throughout the nation to evaluate eating places, and, on some events, there have been mishaps in filming and surprising turns of occasions.

As an alternative of shying away from these points or pretending they did not occur, he would share sincere tales about what occurred behind closed doorways and why some eating places obtained poor scores.

His authenticity helped legitimize his evaluations and construct belief along with his viewers. Authenticity can do the identical in your model on TikTok.

3. Academic Content material

For years, Google was my go-to after I wanted data on nearly any matter.

Whereas I nonetheless rely closely on the basic search engine, I am beginning to use TikTok to realize perception on every part from popular culture updates to breaking information to how-to tutorials.

And I am not the one one. A latest research discovered that 40% of customers use TikTok for informative content material. So, it is smart that creators like Jon Youshaei predict schooling content material will shine on the platform in years to return.

“Creating academic content material will grow to be much more vital to going viral on TikTok due to the platform’s rise as a search engine,“ he says. ”For years, TikTok has been the place the For You Web page is dominated by traits, popular culture, and memes.”

Nonetheless, Youshaei says the tide is shifting as extra individuals flip to TikTok to seek for tutorials, recipes, and particular questions.

“There might be an increase in creators who can create content material that gives solutions, which is far simpler to monetize and create a sustainable enterprise round,” he explains.

For instance, TikTok content material creator mndiaye_97 has over 16 million followers and is thought for posting humorous however academic movies on animal habits and wildlife.

Along with amassing thousands and thousands of followers, Mndiaye97 content material has additionally snagged collaborations with BBC Earth and PBS. On common, his movies achieve not less than 1 million views and greater than 100,000 likes. Some movies have as many as 20 million views.

Skilled chef Cassie Yeung has over 3 million followers on the app and is thought for displaying her followers find out how to cook dinner easy but scrumptious dishes at house.

Her movies obtain anyplace between 1 million to 10 million views or extra on the platform.

Each creators present useful or attention-grabbing data in a pleasant and informal manner.

Mndiaye97 sprinkles each video with hyperbolic jokes and memes, and Yeung ends each video with “First chew, bestie,” adopted by a real response to her meals.

So, contemplate posting academic movies, however you do not have to take the method of a monotone lecturer. Have enjoyable and provides useful data to your followers in a novel manner that fits your model.

4. Extra AI-Generated Content material

“I believe you‘re going to see extra content material created by AI. I believe it’s going to get to a degree the place each different content material you see on the app is AI-generated not directly,” says content material creator Chris Dillon.

And I don‘t suppose that’s a far-fetched prediction. These days, I typically come throughout movies on TikTok which are fully AI-generated or closely depend on AI.

For instance, one of the vital common kinds of short-form movies is “Which Room/Home/Place Would You Select?”

These movies will characteristic AI-generated images of aesthetically pleasing bedrooms, landscapes, and houses and ask customers which they’d select to dwell or chill out in — a lot of them wrack up thousands and thousands of views and tons of engagement.

The Spongebob R&B covers popping up on the app is an equally common however barely extra unhinged development.

In these movies, creators use AI to govern the voices of forged members in Spongebob Squarepants to make the characters sing common R&B songs by artists like Jasmine Sullivan or Keisha Cole.

Observe: Whereas the Spongebob development is common, it has raised many questions surrounding the ethics of utilizing actors’ voices to say or do issues they often wouldn’t.

Although I would not look to the Spongebob covers for inspiration in your subsequent TikTok marketing campaign (bear in mind: ethics), I can attest that AI may be a wonderful instrument for producing short-form movies effectively and rapidly.

Simply have a look at the video I made under, utilizing solely AI instruments.

“Finally, AI-generated content material will really feel stale and grow to be oversaturated on the platform — to the purpose that authenticity will grow to be much more vital,” Dillon warns.

With that in thoughts, I counsel utilizing AI as extra of an assistive instrument and being cautious of turning into overly reliant on it to generate content material meant to attach together with your viewers.

A web page that strikes the proper steadiness can be Jeremy the Supervisor on TikTok. The TikTok account follows a cat named Jeremy who lives (and “works”) at Citipups, a pet retailer in New York.

Workers on the enterprise use a British voice to offer the cat the persona of a cranky supervisor who intimidates his coworkers. The voice is AI-generated, however the staff create the dialogue and skits.

The voice is put over precise footage of Jeremy the cat hanging out across the retailer. On this instance, AI is used for humor and does not take away from the persona and authenticity of the content material.

5. Suggestions

After all, I am each a content material creator and a power TikTok scroller, so I determine I ought to put in my very own two cents. I predict movies giving suggestions will see an enormous increase within the coming yr.

Keep in mind what Youshaei stated about customers utilizing TikTok as a search engine?

That features trying to find suggestions. As an example, certainly one of my favourite communities on TikTok is #booktok.

On the #booktok hashtag, creators advocate basic upcoming books for followers of horror, comedy, romance, and extra.

So, contemplate creating content material that recommends helpful services to your customers. You may as well collaborate with an influencer to allow them to advocate your model to their viewers.

And belief me, there are undoubtedly customers who will purchase a services or products after seeing a suggestion on Tiktok. In accordance with the platform, 50% of TikTok customers have purchased one thing after seeing it on TikTok LIVE.

Moreover, 78% of TikTok customers have bought a product after seeing it featured in TikTok creator content material.

Lastly, let’s not neglect that TikTok is particularly common amongst Gen Z customers, and 33% of that demographic bought a product from an influencer-founded model previously yr.

6. Placing the Proper Stability of Foolish

Individuals wish to chuckle. So, it is smart that movies that lean into the enjoyable issue might be extra more likely to get extra engagement. It would imply movies with sarcasm, pranks, and downright silliness.

Right here’s the catch — every creator should resolve what degree of playfulness is true for them — and it’s going to be vital to hit simply the proper tone.

Too far down the sarcasm route, and it may be seen as tone-deaf or not humorous. Too foolish? It may be seen as not severe and unreliable. As for pranks, they’ll really feel imply.

So that you’ve obtained to get it proper. Sadly, by taking part in it secure, individuals would possibly wager a watered-down model of what you need to share.

Just a few creators and types that do it properly?

Ryanair has some over-the-top movies designed to make individuals chuckle, like this one:

Chipotle makes use of a mix of humor, enjoyable, and actually nice meals photographs, making use of TikTok’s video and slideshow options, like this one.

The underside line? Placing the proper tone of humor in your model is likely one of the most vital TikTok content material traits transferring ahead.

7. Poking Enjoyable

Whereas this may increasingly appear tied carefully to the sixth development on this listing, self-deprecating humor and poking enjoyable is a development and vibe all by itself.

It’s not simply making enjoyable of your self or not taking your self too severely. It’s additionally about poking enjoyable at your trade.

Actual property TikTokers do an incredible job of taking part in round and getting away from the intense.

Like indianahomegirls:

Then there’s Starbucks, which nails poking enjoyable at how severely we take our espresso. Your entire channel is gold, however I significantly giggled at this one:

8. Area of interest Influencers

Contemplate partnering with influencers to construct belief with customers on the app.

Micro-influencers with 10,000 to 100,000 followers construct deep relationships and communities with their viewers. They typically yield extra success for entrepreneurs than in the event that they had been to work with celebrities or macro-influencers.

Over the previous few years, influencer advertising emerged as a key development within the advertising trade. Extra particularly, entrepreneurs had been leveraging and benefiting from small-scale influencers with audiences smaller than 100k.

Right here’s how that modified previously 12 months. Whereas in 2023, 64% labored with micro-influencers, in 2024, we noticed that quantity rise even additional to almost 68%. Much more attention-grabbing? Just below 23% of entrepreneurs working with influencers selected nano-influencers, or individuals with fewer than 10k subscribers.

It is smart — are you extra seemingly to purchase primarily based on a pal’s suggestion or an enormous, polished manufacturing? I’m at all times going to belief the individual I see as actual.

I believe it’s greater than affordable to foretell that area of interest influencer advertising will grow to be an more and more vital TikTok content material development.

Serious about going past influencers to capitalize on TikTok advertisements? HubSpot has an integration that helps you seamlessly seize leads.

Or try this video on establishing a TikTok Store:

9. Much less Polish, Extra Grit

There’s a TikTok creator who I like following — dadchats. All the things he posts is actual, and customarily talking, hysterical. He’s a incredible storyteller and shares snippets from his house life, his children’ antics, and anecdotes from his profession as an legal professional.

Value noting, he additionally typically breaks down authorized ideas and shares them from an academic perspective to assist individuals perceive.

However that’s not the place the grit comes from — there may be not often polish to his movies, and that provides to the appeal and relatability:

• Excessive closeups of his face to emphasise some extent
• Completely different espresso cups (typically stuffed to the brim and in some way by no means spilling)
• Movies shot mendacity on a pillow of his canine’s face, in his automotive, and different non-traditional video backgrounds.

In a world the place AI is beginning to take over, it’s refreshing to see creators targeted on being actual. Manufacturers that may make the most of this TikTok content material development will proceed to construct belief — and probably at a extra accelerated price than manufacturers that completely deal with high-production-value, polished content material.

10. Extra Manufacturers, Extra Creativity

A whopping 67% of entrepreneurs surveyed stated they plan to keep up or enhance their funding in TikTok! So, I believe it’s secure to say we’ll see extra manufacturers displaying up in more and more artistic methods on TikTok to attach with their audiences.

“TikTok is evolving past simply senseless leisure to even be about enterprise. It’s turning into a extra full-featured platform, catering to all kinds of companies and tastes,” says advertising professional Haley Grey, founding father of In2itive Biz Options.

What is going to that appear like? Properly, that’s anybody’s guess. If TikTok content material traits are something, they’re unpredictable.

Keep in mind when the Susi Pesto development took over TikTok in late 2023 and properly into 2024?

Suzi Vidal posted a video of her pesto recipe saying “Name me loopy if you would like, however I’ve by no means favored retailer purchased pesto.”

From there, 1000’s of individuals stitched the primary jiffy and shared their loopy tales — that had nothing to do with pesto.

Whereas I didn’t see manufacturers getting in on that motion, there might have been, and I missed it. Regardless, there’ll proceed to be related alternatives — and you may wager that manufacturers might be prepared to leap in!

11. Private Storytelling

Jenn Robbins is a web based influencer, marketer, and TikTok creator who I additionally occur to know. She stated, “It’s been fascinating to observe the Pepe Prawn tales, as a result of they’re nonetheless going and I might’ve thought they’d died out by now.”

In the event you’re not acquainted with Pepe Prawn, he’s a Muppets character often known as Pepe the King Prawn. His full identify, Pepino Rodrigo Serrano Gonzalez, is a giant identify for a fictional puppet character. Extra importantly, he at all times appears to be like panicked, mortified, or in whole disbelief.

The TikTok content material development options slides of Pepe, set to a choral model of Madonna’s “Like A Prayer,” with textual content sharing embarrassing — and generally traumatic tales.

Right here’s one which’s a bit of sillier — and completely relatable:

Robbins goes on to say she thinks individuals like a approach to inform tales which are private. I agree with that. What’s extra, I believe if there’s a manner for manufacturers to capitalize on related content material traits the place they’ll spotlight the actual behind-the-scenes of their enterprise, they’ll actually construct these connections.

12. TikTok Opinions

Immediately associated to TikTok content material development #8, companies are going to rely an increasing number of on small influencers to share evaluations.

Why?

Opinions matter. As customers, we take them severely. In accordance with Capital One Purchasing Analysis, 92% of us learn on-line evaluations earlier than visiting a neighborhood enterprise. The identical research exhibits that 84% of us belief on-line evaluations as a lot as private suggestions.

And if an image is price a thousand phrases — simply think about what number of phrases a video evaluate is.

And whereas influencer partnerships are crucial, the very best evaluations are ones that come from the guts and aren’t essentially attempting to promote merchandise immediately.

After dadchats (who I discussed above) shared a private expertise with a hearth blanket, a number of individuals purchased them, and he determined to do a promotion to assist households in want:

13. The Rise of ASMR

What’s that? ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. ASMR movies often present a mix of soothing audio and video content material. Some individuals discover it enjoyable, and others discover it stimulating.

Manufacturers that do a superb job of ASMR are more likely to get plenty of views. The problem? Discovering the proper approach to do it!

Listed here are a number of companies and creators doing an awesome job with this TikTok content material development:

This stationery model:

This artisan and potter:

14. Get together within the Feedback Part

Keep in mind, not all content material on TikTok is video. Similar to another platform — and even perhaps extra so on TikTok — the magic occurs within the feedback sections. The place particular person creators typically drop video reactions to feedback, once more, not every part is video-driven.

There are many manufacturers who dwell within the feedback sections — notably, Wendy’s, Pepsi, Planet Health, and extra, which is sort of as a lot enjoyable for individuals to work together with as any unique content material they create.

Is getting a remark from a giant model the brand new approach to go viral? Possibly. Both manner, bear in mind the feedback part of your content material and different creators is a gold mine of alternatives to get eyes in your model and so as to add a dose of enjoyable.

Ultimate Ideas

So there you could have it: 4 traits creators predict will take over TikTok in 2025. Going ahead, be sure your TikTok movies are genuine however not relatable to the purpose of being cringy and overdone.

Contemplate creating content material that’s useful and useful, comparable to academic movies or product and repair suggestions. And eventually, be open to utilizing AI as an assistive instrument, however do not let it strip your content material of persona.

Now, should you‘ll excuse me, I’ll be scrolling TikTok once more for the following hour or so.

Editor’s observe: This put up was initially revealed in January 2024 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.