Sprout Social’s “2025 Content Benchmarks Report” reveals a strategic pivot for brands on social media platforms, with data indicating a reduced posting frequency coupled with increased engagement rates across industries.
The research, analyzing nearly three billion messages from one million public social profiles active between February 2024 and January 2025, signals a change in how companies approach social media marketing.
Post Volume Decreases While Engagement Climbs
Brands published an average of 9.5 social posts per day across networks in 2024, representing a slight decrease from 2023 figures. Simultaneously, average inbound engagements increased by almost 20%, rising from 70 per day in 2023 to 83 in 2024. The data suggests that a quality-over-quantity approach is gaining traction in social media strategy.
“Social platforms are reaching peak saturation, and posting for the sake of posting only creates noise,” the report states. “Instead, the best brands will craft truly original identities and prioritize engagement over talking to their audiences.”
Consumer-facing industries consistently exceeded the overall posting average, with media, leisure, sports and recreation, automotive, and retail sectors publishing more frequently than the benchmark.
Video Content Continues Its Rise Across Platforms
The report identifies video as the dominant format across major platforms, with percentage increases observed on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Video content on Facebook and Instagram rose by 3%, while X saw a 2% increase.
On Instagram specifically, Reels and Carousel posts experienced steady growth, while single-image posts declined by seven percentage points from 2023. Industries such as retail, media, and travel and hospitality have embraced video despite its higher production demands.
“As we move into 2025, we anticipate Reels will account for an even larger share of Instagram posts, as consumers say they are most likely to interact with short-form video content on the platform,” according to the report.
Platform-Specific Content Trends
The data reveals distinct content preferences across major social networks:
Instagram: Single image posts declined by seven percentage points, while Reels and Carousel posts gained traction. Multi-media and multi-video posts remain the least utilized formats across all industries.
Facebook: Images continue to dominate, accounting for 48% of all brand content across industries. Video content is steadily gaining traction, especially in consumer product manufacturing, industrial manufacturing, and retail. Text-only posts still hold significant value, comprising 18% of all content.
X: Single-image posts remain the predominant format, making up 47% of brand posts across industries. Video content increased by two percentage points since 2023 as brands experiment with more dynamic formats.
Audience Engagement Varies by Platform and Company Size
Instagram leads with the highest average daily engagements (27), followed by Facebook (24), X (13), and TikTok (4). Enterprise companies with over 1,000 employees average 27 daily engagements across platforms, while mid-market companies (51-1,000 employees) average 24, and small to medium businesses (1-50 employees) average 13.
Daily response rates to messages and comments decreased slightly, from 8% in 2023 to 7% in 2024, potentially due to an increase in incoming message volume. On Instagram alone, incoming message volume rose from 13 in 2023 to 18 in 2024.
Consumer Preferences Drive Strategy Shifts
The research indicates that consumers value quality, authenticity, and engagement over posting frequency. According to Sprout Social’s Index findings, consumers rank original content as the second most important factor in what makes brands stand out on social media, surpassed only by the quality of products or services.
Consumer expectations for trendjacking—the practice of brands inserting themselves into trending conversations—are nuanced. While 94% of consumers think brands do a good job of keeping up with online culture, more than a quarter say trendjacking is only effective if a brand participates within one to two days of a trend emerging.
Influencer Marketing Expands
The Q1 2025 Sprout Pulse Survey found that 59% of marketers plan to expand their influencer marketing efforts in 2025. Most companies currently partner with 10 or fewer influencers, with over half planning to build out their rosters this year.
Marketing teams recognize influencer marketing as essential for enhancing brand awareness, fostering audience engagement and trust, and driving revenue. The strategy also helps free up in-house teams to focus on audience engagement.
Platform Diversification Accelerates
The report notes that over one-third of marketers say their audience is already spending time on emerging platforms like Threads, Bluesky, Lemon8, and Mastodon. This shift responds to platform volatility, including bans, boycotts, and network shakeups.
“By experimenting with emerging networks and meeting audiences where they already are, brands can future-proof their social strategies against platform volatility,” the report advises.
Regional Variations in Social Media Strategy
The data shows distinct engagement patterns across geographic regions:
North America: Brands in this region see higher engagement on Instagram (27 daily engagements) compared to Facebook (24), with significantly lower numbers on X (13) and TikTok (4).
EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa): Brands in this region post more frequently (12 posts per day, compared to the global average of 9.5) and experience more balanced engagement across Facebook (31) and Instagram (33).
APAC (Asia-Pacific): Companies in this region experience higher TikTok engagement (18 daily engagements) compared to the global average (4), indicating stronger adoption of the platform among Asian audiences.
The 2025 Content Benchmarks Report ultimately highlights a shift in social media strategy: posting less to achieve more. As social platforms approach saturation, brands that prioritize engagement, originality, and personalized interactions stand to gain the most in terms of audience growth and retention.
“The challenge isn’t to keep up with the content race—it’s to redefine what meaningful content looks like,” the report concludes.
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
Sprout Social’s “2025 Content Benchmarks Report” reveals a strategic pivot for brands on social media platforms, with data indicating a reduced posting frequency coupled with increased engagement rates across industries.
The research, analyzing nearly three billion messages from one million public social profiles active between February 2024 and January 2025, signals a change in how companies approach social media marketing.
Post Volume Decreases While Engagement Climbs
Brands published an average of 9.5 social posts per day across networks in 2024, representing a slight decrease from 2023 figures. Simultaneously, average inbound engagements increased by almost 20%, rising from 70 per day in 2023 to 83 in 2024. The data suggests that a quality-over-quantity approach is gaining traction in social media strategy.
“Social platforms are reaching peak saturation, and posting for the sake of posting only creates noise,” the report states. “Instead, the best brands will craft truly original identities and prioritize engagement over talking to their audiences.”
Consumer-facing industries consistently exceeded the overall posting average, with media, leisure, sports and recreation, automotive, and retail sectors publishing more frequently than the benchmark.
Video Content Continues Its Rise Across Platforms
The report identifies video as the dominant format across major platforms, with percentage increases observed on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Video content on Facebook and Instagram rose by 3%, while X saw a 2% increase.
On Instagram specifically, Reels and Carousel posts experienced steady growth, while single-image posts declined by seven percentage points from 2023. Industries such as retail, media, and travel and hospitality have embraced video despite its higher production demands.
“As we move into 2025, we anticipate Reels will account for an even larger share of Instagram posts, as consumers say they are most likely to interact with short-form video content on the platform,” according to the report.
Platform-Specific Content Trends
The data reveals distinct content preferences across major social networks:
Instagram: Single image posts declined by seven percentage points, while Reels and Carousel posts gained traction. Multi-media and multi-video posts remain the least utilized formats across all industries.
Facebook: Images continue to dominate, accounting for 48% of all brand content across industries. Video content is steadily gaining traction, especially in consumer product manufacturing, industrial manufacturing, and retail. Text-only posts still hold significant value, comprising 18% of all content.
X: Single-image posts remain the predominant format, making up 47% of brand posts across industries. Video content increased by two percentage points since 2023 as brands experiment with more dynamic formats.
Audience Engagement Varies by Platform and Company Size
Instagram leads with the highest average daily engagements (27), followed by Facebook (24), X (13), and TikTok (4). Enterprise companies with over 1,000 employees average 27 daily engagements across platforms, while mid-market companies (51-1,000 employees) average 24, and small to medium businesses (1-50 employees) average 13.
Daily response rates to messages and comments decreased slightly, from 8% in 2023 to 7% in 2024, potentially due to an increase in incoming message volume. On Instagram alone, incoming message volume rose from 13 in 2023 to 18 in 2024.
Consumer Preferences Drive Strategy Shifts
The research indicates that consumers value quality, authenticity, and engagement over posting frequency. According to Sprout Social’s Index findings, consumers rank original content as the second most important factor in what makes brands stand out on social media, surpassed only by the quality of products or services.
Consumer expectations for trendjacking—the practice of brands inserting themselves into trending conversations—are nuanced. While 94% of consumers think brands do a good job of keeping up with online culture, more than a quarter say trendjacking is only effective if a brand participates within one to two days of a trend emerging.
Influencer Marketing Expands
The Q1 2025 Sprout Pulse Survey found that 59% of marketers plan to expand their influencer marketing efforts in 2025. Most companies currently partner with 10 or fewer influencers, with over half planning to build out their rosters this year.
Marketing teams recognize influencer marketing as essential for enhancing brand awareness, fostering audience engagement and trust, and driving revenue. The strategy also helps free up in-house teams to focus on audience engagement.
Platform Diversification Accelerates
The report notes that over one-third of marketers say their audience is already spending time on emerging platforms like Threads, Bluesky, Lemon8, and Mastodon. This shift responds to platform volatility, including bans, boycotts, and network shakeups.
“By experimenting with emerging networks and meeting audiences where they already are, brands can future-proof their social strategies against platform volatility,” the report advises.
Regional Variations in Social Media Strategy
The data shows distinct engagement patterns across geographic regions:
North America: Brands in this region see higher engagement on Instagram (27 daily engagements) compared to Facebook (24), with significantly lower numbers on X (13) and TikTok (4).
EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa): Brands in this region post more frequently (12 posts per day, compared to the global average of 9.5) and experience more balanced engagement across Facebook (31) and Instagram (33).
APAC (Asia-Pacific): Companies in this region experience higher TikTok engagement (18 daily engagements) compared to the global average (4), indicating stronger adoption of the platform among Asian audiences.
The 2025 Content Benchmarks Report ultimately highlights a shift in social media strategy: posting less to achieve more. As social platforms approach saturation, brands that prioritize engagement, originality, and personalized interactions stand to gain the most in terms of audience growth and retention.
“The challenge isn’t to keep up with the content race—it’s to redefine what meaningful content looks like,” the report concludes.
Get the full report here.