How Are Marketers Measuring Success on Social Media in 2025?
At iHeart Digital, we're always tracking the latest marketing trends to help our clients make smarter digital decisions. A recent Digiday+ Research survey of 150 marketing professionals offers valuable insight into how brands are approaching social media success in 2025 — and it's clear that the landscape is shifting once again.
📱 The Top Platforms for Marketers in 2025
According to the research, Instagram leads the pack, with 93% of marketers saying they currently use it — making it the most-used platform in Q1 2025. Facebook follows at 84%, while YouTube and TikTok are tied at 65%. Interestingly, TikTok has seen a noticeable drop from 86% in Q3 2024, and YouTube has dipped from 73%.
Beyond the “big four,” usage drops significantly:
- Pinterest: 29%
- X (formerly Twitter): 16%
- Reddit: 16%
📊 What Does Success Look Like on Social?
When asked how they measure performance, marketers highlighted three key metrics:
- Engagement
- Impressions
- Sales or Conversions
Here’s how those metrics break down by platform:
- TikTok: 42% prioritise engagement
- Instagram: 37% say engagement is the top success metric
- Facebook: 26% focus on engagement
- YouTube: 34% focus on impressions, with 31% still valuing engagement
Unsurprisingly, sales and commerce remain a core priority too:
- Instagram: 29%
- Facebook: 25%
- TikTok: 18%
- YouTube: 15%
💸 The Biggest Challenges for Marketers in 2025
With paid advertising costs climbing, budget constraints and media costs are proving to be the biggest hurdles. Here’s what marketers say:
- Instagram: 28% cite media cost as their top challenge
- Facebook: 23% cite media cost
- YouTube: 23% say lack of budget is their main obstacle
- TikTok: 18% struggle with resource and content demands, while 17% cite budget issues
These insights mirror what we’re hearing from clients across South Africa — everyone’s trying to stretch their rands further while still delivering high-performing content across multiple channels.
💡 What This Means for Your Brand
If you’re investing in social media this year, keep these key takeaways in mind:
- Engagement is still king, especially on Instagram and TikTok.
- YouTube requires strong visuals and a clear impressions strategy.
- Return on investment matters more than ever, so tracking sales impact from social should be built into your reporting.
- Rising ad costs demand smarter budget allocation and high-performing content tailored to each platform.
At iHeart Digital, we’re helping South African businesses develop data-driven strategies that balance performance with budget — and this research validates what we’re already implementing with our clients.