NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Social media is undergoing a seismic shift, and the power is in the hands of creators. According to Dash Social's latest Social Media Trends Report, The Creator Effect: Redefining Social Media Growth for Brands, creators are no longer simply influencers, they are key drivers of engagement, community and brand growth.
Last year, creator-led content on Instagram saw a 13% rise in engagements, while TikTok soared by 46%. The report, which analyzes social media trends across more than 300 creators and brands, unveils a key finding: brands that prioritize creator partnerships will be best positioned for success in 2025.
The Rise of the Creator-First Era
As social platforms evolve, consumer expectations have shifted. People no longer want to simply follow brands, they want to connect with the real people behind them.
"The relationship between brands and creators is no longer transactional - it's transformational," the report states. "Creators give brands a face, a voice, and, most importantly, a connection to communities that are highly engaged and eager to share."
The report highlights how creators drive distinct outcomes for brands across platforms:
- TikTok is the ultimate awareness engine, with creators helping brands reach new audiences and go viral.
- Instagram creators drive deeper audience engagement, generating 17% more likes and 30% more comments than creators on TikTok.
- Shares are the new currency of social success, with TikTok creator content being 10x more shareable than brand-created content.
Brands like BÉIS and Crumbl are already proving the power of creator partnerships:
- BÉIS saw a 200% spike in TikTok comments in 2024 after expanding beyond founder-led content to include bold creator strategies.
- Crumbl has tapped into creator strategies to master the art of viral, shareable content, turning cookie taste tests into 21 million TikTok profile views and 1.5 TikTok shares.
"Social media success no longer belongs to the brands that post the most, it belongs to the brands that create the most meaningful connections," says Thomas Rankin, Co-Founder and CEO, Dash Social. "Creators are the bridge between brands and audiences, and The Creator Effect proves that investing in them isn't optional, it's essential."
