Authenticity Over Polish
People are leaning towards raw, unfiltered content. Brands and creators are moving away from overly curated looks in favour of behind-the-scenes glimpses, real-time updates, and candid moments. Think employee tales, day-in-the-life snippets, or even brands owning up to mess-ups openly. This shift is all about building trust with audiences that are only ever exposed to perfection. The raw stuff wins every time and people are finding joy in seeing other people share their regular lives on social media VS the OTT lavish lifestyles.
Further content trends to watch out for / replicate:
Short-Form Video Dominance
Short-form videos (think TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) are still reigning supreme. The focus is on quick, punchy narratives that grab viewers in seconds – product demos, mini-tutorials, or quirky brand tales. The trend’s evolving with longer short-form options (up to 3 minutes on some platforms), giving creators more space to muck about. Think about it like this: if you’re a brand making a brand video don’t feel as though you NEED to mention everything in one long drawn-out video… break it up into a series! Leverage trends to help build engagement.
Community-Centred Engagement
It’s less about chasing follower numbers and more about nurturing tight-knit communities. Think LIKES over FOLLOWERS. Private groups, niche forums (like Reddit or LinkedIn groups), and direct messaging are all the rage right now. Brands are fostering loyalty by chatting properly with followers rather than just shouting into the void.
Social Commerce Boom
Shopping on social platforms is going bonkers. TikTok Shop, Instagram Shops, and even Pinterest’s buyable pins are turning feeds into shopfronts. Live shopping events and seamless in-app purchases are making it dead easy for users to splash the cash on a whimb.
Micro-Influencers Rising
Mega-influencers are taking a back seat to micro-influencers. Smaller, more relatable voices are stealing the show, offering brands a cosier, more authentic way to connect with niche crowds.
AI-Powered Everything
AI’s popping up everywhere on social media – content creation, chatbots, advert targeting, the works. Tools are helping marketers whip up captions, edit videos, or analyse trends faster than ever seen before. Users want AI to feel human, not robotic, so personalisation is the name of the game. There’s a rise in authentic AI-UGC. Check out these examples of authentic UGC!
I want to break down to you how fast trends happen now. You take one day off of social media and you’ve missed something. Over the weekend, a man by the name of Ashton Hall went MEGA-VIRAL for his morning/day-to-day life routines. Though these are most likely to be staged to some extent. The content itself has become one crazy meme.
What’s Happening?
Ashton Hall, a Chicago-based fitness influencer with a hefty Instagram following (over 8 million), posted a video showcasing his morning routine, timestamped to start at 3:52 AM. It’s a marathon of hyper-disciplined tasks: peeling off mouth tape (a trendy sleep hack), a five-hour slog of workouts, journaling, swimming, client meetings, and – most bizarrely – dunking his head in a bowl of ice water with fruit floating in it. A mystery woman assists with chores like breakfast prep, adding to the surreal vibe. Originally dropped in August 2024, it blew up again over the weekend of March 21–23, 2025, racking up millions of views and reactions across platforms like X and TikTok.
Why It’s Trending
- Absurdity Meets Hustle Culture
This isn’t your average “wake up, stretch, sip coffee” routine – it’s hustle culture on steroids. The sheer excess – mouth tape, ice baths with fruit, a 4 AM start – feels like a parody of the “rise and grind” ethos that’s long dominated social media. People can’t look away because it’s both aspirational and unhinged, a perfect storm for virality. - Social Media Roasting
X users and TikTok creators have turned it into a meme fest. Comments range from “Bro woke up at 4 AM to spend 6 hours bullshitting” to “He’s either our funniest satire comedian or clinically insane.” Even big names like MrBeast (“Morning gang, don’t forget to dunk your face in ice water today”) and Borussia Dortmund jumped in with sarcastic tributes. The ridicule amplifies its reach—people love a good takedown. - Timing and Context
Coming off 2024’s push for authenticity and “unfiltered” content, Hall’s polished-to-a-fault routine feels like a throwback to peak 2010s influencer flexing. It’s hitting as folks are already fatigued by performative productivity – posts on X call it a “modern illusion” of success, making it a lightning rod for debate about what “morning routines” even mean in 2025.
The Bigger Picture
Morning routine videos have been a social media staple since the mid-2010s, inspired by self-help books like The Miracle Morning. They promise productivity and control, but Hall’s version dials it to eleven, exposing the cracks in the trend. Posts on X note how these routines often feel less about personal growth and more about clicks – Hall’s critics argue he’s “doing nothing of substance” beyond generating buzz. Yet, his 8 million followers suggest there’s still an audience hungry for this level of discipline.
What’s Driving Engagement?
- Shock Value: The weird details (fruit in ice water, really?) keep people talking.
- Relatability Backlash: Half-asleep viewers like one X user (“Meanwhile, I’m just proud I got out of bed”) contrast their reality with Hall’s, fueling both envy and snark.
- Community Response: From fitness buffs defending it to skeptics dunking on it, the polarized reactions keep it trending.
Where It Fits in 2025
This ties into broader social media shifts. Authenticity’s still king – raw, relatable content is what Gen Z and Millennials crave – but there’s a lingering fetish for these over-the-top routines among hustle bros and aspirational types. Hall’s video feels like a last gasp of that era, clashing with the “unfiltered 2.0” wave where influencers show messy, real mornings instead. It’s a trend within a trend: a throwback getting roasted by a savvier crowd.
Conclusion
Social media in April 2025 blends raw authenticity with tech-savvy flair and a dash of performative excess. Users crave unfiltered connection while short-form video and social commerce dominate, turning feeds into shopfronts. AI powers the show but needs a human touch, and micro-influencers outshine the big names. Ashton Hall’s mad morning routine, ripe for a roasting, proves hustle culture still has legs, even as authenticity reigns. It’s a balancing act of grit and gloss – brands and creators who master it will shape what’s next.
