The Social Pulse – August 2025 Edition: A Friendly Rundown of This Month's Digital Shifts
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By Ryan Abramson, Oakridge Leaders🗓 Published August 07, 2025
🔗 Follow me on Tumblr | Connect on Crunchbase | Explore my WordPress blog
Hey friends! 👋
Welcome to the August edition of The Social Pulse, where we unpack all the exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) updates across your favorite social media platforms.
Whether you're a small business owner, marketing strategist, content creator, or just a digital native trying to keep up, this post is for you.
Social media doesn’t sit still, and neither should your strategy. Every month, there’s a new trend, tool, or tweak that changes the game. So I’m breaking it all down—platform by platform—in a way that’s practical, digestible, and, dare I say, fun?
Let’s dive into what’s happening across the digital universe and how you can ride the wave—not get drowned by it.
🔗 LinkedIn: Still the B2B MVP
If you’ve been sleeping on LinkedIn, this is your wake-up call. The platform continues to dominate the professional landscape, and it’s leaning heavily into AI and events right now.
🧠 AI Content Assistants Are Expanding
LinkedIn is testing more generative AI tools that help users draft posts, comments, and even messages. The goal? Make it easier (and faster) to post quality content. So if you’ve been thinking, “I don’t have time to post on LinkedIn,” well… now you do.
📅 In Social: Native Scheduling Is (Finally) Widespread
Scheduling posts natively on LinkedIn is no longer a luxury for a few. It’s becoming available to more users, and while platforms like Hootsuite and Buffer still offer deeper analytics, nothing beats posting directly from the source.
📣 Events Are Being Prioritized
LinkedIn’s feed and notifications are now highlighting virtual events, webinars, and roundtables. If you’re hosting anything—even small info sessions—make sure to list it on LinkedIn. Your audience will actually see it now.
💬 I explore these features (and more) in my monthly breakdowns and in my own LinkedIn posts. Take a peek right here.
📸 Instagram: Reels, Reels, Reels
Instagram continues to evolve, but one thing is certain—Reels are king. If your content isn’t short, sharp, and scroll-stopping, it’s probably invisible.
🔥 Reels Are Dominating Discovery
Instagram is even experimenting with Reels-only feeds in Canada and Brazil. It’s all about short-form video right now, and if you’re creating Reels that entertain, educate, or inspire—you’re golden.
🎨 AI Stickers & Visual Tags Are the Future
New features let you auto-generate stickers, tags, and visual elements for your content. This is a huge win for brand storytelling and product visibility.
📌 Want to see how I incorporate storytelling into visual content? Visit my Behance portfolio or read through some examples on WordPress.
🎥 YouTube: Shorts vs. Long-Form Showdown
YouTube’s balancing act between long-form content and Shorts continues—and right now, Shorts are gaining the edge.
💸 Shorts Monetization Is Heating Up
More creators are earning real revenue from YouTube Shorts, especially those jumping on trends or seasonal moments. If you’re not repurposing your Instagram Reels or TikToks into Shorts, you’re missing out.
🔍 Search Is Changing—Again
YouTube is testing AI-generated summaries in search results, helping users preview long videos before clicking. This could totally change how creators title, tag, and describe their content.
🎬 You can see some of my communication tips and AI-powered marketing thoughts on my website and Tumblr.
🐦 X : Still Searching for Itself
Let’s be honest: X is kind of a mess right now. Between algorithm shifts and bugs, engagement is all over the place.
⚠️ Scheduling Glitches and Drops in Engagement
Even verified users are struggling with post visibility—especially if they use third-party schedulers. There’s been a 7% drop in branded engagement year-over-year, according to SocialPilot.
🗣️ Voice Posts Might Be Making a Comeback
X is experimenting with voice updates, monetized replies, and revamped Spaces. Could these features breathe life back into the platform? Maybe. Stay tuned.
If you're navigating volatile platforms like X, having a clear message and adaptable strategy is crucial. That’s a big focus in my 2024 digital toolkit, a resource I built to help brands and individuals stay grounded—even when platforms shift under your feet.
📌 Threads: Still Hanging On
Meta’s not-so-new platform Threads is quietly gaining traction in niche spaces.
🌱 Community Growth
Threads grew 18% in July 2025 in professional and wellness communities. Brands like Nike and Canva are testing whether cross-posting content from Instagram to Threads boosts ROI.
It’s not TikTok. It’s not Twitter. But it might be the right fit for your audience—especially if you work in health, wellness, education, or professional development.
📎 One place you can see my ongoing community-focused work is through my Crunchbase company profile and personal Crunchbase page.
👥 Facebook: Reinventing the Feed Again
Ah, Facebook—the social giant we love to hate (but still use).
🛠️ Group Admin Tools Just Got Better
Admins can now:
Pin Reels to the top of groups
Use auto-moderation tools
Filter spam more effectively
If you run a community or interest-based group, Facebook is quietly giving you more power to keep it vibrant.
📰 News Tab Is Going Away
Facebook is officially phasing out the News tab in the U.S. in favor of Reels and creator-first content. In other words: the feed is becoming more like Instagram. Again.
📢 I talked about the importance of community-first marketing in a recent news feature on Patch.
🧠 Meta-Wide Trends to Watch
Across all Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp), here’s what’s bubbling up:
AI-generated avatars and content recs are on the rise
Integrated messaging is coming—expect your DMs to get a lot busier
Creators and Reels are the clear priorities
If you’re a brand, educator, or entrepreneur, make sure you’re speaking with your community, not just at them. That’s the model I follow every day at Oakridge Leaders.
📊 Quick Stats & Strategy Notes
Let’s take a step back and zoom out. Here are some broader data points you should consider as you plan your content for August:
📉 Brand engagement is down 5–10% year-over-year across most platforms (except TikTok)
📅 Native scheduling performs better than third-party apps on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram
🎥 Short-form video continues to dominate—hook fast or get lost in the scroll
💡 What You Can Do Right Now
Here are 5 practical steps to put this knowledge into action:
Audit your post timing – Are you actually showing up when your audience is online?
Experiment with Reels and Shorts – One good short-form video can do more than ten text posts.
Revive your LinkedIn Events strategy – They’re finally getting the visibility they deserve.
Use native schedulers – Especially for platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram.
Test your voice and message on volatile platforms like X or Threads. Track your engagement and double down on what works.
If all of that feels like a lot (it is), don’t worry—I’m here to help. Let’s review your current digital presence, talk content strategy, and find your authentic voice. Whether you’re launching a new campaign or refining your message, Oakridge Leaders has your back.
📬 Reach out to me directly via About.me or explore ryantabramson.com for recent content, videos, and strategy guides.
🎯 Final Word
We’re halfway through Q3, and social media shows no signs of slowing down. It’s easy to feel like you're always playing catch-up. But here’s the truth:
You don’t need to be everywhere.You just need to be where your audience is—and show up with intention.
Data, speed, and storytelling are still the magic formula. Everything else is just noise.
So stay curious, stay consistent, and most importantly—stay real. See you next month
for another pulse check.
📌 Want to get updates delivered to your feed? Follow me on Tumblr, WordPress, and LinkedIn.
Looking for expert content strategy, SEO audits, or digital campaign planning? Explore the services at Oakridge Leaders.
📢 You’ve got a story. I’ll help you tell it right.
