Last week, Wolfgang Digital hosted a client summer soirée accompanied by a presentation on the future of social media. Here, Roisin Linnie, the agency’s head of social, unpacks some of the key takeaways from the event.
Discovery is evolving, and short form is taking the wheel
The rules of discovery are changing, and short form is steering the shift. With 56% of social content now video-led, platforms like TikTok are no longer just for dance trends; they’re where people go to find products, services, and even ideas. Unilever’s doubling down, shifting half its media spend to social, and scaling creator partnerships 20x in 2025.
Short form is the new language of attention
In the world of social, you’ve got seconds, not minutes, to earn a thumb tap. Short form doesn’t care if you’ve got a big following or a shiny brand. It’s a meritocracy of moments. Grab attention fast, serve the payoff quicker, and make it feel like something they chose to watch, not something they suffered through.
TikTok is the new Google (for Gen Z and beyond)
Search is no longer just about typed queries; it’s visual, dynamic, and increasingly native to platforms like TikTok. Users are discovering everything from beauty tips to banking tools through short-form videos. So, if you’re still just bidding on keywords while ignoring social, you’re missing half the funnel. The smart brands are creating demand and capturing it, all in one scroll.
Your only real lever left is creative, so make it work harder
Many elements of Paid Social are becoming automated (hello advantage+), reducing the control we have over bidding, targeting & placements. The one lever you can still pull with force is creative. Great creative is now your growth engine. Whether it’s shot on a phone, fronted by a creator, or pulled straight from your employees, authentic content is consistently outperforming studio-perfect assets. The best bit? It often costs less, too.
Think like the platform, not like a brand
The scroll doesn’t care about your TV ad budget. To win in short form, your content needs to look and feel like it belongs on the platform. That means trend-aware, fast-moving, and made for the native experience.
AI is your new creative co-pilot
Feeling the content crunch? AI is here to scale your output without sucking your soul. From turning a blog post into a TikTok to generating VO in minutes, AI is already helping us create more, better, and faster. And no, it doesn’t have to look like it was built in a lab; it just needs to be briefed well and used smartly. You’re not replacing humans, you’re augmenting them.
Creators are your modern media channel
Influencer marketing has grown up. It’s no longer about big-name endorsements; it’s about creators who understand platforms, build trust, and deliver thumb-stopping content that converts. When chosen with data and plugged into performance goals, they’re not just creators, they’re your outsourced content engine with ROI attached.
Don’t interrupt the feed, earn your spot in it
The most successful social campaigns don’t scream “advert”; instead, they blend in beautifully. They inform, entertain, and sometimes even make people laugh out loud in public. Use short-form storytelling to turn passive scrollers into curious clickers. If you wouldn’t stop to watch it yourself, don’t expect anyone else to.
Performance follows creativity – every time
When you pair short-form storytelling with platform-native creative and a sprinkle of AI-powered scale, the results speak for themselves. We’re seeing CPLs slashed by 88%, purchase rates tripling, and revenue targets not just hit but obliterated. This isn’t fluff. It’s what happens when creative is treated like the performance channel it truly is.
Well, that’s a quick round-up of our key takeaways. Thanks to everyone who presented on the day, including Jack, Raven, and Ciaran from the Wolfgang Social team, Brendan, our MD, and guest speakers Eadaoin Fitzmaurice and Jenifer Sousa. Finally, a huge thanks to our fantastic clients for taking the time out of their busy schedules to come and join us.
Roisin Linnie is Head of Social at Wolfgang Digital
