Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  February 18, 2025

Content Engagement Trends: What Audiences Want in 2025

Are you tired of the constant barrage of emails and social media posts? You aren’t the only one. A Podcastle study highlights key content engagement trends, revealing that audiences are exhausted by excessive content and crave more meaningful interactions.

To understand which types of content keep audiences engaged—what is considered good content—Podcastle surveyed 2,000 Americans to gauge what they want and don’t want to see from content creators, aiming to determine how they can grow their following.

Top Content Engagement Trends from Podcastle’s Research

• The platforms Americans are most interested in engaging with influencers on are YouTube (64%), Instagram (52%), and Facebook/Meta (37%).
• Americans want to see three new pieces of content from their favorite influencers weekly.
• Four in five Americans are tired of seeing clickbait titles or misleading thumbnails, leading 77% to hit unfollow.
• Americans find it excessive when an influencer posts more than nine times per week.

The larger message: exhaustion is altering what people seek from us.

Content Engagement Trends That Thought Leaders Should Pay Attention To

Don’t let Podcastle’s focus on influencers downplay the impact. These content engagement trends affect everyone, from influencers to business leaders. These findings will determine how your content lands:

• Educational content is making a comeback. While 70% of Americans prefer more funny or entertaining content, education holds second place with 58%. On the other hand, motivational content has dropped by 26%. Take a look at the unfollow rates: a staggering 81% of users unfollow when the content lacks substance or value, and 80% unfollow due to repetitive and unoriginal posts. (So much for repurposing content.)

• Style matters. It’s no surprise that the most appealing personality traits are authenticity (61%), humor (58%), and knowledge (47%). At the bottom of the list is confidence at 17%. In other words, the era of the lovable know-it-all is over. Present your best self, but don’t get too cocky.

Standing out in a sea of content isn’t accidental. These content engagement trends indicate the way forward. It’s time to refine your content and your style.

Now Read This:

• Experts Over Influencers: How Substance Is Outpacing Style
• Brand and Message Strategy for Thought Leaders

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