47. Instagram Marketing Trends 2025: How Creative Bravery is Helping Brands Stand Out (Part 1)
Today we kick off part one of a four-part series on Instagram Marketing Trends for 2025. We dive into Creative Bravery—how moving away from perfectly polished content and leaning into bold, relatable, and real storytelling can help you stand out in 2025. I share real-life examples, actionable tips, and inspiration to help you shake things up in your Instagram strategy this year.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why Creative Bravery is the key to standing out on Instagram in 2025.
Real-life examples of bold content strategies from brands like Ryan Serhant and Hever Castle.
Simple tips for loosening your tone, experimenting with formats, and collaborating creatively.
Key Takeaways
The Importance of Diversification in Your Marketing Strategy
Creative Bravery is Essential for Standing Out in 2025
People Connect with People, Not Just Products or Services
Storytelling Outperforms Constant Promotion
Three Actionable Tips for Creative Bravery
Links Mentioned in This Episode:
S3 Ep47 Transcript: Instagram Marketing Trends 2025: How Creative Bravery is Helping Brands Stand Out (Part 1)
[00:00] - Episode Kickoff
Today, we kick off part one of a four-part mini-series that is all about Instagram marketing trends for 2025. I cannot wait to pull back the curtain on this so you can start leveraging these simple and proven methods in your organic Instagram marketing strategy this year. Are you ready? Let's do it.
Welcome to Strut It, a podcast about creating bold visibility on social media with zero apologies. I'm Elizabeth Marberry, your host and Instagram marketing coach. I help small business owners get seen on Instagram and monetize their offers so they can make more money doing their soul-led work. If you're tired of spinning your wheels on Instagram and you're seeking simple, proven Instagram marketing strategies that actually work, you're in the right place. Let's dive in.
[01:02] - Welcome Back and TikTok Ban Introduction
Welcome back to Strut It! I'm Elizabeth Marberry, your host with the mostest, and I'm super excited to kick off this brand-new series on Instagram marketing trends for 2025. I have so much goodness in store for you, and I cannot wait to help you simplify things this year so your content creation strategy can feel easier and more effective.
Before we dive in, I want to quickly address something that's kind of looming in the social media marketing world, and that is the potential TikTok ban. As I'm sure you know, the law passed by Congress last year required ByteDance, which is the owner of TikTok in the U.S., to sell TikTok or cease operations by January 19.
[02:10] - TikTok Legal Status
Right now, as I record this, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments over the TikTok ban. We don't know what is going to happen. Lawyers for TikTok, content creators, and small business owners—who, of course, use this platform for their business—have argued before the Supreme Court that a law to possibly ban this social media site violates free speech for the over 170 million American users of TikTok.
So I am watching this very carefully. I am studying what is going on. I will keep you posted.
[02:45] - TikTok’s Value for Small Businesses
I can definitely understand both sides of the issue, in terms of a national security concern as well as the free speech concerns. And I wanted to share, as a small business owner who is on TikTok, my dance studio business, Wedding Dance Coach, has grown our platform to over 40,000 followers on TikTok, and just yesterday, I made a $1,000 sale from someone who said they found my business on TikTok.
As a business owner who actively uses this platform to promote my business, I personally am hoping that we will be able to keep using it.
[03:30] - Diversifying Your Marketing Strategy
I want to use this as an opportunity to remind you that it's wise to never put all of your social media marketing eggs in one basket.
While, yes, I would be very bummed if TikTok got banned and I was no longer able to use that as a lead generation source for my studio, I will be completely fine because my marketing strategy is diversified.
We have over 50,000 followers on Instagram right now, and more importantly than that, I have been enacting the strategies that I teach all of my clients.
[04:15] - Importance of Funnels and Email Lists
If you've been on this podcast for a while, you know that I talk about this all the time—strategically creating content and using it as a funnel to drive people onto your email list.
We’ve got over 5,000 leads on our email list from this funnel, and I have all those people's names and emails. I can continue to communicate with them, sell our products and services, and nurture those relationships.
[05:00] - Reminder: Ownership of Your Audience
Let this be a reminder that no matter what social media app you're on, it's good to diversify where you’re showing up.
You need to have a strategy in place so people can come into a sphere that you own. Because none of us own these social media apps—we don't own our followers—and we need to be strategic about how we're creating content so it funnels into our businesses.
[06:00] - Creative Bravery: Introduction
Today is part one of our four-part mini-series on Instagram marketing trends for 2025, and we’re talking about breaking through with Creative Bravery.
If you've been feeling stuck in your content or wondering how you can truly stand out in a sea of sameness, this one’s for you.
[06:30] - What is Creative Bravery?
It’s about taking risks, showing up with personality, and letting your content do more than just check a box.
Think of it as content that feels human—not overly polished or robotic—but still aligned with your brand and values.
[07:15] - Example: Ryan Serhant’s Creative Reel
The other day, I was scrolling my feed, and this reel popped up from Ryan Serhant, a real estate CEO.
In the reel, he was lip-syncing and dancing to the song Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan. The caption said, "When you’re a major CEO, but deep down inside, you’re really just a pink pony girl."
[08:30] - Vulnerability in Personal Branding
It was hysterical and such a great example of what’s working right now for brands of all sizes.
Many CEOs and founders are building personal brands because people buy people, not just products or services.
[09:15] - Example: Hever Castle’s Bold Instagram Strategy
Another example is Hever Castle and Gardens in England. They use humor and trending audio to stand out, even though they’re a historical landmark.
Their reel featured an older gentleman using Gen Z slang like “slay” and “pop off queen.”
[10:30] - Why Creative Bravery Works
People crave connection and a sense of belonging. Showing the human side of your brand helps you connect with your audience in a way that’s real and memorable.
[12:45] - Actionable Tips for Creative Bravery
Loosen up your tone: Show your personality in captions, hooks, and videos.
Try new formats: Experiment with reels, carousels, or behind-the-scenes content.
Collaborate creatively: Partner with other creators to bring fresh energy to your content.
[15:30] - Closing CTA and Mentorship Details
If you’re ready to stand out in 2025, apply for a complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session. Let’s map out your next three steps together.
Visit elizabethmarberry.com/application or DM me “apply” on Instagram to get started.