Social Media: The Next Step for Brands and Influencers

Clip News participated as a sponsor in this year’s “Social Media & Influencer Marketing Conference 2025”, held on October 9-10 at OTEAcademy, bringing together more than 250 marketing professionals, 18 speakers, and over 70 companies. Organized by Boussias Events, the conference showcased the new strategies and trends shaping the future of social media and influencer marketing, with this year’s focus centered on the power of artificial intelligence (AI), social commerce, and authentic storytelling.  

 

The Value of Social Listening and Trust

Great interest and audience questions were generated by the presentation of Katerina Kechagia, Vice President Media Intelligence at Clip News, who highlighted the critical role of social listening in the strategic selection of partners and influencers. As she emphasized, “choosing the right influencer depends on many things, but everything starts with one magic word – trust”.

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She explained that through social listening, brands can identify who is talking about the company or its competitors, understand their audience’s interests, and analyze which channels users engage with. She stressed the importance of real-time monitoring and smart AI alerts, which enable the detection of negative patterns before they develop into a crisis for the brand. Her remarks reinforced Clip News’ deep expertise in Media Intelligence and its contribution to strengthening corporate communication strategies.

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The New Trends in Social Media Marketing

The conference showcased the latest global developments defining the new era of social media. Ashley Liddell, CEO of Deviation, analyzed the theory of Search Everywhere, noting that consumers are now searching for products within social media rather than through SEO. At the same time, Angelique Schierz-Crusius from Ampletides discussed the explosive growth of live shopping, expected to reach USD 600 billion in 2025, offering personalized experiences and higher conversion rates. Beth Thomas, Co-Founder of Slice, emphasized that every SoMe action must be brand-building, warning that many companies chase virality without creating real impact on their audience.  

 

The Impact of AI and Authentic Storytelling

Artificial intelligence (AI) was a central theme across many presentations, with Τolis Aivalis, CEO of Knowcrunch, predicting that up to 80% of marketing tasks will be automated, while reminding that technology is a tool requiring proper training and utilization. Marketing Consultant Mercy Fulani highlighted the power of storytelling, noting that people are 22 times more likely to remember a story than a simple piece of information. Storytelling, she stressed, “is not the future of marketing, it is the present”.

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The Platforms Shaping Tomorrow

Conference sessions also showcased the latest developments around Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Eoin Carrigan, Lead Industry Manager at Pinterest, highlighted the role of visual search and the use of AI to improve user experience, while Jasmin Alic, ranked #1 LinkedIn Creator in the World, revealed that comments are the No. 1 growth hack on LinkedIn, recommending daily interaction to increase reach.

Google representatives Giorgos Skaltsis (Strategic Agency Manager) and Dimitris Krikonis (Senior Account Manager), along with Valia Sakkou (Head of Digital Marketing, Media, Ecommerce Media, Unilever), presented the success of Axe’s campaign through YouTube’s new AI-driven Video View Campaigns format, emphasizing the importance of shorts and visual consistency in content.

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Clip News’ Contribution to the Social Media Ecosystem

With many years of experience in analyzing publicity data and social media, real-time monitoring, and AI-driven insights, Clip News reaffirmed its role at the conference as a strategic partner for brands and organizations seeking to gain deeper understanding of public discourse and strengthen their reputation. The company highlighted the importance of social listening as a key tool for more effective influencer marketing, PR crisis management, and building trust between brand and audience, elements that define the next chapter of SoMe.

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