June 2025 Marketing Updates: Reels, AI Power Plays, and Why Local Creators Are Winning

This month’s Marketing Pulse episode was packed with insights, hot takes, and more than one moment where the tech didn’t cooperate (classic). If you missed the livestream, don’t worry — here’s a quick recap of the biggest updates in social media, search, and AI marketing that every small business should know about.

All Facebook Videos Are Now Reels

That’s right! Facebook has officially made the switch. Any video you post will automatically go out as a Reel, whether you want it to or not. The team had mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, Reels often get better reach. On the other, it limits how you show up on your page.

The bottom line? Keep watching your own data. What works for one business might not work for another.

Video Length Still Depends on Your Goal

There’s a lot of noise around short-form vs. long-form video. We talked about how it really comes down to what you want from it. Looking for fast engagement? Short-form might win. But if you care more about SEO and search indexing, longer videos may still have the edge.

Best advice: test your content and trust your metrics.

The TikTok Ban: Still Dragging On

No surprise here. The ban has been delayed again. We didn’t even bother looking up the next proposed date. It’s turning into background noise at this point.

Big Tech Layoffs = Small Biz Opportunities?

Over 53,000 jobs have been cut by tech giants in 2025 so far. AI is part of the reason, but not the whole story. The upside? If you’re a small business hiring right now, this could be your chance to scoop up some seriously skilled talent.

Meta’s AI Moves (And Disney Isn’t Happy About It)

Zuckerberg is building a new AGI team and reportedly trying to poach top AI talent to make up for the lacklustre launch of Meta’s LLaMA 4. They’re also eyeing a video editing platform called Runway, which could bring built-in editing tools to Meta platforms soon.

Meanwhile, Disney is taking aim at OpenAI in terms of how they train their models. Considering Disney’s grip on intellectual property, this could get complicated fast.

Oh, and Palantir is now partnering with OpenAI and the Department of Defense. So yeah,  keep an eye on where your data is going.

From Influencers to Local Creators

Influencer marketing isn’t working like it used to. Consumers are tuning out polished, over-produced content and turning to creators they actually relate to. Enter the rise of local creator marketing.

This shift is good news for small businesses. You don’t need a celebrity to build brand trust. A local voice, a real story, and a scrappy video can go a long way. Plus, it fits perfectly with Facebook’s renewed focus on local communities.

💡 What This Means for Your Marketing

• Post video content as Reels on Facebook (you no longer have a choice)
• Focus on real, relatable content over polish and production value
• Short-form is still trending, but make sure it aligns with your goals
• Use this hiring window if you’re growing your team
• Watch how AI tools evolve, especially in video creation and search

That’s the pulse on what’s shifting in marketing this month. From social strategy changes to AI shakeups and everything in between. What trends or updates have you been seeing lately that we didn’t mention? Drop us a comment or a dm. We’re always listening.

Want help applying these insights to your business? Follow us for more real-time updates and book a discovery call to explore our customizable social media training programs, built to meet you where you are, whether you’re DIY-ing your content or growing a team.