Shoemaker Films

Why Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads Felt Harder to Win on in 2025

Based on Buffer’s 2026 State of Social Media report (analyzing 52 million posts through late 2025), engagement rates saw a year-over-year decline across major platforms: Instagram (-26%), Threads (-18%), and LinkedIn (-5%).

Key Insights:
✔️ LinkedIn is still King: Despite the slight dip, LinkedIn remains the platform with the highest median engagement (6.1%).

✔️ Format Matters: * On Instagram, Reels dominate reach, but Carousels drive the highest engagement.

✔️ On LinkedIn, Document Carousels outperform all other formats (21.77% engagement rate).

✔️ On Threads, video and images are outperforming text-only posts.

✔️ The "Reply" Advantage: The most actionable finding is the "Reply Lift." Creators who actively reply to comments see a significant performance boost: +42% on Threads, +30% on LinkedIn, and +21% on Instagram.

Conclusion: The decline isn't a "collapse" but a shift. Platforms are becoming more crowded, and algorithms are prioritizing "passive views" over "active clicks."

To win, brands must move from broadcasting to conversing.

You can read the full breakdown in our recent blog post:

Why Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads Felt Harder to Win on in 2025 – SHOEMAKER FILMS Buffer’s latest benchmark data suggests that engagement became harder to earn on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads during 2025, but the picture is more nuanced than a simple platform decline. [1]