Ofcom just dropped its annual Online Nation report, all 116 pages of it.
For busy communications professionals, here are five key findings that matter for your 2025 strategy – and what they mean for reaching business audiences.
1. Reddit’s remarkable rise
The platform saw a 47% year-on-year increase in UK adult reach, jumping from 15.6m to 22.9m users. By June of this year, it was reaching over half of UK online adults, overtaking both LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).
What this means for comms pros: If you’re not monitoring relevant subreddits for industry discussions and opportunities, you might be missing valuable conversations. Reddit’s growth suggests business audiences are seeking more authentic, community-driven spaces for discussion.
2. X’s continuing decline
Surprise, surprise – monthly average users have dropped from 27.9m in 2021 to 22.2m in 2024. Even more telling is the decline in daily engagement.
What this means for comms pros: While X remains sort-of relevant for news distribution, relying on it as your primary platform for thought leadership or stakeholder engagement needs a serious rethink. Like us, you might be preparing to make the migration to Bluesky…
3. Facebook’s age gap
18-24 year olds spend just 15 minutes daily on Facebook compared to the 39-minute average. This age group is increasingly platform-agnostic, spreading their time across multiple services.
What this means for comms pros: Tomorrow’s business decision-makers aren’t where you expect them to be. Your content strategy needs to reflect this fragmentation.
4. Video’s unstoppable rise
YouTube now reaches 94% of UK online adults, with significant growth in business-related content consumption.
What this means for comms pros: If you’re not already thinking about video formats for B2B communication, you’re behind the curve. This doesn’t mean every announcement needs a TikTok, but video should be part of your strategic toolkit.
5. The AI factor
33% of UK adults have used ChatGPT in the past year, but only 18% trust the information it provides. This tension between adoption and trust is particularly relevant for business communication.
What this means for comms pros: While AI tools offer efficiency gains, authenticity remains crucial. Your audiences are increasingly savvy about AI-generated content.
The data tells us two things clearly – business audiences are fragmenting across platforms, and traditional B2B communication channels are losing their grip. Success in 2025 won’t come from mastering any single platform, but from understanding where your specific audiences are having meaningful conversations.
The full report contains much more detail, but these trends suggest it’s time for B2B communications professionals to question some long-held assumptions about platform strategy. The landscape isn’t just changing – it’s already changed.
