Social media marketing grew up.
Now what?
The stakes for social teams today are higher—consumer expectations are more nuanced, emerging tech is more powerful—and there's a lot of ambiguity. Our data zeroes in on how consumers feel and where marketers can make the most impact.
Create a new impression
Since the pandemic, social media has emerged to fill a seemingly endless need for content, with 53% of consumers saying their social media usage has increased over the last two years.
Rediscover what people want
Amid that increase in social media usage is a desire for brands to prioritize direct, frequent engagement and originality, above all else.
Of the most memorable brands on social, 51% respond to customers
Invest in your foundation
Customer experiences are as strong as the structures that support them. Only 30% of brands have adopted customer care processes and tools to actively engage on social. There’s a gap to fill, and an opportunity for those that do.
Reimagine your team
Social’s role has expanded well beyond marketing. Yet despite a consistent exchange of information, 43% of social teams still feel siloed from other departments.
76% agree our team’s social insights inform other departments
65% agree other departments inform our social efforts
43% social teams still feel siloed
Prioritize the human touch (with a little help from machines)
AI and automation are actually helping marketers meet consumers’ demand for authenticity and connection. These technologies take on tedious tasks that deplete energy and free up creative space for content production and engagement.
81% of marketers say AI has already had a positive impact on their work
Create a new impression
Since the pandemic, social media has emerged to fill a seemingly endless need for content, with 53% of consumers saying their social media usage has increased over the last two years.
Relearn what people want
Amid that increase in social media usage is a desire for brands to prioritize direct, frequent engagement and originality, above all else.
Of the most memorable brands on social, 51% respond to customers
Invest in your foundation
Customer experiences are as strong as the structures that support them. Only 30% of brands have adopted customer care processes and tools to actively engage on social. There’s a gap to fill, and an opportunity for those that do.
Reimagine your team
Social’s role has expanded well beyond marketing. Yet despite a consistent exchange of information, 43% of social teams still feel siloed from other departments.
Marketers’ POV on social’s business-wide influence
76% agree our team’s social insights inform other departments
65% agree other departments inform our social efforts
43% social teams still feel siloed
Prioritize the human touch (with a little help from machines)
AI and automation are actually helping marketers meet consumers’ demand for authenticity and connection. These technologies take on tedious tasks that deplete energy and free up creative space for content production and engagement.
81% of marketers say AI has already had a positive impact on their work
About the data
This research was conducted online in the US and UK by Cint on behalf of Sprout Social. Participants included 1,817 consumers who follow at least five brands on social media. Additionally, 903 full-time social marketers involved in managing their brand’s social media strategy (i.e., performed the job themselves or managed someone who does) were surveyed from a cross section of US and UK businesses. Both surveys were conducted from June 12 to June 23, 2023.
Relationships between variables collected were analyzed using parametric statistics for statistical significance.
Previous Index reports
Want even more data? Explore past reports to see how far social has come.
