Introduction

The more things change, the more consumers engage

Consumers’ appetite for content remains insatiable, even as the social media landscape grows increasingly complex. By the end of 2023, 38% of social media users are expected to increase their platform usage in 2024— and all indications show that this prediction is right on target.

Compared to six months ago, most social media users are just as engaged or even interacting with brand content more frequently. Despite the influx of AI-generated content, the rise of emerging networks creating new channels, and hyper-personalized algorithms crafting niche bubbles, consumers are more connected to brand content than ever before.

When we asked users which platforms brands should avoid, their top response was unexpected: none. Every platform holds the potential for building and nurturing a community, as users turn to each network to fulfill different needs for connection and content consumption.

For marketers, this is a growing challenge to address. Brands need to engage customers where they are—on social platforms—but executing this effectively is becoming tougher.

Social users are spread across platforms: while most are active on Instagram, TikTok is no longer exclusive to Gen Z, and Facebook remains a key platform for Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers.

Though consumers continue to engage actively despite social media saturation, social marketers are feeling the strain. Social media teams are experiencing increased burnout as they try to keep up with rising audience demands.

In this report, we surveyed over 4,500 consumers from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Ireland to uncover what users genuinely want from brands on social media, and how preferences vary across platforms. These insights highlight the types of content social teams with limited resources should prioritize to maximize their return on investment.

Unlock key insights for your 2024 social strategy! Continue reading and download the complete report now.

Related guide: Content Marketing for Lead Generation | Adobe Experience Cloud

• Introduction
  • The more things change, the more consumers engage
• Brand Interactions
  • How much social media users have interacted with brands over the past six months
  • Which platforms do social media users have profiles on?
• Consumer Preferences
  • The call to action for marketers
  • What consumers want from brands on social media
• Entertaining Content and Edutainment
  • What makes content entertaining?
  • Actions brands take on social that compel consumers to buy
• The Content Carousel
  • The challenges of increased content production and consumer preferences
• Network-Specific Insights
  • Instagram: Dominates consumer attention
  • Facebook: A mainstay, especially for brands
  • YouTube: Keeps consumers engaged for the long haul
  • TikTok: Impact on younger generations
  • X (formerly Twitter): The core user base remains passionate
  • Pinterest: Offers a positive halo effect for brands
  • LinkedIn: More than just thought leadership
  • Threads: Finding its footing with long-term potential
• Key Takeaways
• About the Data
• About Sprout Social

Number of Pages:

• 33 pages

Pricing: 

• Free

Methodology

Unless otherwise indicated via the symbols below, the research cited in this report was conducted online by Cint on behalf of Sprout Social. Consumer participants included 4,400 respondents across the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia who have at least one social media account and follow at least five brands on social media. The survey was conducted between June 28 – July 10, 2024.

**Q4 2023 Sprout Pulse Survey. The data referenced was collected via an online survey from 1,623 consumers who have at least one social media profile and follow at least five brands on social media, between September 12-14, 2023. 50% of respondents were based in the US and 50% in the UK.

*Q1 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey. This consumer survey was conducted online by Cint, a global market research firm, on behalf of Sprout Social. Participants included 2,000 consumers across the US and UK who follow at least five brands on social media. The consumer survey was conducted from March 15 – March 22, 2024.

^Q2 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey. This consumer survey was conducted online by Cint, a global market research firm, on behalf of Sprout Social. Participants included 2,059 consumers across the US and UK who have at least one social media account and follow at least five brands on social media. The consumer survey was conducted from May 17 – 27, 2024.

^^2024 Best Times to Post on Social Media Report. Sprout Social’s Data Science team gathers this information by analyzing nearly 2 billion engagements across 400,000 social profiles across Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok.