Present Scenario
Over half of social media users may drastically reduce or entirely cut ties with social platforms by the year 2025, according to a recent study.
Users are increasingly growing weary of social media platforms, with half of consumers planning to either completely leave or significantly minimize their presence on these platforms by the end of next year, Gartner reports.
The reasons for this shift include the proliferation of misinformation, abusive users, and an excess of bots, according to Gartner's findings.
Over seventy percent of consumers believe that the integration of artificial intelligence into social media would negatively affect the user experience, as per Gartner's survey conducted last summer involving more than 260 participants.
Marketers often regard social media as a lucrative investment, but consumers' interactions with this technology could be undergoing a significant transformation, as Emily Weiss, a senior principal researcher at Gartner Marketing Practice, hinted in a statement.
"Social media continues to be the primary channel for digital marketing investments, but consumers are actively trying to minimize their engagement," said Weiss. "A substantial portion indicates they are sharing less of their personal lives and content compared to a few years ago."
Nearly half of consumers said the current state of social media has deteriorated compared to last year or five years ago, as per the report.
In a separate survey by Gartner last year, it was found that 72% of consumers suspect AI-based content generators of spreading false or misleading information.
Weiss added, "Mistrust and lack of confidence in AI's capabilities will drive some consumers to opt for AI-free brands and interactions. A segment of brands will eschew AI and emphasize a more genuine image to distance themselves from AI-driven businesses, which are perceived as cold and monotonous."
A majority of marketers and communication professionals have already tried or experimented with artificial intelligence, according to a survey last year by The Conference Board, in collaboration with Ragan Communications. Common AI applications for marketers encompass content summarization, personalizing customer and user content, and enhancing customer service, as per their findings.
As social media experiences evolve, marketing executives must adjust their strategies, according to Weiss, "CMOs must refocus their customer acquisition and retention strategies."
Insights to Consider
- User Skepticism: The decline in consumer trust for AI-driven platforms may lead to a preference for brands that prioritize human interaction, fostering an 'acoustic' positioning to differentiate from AI-powered businesses perceived as impersonal and uniform.
- Shifts in Usage: The trend towards alternative social media platforms offering more privacy-focused and less intrusive experiences may emerge due to the growing consumer disenchantment with existing platforms.
- Influencer Marketing: With mounting investments in influencer marketing rather than digital ads, there will be a greater emphasis on partners offering authentic AI-bordering content that appeals to users' changing preferences.
- Preference for Short-form Video: The dominance of short-form video content will endure, with a focus on AI-curated content that enhances user interaction while maintaining privacy boundaries.
- Regulatory Scrutiny: Increased regulatory oversight of AI usage on social media may lead to improvements in transparency and accountability, potentially driving up user trust and retention.
- Digital Wellness: The propensity for digital wellness trends may speed up, with users seeking a balance between their social media usage and other aspects of life in light of growing awareness of the mental health impacts associated with excessive social media consumption.
- Consumers' growing skepticism towards AI-driven platforms might prompt a preference for brands that prioritize human interaction, creating an 'acoustic' positioning to differentiate from perceived impersonal and uniform AI-powered businesses.
- The shift in consumer usage could lead to the emergence of alternative social media platforms providing more privacy-focused and less intrusive experiences, addressing consumer disenchantment with existing platforms.
- As influencer marketing investments surge, there will be a greater emphasis on partners offering authentic AI-bordering content that aligns with users' evolving preferences.
- The dominance of short-form video content will persist, with a focus on AI-curated content that improves user interaction while maintaining privacy boundaries.
- Increased regulatory scrutiny of AI usage on social media might contribute to improvements in transparency and accountability, potentially driving user trust and retention.
- Digital wellness trends may accelerate as users seek a balanced approach to their social media usage and other aspects of life, in response to rising awareness of the mental health impacts associated with excessive social media consumption.
