50% will abandon or significantly limit their social media interactions by 2025

In a report released this week, Gartner unveiled its key marketing predictions for 2024 and beyond, outlining the challenges and opportunities that marketers will face in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Key findings

• 50% of consumers will abandon or significantly limit their social media interactions by 2025. The report found that the current state of social media has worsened compared to previous years, with consumers citing the spread of misinformation, toxic user bases, and the prevalence of bots as major concerns. This shift in consumer behavior will have a significant impact on the way marketers engage with their audiences.
• 20% of brands will lean into positioning and differentiation based on the absence of AI in their business and products by 2027. While AI is widely used in marketing, some consumers are becoming increasingly wary of AI-powered experiences. Brands that can successfully position themselves as human-centric and ethical will be well-positioned to attract these consumers.
• 80% of advanced creative roles will be tasked with harnessing GenAI to achieve differentiated results by 2026. GenAI, or generative AI, has the potential to revolutionize marketing by enabling brands to create personalized and engaging content at scale. Marketers will need to develop the skills and resources to harness GenAI effectively in order to remain competitive.
• Brands’ organic search traffic will decrease by 50% or more as consumers embrace generative AI-powered search by 2028. The rapid adoption of GenAI in search engines will disrupt traditional organic search strategies. Marketers will need to adapt their SEO efforts to account for this shift.
• 60% of CMOs will invest in content authenticity technology, enhanced monitoring, and brand-endorsed user-generated content (UGC) to protect their brands from GenAI-fueled deception by 2026. As content created with GenAI tools becomes more prevalent, it will be increasingly important for marketers to ensure that their content is authentic and trustworthy.

Implications for marketing professionals

• Marketers must understand the changing preferences of consumers and adapt their strategies accordingly.
• Marketers must embrace the potential of GenAI while also addressing the ethical concerns that some consumers have raised.
• Marketers must invest in technologies that will help them to protect their brands and ensure the authenticity of their content.

“Social media remains the top investment channel for digital marketing, but consumers are actively trying to limit their use,” said Emily Weiss, Senior Principal Researcher in the Gartner Marketing Practice. “A significant slice says that, compared to a few years ago, they are sharing less of their own lives and content. As the nature of social media use and the experience of the platforms changes, CMOs must refocus their customer acquisition and loyalty retention strategies in response.”