UK Social Media: Engaging with Brands Market Report 2024

Topics Analysed in this Report

• Trends in the use of the major social media platforms.
• Key launches by the major social media platforms.
• Exploration of who follows brands on major social media platforms.
• Types of social media adverts people are most likely to click on.
• Interest in using the major social media platforms for researching purchases.
• Interest in using AI on social media during the purchase journey.
• Attitudes towards AI use in advertising.

UK Social Media Market Overview

Improving financial confidence has created better conditions for advertising and social commerce, with people more likely to make purchases from social media. The spread of AI misinformation on social media has been particularly challenging for smaller brands, with consumers doubtful over whether to believe what they are see.

• Consumer attitudes: 38% of consumers believe that AI will have a positive impact on their lives.

Opportunities for Brands in the UK Social Media Market

Be upfront about AI advertising

It will be crucial for brands to be upfront about the use of AI and fully labelling an AI advert. The best way to avoid criticism will be to provide reasoning behind the purpose of using AI, such as creativity, storytelling, and imagery that wouldn’t be possible without the technology.

• UK social media market consumer behaviour: 53% of social media users are worried about brands/companies using AI in social media advertising

Personalised and controlled adverts

Some platforms offer quite a lot of control over adverts. YouTube, for example, enables people to select which topics they want to see more of, as well as the brands they want to block. Social media can captialise on this trend by offering consumers the chance to select topics they want more of and connecting appropriate brands to consumers.

• UK social media market statistics: 50% of social media users want to select the advert topics they are shown on social media.

Purchase our UK Social Media: Engaging with Brands Report to receive a five-year forecast, consumer behaviour analysis, and recommendations for market opportunities. Readers of this report may also be interested in our UK Social Media: Influencers Market Report 2024, or our range of Social Media Market Research.

Brands Featured in the Full Report

TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Pintrest, Netflix, Snapchat, Threads, Twitch, and many more.

Additional Features Included with Your Purchase

• Interactive Databook: Each Databook is provided as an interactive website where you can deep dive into our consumer research data on your chosen topic so you can draw your own conclusions.
• Consumer Confidence Tracker: Our Trackers paint the picture of the economic confidence and major concerns of up to 40 different demographics, tracking changes in attitudes over time.
• Custom PowerPoints: Incorporate our consumer research data into your own work so you can win over your clients and stakeholders. Select insights from your report to create a custom presentation that is ready to download in minutes.
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• Mintel’s Clients Portal: Our portal provides instant access to actionable analysis, podcasts, and trend pieces relevant to your industry that are published almost daily, as well as our annual Global Consumer Trends. You can also browse our extensive catalogue of market research reports.

Expert Insights from a Media Analyst

This report, written by Rebecca McGrath, a leading research analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight trends in the online grocery market and add expert context to the numbers.