An analysis of more than 910 million online mentions reveals a growing divide between consumers and brands on social media, according to new research from social media monitoring company Brandwatch. The “State of Social 2026” report, published September 24, 2025, identifies major shifts in consumer expectations and highlights how brands can understand social media dynamics.
Trust Emerges as Primary Social Currency
Trust has become the defining factor in online brand relationships, with “transparency” and “authenticity” driving consumer loyalty. Brandwatch’s analysis shows that brands initiate less than 1% of brand-related conversations online, with the remaining 99% occurring without brand involvement.
“When marketing promises don’t match reality, trust breaks down fast,” the report states, noting that mentions of “deinfluencing” increased 79% in 2025 as consumers actively discourage others from purchasing products that fail to meet expectations.
Hidden fees represent a particular friction point, with related mentions rising 40% in 2025 and 30% more new voices joining these conversations. Across industries, finance shows the highest negative sentiment in customer service discussions (36%), primarily driven by refund issues and payment problems.
Platform-Specific Consumer Expectations
The research identifies distinct consumer behaviors and expectations across major social platforms:
TikTok: User-generated content and community engagement are paramount, with Gen Z setting the trends for high engagement. Entertainment, cosmetics, and lifestyle brands have found particular success. Nescafé’s recent coffee campaign garnered 3.4 million video views by combining educational content with recipes that targeted younger audiences.
Instagram: Visual storytelling is in the lead, though consumers expect a balance between polished and authentic content. Retail, e-commerce, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), and fashion industries show the strongest performance. Trader Joe’s has built a 3-million-follower community through consistent visual storytelling and active comment engagement.
LinkedIn: Professional content and thought leadership drive engagement, particularly for finance, technology, Business-to-Business, and professional services. Articles, LinkedIn Live sessions, webinars, and case studies generate the highest interest, with millennials and Gen X as primary audiences.
Reddit: Person-to-person interactions are essential, with brands needing to participate in communities without overtly promoting themselves. In-depth text posts, infographics, and ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions drive engagement across all generations, though older users participate less frequently.
Digital Overload Drives Consumer Behavior Change
The report identifies digital fatigue as a major trend, with mentions of social media platforms being “fun” steadily declining since 2023. Mentions of anxiety in social media contexts increased 25% as users become more aware of connectivity’s impact on wellbeing.
Digital detox mentions grew 10% in the first half of 2025, with 32,300 new voices joining the conversation. Forward-thinking brands are responding by creating minimalist phones, hosting phone-free events, offering digital detox retreats, and encouraging screen-free socialization.
“There’s a massive opportunity to connect authentically by supporting consumers’ wellbeing rather than competing for their already-stretched attention,” the report notes.
Advertising Fatigue Shapes Consumer Response
More than half (54%) of ad-related online conversations express anger, with clickbait and intrusive advertising driving negative sentiment. Nearly 90% of clickbait mentions in 2025 were negative, indicating decreasing effectiveness of attention-grabbing, but low-value content.
“Ads aren’t doomed, but they do need to evolve,” the report states, highlighting consumer preference for ads that offer genuine value rather than interrupting experiences. The research reveals increased positivity toward transparent and relevant campaigns that respect viewer control.
Influencer Marketing Undergoes Transformation
Influencer conversations increased by 20% in early 2025, but consumers are increasingly pushing back against overly polished, sponsor-heavy content. Authenticity mentions in influencer discussions increased by 66%, indicating a consumer preference for genuine creators.
The finance sector shows the highest level of negativity toward influencers (40%), driven by concerns about their impact on financial decisions. Conversely, CPG influencer conversations are predominantly positive (24%), especially regarding micro-influencers.
“The contrast across sectors highlights that while trust and authenticity matter everywhere, the bar for credibility varies significantly by industry,” the report observes.
AI Integration Creates Opportunities and Concerns
AI adoption continues across industries, transforming customer expectations and business operations. The research shows strongest AI conversation growth in automotive (102.5%) and energy (98%) sectors.
Environmental impact represents a major concern, with more than 30,000 mentions linking AI’s energy consumption to climate issues, which is a 32% increase from the previous six months.
“Consumers want AI that solves real problems without compromising their trust, experience, or values,” the report notes, highlighting that successful brands position AI as empowering technology that enhances – rather than replaces – human interaction.
Brandwatch’s Implications for Brands
The report concludes that in 2026, successful marketers will:
Prioritize transparent business practices, especially regarding pricing and product capabilities.
Focus on creating stress-free customer experiences that make people feel valued.
Respect consumers’ digital boundaries and support wellbeing.
Create advertising that offers value rather than interruption.
Cultivate authentic influencer partnerships based on genuine brand alignment.
Position AI as an enhancement to human experiences rather than a replacement.
“With mentions of authentic influencer content up 66% and discussions around hidden fees growing 40%, consumers are clearly rewarding transparency and honesty,” the report summarizes. “Trust has become the real currency in online interactions.”
The findings suggest brands should adapt platform-specific strategies while maintaining consistent core values of transparency, authenticity, and consumer respect.
Brandwatch analyzed 910 million online posts collected through their Consumer Research platform between January 1 and June 30, 2025. Where relevant, researchers examined historical data back to January 2022 to identify longer-term trends. The analysis combined industry-specific queries with broader tracking of social media behavior and public perception.
Image credit: Brandwatch The full report is available here
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
An analysis of more than 910 million online mentions reveals a growing divide between consumers and brands on social media, according to new research from social media monitoring company Brandwatch. The “State of Social 2026” report, published September 24, 2025, identifies major shifts in consumer expectations and highlights how brands can understand social media dynamics.
Trust Emerges as Primary Social Currency
Trust has become the defining factor in online brand relationships, with “transparency” and “authenticity” driving consumer loyalty. Brandwatch’s analysis shows that brands initiate less than 1% of brand-related conversations online, with the remaining 99% occurring without brand involvement.
“When marketing promises don’t match reality, trust breaks down fast,” the report states, noting that mentions of “deinfluencing” increased 79% in 2025 as consumers actively discourage others from purchasing products that fail to meet expectations.
Hidden fees represent a particular friction point, with related mentions rising 40% in 2025 and 30% more new voices joining these conversations. Across industries, finance shows the highest negative sentiment in customer service discussions (36%), primarily driven by refund issues and payment problems.
Platform-Specific Consumer Expectations
The research identifies distinct consumer behaviors and expectations across major social platforms:
TikTok: User-generated content and community engagement are paramount, with Gen Z setting the trends for high engagement. Entertainment, cosmetics, and lifestyle brands have found particular success. Nescafé’s recent coffee campaign garnered 3.4 million video views by combining educational content with recipes that targeted younger audiences.
Instagram: Visual storytelling is in the lead, though consumers expect a balance between polished and authentic content. Retail, e-commerce, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), and fashion industries show the strongest performance. Trader Joe’s has built a 3-million-follower community through consistent visual storytelling and active comment engagement.
LinkedIn: Professional content and thought leadership drive engagement, particularly for finance, technology, Business-to-Business, and professional services. Articles, LinkedIn Live sessions, webinars, and case studies generate the highest interest, with millennials and Gen X as primary audiences.
Reddit: Person-to-person interactions are essential, with brands needing to participate in communities without overtly promoting themselves. In-depth text posts, infographics, and ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions drive engagement across all generations, though older users participate less frequently.
Digital Overload Drives Consumer Behavior Change
The report identifies digital fatigue as a major trend, with mentions of social media platforms being “fun” steadily declining since 2023. Mentions of anxiety in social media contexts increased 25% as users become more aware of connectivity’s impact on wellbeing.
Digital detox mentions grew 10% in the first half of 2025, with 32,300 new voices joining the conversation. Forward-thinking brands are responding by creating minimalist phones, hosting phone-free events, offering digital detox retreats, and encouraging screen-free socialization.
“There’s a massive opportunity to connect authentically by supporting consumers’ wellbeing rather than competing for their already-stretched attention,” the report notes.
Advertising Fatigue Shapes Consumer Response
More than half (54%) of ad-related online conversations express anger, with clickbait and intrusive advertising driving negative sentiment. Nearly 90% of clickbait mentions in 2025 were negative, indicating decreasing effectiveness of attention-grabbing, but low-value content.
“Ads aren’t doomed, but they do need to evolve,” the report states, highlighting consumer preference for ads that offer genuine value rather than interrupting experiences. The research reveals increased positivity toward transparent and relevant campaigns that respect viewer control.
Influencer Marketing Undergoes Transformation
Influencer conversations increased by 20% in early 2025, but consumers are increasingly pushing back against overly polished, sponsor-heavy content. Authenticity mentions in influencer discussions increased by 66%, indicating a consumer preference for genuine creators.
The finance sector shows the highest level of negativity toward influencers (40%), driven by concerns about their impact on financial decisions. Conversely, CPG influencer conversations are predominantly positive (24%), especially regarding micro-influencers.
“The contrast across sectors highlights that while trust and authenticity matter everywhere, the bar for credibility varies significantly by industry,” the report observes.
AI Integration Creates Opportunities and Concerns
AI adoption continues across industries, transforming customer expectations and business operations. The research shows strongest AI conversation growth in automotive (102.5%) and energy (98%) sectors.
Environmental impact represents a major concern, with more than 30,000 mentions linking AI’s energy consumption to climate issues, which is a 32% increase from the previous six months.
“Consumers want AI that solves real problems without compromising their trust, experience, or values,” the report notes, highlighting that successful brands position AI as empowering technology that enhances – rather than replaces – human interaction.
Brandwatch’s Implications for Brands
The report concludes that in 2026, successful marketers will:
“With mentions of authentic influencer content up 66% and discussions around hidden fees growing 40%, consumers are clearly rewarding transparency and honesty,” the report summarizes. “Trust has become the real currency in online interactions.”
The findings suggest brands should adapt platform-specific strategies while maintaining consistent core values of transparency, authenticity, and consumer respect.
Brandwatch analyzed 910 million online posts collected through their Consumer Research platform between January 1 and June 30, 2025. Where relevant, researchers examined historical data back to January 2022 to identify longer-term trends. The analysis combined industry-specific queries with broader tracking of social media behavior and public perception.
Image credit: Brandwatch
The full report is available here
Checkout Our Latest Podcast