social

Every agency’s guide to

Contents A (very brief) intro
03 Challenges in the new social scene Short on time? We’ll keep this brief. As well as bringing
you up to speed on the latest shifts in the social scene,
this guide will explain:
09 Insight-led channel planning
How and where to reach your audience

16 Insight-led content strategy What social content your audience wants to see

How to get more ROI from social, even on a budget

22 Agency success story: YW Istanbul
‘Nuff said. Let’s jump right into it.

24 Key takeaways

Every agency’s guide to social 02

 #mood
Challenges in the
new social scene
(And how to turn them into opportunities)

Every agency’s guide to social 03

 We’ve entered a dizzying new era
Let’s be real, the state of marketing where things are shift-

of play has changed ing so rapidly, it’s near impossible to

know what’s next. New AI is shaking
up the creative world at large. And
AI is transformative,
on social media, tired consumers
but human-centered
Time and budgets are tight feel increasingly disconnected from
principles and priorities
brands. Who can they trust in a world
must come first.
Competition is fierce of fake news and misinformation?

Retaining talent is trickier AI has huge benefits for agencies,

but with spammy content on the
Speed of change is exponential rise, it’s getting harder to cut through
the noise. Authenticity and person-
ROI is a promise you have to keep alization matter more than ever in DARON SHARPS,
reaching and engaging your social Pinterest, Global thought
leadership research lead
audience, so put that all-important
“human” element at the heart of
everything you do.

Every agency’s guide to social 04

 Gen Z spend the
most time on social
Turning challenges media daily, averaging
2 hrs 51 mins globally
into opportunities – but they’re the only
generation whose
use has declined

Challenge: Opportunity:
The attention economy Do more, with less

Sluggish growth suggests time online You only need to know two things to
has plateaued, with time on social win and keep consumers’ attention –
declining in 36/48 global markets where and how they’re spending their
(since Q1 2022). Meanwhile, you’re time on social. Focus your marketing
up against thousands of brands (and efforts on what they want, and you’ll
bots) fighting for people’s attention. cut through the noise in half the time.

Every agency’s guide to social 05

 Challenge:
The rise of AI
We’re leaning on AI
Generative AI like ChatGPT is useful and big data to help
for marketers, but consumer opin- us understand social
ions are mixed. 68% of ChatGPT us- media chatter, how
ers would use it over a search engine audiences perceive
for queries, while 43% don’t think it’s a a particular brand,
reliable tool they can use consistently. or what they’re saying
about a client we’re
working for – or their
competitors.
Opportunity:
Speed up ideation

AI is changing the world as we know

it, so get on board or get left behind.
From pitch prep to strategic con-
tent planning, use AI-powered tools MATT OAKLEY,
to gather data and get the creative Global head of data and
juices flowing in half the time. analytics, Hotwire Global

Every agency’s guide to social 06

 Want insights in a flash?
Challenge: Try instant charts
Inclusive marketing
Powered by OpenAI, our new instant
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) charts tool generates rich, reliable
is a growing social issue, with ques- consumer data on any search query
tions raised around representation in seconds.
in ads. Pay attention: audiences are
unlikely to engage with or trust brands
who they don’t feel represent them. Try it now

Opportunity:
Build trust with engaging content
Baby boomers have
Many brands with Gen Z tunnel vision huge spending capacity,
are letting other valuable audiences yet less than 1 in 10
slip through the net. Be open-minded feel represented in the
and validate your target audience. advertising they see
Wouldn’t it be nice to uncover mar-
ket opportunities you didn’t expect?

Every agency’s guide to social 07

Challenge:
The cookieless future

Relying heavily on social platform data

to target users, track trends, and cus-
tomize client strategies? Time to rethink.
Alongside cookie withdrawal, growing
online privacy concerns mean more
brands are being boxed out. You want people
to engage with your
ads, rather than
feel like they can’t
Opportunity: escape them.
Get answers first-hand

Without tracking tools, how do you All that’s very well and good. But
know what consumers want? Just how can you ace your client’s social
ask. With a window into their minds, media strategy and connect with
first-party audience research gives you consumers in an authentic way?
an edge over competitors and the tools Spoiler: It all starts with knowing HANNAH RICHARDSON,
Group manager in ad
to lead the conversation on social. your audience. research and insights,
Snap Inc.

Book a demo

Every agency’s guide to social 08

Insight-led
channel
planning

Every agency’s guide to social 09

Plan like Here’s an example...

you mean it
Millennials Gen Z

Step 2:
86 43
We all know this – before deciding % more likely than Gen Z % more likely than millennials
where to invest in social media, you Compare and contrast to say Facebook is their to say Instagram is their
need to know who your client’s target favorite platform favorite platform
audience is, which channels they use, Use first-party consumer data to
and why. And you need solid data to
prove it. Follow these easy steps to
map out your client’s ideal target au-
dience. The more insights you piece
16 % more likely than Gen Z
to follow contacts relevant
to their work
34 % more likely than millennials
to follow gaming experts
or studios
uncover all the answers you need. together, the better you understand

12 13
where people spend their time, their % more likely than Gen Z to % more likely than millennials
unique characteristics, and what have used a Buy Now Pay to use social media to
they want from you as a brand. Later service last week find content

Step 1: By identifying key points of differen- Source: GWI Core Q1 2023 • Base: 53,133 Gen Z aged 16-26 and 72,071 millennials aged 27-40 outside of China

Ditch your assumptions tiation between audiences as well as

what they care about, you’ll spot op- Both audiences are prime targets your brand on social media, while
Forget everything you think you know portunities to create more tailored for social commerce, but how you’ll probably catch millennials
about consumers. Without fresh in- posts and connect on a deeper lev- you might reach them is different. with a well-placed Google ad, or
sights into audience attitudes and el. Back up your research with social Gen Z are likely to stumble across SEO-friendly blog content.
behavior on social media, there’s no platform data for a best-of-both
point in advertising there. view of your client’s target market.

Every agency’s guide to social 10

 What’s each generation’s
favorite social platform?

Step 3: Gen Alpha: 23% TikTok 18% Instagram

Step 4:
Choose the right channels Deliver the content your
audience expects to see
Build a social media presence on
Gen Z: 29% Instagram 19% WhatsApp
the channels your client’s target Authenticity is key, so consider how
audience actually uses – as many your client’s brand values, tone of
as you can reasonably manage to voice, and messaging fits each chan-
maximize visibility and reach. Millennials: 21% WhatsApp 21% Facebook nel, and the content your client’s tar-
get audience expects in their feed.
But be realistic. One standout post Don’t be afraid to test and learn.
on a single platform is better than Gen X: 24% WhatsApp 22% Facebook
ten sloppy ones across the board, so Fuel your strategy with consum-
factor in time, budget, and resource er insights to craft relevant content
before you commit. Baby boomers: 26% WhatsApp 23% Facebook that taps into their interests, tells a
compelling story, and drives action.
Each audience is unique, and our
generational analysis shows why it’s Source: GWI Core Q1 2023 and GWI Kids Q1 2023
worth digging deeper. Base: 216,646 internet users aged 16-64 outside of China
and 19,025 kids aged 13-15 in 17 markets

Every agency’s guide to social 11

 Top reasons for using social media
% of social media users in each generation who say they mainly use social media for the following reasons
Why do consumers
use social media? 55% Talking to 51% Seeing what
Gen Alpha 51% Finding funny posts
family and friends my friends are doing

Across the board, staying in touch with friends

and family is the top reason for using social 46% Keeping in touch
– which is proof that despite the snowstorm Gen Z 42% Filling spare time 34% Finding content
with friends and family
of marketing content flooding our feeds, so-
cial media’s original purpose hasn’t been lost.
People still crave human connection with oth-
49% Keeping in touch
ers, especially loved ones. Millennials 38% Filling spare time 36% Reading news stories
with friends and family

Older groups also tend to follow news stories

on social channels, with younger groups more
55% Keeping in touch
interested in busting boredom. Gen Z stand out Gen X 39% Reading news stories 36% Filling spare time
with friends and family
for using social media to find fresh content,
while Gen Alpha are here for a laugh. #FOMO
is real, so send your best memes their way.
60% Keeping in touch
Baby boomers 41% Reading news stories 34% Filling spare time
with friends and family

Source: GWI Core Q1 2023 and GWI Kids Q1 2023 • Base: 225,744 social media users aged 16-64 and 10,577 social media users aged 12-15

Every agency’s guide to social 12

Top ways to discover new brands/products
% of consumers in each generation who typically find Traditional marketing is still an
out about new brands and products via the following
integral piece of the puzzle. For in-
stance, TV advertising strikes a chord
Gen Z Millennials with most audiences today.

29% Social media ads 31% Search engines Older generations are likely to discov-
er new products and brands through
28% Search engines 30% TV ads search engines and word-of-mouth
recommendations from those they
26% TV ads 29% Social media ads
trust, while targeted social ads are
landing with younger groups.

Digging deeper into the “most dis-

Gen X Baby boomers tinctive” methods of brand dis-
covery, Gen Z are 30% more likely
35% TV ads 39% TV ads than the average consumer to find
brands through vlogs. And despite
Recommendations the de-influencing trend, millen-
35% Search engines 36%
from friends/family
nials are 9% more likely than the
Recommendations average consumer to find brands
32% 36% Search engines
from friends/family through celebrity endorsements.

Source: GWI Core Q1 2023 • Base: 241,138 internet users aged 16-64

Every agency’s guide to social 13

 Amazingly, Gen Z stand out for be- How does each generation research brands?
ing the only audience to use social
% of consumers in each generation who mainly use the following
networks as a go-to search tool when looking for more information about brands, products, or services
over traditional search engines.

Social networks Search engines Consumer reviews Product/brand sites

It’s also clear reviews are persuasive,
so find ways to amplify brand trust.
You could share videos, run compe- Gen Z Gen X
titions in exchange for user-generat-
ed content, or simply follow up with
shoppers to request product reviews. 39%

Generational segments aren’t the

only way to slice and dice your cli- 50% 45% 33% 55% 38%
ent’s audience. You could segment
by region, interests, social media
activity, or even the brands they’ve Millennials Baby boomers
bought from in the last 6 months.
It’s up to you. The lesson here? Focus
on audience preferences when de-
42%
ciding how to target them, and don’t 48%
be afraid to think outside the box.

50% 36% 60% 39%

Source: GWI Core Q1 2023 • Base: 241,138 internet users aged 16-64

Every agency’s guide to social 14

#busted
Social myths,

Older audiences aren’t consumers’ top three across gen-

worth targeting erations. You might assume new
Baby boomers are actually spend- platforms help you reach rare au-
ing more time on their smartphones diences, but it’s just not true (e.g.
and social media than ever before 8 in 10 BeReal users say they have a
– especially TikTok. Could they be Facebook account).
the next generation of influencers?
Possibly. And their huge spending Offline advertising won’t work
capacity means you’d be mad to ig- You might think print ads are point-
nore them. less for strategy, and we get why. But
with 25% of baby boomers/Gen X
Text-based platforms finding new brands through in-store
are dying out product displays or promotions, it’s
Don’t rule traditional platforms out. actually worth considering if you
Overall, Facebook is still the most want to reach older groups. Could a
widely used social app, ranking in retail activation work for your client?

Every agency’s guide to social 15

Insight-led
content
strategy
(For max ROI, obvs)

Every agency’s guide to social 16

 What content works best on social?
% of social media users on these platforms who want to see the following types of content on the service
Keep crowd-
pleasing Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter Discord LinkedIn Reddit Snapchat YouTube

content on tap Funny 44 50 60 33 33 12 38 41 51

Informative 42 41 32 53 34 60 54 24 54
Creative 35 46 45 31 31 26 36 37 46
So you’ve uncovered your client’s
Relevant 33 33 27 36 31 40 39 24 36
ideal target audience, now it’s time
to connect with them in an authen- Relaxing 33 37 37 25 26 14 26 30 41
tic, memorable way. Forget one-off Engaging 31 36 33 30 36 29 37 31 38
likes. Here’s how to create quality Inspirational 29 36 30 27 21 34 25 22 37
content that wins hearts, builds trust,
Exciting 28 34 34 26 28 18 26 31 38
and opens a tab with your audience
on social media. Personable 27 27 25 22 27 25 25 26 25
Helpful 27 28 27 24 25 36 40 18 44
Trendy 23 35 32 29 19 16 25 30 27
Community-driven 22 18 16 23 41 29 34 17 17
Heartwarming 22 23 21 17 18 12 20 21 24
Inclusive 18 21 23 20 24 24 24 19 20

Source: GWI Zeitgeist April 2023 • Base: 13,467 social media users in 11 countries aged 16-64

Every agency’s guide to social 17

#omgme 6 ways to ace your strategy
(without upping spend)

1 I nspire an “OMG me!” moment

We’ve all sent a meme or video 3  ap into the creator economy
T
Consumers are willing to pay for
to a friend with a one word mes- content they value. Established
sage: “me”. Personalize content creators with engaged follow-
and make it relatable for maxi- ers can help diversify revenue
mum shareability. streams via:

• Offering subscriptions

2  o viral
G
Is your goal driving brand aware- • Posting sponsored content
ness and engagement? Break
the rules. Create targeted ads • Enabling fans to send virtual
that spark debate, but keep it tips to their fave creators
light to avoid backlash.

Every agency’s guide to social 18

4  atch and learn
W
Short-form video makes it easy
for audiences to digest informa-
tion – crucial in today’s attention
economy. Be playful and experi-
ment with it.

5  ive audio your attention

G
The format’s gaining mega
traction with Gen Z right now.
Customers could use it to ask
questions or share feedback for
a personalized experience.

6  eep it real with

K
paid partnerships
Over half of consumers think
celebs should only endorse prod-
56% of Gen Z/millennials
ucts relevant to their lifestyle, so
say they follow influencers
consider working with the “influ-
who have the same beliefs
encer next door” instead.
or values as them

Every agency’s guide to social 19

Lessons from the pros
What better way to build trust and Skims: Encouraging
engage audiences authentically than user-generated content
talking about the things they love? American shapewear brand Skims
Here are three examples of brands posts videos of real people show-
who understood the brief. casing their products on their TikTok
channel, showing their clothes on On Reddit, our 100,000+
USA Today: Adding value real bodies and building trust among communities are deep
beyond attention-grabbing customers. Bravo. and passionate, and
Editorial franchises Humankind they’re excited when
and Problem Solved pump out Duolingo: Using humor brands love what they
social media marketing that hits to maximize shareability love as much as they do.
the spot. Using vertical video con- The popular language app’s TikTok
tent, these brands decided to ditch strategy aims to tickle your funny
news coverage for feel-good mes- bone. Thinking outside the box, but
sages and life hacks. still centered around their familiar owl
mascot, they create super relatable
content that’s also bang on brand.
ROB GAIGE,
Director of global
insights at Reddit

Every agency’s guide to social 20

#busted
Social myths, Want more juicy insights
like this straight to your
inbox? It’s all in our weekly
newsletter, On the dot.

Subscribe now
Videos have to be short
Reel talk: Short-form video is popu-
lar, but you don’t have to use it for
everything. Outside of China, 62%
of BeReal users also use YouTube. As
long as you’re creating quality video
content, people will watch it - even if
it’s longer. Trend in action

People don’t care about The minimalist hashtag

influencers anymore #QuietLuxury has scored
With people more wary of being sold over 100M TikTok views.
to, we’re seeing a shift away from Despite rising modesty
glam celebrity endorsements to real among consumers, they’re
people sharing honest reviews and still turning to social media
inspirational content. Trusted voic- for product research and
es can be a powerful source of ROI inspo. Influencing is low-
for brands, so use them to speak up. key these days.

Every agency’s guide to social 21

Agency success story

Increasing monthly post

interactions by 7.6K% with
audience segmentation The challenge

Following drops in new followers and

The action

Building an audience in GWI, the

audience interactions on Instagram agency generated insights on brand
and Facebook, creative digital agen- advocacy, purchase journey, and
cy YW Istanbul needed to find a way online discovery channels to identify
to connect its client Bizim Mutfak Bizim Mutfak’s potential customers
with its target audience. Developing under 5 main persona groups. They
a media plan to help them create recruited an expert chef to make tra-
an online community was key, but ditional recipes with Bizim Mutfak
7 years with paper surveys more common, products, then rolled out a media
the Turkey-based food brand was plan tailored to each persona group,
struggling to gather intel about their publishing posts matching their in-
58 people
online consumers. terests on specific days at times with
the highest interaction potential. No
40+ awards strangers to using data to drive suc-
cess, the team saw an immediate
surge in followers and engagement.

Every agency’s guide to social 22

 Defining our audiences,
The result determining the content types that
users consume on Instagram via
GWI, and observing the changes
7.6K% increase in post interactions
in the number of followers and
interactions day by day using our
2.5M page interactions
social media tracking tool were
2.5M post interactions
the most fundamental elements
of this campaign’s success.
1M users reached (up from 152K)
SELIN ERGIN ACAR,
Digital media manager at YW Istanbul

19K Instagram views (up from 955)

1.5K new followers

Every agency’s guide to social 23

Key takeaways
Consumers crave trust in a tech- • Profile the right audiences
driven world and so should you.
Weaving reliable social and sur- • Plan with the right insights
vey data together helps you make
smarter decisions, as these golden • Post on the right channels
insights tell you exactly what your
client’s target audience wants, and • Prove the ROI
how to serve it up with sprinkles on
their favorite social platforms. That’s how you stay ahead of emerg-
ing trends and create winning cam-
If you remember nothing else from paigns with a “wow” factor. And if
this guide, remember the 4 Ps of anything changes overnight? You’ll
successful social media strategy: be the first to know. Go get ‘em, tiger.

Every agency’s guide to social 24

Want fresh audience
insights on tap?
See what GWI can do for you.
Book a free demo

Every agency’s guide to social 25

Notes on methodology

All figures in this report are drawn proportion of respondents com-

from GWI’s online research among plete a shorter version of this survey
internet users aged 16-64. Our fig- via mobile; hence the sample sizes
ures are representative of the on- presented in the charts may differ
line populations of each market, as some will include all respond-
not its total population. Note that ents, and others will include only
in many markets in Latin America, respondents who completed GWI’s
the Middle East and Africa, and Core survey via PC/laptop/tablet.
the Asia-Pacific region, low internet
penetration rates can mean that When reading this report, please
online populations are more young, note that we use a mixture of data
urban, affluent, and educated than from our ongoing global quarterly
the total population. research, GWI Zeitgeist, and GWI
Kids. GWI Zeitgeist is a monthly re-
Each year, GWI interviews over contact study of Core that we car-
950,000 internet users aged 16-64 ry out in 12 markets. And GWI Kids
in 52 countries via an online ques- represents 8-15 year-old internet us-
tionnaire for our Core data set. A ers in 18 markets.

Every agency’s guide to social 26

© GWI 2023