Survey Shows Consumer Preference for Original Brand Content

Recent findings from Sprout Social point to conflicting consumer expectations about brand activity on social platforms. Audiences appear to favor distinctive material over automated outputs yet still require brands to reflect current online conversations.

A Q3 survey indicated that 33 percent of respondents see originality in brand posts as a primary reason to prefer one brand over others on social media. This factor ranked second only to the perceived quality of the brand's products or services.

The same survey showed that 84 percent of consumers consider it necessary for brands to stay current with online culture in their social media efforts.

Characteristics of Original Content

Original social posts avoid direct repetition of viral memes, common visual styles, or repeated interpretations of trends. These posts function independently of broader internet context and do not require prior knowledge from viewers.

Such content typically delivers entertainment, education, or both, presented from a viewpoint unique to the brand. It relies on human storytelling elements that automated tools cannot easily match and often appears in episodic formats with consistent narratives or recurring elements.

Examples include series that draw from real-life situations or present straightforward interviews tied to the brand's focus.

Brands face challenges in reaching audiences amid high platform saturation. Distinctive content provides one route to improved visibility and longer-term audience connections.

What this means for marketers

Marketers can evaluate ways to combine selective trend references with brand-specific storytelling to address both reported consumer priorities.