How Emplifi’s CMO Susan Ganeshan Is Powering the Future of Social Media Engagement

1. How does an organization's social media strategy align with the finding that consumers primarily follow brands to stay informed about products/product updates?

Consumers primarily follow brands on social media to stay informed about products, but their expectations go beyond just updates. They’re looking for education, inspiration, and proof of product quality. That’s why an effective social strategy must deliver consistent, value-driven content that speaks to each of these needs. At Emplifi, we empower brands to scale this approach; enabling teams to collaborate across markets and product lines, supported by AI for scale, to deliver timely, relevant content and measure its impact. The brands that succeed are those that use social not just to promote, but to educate, engage, and build lasting trust.

2. With Instagram Reels and TikToks accounting for brand posts, are content strategies adapting to prioritize short-form video content? 

With Instagram Reels and TikTok videos now representing a significant portion of branded content, brands must evolve their content strategies to prioritize short-form video as a high-impact tool for reach and engagement. Consumers increasingly crave authenticity and fast, value-driven interactions. In fact, short, unpolished content is one of the top ways to win attention, according to recent findings.

To meet this demand, brands should focus on producing concise, visually compelling videos that highlight product features, showcase customer stories, share practical tips, and deliver data-informed insights. (Or finding these online with the help of AI based technology that can identify user generated content for you.) These formats are uniquely positioned to capture attention within seconds and convey clear value, making them highly effective across both B2C and time-constrained B2B audiences. By optimizing content for platforms like Reels and TikTok, brands can meet consumers where they spend time while maintaining the relevance and credibility today's audiences expect.

3. What initiatives are being implemented to increase audience engagement?

To increase audience engagement, brands should focus on creating content that sparks interaction, feels personal, and offers immediate value. Insights from our report show that consumers today want authenticity, entertainment, and a real sense of connection - not just polished marketing messages. This means moving away from one-size-fits-all messaging and tailoring content to what your audience actually wants to see, whether that’s quick how-to videos, behind-the-scenes looks, user-generated content, or timely, relevant conversations.

Since short, unpolished content wins attention, formats like short-form video, polls, questions, and stories often drive stronger engagement than static posts. Additionally, encouraging and sharing user-generated content builds trust and deepens audience connection. A/B testing different approaches can help uncover what resonates most.

Ultimately, the goal is to create content that invites participation, not just passive consumption. The more your audience feels seen, heard, and inspired to respond, the more meaningful your engagement will be.

4. The report indicates that 70% of consumers will abandon a brand after just two negative experiences, what strategies can brands have in place to monitor and improve customer interactions on social media?

The report highlights that 70% of consumers will abandon a brand after just two negative experiences, making it critical for brands to proactively monitor and improve customer interactions on social media. To address this, brands should implement real-time social listening to ensure no customer question, concern, or mention goes unnoticed. Leveraging AI-powered sentiment analysis helps detect shifts in customer mood early, enabling brands to flag potential issues and quickly escalate them to the right teams, whether for product improvements or crisis management. With technology it is possible to leave no stone unturned.

Brands can also benefit from streamlining social customer care through automation. Tools that support pre-populated responses for frequently asked questions and automated case management enable teams to respond faster, possibly achieving the ever allusive “first contact resolution”, and more consistently.

For example, Emplifi’s solutions have helped clients reduce handling times by over 80% and increase resolved cases more than tenfold, demonstrating how these strategies can translate into real business results. Adopting such approaches not only improves customer experience but also builds long-term loyalty by preventing negative interactions from escalating.

5. How should organizations calculate and interpret social media engagement rates to inform strategic decisions?

Engagement rate is ultimately a summary metric that aggregates many different interactions: likes, comments, shares, clicks - and serves as one piece of a larger puzzle. While it provides a quick snapshot of how content is performing, it’s important for brands to view it alongside deeper analysis of conversations and sentiment on social media. Together, these insights can guide strategic decisions beyond content creation, such as identifying emerging customer needs, uncovering potential product issues early, and inspiring innovation.

By interpreting engagement rates in context, brands can make more informed choices about where to focus marketing efforts, how to refine messaging, and when to pivot their strategy in response to audience feedback. This holistic approach ensures social media data drives smarter decisions across marketing, customer experience, and product development, helping brands build stronger connections and stay ahead of evolving consumer expectations.

6. What plans are in place to innovate your social media strategy to stay ahead of emerging trends and consumer behaviors in 2025?

Looking ahead, AI will play a crucial role in shaping social media strategies. As we move into 2025, brands will increasingly rely on AI to analyze audience behavior, identify trending topics, and predict the types of content that will resonate with specific segments. This technology will empower marketers to deliver hyper-targeted content, optimize posting times for maximum engagement, and create dynamic, personalized creatives. AI will also enhance customer interactions; whether through smarter product recommendations in DMs or AI-generated replies that maintain brand authenticity. Ultimately, AI will enable brands to engage at scale to meet the increasing demand without adding staff while keeping interactions personal and meaningful, making it the cornerstone of social media success in 2025.

At Emplifi, we’re already leading the way in providing the technology that enables marketers to leverage AI-driven insights, optimize content creation, and elevate customer engagement. Moving forward, we will continue to enhance our solutions, helping brands stay ahead of emerging trends and evolving consumer behaviors, while delivering even more personalized and impactful experiences for their audiences.

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