The future of social media marketing is set to be increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence (AI). According to Capterra’s 2024 GenAI for Social Content Survey, which surveyed over 1,600 social media marketers worldwide, businesses plan to use generative AI (GenAI) for an average of 48% of their social media content by 2026, up from 39% in 2024.

Key Findings from the Survey

• Global Adoption of GenAI:

  • Leading Regions: Countries like Canada, Australia, the U.S., and Brazil are currently at the forefront of GenAI usage for social content. Over the next 18 months, significant increases are expected in the U.K., Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Spain.
  • Language Advantage: The predominance of English-language internet content has given English-speaking countries a head start in utilizing GenAI tools.

• Benefits Driving GenAI Adoption:

  • Enhanced Productivity: GenAI streamlines workflows, aids in idea generation, automates routine tasks, and creates personalized content. Nearly 90% of businesses using GenAI for social content report moderate to significant time savings.
  • Increased Engagement: 73% of businesses have seen increased engagement and impressions from GenAI-assisted content, with 49% stating that GenAI-assisted content performs better than human-created content.
  • Cost Savings: Businesses are enthusiastic about the potential of GenAI to enhance productivity and save costs, while also fostering human creativity.

• Challenges and Concerns:

  • Maintaining Authenticity: 43% of businesses cite maintaining authenticity as a top challenge, followed by ensuring AI-generated content resonates with audiences (35%).
  • Misinformation Risks: 94% of businesses worry about the potential for GenAI to spread misinformation, necessitating significant oversight to ensure quality and accuracy.
  • Value of Human Creativity: 40% of businesses question the value of human input in the age of GenAI, highlighting concerns about maintaining the balance between AI and human creativity.

Expert Insights

• Molly Burke, Senior Marketing Analyst at Capterra:
  • "The need for human supervision remains critical, as errors and issues such as factual inaccuracies, plagiarism, and bias are common. Businesses must practice a human-in-the-loop strategy, ensuring human review and editing of AI-generated content before publication."

Best Practices for Implementing GenAI Safely and Effectively

1. Establish Formal Policies:

   • Align stakeholders on use cases and best practices to ensure safety, legal compliance, and brand alignment.

2. Adopt a Human-in-the-Loop Strategy:

   • Ensure human review and editing of AI-generated content to maintain quality and accuracy.

3. Utilize Internal and External Metrics:

   • Measure GenAI effectiveness to track performance and understand its true cost and impact on employee morale.

4. Navigate Challenges and Benefits:

   • As businesses increase their investment in GenAI, they must navigate its challenges and benefits, ensuring the technology supports rather than replaces human marketers.

The future of social media marketing is poised for transformation with the increasing adoption of GenAI. While businesses stand to gain significantly in terms of productivity, engagement, and cost savings, they must also address the challenges of maintaining authenticity and preventing misinformation. By establishing robust policies and integrating human oversight, businesses can leverage GenAI responsibly and effectively, ensuring it enhances rather than diminishes the value of human creativity.