- New research finds that social media is the number one source for holiday gift inspiration for Gen Z and Millennials
- 73% of shoppers plan to contact a brand on social media this holiday season
- A large majority of consumers are comfortable with companies using AI to deliver better customer care
New research from Sprout Social (NASDAQ: SPT), an industry-leading provider of social media management and analytics software, reveals that social media is a leading hub for shopping, customer care, and product discovery around peak retail season. The Q4 2025 Pulse Survey highlights how authentic, human-driven content and customer care outperform automation, offering brands clear strategies to capture revenue as we enter the peak of the gift-giving season.
The survey finds that 80% of shoppers plan to use social media as much, or more, than last year to find holiday gifts. Among Gen Z and Millennials, social media is now the #1 source for holiday gift inspiration; across all consumers it ranks second only to in-store shopping. When asked where they seek product ideas, 45% of respondents cited social media, ahead of friends and family (35%), TV (26%), review sites (22%) and AI chatbots (12%). The data also reveals a shift in trust: user-generated comments (38%) now slightly surpass influencer recommendations (35%) as the most trusted form of social gifting input.
The $1.5 trillion social commerce market has put social media at the center of discovery, purchasing and, unsurprisingly, customer care. The report shows that 73% of shoppers plan to contact a brand via social this holiday season, and the majority expect fast, personalized responses. Sixty-nine percent of consumers, and 78% of Gen Z and Millennials, are comfortable with companies using AI to deliver faster and more personalized social customer care, making the strategic use of AI chatbots critical for scaling care efforts and maintaining a competitive edge during the holiday rush.
“We know social media has become the hub for commerce, but seeing it emerge as the number one source of holiday gift inspiration among younger consumers truly underscores its influence,” said Scott Morris, Chief Marketing Officer at Sprout Social. “To reach these audiences, brands need to be present across diverse social platforms—delivering relatable content, authentic engagement and responsive care. AI can help scale care and creativity, positioning brands to show up more meaningfully in more places. The holidays are the perfect moment to refine strategies, reach new audiences and build momentum for the year ahead.”
Looking to 2026, the Q4 2025 Pulse Survey signals a crucial pivot for brands where authenticity is no longer a point of differentiation, but a prerequisite. Human-generated content is the number-one priority for users next year; almost 90% of consumers feel brands do a decent job of listening on social, yet 55% believe brands don’t do enough to act on those insights. Data privacy and ad control top the list of platform issues for users heading into 2026, and Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok remain the networks users plan to engage with more or for the first time. Brands that align on authenticity, responsiveness and platform strategy stand to lead the next wave of social commerce.
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