The news: When it comes to 2026 priorities on social platforms, consumers and brands are misaligned.

• Social media users want human-generated content to be brands’ No. 1 priority, but marketers name AI-generated content as a top investment area, per Sprout Social’s 2026 Social Media Content Strategy Report.
• Consumers’ second-place choice is personalized customer service, but this doesn’t show up as a top priority for marketers at all.

Marketers and consumers do agree, however, when it comes to “audience engagement in small digital spaces,” which falls in the top five for both parties.

Digging into the data: 8 in 10 social media users plan to interact with brands the same amount they do now or more in 2026. That engagement interest is especially strong on unconventional platforms like WhatsApp and Pinterest.

• High focus on small digital spaces comes into play on WhatsApp, where half (52%) of all social users have an account and 49% of those consumers interact with brands multiple times per week on the channel.
• Pinterest is one of the places consumers least mind brands popping up, with 70% of its users—and 78% of Gen Z users—interacting with brand content there weekly, second only to YouTube.

Why it matters: The gap between what consumers want and where marketers are investing risks diminishing returns on spend.

If brands overprioritize genAI content while underinvesting in authentic and personalized content and customer service, they could erode trust and engagement rather than build it. A lack of human touch could mean marketers’ attempts to chase efficiency with genAI will fall flat.

Zooming out: Amid this dual risk of weaker engagement and potentially misallocated budgets, strong interaction rates on platforms like WhatsApp and Pinterest give companies a chance to capitalize on interest in brand interaction.

• Those platforms offer higher receptivity and more frequent interaction, making it important for brands to iterate and vary content across each service.
• These services may not be as saturated as Meta platforms, for example, giving brands more opportunities to catch users’ attention.

Recommendations for marketers: Consumers aren’t anti-brand—they’re just selective about how and where brands show up.

• Marketers should establish feedback opportunities for consumers to communicate about personalization efforts, genAI content reception, and which aspects of brand marketing they would like to see more or less focus on.
• Tailor efforts to audience interests and capitalize on emerging platforms to build trust, drive engagement, and make the most of marketing budgets.

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