Sprout Social 2025 Index Highlights Rising Expectations for More Responsive Customer Care from Brands on Social

Above: Scott Morris, CMO, of Sprout Social

Sprout Social, an industry-leading provider of cloud-based social media management software, has today published new research highlighting the rising expectations for more responsive customer care from brands on social media. The 2025 Sprout Social Index™ highlights that two-way dialogue is no longer optional, as comment sections, @-mentions, and DMs have become consumers’ preferred methods of customer service. In fact, it has become essential in today’s e-commerce landscape, with 71% of social users warning that if a brand doesn’t respond to customer service questions on social media, they will choose to buy from a competitor instead.

“This year’s Index reveals the continued shift in how consumers expect to interact with brands. A brand’s social presence is no longer about just broadcasting a message; it’s about building genuine, two-way relationships that live far longer than the immediate buying journey. The rising demand for real-time customer care and meaningful dialogue has made social media the frontline for brand engagement,” said Scott Morris, CMO of Sprout Social. “Companies that embrace this shift and prioritise authentic, responsive interactions will be the ones that successfully convert social connections into commercial value in the year ahead.”

Unlike physical retail, social media is also a powerful platform to capture customers at the point of inspiration. In fact, most social users (35%) make spontaneous purchases based on social media content a few times per year, with a comparable 33.5% reporting that they make spontaneous purchases on a monthly basis.

The data is clear - in 2025, social will play an even larger role in commerce than it already does. As a result, it will impact the bottom line of a business more than ever. Despite this, almost half of social media practitioners (49%) don’t believe their executive team deeply understand the business impact of social media revealing a need for greater internal education, representation, and resources if businesses are to capitalise on the commercial opportunity at hand. 

In addition to rising expectations on customer care and growing purchase relevance, the Index highlights: 

The need for brands to keep up with and actively engage with culture: 95% of UK users believe it’s important brands do a good job at keeping up with culture online. 

Ever-shortening reaction cycles: over a quarter of social media users believe brands have just 24 - 48 hours to jump on trends to remain relevant. 

The misinformation mission:  94% of consumers think brands need to take up the torch to combat misinformation more than they are today.

The report brings together insights from consumers, social media practitioners and marketing leaders to spotlight the key trends shaping the commercial social media landscape of 2025. It aims to empower business leaders with the knowledge needed to make strategic and informed decisions regarding their social media investments.

For more information, download the full 2025 Index report.