New research from Sprout Social reveals that 91% of consumers in both the UK and Australia rely on social media as their primary method for tracking trends and cultural movements, demonstrating strong behavioral alignment across these markets.
The finding is among the highlights of the 20th edition of the Sprout Social Index, which surveyed 1,011 UK and 1,006 Australian consumers who follow at least five brands on social media, along with 244 UK and 209 Australian social media practitioners managing brand strategies.
The research, conducted in September 2024, indicates that while 30% of UK users plan to increase their social media usage in 2025 compared to 24% of Australian users, the majority in both markets (56% UK, 58% Australia) intend to maintain their current engagement levels.
Platform-Specific Usage and Engagement Trends
Instagram leads consumer platform preferences with identical adoption rates of 54% across both markets. Facebook maintains strong engagement as the second most popular platform, with 45% adoption in the UK and 49% in Australia. TikTok follows as the third most utilized platform, showing similar adoption rates of 38% in the UK and 39% in Australia.
The research reveals that brands’ social presence significantly impacts purchase decisions, with 71% of UK users and 73% of Australian users stating they would switch to a competitor if a brand fails to respond to customer service questions on social media.
Source: Sprout Social
Purchase Behavior and Consumer Decision-Making
The research reveals similar spontaneous purchase patterns across both markets.
Approximately one-third of UK social users (35%) report making spontaneous purchases based on social media content several times annually, with 33.5% making monthly impulse purchases. In Australia, 38.5% make purchases several times yearly, while 28% report monthly spontaneous purchases.
When searching for new products, consumers in both markets prioritize purchases within the next month or require immediate solutions, demonstrating the platform’s influence on urgent purchase decisions.
Source: Sprout Social
Consumer Response to Brand Content and Trends
Consumer reactions to brands participating in viral trends show nearly identical patterns across both markets:
40% view brand participation positively, considering it “cool”
32% consider it “embarrassing”
28% believe trend participation is only effective within the first 24-48 hours
When evaluating brand content, consumers in both markets rank authenticity and entertainment value as top priorities. The research indicates that reactive content, high production value, and product-centricity are markedly less important to consumers.
Additionally, 94% of UK consumers and 93% of Australian consumers agree that brands need to take a more active role in combating misinformation online, with 57% of UK consumers strongly agreeing with this sentiment.
Social Media’s Impact on Brand Perception
The research shows that 94% of consumers in both markets agree that most brands’ social media content effectively keeps up with online culture, with 95% of UK users and 93% of Australian users considering this important for brands.
According to Sprout Social analysts, this alignment in consumer expectations across markets suggests a global convergence in how consumers interact with and evaluate brands through social media platforms.
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
New research from Sprout Social reveals that 91% of consumers in both the UK and Australia rely on social media as their primary method for tracking trends and cultural movements, demonstrating strong behavioral alignment across these markets.
The finding is among the highlights of the 20th edition of the Sprout Social Index, which surveyed 1,011 UK and 1,006 Australian consumers who follow at least five brands on social media, along with 244 UK and 209 Australian social media practitioners managing brand strategies.
The research, conducted in September 2024, indicates that while 30% of UK users plan to increase their social media usage in 2025 compared to 24% of Australian users, the majority in both markets (56% UK, 58% Australia) intend to maintain their current engagement levels.
Platform-Specific Usage and Engagement Trends
Instagram leads consumer platform preferences with identical adoption rates of 54% across both markets. Facebook maintains strong engagement as the second most popular platform, with 45% adoption in the UK and 49% in Australia. TikTok follows as the third most utilized platform, showing similar adoption rates of 38% in the UK and 39% in Australia.
The research reveals that brands’ social presence significantly impacts purchase decisions, with 71% of UK users and 73% of Australian users stating they would switch to a competitor if a brand fails to respond to customer service questions on social media.
Source: Sprout Social
Purchase Behavior and Consumer Decision-Making
The research reveals similar spontaneous purchase patterns across both markets.
Approximately one-third of UK social users (35%) report making spontaneous purchases based on social media content several times annually, with 33.5% making monthly impulse purchases. In Australia, 38.5% make purchases several times yearly, while 28% report monthly spontaneous purchases.
When searching for new products, consumers in both markets prioritize purchases within the next month or require immediate solutions, demonstrating the platform’s influence on urgent purchase decisions.
Source: Sprout Social
Consumer Response to Brand Content and Trends
Consumer reactions to brands participating in viral trends show nearly identical patterns across both markets:
When evaluating brand content, consumers in both markets rank authenticity and entertainment value as top priorities. The research indicates that reactive content, high production value, and product-centricity are markedly less important to consumers.
Additionally, 94% of UK consumers and 93% of Australian consumers agree that brands need to take a more active role in combating misinformation online, with 57% of UK consumers strongly agreeing with this sentiment.
Social Media’s Impact on Brand Perception
The research shows that 94% of consumers in both markets agree that most brands’ social media content effectively keeps up with online culture, with 95% of UK users and 93% of Australian users considering this important for brands.
According to Sprout Social analysts, this alignment in consumer expectations across markets suggests a global convergence in how consumers interact with and evaluate brands through social media platforms.
Both reports are available here.