With 72% of consumers wanting their favorite brands to actively engage in sustainability-driven conversations online, brands are taking notice. So, how can today’s marketing leaders authentically connect with audiences and make a meaningful impact through social media?
As consumer interest in sustainability continues to rise, social media has emerged as a critical platform for brands and consumers to come together to shape these important conversations. Our recent social media research revealed that over six in 10 consumers expect brands to have at least a moderate level of involvement in these discussions. Sixty-eight percent of the brands we surveyed recognize this desire and highly or very highly prioritize showcasing their cultural, social or environmental impact through their social media channels. For example:
This approach is both a proactive brand choice and a direct response to consumer expectations. With so many voices in the mix, breaking through the noise requires more than just participation. Social-first brands—those that our research found to have the most impactful social media strategies—are prioritizing community, content and conversion.
COMMUNITY
Community sits at the heart of social media. By entering social impact conversations with their online community early, brands can position themselves as leaders. However, this is a delicate balance, as engaging in a conversation too early—before audiences are familiar or ready—can cause confusion or backlash. Meanwhile, waiting until a topic gains traction can result in being perceived as a follower.
Surveyed brands reported a range of approaches in this area, and we found no clearly preferred approach:
engage with a topic once it has gained significant attention
respond after customers reach out about an issue
proactively initiate conversations around new and emerging topics
This underscores the critical importance of social listening. Most social-first brands (87%) ranked social listening as a high or very high priority in their 2025 social media plans. By monitoring online communities, marketing teams can make informed decisions about when to join the conversation and when to hold back.
CONTENT
Today’s savvy consumers are highly attuned to brand authenticity. The majority of consumers (81%) expect brands to engage with topics and trends that matter to them, and they quickly recognize when a brand’s involvement lacks genuine commitment.
Timing is not the only factor that influences whether brands participate in social impact conversations. Other critical factors they consider before stepping into these cultural moments include:
More than a third (37%) of social-first brands cite the required level of investment as their primary consideration before engaging in these discussions. It is financially prudent for brands to carefully assess the resources and dedication necessary to remain authentic to the cause.
CONVERSION
To convert consumers, brands should first connect with them. Nearly two-thirds of brands (62%) said that highlighting their product or service’s sustainability features on social media is the most effective tactic for building trust. This surpasses impact-driven messaging, sustainability tips, and general content. Audiences have made it clear that they want to see how a brand’s values translate into tangible actions.
Purchasing through social media, known as social commerce, is rising. Our research revealed a 35% increase in consumers who made a purchase on social media from 2023 to 2025. We expect this number grow because:
For more insights on how audience intent translates to consumer transactions and how to navigate consumer behavior around sustainable products, read “Unpacking the sustainability dilemma: How consumer values become choices.”
Kenny joined Deloitte Digital in 2021 as a managing director and head of social, content and influencer. In this role he helps Deloitte Digital’s clients meet their business goals through best-in-class social media strategies and activations. Prior to his time at Deloitte Digital, Kenny was Executive Director of Social Media at Grey Group NA. In this role, he led agency-wide efforts to deliver social content and activations – acting as the creative agency’s liaison with all social platforms. His leadership and hybrid talent reflected the agency’s expanding set of skills, better connecting creativity, technology, and human insight for the betterment of brands.
Christina is an executive strategy director at Deloitte Digital, where she oversees social innovation and creator strategy. In this role, she helps Deloitte clients navigate the rapidly evolving social and creator landscape, developing go-to-market and governance strategies that drive business objective through innovative approaches. Prior to joining Deloitte Digital, Christina spent nearly a decade building Creator Strategy practices at leading platforms including TikTok and Snap. There, she partnered with brands across various sectors to pioneer platform-first activations, with a focus on short form content, creator and influencer collaborations, and augmented reality experiences. Her expertise bridges the worlds of creativity, technology and emerging media to help brands stand out in the social space.
Nelson Kunkel is the chief marketing officer for the Deloitte US sustainability business, leading the vision, narrative, brand and marketing of what’s good and equitable for people, planet and prosperity.
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