Marketers turn to authentic content & AI amid resource strain

A new study has found that while marketers widely consider social media essential to their strategies, many face significant resource limitations that hinder effective execution.

PhotoShelter's 2025 State of Social Media Marketing report, based on a survey of nearly 400 marketers in the United States, indicates a shift in how brands drive engagement online. Although 70% of organisations said they post content daily and one in three post multiple times per day, the research suggests that simply increasing volume is not generating the engagement or reach it once did.

Challenges in execution

The report highlights a significant challenge: 95% of marketers agree that social media is fundamental to their overall marketing approach, but 46% admit their teams are stretched too thin to execute effectively. This discrepancy reflects a growing concern within marketing teams striving to maintain impactful social channels with limited resources.

"Our research shows that too many organizations rate their social strategies as weak," said Andrew Fingerman, CEO of PhotoShelter. "Their number one challenge is creating authentic content at the speed their audiences expect. That challenge is a major hurdle for brands, and it's exactly where the opportunity lies: pairing creativity with tools that allow for real-time storytelling."

Marketers assessed their own efforts with caution, awarding their organisations' social media strategies a grade of B+. Six in 10 respondents identified social as their primary avenue for delivering results, underlining the high stakes for effective content and engagement in these channels.

Authentic content

According to the findings, authenticity now surpasses polish as the key to successful social engagement. Marketers are approaching authenticity through two primary means: collecting user-generated content (UGC) that features real individuals and experiences, and distributing branded photos and videos to trusted voices - such as athletes, employees, and sponsors - who, in turn, share them organically with their own audiences.

This approach appears to pay dividends. Brands report that when content is shared by such trusted messengers, it not only travels farther but also reaches as much as ten times the audience compared to official brand channels alone.

Investment in UGC is becoming more prominent, with 41% of marketers saying it is now a key focus in response to the demand for authentic content. Consistent posting remains valuable as well, with 41% attributing results to regular content deployment. Dedicated social media teams (30%) and active community engagement (27%) were also cited as important drivers of success.

The role of AI and technology

The study observes that technology, especially artificial intelligence, is increasingly seen as a solution to bandwidth and workflow barriers. Nearly half (45%) of those surveyed said they use AI in their social media efforts, a figure that is even higher among those posting content several times per day.

Marketers are also finding new value in mining their existing digital archives. By tapping into previously static libraries of content, brands are looking to turn their amassed assets into tools that drive measurable return on investment through social media.

Looking forward

The evolution of social media marketing, as outlined by the study, marks a departure from approaches centred on sheer content volume. Engagement and reach are now being driven by delivering authentic material in real time, leveraging the credibility of trusted messengers, and harnessing the efficiencies of new technologies such as AI to extend capacity.

Findings from PhotoShelter's report suggest that while resource constraints remain a core issue, advancements in workflow tools and an increased focus on authenticity provide marketers opportunities to close the gap between demand and execution capability.