Emplifi Reveals 82% of Marketers Agree AI Is Increasing Productivity, But 47% Say the Increase Is Moderate

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Emplifi, a leading social media marketing platform, today released the “The State of Social Media Marketing in 2026” report with findings from a survey of more than 560 marketers from both B2B and B2C brands. Emplifi’s report revealed 82% of respondents reported AI tools have improved productivity, but the gains are incremental for most, with only 35% claiming a significant increase in productivity. Nearly half of the respondents (47%) said that AI has delivered a moderate increase in productivity.

"The biggest takeaway from our report: marketers do not need more tools, they need smarter workflows and more agile processes that drive results,” said Susan Ganeshan, CMO, Emplifi.

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The State of Social Media Marketing 2026 covers key factors that will have a major impact on marketing strategies in the months ahead, including: AI, influencer marketing, and user generated content (UGC). It also includes survey findings on the topics of leadership support and collaboration, as well as team capacity challenges and burnout. One of the most compelling stats from the report: more than half of the respondents (52%) reported feelings of burnout sometimes or very often—another 24% said that they experience burnout, at least, occasionally.

“The findings not only underscore just how much marketing strategies are shifting from experimentation to execution, but also the impact of today’s technical landscape and work cultures on marketing professionals. The biggest takeaway from our report: marketers do not need more tools, they need smarter workflows and more agile processes that drive results,” said Susan Ganeshan, CMO, Emplifi.

Key insights from the report:

• Future AI implementations: 30% of respondents report they plan to use AI for predictive analytics and customer insights, 28% respondent plan to use AI for automated content creation, and 26% said AI-driven ad targeting capabilities.
• AI challenges and concerns: 27% of respondents are concerned about data privacy, 23% reported technology integration issues, and 21% said that “limited skills” prevented them from moving beyond incremental gains with AI.
• Influencer marketing: 67% of respondents said that they plan to increase influencer budgets next year. More than half of the respondents (58%) report they plan to invest in virtual influencers
• UGC: 82% of respondents agreed that user generated content is either very or somewhat important to their marketing goals, while only 31% actively encourage customers to share UGC or incorporate it into their content. The biggest UGC hurdles: collecting content and measuring impact.
• Social media strategies: 73% of respondents plan to focus their social media content on short-form video. The top three social media content goals: increasing engagement, improving brand sentiment and reputation, and generating leads and conversions.
• Leadership support and team structures: 42% of respondents reported their organization’s leadership actively encourages adopting new technologies. Meanwhile, more than half of the respondents (57%) said that their social media teams have fewer than six people even though they are responsible for content creation, analytics, community management, and paid social ad campaigns.

According to Ganeshan, “Based on our report findings, it’s undeniable that the next era of marketing will be won by the marketing teams that know how to capitalize on the AI based tooling, including analytics, that are tailored to the business. Future leaders will use technology to amplify human connectivity rather than replace it. They will leverage AI to create more sustainable work environments, which will fuel the transformation and scale of the entire marketing organization.”

To download the complete report, visit: The State of Social Media Marketing 2026 from Emplifi.

Survey Methodology: Emplifi’s survey was conducted in September, 2025 via an online platform. The sample size included 564 marketers across B2C and B2B roles.

About Emplifi

Emplifi is a leading social media marketing platform, empowering brands to deliver meaningful, connected experiences across digital channels. Recognized as a Leader by renowned analysts and celebrated as a customer favorite, Emplifi provides innovative, data-driven insights and AI-powered tools to help brands optimize social media performance, elevate their influencer marketing strategies, and deliver impactful customer engagement across marketing, commerce, and care.