Purchases via Social Platforms Drop to 25% as Short-Form Video Advances
The proportion of consumers who bought through social platforms dropped to 25% from 30%, while short-form video remained the most effective at driving action at 38%, according to a survey of 22,000 consumers.
The percentage of consumers who made a purchase through a social platform over the past year dropped to 25% from 30%, according to the 2026 'DoubleVerify' report, which surveyed 22,000 consumers in 21 countries and about 2,020 marketers in 25 countries via 'Sapio Research'.
Short-form video remained the format most capable of driving action at 38%, ahead of long pre-roll ads at 31% and feed ads at 25%.
Consumers reacted negatively to AI-generated influencers at 37%, compared to 29% positively, while 39% expressed a positive attitude toward human content creators using AI assistance.
These figures indicate that audiences still prefer the human element in content, alongside declining trust in direct purchasing via social platforms.
What Do These Terms Mean?
Short-form video: A video clip lasting no more than a few minutes, designed for viral reach and on-the-go viewing.
AI-generated influencer: A computer-generated virtual persona that posts promotional content on behalf of a brand.
Feed ads: Advertisements that appear within the content feed browsed by the user on the platform, resembling regular posts.
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