How audiences engage with content is always evolving, leaving traditional formats struggling to keep up. Today’s average consumer doesn’t just want to watch—they want to interact, scroll, binge, and connect across multiple platforms. They’re incredibly informed about how brands collect data and personalize experiences, and they expect quality content from the brands they like.
To stay relevant, companies must understand how consumption habits evolve and adapt accordingly. This article explores 10 key content consumption trends and how to harness them to connect with your audience more effectively.
Why tracking media consumption trends matters
Keeping a close eye on how people consume content is essential to staying relevant. According to Statista, American consumers spend an average of more than 12 hours a day with media. In addition, habits shift quickly. A format or platform that dominated consumer attention last year might already be losing traction, while new trends emerge almost overnight.
Gives you a competitive advantage
Businesses that monitor and adapt to content consumption trends often spot opportunities before their competitors. Whether it’s identifying a new platform your audience is migrating to or recognizing that short-form video is outperforming blog content for certain messages, these insights allow you to move fast and make smarter decisions. Instead of playing catch-up, you’re ahead of the curve, delivering the right message in the right format—before others even realize they need to.
Boosts your marketing ROI
When you align your content strategy with user behavior, your campaigns become more efficient and effective. That’s because you’re putting resources into the formats and channels that are already getting attention, delivering a better return on investment (ROI). Instead of wasting your budget on what used to work, you’re investing in what’s working now, resulting in more value for each marketing dollar.
Enhances your customer experience
Customers are more likely to interact with content that matches their current consumption patterns. If they prefer to scroll through bite-sized videos or listen to podcasts on the go, meeting them in those spaces improves their experience with your brand. Tracking these preferences helps you design a content strategy that is seamless, enjoyable, and intuitive, leading to deeper connections and increased loyalty.
Strengthens your brand authority
Brands that adapt to content trends without losing sight of their voice position themselves as modern, credible, and in touch. Rather than just following trends, you’re using them strategically to reinforce your brand message. Over time, this builds trust and authority. People start to see your brand as one that listens to its audience, making them more likely to hear what you have to say.
Acknowledges real-world media consumption habits
Tracking trends is really about listening. People don’t consume media in a vacuum—they do it while commuting, multitasking, relaxing, or killing time. Their habits reflect real lives, not idealized audience profiles. Tracking content consumption trends allows you to stay aligned with your audience, adapt to their needs, and make smarter choices with your marketing.
The following content consumption trends shape how brands connect with audiences, build loyalty, and drive engagement.
Trend #1: Two-way communication and interactivity
Traditional advertising encourages audiences to consume content passively. But today’s consumers value two-way communication. People expect to have the ability to comment, respond, participate, and contribute. Whether through polls, live Q&As, or reaction features, interactivity is a vital part of the experience.
How to harness the trend
Don’t think of content as a one-way street, but rather as a conversation with your audience that allows them to communicate with you.
Feature user-generated content
User-generated content (UGC) is one of the most effective ways to foster interactivity. When you spotlight content that your audience creates—photos, videos, or reviews—you’re building trust. UGC also gives you a steady stream of authentic, relatable material that reinforces your brand message without the hard sell.
Design content that invites a response, offers opportunities to vote or share opinions, and encourages people to create content themselves. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube reward this kind of engagement, pushing interactive content further and increasing your visibility. Even email newsletters can include interactive elements like embedded surveys to spark conversation.
Build a community
When people feel like they’re part of a community, they’re more likely to spend more time with your brand. Create spaces like comment sections and message boards where your audience can connect. The more they feel seen, heard, and valued, the more likely they are to participate and advocate for your brand.
Trend #2: Video, video, video
Video isn’t just a content format. It’s the default for how people discover, consume, and share information online. It drives more engagement, holds attention longer, and outperforms other formats across nearly every platform. Whether through short-form videos on social media platforms like TikTok, live streams on video streaming services, or behind-the-scenes content on Instagram Stories, users expect dynamic, visual storytelling.
How to harness the trend
Static content just isn't enough anymore. Video helps your brand's marketing feel alive and is more versatile than ever.
Prioritize video content in your digital media marketing
Consider making your content strategy video-first. That doesn’t mean abandoning your written content, but it does mean prioritizing video when you’re planning new campaigns. Think about what stories or products are best displayed visually. Start with the platforms your audience uses most and optimize for those. Vertical video—filmed and displayed in portrait orientation—is most common on TikTok and Instagram, while YouTube still rewards horizontal long-form content. Always tailor your videos to the channel and audience behavior.
Explore different video formats
Don’t rely on just a single style. Quick, informal videos can show personality. Live streams build real-time engagement. Tutorials, behind-the-scenes footage, and webinars each offer different ways to connect. Try various options to see what works best and repurpose video across platforms, like turning a blog post into a how-to video or embedding video in your email newsletter. Repurpose existing content to extend its reach.
Trend #3: Personalized experiences
Marketing content is no longer one size fits all. As digital platforms grow more sophisticated, users expect brands to treat them as individuals. Personalized experiences inspired by past purchases, online behavior, and user-provided information can turn casual browsers into loyal customers.
How to harness the trend
Understanding who your audience is and individualizing content right from the start will make it feel like you’re talking directly to each individual member of your audience.
Get to know your customers
Use data to better understand your audience. This process doesn’t have to mean invasive tracking. Basic behaviors—like what content people click on, how long they stay, or what products they’ve browsed—can guide smarter personalization. Interactive tools like quizzes, feedback forms, and preferences centers allow users to tell you what they want. Additionally, these methods ensure data collection is consensual and engaging while giving you valuable insights for customization.
Design content with personalization in mind
There are endless ways to personalize content, from email subject lines to homepage content. Even subtle touches—like greeting returning visitors with different messaging—make the user experience feel more thoughtful. By starting your design process with the assumption your consumers crave personalization, you’ll make it easier to create content that’s naturally relevant and engaging.
Trend #4: Cause-led marketing
More and more consumers say they care about the values of the brands they support. Cause-led marketing reflects a cultural shift toward conscious consumption. Audiences want to know what you stand for, and they expect brands to actively participate in the issues that matter to their communities.
How to harness the trend
Acknowledge that consumers want their purchasing decisions to speak for them by establishing and communicating your values genuinely.
Showcase transparency and authenticity
Identify causes that naturally align with your brand’s mission or values. Whether it’s sustainability, equity, or local community support, choose issues that are a good match for your brand. If you’re championing a cause, be clear about what you’re contributing to it, and share your progress, not just polished outcomes. Where you have work to do, be up front about it and the steps you’re taking to change. Transparency earns trust and long-term loyalty.
Beware of greenwashing and virtue signaling
Cause-led marketing can backfire if it feels hollow. Don’t overstate your impact, and avoid jumping on bandwagons to appear relevant. Audiences, particularly younger generations, are good at spotting inconsistencies. They’ll call it out if your messaging doesn’t match your actions. Cause-led marketing connects you with customers on a deeper level, but your credibility can suffer if you don’t do it well.
Trend #5: Second screens
Second-screen content consumption is now part of daily life. Rather than focusing entirely on traditional TV or reading an entire article in a sitting, consumers now often watch a show while scrolling Instagram or researching a product on a mobile device while browsing reviews on a desktop computer. For marketers, this means content must be easy to find, access, and enjoy—no matter the device or combination of devices in use.
How to harness the trend
Your audience's attention will often be divided, and that's OK. Think of your content as a friendly companion that's always easy to interact with no matter what else they're doing.
Optimize your content for mobile devices
Mobile is often the second screen, but your content should still work well even if it isn’t receiving the audience’s full attention. Ensure your website, videos, and social content look good and load quickly on smaller devices, including responsive design, scannable text, and touch-friendly interfaces.
Structure content with quick takeaways, clear visuals, and mobile-friendly formatting to accommodate multitasking behavior. Think of your content as something someone might dip in and out of rather than consume from start to finish in a single sitting.
Embrace cross-device digital media consumption
Help people move seamlessly between devices. Allow logged-in users to save content to revisit later, use QR codes at events or on packaging to send audiences to mobile devices, and design email and social campaigns that naturally encourage follow-up on another screen.
Trend #6: Social media usage
Social media is a core driver of content discovery, product research, customer service, and even direct sales. For many users, social platforms are the first (and often only) place they interact with a brand. That makes them your digital storefront, help desk, news feed, and community space all in one.
How to harness the trend
Take advantage of social media platforms as a central hub to give your audience everything they want—content, purchasing, information, and connection.
Feature shoppable content on social media platforms
More platforms now support in-app shopping, allowing users to browse and buy without leaving the app. Use this to your advantage by tagging products in posts and using features like Instagram Shopping. It reduces friction, makes it easier for followers to take action in the moment, and keeps them in your brand environment as long as possible.
Schedule daily news and content updates
Social media rewards consistency. Don’t overwhelm your audience with content, but post regularly to ensure your accounts are always updated and you are top-of-mind for consumers. Share updates, behind-the-scenes content, user posts, and quick tips. Aim to provide value, not just promotion. This regular flow of content transforms your brand into a primary source of information.
Trend #7: Data privacy awareness
With high-profile data breaches in the news and shifting regulations popping up all the time, people are more conscious of how their data is used. Data privacy is now a key part of the customer experience and your brand reputation. According to Statista, in 2024, almost three-quarters of American consumers felt they did not have enough control over how companies use their data.
How to harness the trend
Don't try to hide your use of data or make it difficult for consumers to express their preferences. Think of them as your partners in creating a personalized and secure experience that benefits you both.
Be clear about how you use customer data
Be transparent about how you collect and use customer data. Use plain language to explain your privacy and security practices and give users clear information about how their data is collected. If your audience understands what you’re collecting and why it makes their experience better, they’re more likely to opt in.
Allow people to customize or opt out of data collection
Offering control increases trust. Let users adjust preferences easily and respect opt-outs without punishing the user experience. You may lose some data, but you'll gain credibility—and that’s more valuable in the long run. A privacy-forward approach shows your brand is respectful, responsible, and forward thinking.
Trend #8: Lowered ad tolerance
In most traditional media, ads were unavoidable. But users are fed up with low-quality, disruptive ads. They skip or scroll past ads, or install blockers, and consumers have gotten used to being able to pay to upgrade to an ad-free tier of service. If your advertising feels intrusive or irrelevant, your audience will ignore it or, worse, become annoyed. Brands have to earn attention, not demand it.
How to harness the trend
Rather than advertising to people, think of your marketing content as something of value you can offer your audience. When possible, give viewers options to bypass this content entirely.
Make advertising content high quality and entertaining
Lower ad tolerance is probably here to stay, so make your ads the content. Create ads that entertain, educate, or offer something of value beyond the sale. Use storytelling, humor, design, and strong hooks to create ads people enjoy. Highlight real people, tell mini-narratives, or create useful tutorials. The more the ad feels like content the user would seek out, the better.
Offer ad-free content options
If it makes sense for your business, consider freemium models or subscription content with fewer (or no) ads. You can allow users to view ads for free content or pay for a cleaner experience, which positions your brand as respectful of people’s time and attention and can pay off in loyalty.
Trend #9: Immersive experiences
As technology advances, audiences want more than flat, passive content—they want to feel like they're part of the action. Immersive content like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) is changing the way people connect with brands. Making consumers part of the experience allows them to interact, explore, and build a personal connection.
How to harness the trend
With all the immersive content tools available to Marketing teams, you can draw your audience into a whole new world by engaging them directly in your brand's vision.
Incorporate virtual or augmented reality into your marketing strategy
Start small—interactive infographics, clickable product demos, or simple AR filters can go a long way. Once you've incorporated those elements, try 3D product previews and virtual walk-throughs, especially in industries like retail, real estate, and travel. VR offers deeper storytelling possibilities, perfect for brand storytelling, training, or showcasing large-scale concepts in a small space.
Coordinate with real-world experiences
Tie immersive content to physical locations or events. Whether it's a long-standing brick-and-mortar store or a pop-up experience, your digital tools can expand the experience beyond the physical space. Offer QR codes on ads that launch AR animations or use geolocation features to create localized experiences. Blending physical and digital content increases engagement and creates memorable brand moments.
Trend #10: Artificial intelligence and Gen Z
As digital natives, Gen Z consumers have grown up with AI and this age group knows how to spot it quickly. The tricky part? Younger audiences have embraced AI, but they are also wary of how it’s used. They expect AI to be transparent, useful, and ethical. That doesn’t mean you can’t use it, but you need to be clear about when and how you’re using it—and make sure it genuinely adds value rather than feeling like a shortcut.
How to harness the trend
Let your customers know how you're using AI and how it can benefit them to add value to your content.
Showcase AI transparency
Be open about where and how AI plays a role in your content, service, or product. Don’t try to pass off AI-generated material as purely human. Gen Z will notice. If you use AI to write copy, curate playlists, or automate responses, make that part of the conversation, especially if your target audience is Gen Z or even Gen Alpha. Frame it as a way to improve user experience.
Make AI useful
Focus on practical, value-driven AI features like chatbots that solve problems, recommendation engines that get smarter over time, or personalized learning experiences. If your AI helps people save time or discover something meaningful, they’ll embrace it. But if it feels gimmicky or deceptive, expect pushback.
Key takeaways
Staying ahead of content consumption trends gives you a measurable edge: Track how people engage with media to create more effective, relevant content that resonates with your audience and drives better marketing performance.
Audiences expect personalization, interactivity, and authenticity: Focus on experiences that reflect real behavior, whether that’s through video, immersive content, cause-led messaging, or AI-powered tools.
Your media strategy must adapt to evolving platforms and preferences: From second-screen habits to mobile-first formats and data privacy expectations, success depends on meeting users where they are.