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Personalisation, social commerce, webinars: 5 interesting stats to start your week

Personalisation, social commerce, webinars: 5 interesting stats to start your week

  • 24.03.2025 16:00
  • marketingweek.com
  • Keywords: Personalisation, Social Commerce, Consumer Confidence, Webinars

Half of British consumers find personalized ads creepy, with generational divides in comfort levels; UK retailers see social commerce as a rapidly growing sales channel, while B2B marketers leverage webinars for effective sales driving.

Meta Products

Estimated market influence

YouGov

Negativesentiment_dissatisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Report highlights negative consumer sentiment towards personalized ads.

World Federation of Advertisers (WFA)

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Research shows increasing role and influence of CMOs in global marketing.

Scurri

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Commissioned research on social commerce growth in the UK retail sector.

GfK

Neutralsentiment_neutral
Analyst rating: N/A

Provided consumer confidence data, no direct financial impact mentioned.

ON24

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Report on webinar effectiveness in B2B marketing with significant sales growth.

Context

Business Insights and Market Implications Analysis

Personalisation Trends

  • Fact: 57% of British consumers find personalised ads creepy (YouGov, 2025).
  • Generational Divide: Gen Z is 37% comfortable with personalised ads vs. baby boomers at 12%.
  • Global Comparison: UK leads in discomfort with personalised ads (56%) compared to France (51%), Germany (47%), and Australia (41%).
  • Positive Aspect: 25% of Brits find personalised ads helpful for discovering new products, rising to 38% among millennials and 48% among Gen Z.

Implications: While personalisation is effective for discovery, consumer trust remains a challenge. Brands must balance personalisation with ethical practices to avoid alienating customers.

CMO Role Evolution

  • Fact: Confidence in the CMO role’s longevity has increased, with only 10% of marketers believing it won’t exist by 2030 (WFA, 2025).
  • Influence Growth: 43% of marketing leaders see C-suite influence as crucial, up from struggling marketers at 23%.
  • Performance Gap: Top-performing brands are less concerned about short-term pressures and prioritise consumer insights.

Implications: The CMO role is becoming more strategic and influential. Companies should invest in high-performing marketing leaders to drive long-term growth.

Social Commerce Growth

  • Fact: 83% of UK retail brands agree social commerce is the fastest-growing sales channel (Scurri, 2025).
  • Growth Projection: UK social commerce market to double from £7.4bn in 2024 to £16bn by 2028, representing 10% of online commerce.
  • Channel Focus:
    • Mid-market brands: YouTube (55%), Instagram (54%), TikTok Shop (54%).
    • Enterprise retailers: Facebook (57%), Instagram (48%), TikTok Shop (48%).

Implications: Social commerce is reshaping retail. Brands must adapt agile strategies to leverage platforms like Instagram and TikTok for growth.

Consumer Confidence Trends

  • Fact: UK consumer confidence index rose by one point to -19 in March 2025 (GfK).
  • Economic Outlook: Positive sentiment towards the general economic situation, but personal finances remain fragile.
  • Purchase Intent: Major purchase index remained stable at -17, up from -27 in March 2024.

Implications: While overall confidence is improving, cautious spending patterns may persist. Brands should focus on affordability and value to resonate with consumers.

Webinar Effectiveness in B2B Marketing

  • Fact: Webinar attendance increased by 7% in 2024 (ON24).
  • Format Popularity:
    • Live webinars: 56% attendance.
    • On-demand webinars: 45% viewership, with engagement rising 9% YoY.
  • Conversion Metrics:
    • Demo bookings up by 18%, CTA engagement up by 21%.
    • Average interactions per webinar: 300+ interactions, 1.7 per attendee.

Implications: Webinars are a powerful B2B tool for driving sales and engagement. Companies should focus on interactive formats like polls and live Q&A to maximise effectiveness.

Key Takeaways

  • Personalisation is effective but must be handled with care to avoid consumer backlash.
  • The CMO role is becoming more strategic, with top-performing brands leading the way.
  • Social commerce is a rapidly growing channel, particularly in the UK.
  • Consumer confidence is improving but remains fragile, impacting spending patterns.
  • Webinars are a proven B2B marketing tool for driving sales and engagement.

Long-term Effects: These trends suggest a shift towards more personalised, agile, and data-driven marketing strategies. Brands must adapt to consumer preferences and leverage emerging channels like social commerce and webinars to stay competitive.