What marketers need to know about managing social media through an economic downturn

Executing on a social media marketing strategy is like completing an obstacle course. In 2025, amid market turbulence, recession chatter and a constant drip of new tariff updates, it feels a bit like the obstacle course is on fire.

If you’re feeling the heat, we see you and hear you. Managing social through down markets requires an additional layer of focus, rigor and empathy. It’s tough terrain, but with the right preparation, it’s possible to stay agile and impactful.

But what does that preparation entail, exactly? Keep reading to find out what you need to know to successfully navigate social media marketing through times of economic contraction—and why now is not the time to pull back on social.

Why social media needs continued investment (even under economic pressure)

Social media has fundamentally reshaped how brands earn attention and trust. In 2025, a brand’s relevance isn’t defined by storefronts or stage presence—it’s determined by its role in the cultural conversation. And that conversation is happening on social.

According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index™, social is now the #1 channel consumers use to keep up with trends and cultural moments. On top of that, 93% of consumers say it’s important for brands to stay in tune with online culture.

Even in 2023, this dynamic was clear. In a past interview, CMO advisor Carilu Dietrich emphasized that “the ability to activate on social is a critical muscle that companies need to exercise, even in times of economic pressure.”

That need for engagement has only grown. Pulling back on brand marketing in a down market might feel like a quick cost-saving win, but on social, standing still is falling behind. Algorithms evolve, conversations move fast and your audience’s expectations shift just as quickly. What worked yesterday won’t guarantee reach or relevance tomorrow.

In contrast, marketers who invest now are building a long-term competitive edge. Social data offers real-time insight into changing customer needs, sentiment and whitespace opportunities—critical intel for staying agile in an uncertain market. Cutting back during a downturn doesn’t just pause growth. It gives competitors an opening to claim your share of voice.

The bottom line? Cutting back on social cuts you off from culture, customers and critical market insight. In 2025, all business is social.

How to make a case for social media investment in a down economy

Even as budgets tighten and teams shrink, there’s still room for ideas that can prove real ROI. That means sticking to the status quo won’t cut it—you’ll need to show how social can drive more than what’s already in your marketing plan.

To earn additional investment, you need to be sharp on strategy and bold on the results you can deliver.

You know why your brand needs to lean in on organic social. Now for the next task: Sharing your vision with the rest of your marketing leadership and executive teams. Follow these tips for success as you make your case for additional social media resources.

Prove impact

When budgets are tight, business leaders need to see clear returns. That’s why proving the ROI of your organic social efforts isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Start by identifying the social media metrics that tie social activity to business outcomes. Go beyond vanity metrics and lean into KPIs that speak leadership’s language, like conversions from link in bio, traffic from social to owned properties or brand sentiment improvements over time.

To dig deeper into revenue impact, connect your social media management platform to your broader marketing tech stack. Integrations with tools like Google Analytics and Salesforce help close the loop between social engagement and pipeline influence.

That connection gives you the ability to track the full customer journey—from discovery to decision—and surface insights that validate social’s role in driving growth.

And don’t wait for a quarterly recap to share your wins. Build executive trust by weaving social proof points into cross-functional updates and strategy docs. The more fluently you connect organic social to broader business value, the more seriously your team will be taken when investment decisions are on the table.

Zoom out

In times of economic uncertainty, it’s easy to get tunnel vision—especially when you’re being asked to do more with less. But this is when zooming out becomes most important.

To earn buy-in for continued investment in social, you need to reframe it not just as a content engine, but as a source of real-time audience intelligence. Social gives you direct access to how your customers feel, what they care about and how those sentiments shift alongside broader market conditions.