What consumer tech conversations are trending on social?

What can brands learn from their consumers in terms of the tech conversations they are having? Well, if the first half of 2023 is anything to go by, hot topics included electric vehicles (AVs), AI, greenwashing and a lack of trust in insurance companies.

UK software company Brandwatch has released a consumer report offering insights into the industries, tech, and brands such as Tesla currently trending on social media. 

The company explored a comprehensive analysis of 347 global brands across eight industries from January to June this year.   

Some of the industries included were automotive, CPG, consumer tech, energy, entertainment, retail, food services, and finance. 

According to the study, The State of Social Report, electric vehicles (EVs) dominate the discourse in the automotive industry. Topics like charging infrastructure and the importance of standardisation made up the lion’s share of discussions.  

The top five automotive brands mentioned were Tesla, Ford, Toyota, BMW, and Porsche. 

In terms of hashtags, #Bitcoin and #crypto were amont the top five most popular. This is due to consumers discussing car brands that now (or used to) accept Bitcoin as a form of payment, such as Tesla and a Porsche and Maserati dealer in El Salvador. 

Exactly two years ago, Elon Musk @elonmusk and Tesla started accepting #Bitcoin as a form of payment

Join #Avive Now, And Start Your Referral To Earn #BTC

👉Install App: https://t.co/TjDKiGR5Nl pic.twitter.com/MJZSgwlMRF

— Avive APP (@AviveAPP) March 23, 2023

In the consumer tech cateogory Artificial Intelligence unsurprisingly garnered the most attention, with emphases on significant breakthroughs in the field. This included health-oriented technologies like Apple’s AI health coach and Google’s life coach as well as those targeting the creative domain. 

Nikon = Control = Art = Awesome Photography! https://t.co/0ScQKxKmKc

— Matthew Smart (@matthew_smart_) March 15, 2023

Meanwhile, in the energy sector, two main themes stood out: climate change and greenwashing. People also discussed emissions and brands that launched eco-friendly initiatives. These included Indian Oil’s indoor solar cooking stove and Petronas’ Race2Decarbonise, a crowdsourcing and open innovation for decarbonisation solutions. 

Some consumers pointed out instances of greenwashing and inconsistencies between energy brands’ climate goals and their actions. Brandwatch noted over 28k mentions of greenwashing in the first six months of 2023. 

The first half of 2023 saw finance brands mentioned 14% more than during the previous six-month period. Users discussed flexibility and requesting more payment options. Some were concerned about control and security with Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal. 

Broken trust was also a big topic. State Farm Insurance gathered 720.44k mentions in the first half of 2023 (a 60% increase compared to the previous six months.) But the sentiment in those conversations deteriorated due to the company’s decision to end offering home insurance in California due to wildfires. It was perceived as prioritising profits over customers. 

Consumers also voiced concerns about encountering technical issues when using debit and credit cards online. 

Sandra Busch, editorial and content director at Brandwatch, said the ‘State of Social 2024’ report “candidly” reveals a fundamental truth: consumers, not brands, are the architects of brand narratives in the digital space.  

“As such, it emphasises the need for brands to listen and learn from their consumers, and that by understanding when and how these conversations occur, as well as the emotions and sentiments they elicit, brands can tailor their strategies for maximum impact,” she explained.

To read more stories like this, check out TechInformed’s Martech reporting here.