Social Media Plays Key Role in Black Friday Shopping Research

Social media is likely to be an important channel for holiday gift research and shopping, according to Sprout Social’s Q3 2026 Pulse Survey. The findings suggest that brands preparing for Black Friday should consider both how they present offers and how they respond to customers online.

In the survey, 78% of users said they planned to use social platforms at least as much as they did last year to find and buy gifts. Social media and physical stores were level as leading sources of gift discovery, with 46% of customers identifying each as a top choice. Sprout Social recommends that brands begin planning early, noting that customers look for ideas well before November.

Price concerns are also shaping holiday plans. In the same survey, 69% of respondents said they were worried about price increases linked to tariffs. Meanwhile, 36% said they intended to shop earlier specifically to avoid tariff-related increases, and 56% planned to cut their overall holiday spending because of economic conditions.

For brands, those responses point to an audience weighing purchases carefully. Black Friday is no longer confined to a single day: the shopping period also encompasses Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Campaign planning can account for that longer window while giving customers time to research potential purchases and compare deals.

The quality of a brand’s social presence can also affect purchase decisions. Nearly a quarter of respondents, or 23%, said a company’s social media customer service made them more likely to buy during the holiday season. A similar share said original holiday-focused social content made a difference. Sprout Social also identifies influencer collaborations as one way to create content tailored to particular audiences.

What this means for marketers

Prepare Black Friday content and customer-service coverage ahead of the main shopping period, rather than treating the campaign as a single-day effort. Consider how offers and product information will help cost-conscious shoppers researching gifts on social platforms. If working with influencers, tailor the content to the intended audience and include it in the wider holiday plan.