Why Social Intelligence Is Now Business Intelligence for Retail Leaders
Irina Novoselsky, CEO of Hootsuite, believes social intelligence is no longer optional. It is foundational. As consumer behavior shifts and digital natives move into decision-making roles, brands that fail to listen in real time risk falling behind.
70 Percent of Gen Z Starts with Social
According to Novoselsky, 70 percent of Gen Z now begins their search journey on social platforms. Discovery no longer starts with traditional search engines or review sites. It starts inside feeds, comment threads and creator communities.
This shift carries major implications for retailers. Gen Z and millennials now hold increasing purchasing power and influence workplace budgets. Their instinct is to trust social conversations, peer validation and creator content.
For brands, social intelligence means understanding what is being said, who is driving the conversation and how sentiment evolves in real time.
From Vanity Metrics to Meaningful Engagement
Social metrics have evolved. Follower counts and impressions no longer tell the full story.
Today, depth of engagement, authenticity and passion matter more than raw reach. Retailers must ask sharper questions. Are we driving meaningful conversations? Are we earning trust? Are we generating advocacy?
Platforms like Hootsuite enable brands to move beyond surface analytics and focus on actionable insight. The goal is not just visibility, but informed decision making.
Real Time Culture and the Viral Economy
Cultural moments now unfold at extraordinary speed. A single viral video can reshape brand perception overnight.
Novoselsky referenced viral product surges such as the Stanley Cup phenomenon, where social momentum rapidly translated into consumer demand.
The lesson is clear. Speed matters. Brands must identify emerging conversations early and participate authentically before the moment peaks.
Retailers that wait days or even hours risk irrelevance.
AI, Governance and Creator Consent
Artificial intelligence is accelerating social listening and content generation. But it also introduces new governance challenges.
From an enterprise perspective, AI tools can generate campaign ideas, recommend content themes and analyze market data at scale. Many leaders use AI to draft posts or surface insights. Yet final publishing decisions still require human judgment.
Novoselsky emphasized balance. AI can prepare 90 percent of the work. The remaining 10 percent ensures brand voice, tone and accountability remain intact.
The broader industry conversation also includes creator rights and consent. As AI models train on publicly available data, questions arise about ownership and permission. Industry groups and platforms are exploring standards that allow creators to express whether their content can be used for training purposes.
For retailers investing in AI-driven marketing, governance and transparency will become as important as performance.
Balancing Automation with Authenticity
One consistent theme emerged. Consumers want authenticity.
Employee advocacy programs, executive visibility and creator partnerships often outperform generic brand messaging. Customers increasingly prefer buying from people rather than logos.
AI may enhance efficiency, but authenticity drives trust. Retail leaders must design systems that combine automation with human oversight.
The Strategic Imperative for Retail Leaders
Social intelligence has evolved into business intelligence.
As Gen Z reshapes buyer journeys and cultural moments unfold in real time, retailers must rethink how they gather insight and respond. Listening is no longer reactive. It is strategic.
AI can accelerate analysis and improve efficiency, but governance and brand control remain critical. The retailers that win will be those that balance speed with authenticity and data with discernment.
In 2025, competitive advantage will belong to organizations that treat social not as a marketing channel, but as a primary source of enterprise intelligence.
