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Escaping Social Media’s Cycle of Diminishing Returns
31/08/2026
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31/08/2026
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Phyllis Yip, head of integrated solutions at Edelman Hong Kong, argues that as generative AI floods social feeds with content, competitive advantage is shifting from how much brands create to where, when and how they participate

There is a buzzword heard across China: ‘neijuan’, or involution. A vicious cycle where everyone works harder, produces more, and innovates faster, only to see returns flatten

Social media marketing has entered its own era of involution, with generative AI dramatically lowering the barriers to content creation, allowing brands to produce content at unprecedented speed and scale. As feeds become saturated with content competing for finite attention, brands don’t need to produce more to gain attention

In fact, content abundance is changing where competitive advantage lies. When everyone can create content quickly, success increasingly depends on judgement: knowing where attention already exists, when a brand has a legitimate role to play, and how to contribute in ways that audiences find valuable

To break free from social media’s cycle of diminishing returns, brands need to rethink not only what they create, but how they participate

Finding the right opportunities for attention

This shift is exposing the limits of traditional planning models. Today, algorithms often determine a post’s potential within the first 15-30 minutes of publishing. Content that generates meaningful interaction is amplified; content that does not quickly fades from view

In this environment, brands are finding that it is often easier to join an existing conversation than to create one from scratch. During the recent World Cup, a simple but witty response to an Erling Haaland meme might have generated more engagement than a carefully planned campaign months in the making

The challenge is not reacting to everything. It is identifying the moments where a brand can contribute meaningfully and credibly. This requires a different operating model: one that combines social listening, cultural awareness and clear decision-making frameworks that allow teams to respond with confidence

Community management is becoming a growth function

At the same time, audiences have become active participants in determining what deserves attention. The comments section itself has become part of the content experience. Audiences call out AI slop, recycled trends, and cultural missteps. Equally, they reward originality, humor, and cultural understanding. Their opinions influence the engagement, reach, and visibility of content

This shift is elevating the role of community management. What was once viewed primarily as a support function is increasingly becoming a driver of visibility, engagement and brand affinity

A recent example comes from KFC Hong Kong. When a Threads user complained that the signature burnt spots on its Portuguese Egg Tart had disappeared, the brand swiftly joined the conversation. It reassured customers that the recipe remained unchanged and offered a limited-time promotion the next day, transforming a customer complaint into one of its most viral social posts

The lesson is not simply about responding quickly. It is about recognising that participation itself has become content. Every interaction contributes to how audiences perceive a brand and influences whether they choose to engage further

Building brand consistency amid fragmented attention

Paradoxically, this faster and more fragmented environment makes consistency even more important

As audiences are exposed to an endless stream of content, distinctiveness is built not through repetition and familiarity. A recognisable voice, a clear worldview, and a consistent way of responding to culture create memory over time

Brands such as Sephora and Strava have built strong social presences because audiences instantly recognise them when they appear, and understand who they are. Sephora speaks from the voice of a beauty-obsessed shopaholic who experiments but has occasional blunders. Strava is the amateur athlete who jokes around but is competitive. Their personalities shape not only what they create, but how they respond to trends, interact with communities and participate in cultural conversations.

Consistency also provides an important filter for decision making. Brands do not need to join every trend or conversation. When a brand is clear about what it stands for, it does not need to chase every trend. It can react quickly without sacrificing coherence, and participate selectively rather than reactively

In an environment where opportunities emerge constantly, that clarity becomes a competitive advantage

Winning in the Age of Content Overload

For marketers, the implication is clear: competing in an era of content abundance requires more than producing content faster. Success increasingly depends on the ability to quickly identify where attention is, contribute meaningfully to conversations, and build distinctiveness over time

The brands that thrive will not necessarily be those publishing the most. They will be the ones making the best decisions about where, when and how to participate

Many brands still operate with approval processes and organisational structures designed for campaign-based marketing. However, participation-driven social media requires faster decision-making, clearer guardrails and greater empowerment of community teams

AI can accelerate the creation process, but it cannot replace human judgement, cultural fluency, or creative instinct. And as content becomes increasingly abundant, those qualities may become more valuable than ever

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