School of Applied Linguistics

Everyone uses social media – but the “social” component is fading

Social media is now strategically established in Swiss organisations. However, while content production is becoming increasingly professionalised, dialogue with the community is losing significance. This is one of the findings of the 2026 social media study conducted by the ZHAW's Institute of Applied Media Studies in collaboration with Bernet Relations.

Virtually all Swiss organisations now use social media as a matter of routine. In doing so, their main objectives are to increase their visibility and reach and to strengthen trust in their organisation. To achieve this, they regularly run social media ads. 

This is revealed by the new Social Media Switzerland study, which was presented on 4 February at the Social Media Summit in Zurich by Guido Keel, Head of the ZHAW's Institute of Applied Media Studies and the study’s co-author. A total of 96 of Switzerland’s largest organisations were surveyed. 

AI tools have become widely established in everyday work and are primarily used for writing, editing, summarising texts and for translations. However, AI is not only a driver of efficiency but also a risk factor. Organisations cite declining trust in the authenticity of content, fear of social media backlash and data theft as the main challenges.

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