The social media landscape has been one of the most dynamic sectors in marketing in recent years. Algorithms change, platforms experience exponential growth while others lose their appeal, and existing platforms evolve, surprising both users and marketers. Whatever 2024 brings, one thing is certain – it will not be boring, and surprises are in store. This article will touch on some of the expected social media trends for 2024.

The Role of AI

Any discussion of digital marketing cannot exclude AI. Generative AI has been a major topic in 2022 and 2023, and its application is expected to grow. AI will assist marketers in developing content, analytics, and scaling their activities on social media.

In this context, the industry will redefine what is ‘real and authentic’ versus AI-generated. There will be less emphasis on whether a human creates the content and more focus on creating a valuable experience and engagement for customers across different social media channels.

Short-Form Video Will Still Rule

As expected, short-form content is expected to continue dominating as the most consumed form of content. Although TikTok appears to be boosting longer videos (about a minute long), according to a report by WIRED last year, one in four of the most liked TikTok videos are within 21 to 34 seconds.

While the space for shortf0rm video is getting cluttered, with Instagram, Facebook and YouTube all coming onboard, there are still opportunities to be creative and benefit from this form. It is important to remember that 0riginality is crucial and is often rewarded!

Brands Prioritising Specific Platforms

Trends in platform usage constantly change. Our current and prospective customers might be on Facebook, X (Twitter), Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, LinkedIn, even WhatsApp, and many other platforms. Being everywhere for everyone requires time, resources, and effort, and it is not effective. For example, many organisations still maintain a presence on platforms such as X, even though fewer and fewer of them report success there.

This potentially means that big brands will start prioritising certain platforms and leaving those that do not meet their strategic and ROI expectations. Brands will need to audit their social media presence and reflect on their purpose for being there in the first place. This brings us to the good old knowing and understanding your customers and reaching them on the channels that actually work. On a larger scale, such behaviour will bring a major shift in the social media landscape – some platforms will gain, others will lose.

Entertainment Will Drive Success on Social in 2024

The Hootsuite Social Media Consumer 2024 Survey shows a striking misalignment between what brands post on social media and what customers go on social media for. Audiences venture onto social media for entertainment and unwinding. Consumers state that they have been put off by “too much self-promotion” and that the branded content they see is often ‘unrelatable’.

On the other hand, most marketers are predominantly focused on ROI from these channels. Of course, measuring ROI for entertaining content and linking it to bottom-line performance is challenging. Hence, from a marketer’s perspective, entertaining content is not truly prioritised.

It is predicted that in 2024, brands that recalibrate their content approach and focus on providing value via relevant entertaining content will see more success on social media. Marketers will need to focus on the long-term, prioritise engagement, and decrease their expectations in terms of direct ROI.

Content Creators Will Be the Powerhouse

Creators are and will be at the centre of social media. Customers will venture even more online for product recommendations and reviews. Research from CrowdRiff indicates that over 70% of consumers trust recommendations from social media influencers when researching purchase options. While consumers trust friends and family the most and branded marketing content the least, influencers such as vloggers take the middle ground and still benefit from high levels of trust.

Shares Will Matter More Than Likes, Comments, and Followers

At the end of the day, most marketers use social media to expand their reach. The best way to do this is by posting shareable content. Comments, likes, and the number of followers are great ways to measure success, however can be inflated or (unfortunately) faked. So, thinking about the most important measure of success, shares will be at the top of the list. Besides the expanded reach of your posts, they indicate that your audience is willing to associate with your content.

Of course, these are just a few of the trends that we expect to see in 2024. Keeping a close eye on trends and how your customers behave will be key to staying relevant and using your social media mix effectively. This was written by Kalust Manukyan one of our CIM tutors at OXCOM. If you’re interested in learning more about social media then check out our new CIM Specialist Award in Social Media Management.