2023 is coming to an end and it's time to reflect on the social media trends of the past year & discuss what awaits us in 2024 🥳
As always, if you prefer to listen to the podcast episode instead of reading this blog post, click on the player below. Follow my podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, and all the other platforms to get notified as soon as a new episode becomes available!
8 key social media trends I expect to see in 2024:
1) Authenticity:
The demand for authentic and genuine content is not going away. Consumers are increasingly sceptical of heavily curated and staged content, and they are more likely to engage with brands and individuals who are transparent and relatable.
This means we'll see more raw, unfiltered content as well as more meaningful conversations with your audience.
2) UGC and influencer marketing but genuine:
User-generated content (= UGC) and influencer marketing will continue to be powerful tools for businesses to reach their target audience. UGC provides social proof and builds trust, while influencer marketing can help brands tap into new audiences and boost brand awareness.
40% of users say they see themselves as video creators which shows us that we should encourage our audience to create content about our brands and use it to market our products/services (YouTube Trend Report, 2023).
I also anticipate that more and more brands will use UGC for their paid ads. A great example of this is this ad by Matcha Made:
It shows a creator, not someone from the brand - this person looks like the people who are likely to consume the product.
They are great at story-telling AND highlighting the benefits of the product at the same time.
It's less "teleshopping" and more "a friend recommending a product she loves".
It's not screaming "this is an ad".
AND:
54% say they prefer to watch creators breaking down a major event rather than the event itself (e.g. Oscars, Grammys..) (YouTube Trend Report, 2023). Again, this shows us that talking about pop culture moments on social media yourself or having creators report about YOUR event/product/brand can be beneficial.
A great example of this is the fantastic content that Swifties are creating around Taylor Swift's Eras Tour while she posts on social media rather sporadically.
3) More AI and AR:
AI is already being used in a variety of ways on social media, and this trend is only going to continue in 2024. We can expect to see more AI-powered tools for content creation, scheduling, and analytics as well as more creators TALKING about AI in their content.
In terms of AR (= augmented reality), I expect to see more tools like live trying on clothes or improved filters à la Bold Glamour.
4) The (continued) rise of multi-platform strategies:
Businesses will need to further adopt a multi-platform approach to social media in 2024. 67% of Gen Z say they like it when creators create in different formats and 68% of people say they watch videos about a specific topic that they are into in multiple different formats (short form, long form, podcasts…) (YouTube Trend Report, 2023). This means creating content that is tailored to each platform and understanding the different preferences of users on each platform.
To be able to achieve this, you want to use a 2-step process:
Step 1: Create content ideas based on topics (e.g. The Eras Tour)
Step 2: Consider how you can adapt these topics to each channel. (e.g. A breakdown of the setlist on TikTok and a carousel post of Taylor's outfits on your Instagram).
5) Video content dominance:
Video content is already king on social media, and this trend is only going to continue in 2024. Businesses that want to succeed on social media will need to invest in creating high-quality video content (no matter how resentful you are 😉).
6) Social media is losing its "social" factor:
We have already seen this throughout 2023 because Instagram and Facebook have started to shift their new updates and features to align with new user behaviours: people aren't sharing as many public updates to their Facebook wall or their Instagram feed as they were a few years ago.
What we see happen a lot instead is people sharing content in a more private space of social media - the DMs. In line with this development, I also expect that we will have more tools for businesses to leverage this, for example with more messaging tools.
7) Social commerce:
Social commerce is booming, and businesses will need to find ways to integrate shopping into their social media strategies in 2024.
Even though Meta removed its Instagram shopping tab & shops this year, they have recently announced a deal with Amazon that lets users shop Amazon products, directly on Facebook & Instagram.
At the same time, TikTok is further investing in integrated e-commerce solutions so that vendors can directly sell on the app.
8) Paid subscriptions:
Social media platforms are looking for ways to monetise their users, and we can expect to see more paid social subscriptions along the lines of Snapchat +, X Premium or Meta Verified. These subscriptions could give users access to exclusive content, features, or services.
These are just a few of the key trends that I expect to see in social media in 2024. We'll see next year if I was right 😁
Talk soon,
Hanna
Other sources: