Top Social Media Trends in 2024

As we move further into 2024, there  are a variety of emerging trends that are set to shape the way we engage with audiences online. In this blog post, we will explore the top social media trends for 2024, that you can leverage to maximise your digital marketing efforts.

Short-form video content has continued to gain popularity across all social media platforms. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have all seen explosive growth since being introduced and is now the most consumed type of content. These short clips and videos are perfect for capturing the attention spans of modern consumers.

Brands should invest in creating high-quality, engaging short-form videos that showcase your products and services while delivering entertainment to your audience. Use trending songs and hashtags to increase visibility and engagement across explore pages.

Social commerce is the term used to describe the integration of shopping features across social media platforms. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest are increasingly enhancing their e-commerce capabilities and features, allowing users to  find and purchase products without leaving the social media platform itself.

These platforms enable brands to set up shop features and capabilities on their social media profiles, create shoppable posts, stories and reels. Brand should also leverage influencer partnerships to gain a wider reach and drive sales directly through social media platforms.

Consumers are becoming increasingly technologically capable and skeptical of overly polished and inauthentic content being produced. Authenticity and transparency are now essential to building trust, loyalty and advocacy amongst your audience. This trend is particularly evident in 2024 with the growing popularity of user-generated content (UGC) across social media using platforms such as:

• Unboxing videos
• Video reviews
• Product tests

Brands should encourage their customers to share their experiences across social media with your products, and feature this UGC on their own social media channels. Sharing behind-the-scenes footage can also give your audience a glimpse into your brand’s operations and culture, helping to be more genuine and open online.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is changing the game in social media marketing in 2024. These technologies are making social media marketing more efficient by providing intuitive capabilities and features such as:

• AI Powered Chat-bots
• Automated social media posting
• Intuitive social media analytics
• AI video and image production

Brand should begin to implement AI tools and capabilities to automate routine tasks like scheduling posts and responding to common customer queries. Using AI analytics to track performance metrics and optimise content accordingly, based on data insights is crucial for success in this area.

With growing consumer concerns over data privacy and security, social media platforms are beginning to implement stricter data protection measures to combat these growing threats. Users are becoming more cautious about how their data is used online and are beginning to favour platforms that prioritise data privacy.

Brands should ensure their social media practices comply with data protection regulations and laws to help install trust in users to utilise their platform. This can be achieved through communicating privacy policies and the measures the brand takes to protect user data and ensure data security.

Staying ahead of the latest social media trends in 2024 can help you navigate the complex marketing space. In order to succeed and take advantage of new technologies and capabilities, brands must constantly utilise new and innovative features across their social media platforms.