As we bid farewell to 2023, the social media landscape has undergone significant changes, setting the stage for a dynamic and transformative year ahead. From the development of AI systems, to a shift in user preferences, join us as we unpack our top social media marketing trends for 2024 to help you refine your digital strategies.
Trend 1: Generative AI Systems
In a move similar to Snapchat’s introduction of an AI bot earlier this year, social platforms are embracing generative AI systems to captivate a broader audience and stay ahead of technological advancements.
This social media marketing trend for 2024 will also help social media managers who want to get words on the page faster, brainstorm ideas, and create variations of a specific message for testing, powered by human creativity of course.
Trend 2: Social media will become the hottest new search engine
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, social media is the new search engine. With TikTok coming out on top as the No.1 search engine for more than half of Gen Z, there’s no denying that the speed and quality of the searches social platforms produce is what makes it so appealing.
More and more users are turning to social platforms for bite-sized, hyper-specific, user-generated videos that provide information, marking a significant shift in the way we all discover and engage with content. To find out more about this social media marketing trend for 2024, read our blog.
Trend 3: Brands will become more selective about the social platforms they use
It looks like 2024 will be the year brands cut their losses with certain social platforms, choosing to think strategically instead, as 68% of marketers report being concerned about the ROI of their social activities. Simply put, more social marketing teams will push against the unjustified expectations to be on every platform, and only keep their top performing channels based on ROI.
This shift reflects a departure from social giants like Pinterest and Twitter, with most brands prioritising platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn based on user engagement statistics.
Trend 4: Users demand entertainment and authentic content
In response to user demands, another social media marketing trend for 2024, will see brands adapt their strategies to prioritise entertainment and authentic content. After staying in touch with family and friends, the top reason consumers use social media is to be entertained and mentally unwind.
When you consider the fact that 34% of consumers say “too much self-promotion” is a major turn-off in how they perceive brands on social, and that 56% of consumers think that brands should be more relatable on social media, it’s easy to see why short-form video content is still king. It can be used in a variety of ways on social media and is able to capture user attention quickly and easily.
How are you planning on adapting your social content plan to include more lighthearted content?
Trend 5: LinkedIn’s algorithm prioritises professionalism
Having already made some algorithm changes earlier this year, LinkedIn will be amping it up in 2024, placing even more emphasis on professionalism and returning to its roots. Over the last few years, the social media platform has been flooded with more and more personal content, which LinkedIn wants to move away from.
With a focus on “knowledge and advice,” especially among subject matter experts and people within a user’s network, LinkedIn says its users find this type of content the most valuable, especially when it’s posted by someone they know. Only time will tell how much LinkedIn will change, and the impact it will have on users, content and engagement.
As we look at the social media landscape for next year, it will be interesting to see how these social media marketing trends for 2024 develop and shape social media teams and strategies.
