Social media has become an integral part of our lives. What started as a space to connect with our friends and family online initially has rapidly turned into a launchpad for brands to promote their products, services, and ideas. The vast world of social media is constantly evolving and even more as we venture into 2024. Let’s explore the emerging trends and opportunities you can leverage as a brand, business, influencer, or content creator.
Top Trends to Look For in 2024
Here are the top trends you need to look for in 2024. These trends are not darts thrown in the dark. Instead, they are based on data.
The Boom of AI
AI tools are gaining immense popularity in various fields such as writing, marketing, design, customer service, and more. Chat GPT, for example, gained a million users in less than a week of its launch. Social media users are eager to try out new tools and experiment with them. This experimental content attracts users’ attention and helps in increasing YouTube subscribers.
On the other hand, brands are leveraging artificial intelligence in the form of chatbots, brainstorming ideas for content creation, and studying the dynamics and trends of social media. An important point to consider here is that AI cannot replace humans anytime soon as it still lacks the human touch and creative thought in its contents.
Comeback of Long-form Content
We have seen short-form content dominating all social media platforms significantly. The reason behind this is the advent of tiktok and its unique content format that instantly clicked with the users. Shorter videos were found to be more engaging for viewers as compared to longer ones. However, after short content has been in the limelight for quite some time, long-form content is going to make a comeback soon.
Most creators have already transitioned back into creating longer videos. Even tiktok has increased the duration of videos to encourage longer videos. It started with 15 to 30-second videos and is now testing as long as 30-minute videos. Tiktok is even encouraging users to upload horizontal videos which will get boosted within 72 hours of posting.
Shorter videos won’t be swept away completely but now there will be longer ones complementing them.
AR and VR Experiences
The emergence of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) offers exciting possibilities for brands to push the boundaries of social media marketing. These technologies can be used to create immersive and engaging experiences for the users. Creative product visualization and challenges are great ways to enhance the social commerce experience for consumers.
Personalized Marketing Strategies
There has been a lot of emphasis by brands on advertising their products and services on social media. However, people come across plenty of ads every day both online and offline. This has reduced the effectiveness of social media ads as well. Users don’t like to be constantly spammed by ads asking them to buy products. In this situation, personalized marketing has emerged as a lifesaver for brands. Marketers will now tailor their persuasive communication prioritizing the individual needs of everyone in their target audience.
No Third-Party Cookies
Third-party cookies have been an element of doubt for users for quite some time. They have raised privacy concerns over websites selling their data to third parties. Even Google is eliminating cookies from Chrome in 2024. Brands like imac pro i7 4k might have to stop using cookies once and for all to win consumer trust and attract more website traffic.
Authenticity Over Anything
Gone are the days when people put up fake scenarios and photos of them traveling and enjoying fancy food to impress their peers. Social media users have evolved pretty well. Now they understand that everybody has challenges in their lives and it’s okay to talk about it too. Brands who stay authentic in their approach are considered more trustworthy by the audience as compared to brands who put up a false facade.
SEO for Social Platforms
Initially, it was essential to optimize your website and content for search engines. Consumers are now using social media as a search engine to explore products they want to buy. This has led to the need for brands to optimize their content for each social network by integrating relevant keywords and hashtags in their content. Keywords and hashtags make it convenient for users to discover what they are looking for. If brands use them effectively, they can generate more leads, increase their Facebook followers, and enhance their customer base.
Focus on Micro-Influencers and Niche Markets
Did you know that brands are now prioritizing micro-influencers over celebrities and mega-influencers? It’s because micro-influencers are niche experts and they have a very dedicated community of followers. Micro-influencers are a fantastic means to help brands achieve their goals which could include driving website traffic, enhancing Facebook page likes, generating leads, or boosting sales. Instead of focusing on expanded reach, brands are now focusing on building an emotional connection with their audience for direct engagement. It’s cost-effective and offers a greater ROI to brands.
Social Commerce
Social commerce means users are able to shop for products directly through social network apps. Various social networks have proceeded to integrate in-app shopping to enhance user experience and empower businesses. Now brands can list their product catalog on their social media profile where users can shop from them. This has made the overall process seamless and saves a lot of time and effort at consumers’ end.
Summing Up
The social media space is constantly evolving and transforming businesses. This evolution holds a lot of potential for businesses to flourish and augment their presence. It’s important to keep yourself updated on the latest trends to keep pace with the technology advancement. Most of the emerging trends such as social commerce, SEO for social platforms, and AR and VR experiences offer immense growth opportunities for brands. They should avail themselves of the upcoming opportunities and make the most of them.
Author’s Bio:
Fatima Salman
SEO Content Writer | Blogger
LinkedIn
Fatima has been a skilled SEO content writer for more than 3 years. She’s proficient in digital marketing, social media marketing, and artificial intelligence. Her writing style combines flair with functionality, creating content tailored to client needs and industry nuances. Besides writing, she joyfully explores the world, seeking to uncover its hidden gems.
