Don’t Fall Behind: The Latest in Social Media Trends for 2024

Forget the old days of selling dreams—2024 is all about keeping it real! Social media marketing has ditched the filters and embraced authenticity, engagement and genuine experiences.

Let’s explore the latest trends and tactics that are shaking up marketing strategies:

Instagram

With over two billion active users monthly, Instagram remains a top social media platform.

• Focus on Reels: Ever since Reels became the dominant video format on Instagram, the platform has pushed them hard. We saw a gaggle of new editing capabilities and analytics introduced in 2023, and as YouTube Shorts and TikTok have now extended their video length caps, Reels have real competition.
• Expect even bigger changes and upgrades as Insta looks for new ways to stay ahead of the pack. And, given there’ll likely be a laser focus on this format, it’d be worth allocating more Reels estate within your content strategy.

• Nano- and Micro-Influencers: Influencer-generated content (IGC) reigns supreme! With their innate ability to create captivating content, influencers have become invaluable partners for brands seeking appealing visuals for their social media channels.
• This trend? It’s not slowing down—it’s picking up steam. Why? First, it helps brands get trendy, visually attractive content. Secondly, influencers’ content feels so much more authentic and relatable than professionally produced content and thus, brings better engagement. And lastly, it’s (usually) more cost effective than organizing and producing photoshoots yourself.

• Link in Bio: Attention spans are dropping. Over the past 15 years, our focus has waned from an average of 12 to just 8.25 seconds. If you’ve got something to sell or promote, you need to give people the goods—fast.
• Links in bios will be more crucial than ever, acting as a hub for potential customers or followers to find your best stuff at the tap of a finger. There are several tools you can use to organize your links, ensuring that potential clients, customers or curious onlookers are shepherded to the right place.

• User-Generated Content (UGC): UGC is any type of content created by existing customers instead of by brands themselves. Think social media posts, videos, even blog entries—all crafted by your loyal fans to share with their loyal followers online. And let us tell you, when your customers turn into brand cheerleaders, magic happens!
• UGC is something that companies have discovered to be a great benefit to their bottom line. 79% of people say that UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions, and social media campaigns that include UGC content get 50% more engagement.
• Check out our blog, “How to Get User-Generated Content from your Customers” to learn more.

Facebook

Facebook is an advertising powerhouse. The platform attracts more than three billion monthly active users, and research suggests that Facebook often delivers the highest ROI among all social media networks. Prioritize these four key trends to optimize their strategies and maximize your marketing results:

• Influencer marketing continues to evolve, offering opportunities for brands to connect with highly engaged audiences through authentic content creation.
• Embracing micro-influencers (a count of 10,000–100,000 followers) enables brands to enjoy the benefits of influencer partnerships without excessive costs, tapping into niche audiences effectively.
• Adoption of AI-powered Facebook Messenger enhances customer engagement, chat support and lead generation, driving efficiency and effectiveness in interactions. This is an excellent way to manage your reputation and improve customer service and support.
• Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) remains as crucial on Facebook as it is on other platforms. UGC is found to be authentic and relatable content and drives engagement and conversions. Marketers should focus on sourcing and utilizing UGC effectively to build credibility, increase clicks and conversions and launch cost-effective campaigns.

TikTok

TikTok has a freshness that’s simply unavoidable, and your brand should be using this fresh and growing platform to connect with audiences in innovative ways. Here are four tactics to consider employing in 2024:

• Trends: Tik Tok’s ever-evolving trends, spanning hashtags, sounds, dances, challenges and editing styles provide fertile ground for creativity, allowing brands to position themselves as approachable and relatable. Moreover, TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes trending content, facilitating broader reach and heightened engagement, thus maximizing the impact of marketing efforts. Using evergreen and viral TikTok trends may be the golden ticket for some businesses. If you stay on top of TikTok marketing trends both app-wide and in your industry, you’re setting yourself up for increased brand exposure and user engagement.
• Talking Sensitive Subjects: Navigating vulnerability on platforms like TikTok is both challenging and rewarding for brands. While genuine storytelling fosters trust and deepens connections with audiences, the risk of appearing inauthentic looms large. Tackling sensitive topics authentically can spark meaningful conversations and position brands as empathetic and relatable. However, feigned vulnerability risks damaging brand integrity and alienating audiences. To capitalize on this opportunity, brands must prioritize authenticity, ensuring their storytelling aligns with their values and resonates with their audience’s experiences.
• #LearnOnTikTok Revolutionizes Education and Marketing: The #LearnOnTikTok initiative serves as a multifaceted platform for educational content, ranging from academic courses to lifestyle tips like sleep health and exercise routines. Beyond its educational value, it also emerges as a powerful tool for businesses to launch products, demonstrate their functionality and dispel any misconceptions surrounding them. With over 253 billion views and sustained popularity, #LearnOnTikTok underscores the platform’s potential for product promotion and educational outreach, effectively bridging the gap between learning and marketing.
• Taking Advantage of Consumer-Focused #Hashtags: Leveraging consumer-focused hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt offers brands a potent opportunity to enhance brand awareness and drive sales. By injecting their unique twist into popular TikTok video themes, brands can capitalize on viral trends, significantly boosting content viewership and conversion rates.
• Partner with Influencers in TikTok’s Creator Marketplace: Creator Marketplace offers a comprehensive suite of creator marketing tools conveniently consolidated in one platform. From creator discovery to campaign management and reporting, businesses can seamlessly collaborate with creators aligned with their industry, budget and specific business objectives.

Staying ahead of social media trends is crucial, especially as we’re noticing a lot of overlap with successful tactics across social platforms. People crave entertainment, value trust and have short attention spans, so every move counts. But let’s face it: We’ve all got limits! Instead of stretching themselves thin, savvy brands are focusing on tactics that align with their brand identity, bandwidth and budget. Mastering a strategy that combines efficiency with impact isn’t just smart—it’s the golden ticket for marketers aiming to thrive in the digital jungle.