The social media world is brimming with content, and the competition to be noticed is getting fiercer. Stopping a user’s scroll can be hard, with trends evolving on a monthly basis. But by utilising the right social media marketing strategy and staying up-to-date with trends, you can stay on top of the game and propel your social media profile towards success.
As we take our first steps into 2024, it’s time to delve into the ever-changing social media landscape. From emerging technologies to shifts in user behaviour, we’ve put this blog together as a guide to unraveling the latest and most influential social media trends to shape your online experiences this year.
Short-form video is still king
In 2023, TikTok’s user base grew to a massive 1.677 billion global users and an average of 1.1 billion monthly active users. People love the communities that TikTok fosters and, most of all, the fun, short, and easy-to-digest videos that people on the platform produce by the millions every day.
While TikTok is at the forefront of short-form video production, other websites and apps have also gone all in on this social media trend. For example, Instagram Reels garnered 17.6 million hours worth of views on the platform.
With this in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that short-form video is an invaluable marketing tool, whether it’s to help users better understand a product or service or increase traffic to a website or a specific product page.
However, the short-form takeover doesn’t mean you should divest in long-form video strategies. After all, many big platforms are actually increasing the maximum length for video uploads. For instance, Instagram Reels can now be as long as 15 minutes, TikTok is testing the same length for uploads, and X now offers a premium subscription that allows users to upload videos of up to two hours long. So try experimenting with both as much as you can!
Vertical videos beat horizontal content
It might be obvious to some but 90% of vertical videos perform better than horizontal ones. That’s because they have a higher watch completion rate, and watching videos in this format is natural and intuitive, with many consumers already holding their devices vertically and most user-generated videos being shot vertically. So make sure you’re filming your content in portrait mode!
However, when it comes to YouTube, whilst shorts are in vertical format, the online video platform is still strongly associated with horizontal full-screen videos. This distinction tells us that it’s still best to compare platforms and evaluate where to place your marketing campaigns for better results. For example, LinkedIn videos would always be best as horizontal Vs Instagram and TikTok being strongly vertical.
Vertical videos versus horizontal videos, short-form versus long-form–it all boils down to what your specific goal and audience is.
Text-only posts are as dependable as ever
Though video content is popular, the appeal of text-only posts isn’t something to ignore either. Other text-based social media apps such as Mastodon boast 1.6 monthly active users, and Bluesky Social, an exclusive, invite-only platform, has over 1 million active users. Even old-school Facebook text posts still do big numbers.
Another benefit of text-only posts is how little work they require to produce and how quickly you can upload them to your feed. They also don’t demand the same production costs or efforts as video or audio posts, particularly with the growing prominence of AI tools like ChatGPT.
Engagement will move from feeds to direct messages
Social media feeds are filled with content, from news articles to meme images and video ads. And these generally cluttered spaces are encouraging people to crave and create more intimate pockets of the internet with smaller, tight-knit communities.
For this reason, direct messages are becoming a preferred communication method for many consumers. To adapt to this shift, the best approach is to actively encourage your audience to reach out with inquiries and feedback through messaging.
Having a dedicated team in place to address these concerns can significantly facilitate this transition. Additionally, you can leverage automated chatbot responses or establish a page with frequently asked questions and answers for instances when your team is offline.
Shares matter more than ever
Though likes and followers are still important aspects of a successful campaign, they don’t hold the same value as they did before. These metrics no longer hold the same weight, considering the ease with which likes, followers, views, and impressions can be purchased or fabricated.
In contrast, there’s a metric that is more challenging to attain and inherently more organic: shares. Unlike the previously mentioned statistics, shares embody genuine value.
When someone shares your content in Stories, direct messages, or beyond the platform, it signifies a strong endorsement to their audience. The ripple effect often includes subsequent comments and likes once your content gains traction through shares.
“Photo dumps” are the new “carousels”
Photo dumps involve compiling a collection of images and videos in a single carousel post. While some may perceive it as a casual or unstructured approach, the reality is quite the opposite.
This format provides a convenient way for brands to share extended narratives, participate in photo-centric trends, and engage with their audience in a more authentic and unfiltered manner. Interestingly, even TikTok, renowned for its short-form video content, has introduced a photo mode.
Users can share up to 10 photos or videos on Instagram in a single post, while TikTok allows up to 35 slides. So, while your friends might be posting less frequently on their feeds, a closer look at their recent uploads might reveal the creative use of this versatile feature.
Watch Out for These Social Media Trends of 2024
Outpace your competitors by diving into the trends that will define the social media space in the coming year.
In a landscape that’s ever-changing, staying ahead is the compass that guides you through the expansive and interconnected realms of social media. Be it embracing novel technologies, deciphering evolving user behaviours, or foreseeing the next cultural wave, the future is brimming with exciting possibilities.
If you need support in helping to implement these strategies into your social media, get in touch with our team today for a no obligation chat and make 2024 the year that counts.
