2024 Social Media Trends

Last month I covered eight graphic design trends we’ll be seeing in 2024, but what about social media trends?

We all know this is going to be on the list because it seems like there can’t be a discussion on anything technology related without mentioning AI. Yes, social media platforms now have AI built in to help you create verbiage for your posts or you can use the well known ChatGPT to help articulate your message or Adobe’s Generative AI to edit/generate images. But before I move on, here is a warning: according to a Hootsuite survey, 62% of consumers say they are less likely to engage with and trust content if they know it was created by AI. USE THESE TOOLS AS A JUMPING OFF POINT THEN MAKE IT YOUR OWN.

Authenticity, again, nothing new here but still trending (as in top priority). Avoid being overly self-promotional and post relatable/helpful content. Consumers want to feel like they know “the man behind the curtain”, as it were. Afterall, you’re stepping into their lives via their computer, tablet, or phone to request their undivided attention, so incorporate more of what they want. Share something entertaining, throw in a relatable meme or two, spotlight behind the scenes.  

We all know video has been dominating social media these past few years (generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined - hootsuite.com), and that’s not going to change. But what is, is the length of the video. We’ve seen full length, we’ve seen bite-sized, now prepare for something in-between. With platforms increasing their max video length (IG Reels is now 15 minutes and TikTok is reportedly testing this length as well) get ready to watch something that is longer than 60 seconds. Consumers are also turning to social media for answers instead of traditional search engines, so this added video time is needed to provide in depth answers. If you’re not ready to hit that 15 minute mark, that’s okay, 2-5 minute videos are gaining just as much traction.

What about the glorious vanity metrics? Looks like “shares” is taking the lead. In a world where people and businesses are purchasing “likes” and “follows”, “shares” are the more authentic metric to be aiming for. If someone shares your content, that means they are willing to support you in front of  their own following. These shares are more likely to bring “likes”, “comments”, and “follows” to your page. Go back through your posts and see what your audience has responded well to and use that as a starting point for future content.

I’m sure you’ve seen someone post a “photo dump” on IG. While this may look lazy, it’s not. Photo dumps are the new carousel. There are reportedly 3.6 million IG posts that use #PhotoDump and are the top performing format on their platform - beating Reels and solo posts. This is a great way to hop on photo-specific trends, provides an authentic feel, and lets you quickly provide a lot of information without a production-heavy video. IG allows up to 10 photos or videos while TikTok allows up to 35 slides.

Lastly, LinkedIn is shaking things up again. Originally viewed as a platform to job hunt or collect Connections, COVID turned things around when home and work lives blended making it more along the lines of Facebook - filled with personal posts. Many users have become tired of this and have been demanding more relevant and informative content. Insert LinkedIn’s new algorithm, aimed at prioritizing professionalism (knowledge and advice). By using AI, they are able to “scan” posts to see if they speak to a distinct audience, if you’re writing in your core subject area, the post receives meaningful comments (vs just quantity of comments), and you provide your perspective to the topic. By doing all of this you may also receive one of their new Top Voice badges that acknowledge those who “share valuable expertise through content that demonstrates their unique, original contributions to a topic.” (hootsuite.com).

As always, you don’t have to follow all or any of these trends. Just take a step back and look at what has been working for you and your competitors and try implementing more of that into your 2024 social media plan.

If you’re curious how these trends differ from 2023, check out my blog from last year covering 2023 Social Media Trends.