Top Social Media Trends For 2024 Last year was a rollercoaster for social marketers. On one hand, exciting new technologies like AI generative content opened up a world of possibilities. Brands eagerly doubled down on using AI across various activities, with some even tripling or quadrupling its use for things like customer support and editing images according to our 2024 trends survey.
AI Trends: Rethinking Authenticity in the Age of Generative AI In the dynamic realm of social media, the surge of Generative AI in 2022 marked a transformative moment, eliciting emotions typically reserved for human interactions. A comprehensive analysis of over 15,500 news articles and blogs revealed a staggering 550% increase in interest regarding AI between 2022 and 2023.
Embracing this momentum, social marketers are gearing up to double, triple, or even quadruple their utilization of AI across diverse activities. The Hootsuite Social Trends 2024 Survey indicates a remarkable 318% surge in organizations planning to leverage AI for customer support and a substantial 260% increase for image editing.
However, amidst the AI frenzy, a noteworthy revelation emerged from the Hootsuite Social Media Consumer 2024 Survey: 62% of consumers
are hesitant to engage with and trust content if they know it originated from an AI application. Notably, different generations exhibit varied levels of trust towards AI-generated content, with Gen Z showing a more favorable inclination compared to their skeptical Baby Boomer counterparts.
AI for the Ages: Redefining Authenticity
As organizations contemplate the integration of AI into social media strategies, it’s evident that success hinges on redefining authenticity. The prevailing narrative suggests that in 2024, authenticity is no longer solely about the originator of content but rather the experience it fosters for the customer.
To navigate this evolving landscape, marketers are advised to:
1. Know Your Audience: Understanding the nuances of audience perception, considering factors like age, culture, and interests, is imperative. 2. Strategic Delegation: While AI serves as a powerful assistant, human oversight remains paramount. Marketers must judiciously delegate tasks, ensuring a harmonious balance between AI and human involvement.
3. Establish AI Policies: To mitigate potential challenges, organizations should formulate clear policies and best practices for AI usage in social media, fostering alignment and averting unforeseen issues.
Platform Trends: Prioritizing Presence for Optimal ROI
The ever-expanding social media landscape has compelled organizations to reevaluate their platform strategies. A notable challenge arises from the need to tailor content to the distinct characteristics of each platform, coupled with the rapid pace of changes in features and trends.
The Hootsuite Social Trends 2024 Survey reveals that organizations are increasingly concerned about the impact of maintaining a presence on numerous platforms on their ROI. In response, strategic organizations are asserting themselves by prioritizing platforms based on ROI, even contemplating abandonment of underperforming ones.
Decoding Your Social Platform Mix: A Strategic Approach To streamline social platform strategies, marketers are encouraged to:
1. Conduct a Social Media Audit: Evaluate the performance of each platform to identify high-performing channels and optimize strategy accordingly.
2. ROI Showdown: Gauge the ROI of each platform and prioritize those with the most potential for growth, even if it means parting ways with less effective ones. 3. Master Cross-Posting: Align content with platform norms, best practices, and formats, ensuring a cohesive yet tailored presence across various platforms.
ROI Trends: The Entertainment Imperative for Social Success
Entertainment emerges as a key driver for social media success, with consumers expressing a desire for content that provides enjoyment and a break from self-promotion. Despite this, a significant dissonance exists, as brands continue to focus on self-promotional content, leading to concerns about ROI.
Brands that prioritize entertaining content are predicted to capture audience attention and market share, as opposed to those adhering to traditional self-promotion strategies. To align with this trend, marketers are encouraged to follow their audience’s lead, adopt a long-term approach to social relationships, and measure engagement’s impact on broader business goals.
As we navigate the social media landscape in 2024, the integration of AI, strategic platform selection, and a focus on entertaining content emerge as pivotal elements for brands aiming to thrive in the ever-evolving digital ecosystem.
