Social Media Trends for 2024 Simplified
What trends should you focus on in the next year, and which ones can you ignore?
As someone who has worked in social media for a while, I have spent quite a few Decembers pouring over the upcoming year’s projected social media trends. And I can tell you that most of the time, I walk away remembering next to nothing because there’s TOO MUCH! So many trends are shared that it’s overwhelming.
But I promise you, this list is different. I spent the past few months reviewing the projected trends for 2024 and am condensing what I learned into a simple breakdown.
I am going to:
Highlight the trends I think are actually worth your time.
Point out how you can manipulate other trends to fit your needs.
Tell you which trends you can just ignore. (I don’t know about you, but a list of things I can ignore sounds pretty great during the chaos of the holiday season!)
Let’s dive right in.
AI Trends
AI-related trends could be Buzzfeed-style articles that share AI-generated graphics or sing ChapGPT to outline your content. So, what does this mean for you?
While knowing what AI thinks every state’s Hunger Games Tributes would look like might be fun, I’m willing to bet it won’t do much for your bottom line. What it can do is be a helpful tool to save you some time and brainpower.
Social media scheduling platforms like Hootsuite are offering AI support to generate captions. Graphic design software like Canva are using AI to adjust images and graphics. These can be major time savers and help kick your creativity into gear.
Remember, using AI to do all of the work can make your content feel, well, artificial. Plus, consumers are becoming more savvy about what is AI and what isn’t. (You’ll still have some people out there believing crazy AI-generated content).
TL;DR Use AI as a tool to help cut down on some of the workload but make sure you do your own editing. Ensure the content you’re creating feels genuine and authentic to you and your business.
Dropping Platforms
Isn’t it fun when the rest of the world catches up to something you’ve thought all along…
I’m sharing some good news for you busy business bees. 2024 may be the year brands with accounts on multiple platforms have to make some serious decisions. More companies are looking at which platforms bring the most value or return on investment. And they're dumping the rest!
That’s right - you have permission NOT to be on every single platform. I am a big believer in focusing on doing one thing well instead of many things passably.
If you are currently on multiple platforms, take some time to review which ones help connect you to the right audience and fit your business brand and plan. Dump the rest.
If you are just starting your social media journey, there are two things to look into. First, check out where your current audience already is. Then, consider what platform best fits your vibes. Pick whichever platform best matches both of these areas and focus on that for 2024.
TIP: Don’t delete your profiles/accounts. Instead, deactivate them so you don’t lose your handle and name in case you want to relaunch the profile. This will also keep people from using your old handle or name to pretend to be you.
TL;DR Don’t feel like you have to tackle a new platform this year. Stick with whichever one is bringing the most value to your business. And if you’re still getting started, pick a single platform and focus your energy there.
Focus on Engagement
It's kind of crazy this is being called a trend, but here we are. Engagement measures how people interact with your social media accounts and posts. It includes likes, comments, shares, etc.
People use social media as a form of entertainment. This means you want your content to have some level of entertainment value. Cinematic videos, hilarious captions, or showing more real people in your posts can make a world of difference.
A common question is, “What will my audience find entertaining?” This can feel like a hard question to answer, but there are a few simple ways you can figure it out.
Look at the content you create that gets the most engagement. That’s what entertains your audience!
Going Deeper: One of the companies I have been working with is still a new business, so we’ve been working hard to find their social media voice. I didn’t expect playful science posts to be such big hits with their local audience. But boy, oh boy, did people get a kick out of silly science and poor puns.
2. Another way to learn what entertains your audience is by asking them.
Going Deeper: Most social media platforms allow for information gathering, like polls and questions. Put it out to them in a way that feels fun and collaborative. For example, if people liked a video you shared about how you mix frosting colors for cake decorating, ask your audience what other behind-the-scenes things they want to see.
3. What do YOU find entertaining? If you’ve created your social media to be an authentic representation of your business, there’s probably a decent amount of “you” in there. People may see your entertaining posts as a reflection of the person behind the business.
Going Deeper: When the National Park Service social media started getting snarky, I was paying attention (and laughing along). It was entertaining and engaged their audience in a new way, and most people loved it. Fowlerville Library in Michigan went viral on TikTok for their One Star Review Guess Who videos, where they read one-star reviews for popular books.
TL;DR Focus on the content your audience finds the most engaging. You can branch out and try new things but don’t stress about trying everything.
Video, Video, Video Trends
Nearly, every article talking about 2024 social media trends mentions videos in some format.
As someone who has worked in this field for some time, I can't count the number of times someone casually suggested I “make a quick video about it.” BUT I can still see the value in creating quality, authentic, and engaging videos.
Let’s be clear - creating quality video content takes time.
My biggest tip is to
and when to stick with a photo and/or text. This will obviously depend on your platform (I’m looking at your TikTok). But it is completely manageable.
TIP: Caption your videos AND use closed captions! People continue to watch videos in public places with their phones on mute, plus this makes your content more accessible.
TL;DR Be strategic about what content you make into videos to capitalize on their reach. But don’t stress over making video after video after video.
Ignore These
Alright, now for the fun part - things you can ignore!
Each year, there are projected trends that fall flat. If I could see into the future, I would tell you all right now exactly which trends will do that in 2024. But instead, I will give you permission to ignore a few upcoming trends.
First, if you aren’t already successfully using Threads (Instagram’s Twitter/X-like option), don’t worry about adding it to your to-do list. Some forecasters are predicting 2024 will not be the year for the new platform, so don’t waste your time.
Speaking of Twitter/X, the consistent changes to the platform have continued to drive brands away. Again, if you’re not successfully using X already, skip it.
Snapchat+ is making some waves, but I caution people to hold out until something has been around for a while to see its value. If your business is tech-forward and highly focused on social media - keep an eye on this, but the rest of you can ignore it.
Bonus Trend!
Did you read through this and think, “Cool, but I want to do even more this next year!”? First of all, good for you, hitting 2024 with that energy! Second, I got you.
Instagram Collaborations
One super cool change Meta made to Instagram recently is the ability to do collaborative posts. This change allows different accounts to co-author a post. The co-authoring lets audiences of both accounts see and interact with the content.
Essentially, you can widen your audience while networking with other brands!
It’s Just Another Year
The bottom line is this: trends come and go, so focus on your brand and connecting with your audience rather than going viral.
Remember, social media is a long game. You could put together the most incredible, entertaining, perfect post, and it could still flop. But your audience will notice if you regularly publish quality, authentic content. Don’t stress about being perfect; focus on being real.
Links to 2024 Social Media Trend Articles
www.hootsuite.com/research/social-trends
www.simplilearn.com/social-media-trends-article
www.tiktok.com/business/en/trends-whats-next
www.socialmediatoday.com/news/34-predictions-social-media-marketing-2024/697420/
