The Top Social Media Trends You Must Pay Attention to in 2024

Social media is constantly evolving. As we enter 2024, several key trends will shape social media strategy and performance. Brands that stay ahead of the latest developments will be best positioned for success. This article outlines the top social media trends you must pay attention to this year.

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The social media landscape looks vastly different today compared to just a few years ago. With short-form video dominating attention spans and social commerce taking off, brands need to adapt quickly. Consumer behavior and algorithms that determine visibility are shifting faster than ever.

However, as highlighted in our latest article exploring the pros and cons of AI in social media, increased reliance on algorithms exposes brands and users to emerging risks around data ethics.

Some major forces that will impact social media strategy in 2024 include:

Continued rise of TikTok and vertical video content
Evolution of platforms like LinkedIn and YouTube
Acceleration of visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest for shopping
The growing influence of nano and micro-influencers over celebrities
Importance of leveraging communities and user-generated content
Expanding the use of artificial intelligence and automation

Brands able to pivot their approach to leverage these trends will gain an edge. Those who fail to adapt risk fading into social media obscurity.

This article outlines eight need-to-know social trends to help inform your social media marketing efforts this year.

Short-Form Video Content Still Rules

Short-form vertical video dominated feeds in 2023, especially among younger audiences. The breakout success of TikTok proved the format’s staying power across demographics.

Expect short-form video to continue driving engagement and consumption in 2024.

Key stats:

TikTok hits 1.5 billion monthly active users in January 2023 (Source)
Instagram Reels generates 2.35 billion global views per month
YouTube Shorts tops 50 billion global daily views (Source)

Vertical video also boasts higher completion rates compared to landscape video across platforms:

Video Format	Avg. Completion Rate
Vertical	90%
Landscape	18%

Brands investing in short-form social videos reap rewards:

96% report an increased understanding of their product/service (Source)
91% see traffic growth from video marketing efforts (Source)

Tips to optimize short video content:

When adapting for platforms like TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts:

Hook viewers quickly – the first 5 seconds are critical
Use popular songs, effects, and trends to boost discoverability
Integrate interactive elements like polls, AR filters, or stickers
Multi-post stories drive more views and retention

Focus on value over frivolous trends. Clear calls to action also produce conversions.

YouTube Remains a Key Platform

YouTube retains impressive viewer stats, especially around the depth of consumption:

40+ minutes average viewing session (Source)
21% bounce rate, versus more than 50% for other social platforms

For brands publishing long-form video content, YouTube remains essential:

Repurposing Video Content

Maximize productions by repurposing YouTube videos:

Compilations – Break into shorter segments for snacks
Excerpts – Highlight clips for promos
Embeds – Incorporate into blog and landing pages
Cross-post – Reach more viewers natively on TikTok, Facebook, etc.

Continue to publish educational, inspirational, and helpful videos aligned with viewer intent.

Social Commerce Acceleration

The pandemic accelerated the adoption of social platforms for shopping. And the numbers show no signs of slowing:

Australian buyers made 14% of purchases directly through social apps in 2023 (Source)

Younger demographics like Gen Z rely heavily on apps like Instagram and TikTok for discovery:

41% of Gen Z shoppers want brands to interact with them via Instagram (Source)
70% discover new products on Instagram (Source)

Tips for Native Shopping Experiences

Ensure seamless social shopping by enabling native checkout:

Set up shop tabs on Instagram and Facebook
Create TikTok Shop profiles and showcase products
Tag products in Reels and posts with retail partners

Optimize landing pages for mobile. Integrate SMS and live chat for sales assistance.

The Power of Content Creators

While follower metrics dominate the social conversation, community engagement matters more for business results:

66% with a branded community see positive impact on retention (Source)
38% will recommend a brand after single community interaction

Comments and @ mentions often outperform likes and shares for driving action on posts as well.

86%	Trust free product reviews from consumers as much as personal recommendations
76%	Participate in online brand communities and forums
12X	More impactful than branded influencer sponsorships

Tips for Working with Creators

Focus-on-quality-over-quantity-of-followers

Tips for Engaging Communities

Some best practices around community interaction:

Reply to questions/concerns quickly and thoughtfully
Create exclusive groups on Facebook or private channels
Spotlight loyal customers publicly with reposts

Seek to turn one-time buyers into brand advocates through VIP access and incentives.

Precision Targeting for Paid Ads

As privacy changes and saturation increases on social platforms, precision targeting grows more important. Avoid wasting the budget with broad demographic or interest targeting.

Integrate first-party data (email lists, high-value customers) and monitor campaign performance closely. 54% find irrelevant ads annoying — ensure relevance with tighter audience focuses like:

Detailed buyer personas
Lookalike audiences

Monitor campaign results and refine based on in-market signals like:

Abandoned carts
Product views
Recent purchases

Layer on interest and behavioral qualifiers where possible too.

Integrating Social Media and SEO

With more social browsing and shopping behavior, optimizing content for on-platform visibility grows in importance too.

SEO strategies now need adaptation to the unique algorithms powering each network:

Understand format preferences and optimize natively — prioritize vertical orientation and motion for Facebook and TikTok, for example.

Conclusion

Major transformation continues across the social media marketing landscape. As consumer behavior evolves, expect platforms like Instagram and TikTok to keep capturing attention and opening sales channels.

Success in 2024 requires embracing video-first content strategies optimized for mobile users with short attention spans. It means monitoring the ripple effects of changes to larger networks like Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn as well.

Brands that leverage data and adapt quickly to emerging social platforms and features will stay ahead. Consider especially TikTok Shop, live broadcasts via Instagram, and Community posts.

User-generated content and micro-influencers warrant more partnership focus too. Authentic co-marketing resonates deeply with young demographics.

This rundown of key trends should provide a helpful guidepost for updating social media strategies this year. Keep testing and optimizing based on campaign results as you translate these insights into content plans.

What trend excites or concerns you the most for 2024? Share any questions on putting these social media marketing tips into practice!

The Top Social Media Trends You Must Pay Attention to in 2024