Trends that will shape social media in 2024

It almost goes without saying, but the social media landscape is constantly changing and evolving.

Whether it’s a new update, an exciting added feature or even a new social media platform emerging or an old one falling flat – it can often be hard to keep up the pace. 

But where does that leave us now? Here’s a few social media trends you need to be keeping an eye on for:

Social media trends to watch out for:

Brand transparency

Consumers are demanding more transparency and integrity, so it’s time to get real. They want to know what their favourite brands stand for and ultimately, how they’re positively contributing to society.

It’s not enough for brands to just talk the talk about their social and environmental commitments – they need to show they’re walking the walk, too.

This means outlining the specific steps your business is taking towards more ethical business practices. For example, if you’re committed to reducing your carbon footprint, you should outline the specific initiatives you’re implementing to achieve this goal. It’s important to be honest about the challenges you’re facing and the progress you’re making. And one of the best places to start is on social media, of course!

Social media is a good place to be authentic and conversational, and display yourself as not just a brand, but a group of people that are making a real effort to make real change.

But don’t overstep the boundaries. Greenwashing, social washing, rainbow washing – making false or exaggerated claims about what you do for the environment and the community – is a big no-no. Consumers can spot insincere marketing tactics from a mile away, and they won’t hesitate to call out brands that are being disingenuous. People don’t want to hear buzzwords and fluff. Instead, focus on making real, impactful change and communicate this in an authentic way.

Entering the metaverse

Are you ready to step into the metaverse? It’s time to put on your VR headset and dive headfirst into the world of avatars, virtual stores and NFTs.

It’s not just a trend, it’s a whole new way of experiencing the world and immersing yourself into social media. And with the format war between different metaverses heating up, it’s important to choose the right one for your brand.

More players are joining the race, so it’s important to start understanding it a little more. It will allow users to step inside and experience social media together, rather than just scrolling down a flat screen. While this is an exciting prospect, it’s one that definitely needs to be approached with caution, because it means that social media is set to become more addictive than ever before.  

Companies can harness the metaverse by creating branded virtual spaces, build better consumer relationships and increase brand awareness and engagement. While it may feel a little daunting at first, it’s fine to just dip your toes in in this first instance.

Social commerce goes mainstream

Social media is no longer just a place to share updates and connect with friends – it’s about to become your one-stop-shop for all your purchasing needs. No more bouncing between different apps and websites to find what you’re looking for – you can do it all without ever leaving your favourite social media platform.

Brands, listen up! Social media platforms will become integrated marketplaces, so it’s time to optimise your social media presence for those sales. Social media is the new frontier for brands to connect with customers, and if you’re not on board, you run the risk of falling behind. For instance, let’s look at TikTok shop. It’s taken over, with people buying makeup, clothing, gadgets and more right from the app and then talking about it, on the app.

Though we’ve had uncertainties over the past few years with inflation and recession leading to a poor economic outlook, you might think shopping would be the last thing on customers’ minds. However, the cost-of-living crisis drives demand for affordability, so consumers will be more willing to explore new channels – growing social commerce as a result.

It’s important to amplify your brand on social media, and create seamless shopping experiences. Utilise the power of influencer marketing, do your research and target people who you know will be interested in your product, and perhaps most importantly, build an easy user experience where customers can simply see, click, buy.

AI-generated content

A hot topic that’s certainly been on our lips for a good while now, our fifth trend is AI-generated content. AI is officially here and it’s more accessible than ever before. But it’s important to be cautious with it. Whether it’s AI generative fill within Photoshop or copy generators like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, AI is everywhere. But, is this the beginning of the end for human creativity?

Not so fast. While AI-generated content might be convenient, it’s not without its drawbacks.

One of the biggest issues is the lack of creativity and authenticity. Sure, a robot can string together a bunch of words, but it can’t replicate the human touch that makes content truly great. Plus, there’s the potential for errors, biases and ethical concerns. We can’t have all our content created by a machine that doesn’t understand the nuances of human society.

So, while AI-generated content might be on the rise, it’s not going to replace originality and creativity anytime soon. We’ll certainly see more of it in the future, but it’s up to us to make sure that we’re still injecting our own unique perspectives and ideas into the mix. After all, there’s nothing quite like the human touch.

Ready to step into social media?

In a nutshell, there’s a lot to keep up with in the world of social media, and it’s hard to stay on top of it all. But that’s what we’re here for. From the metaverse to AI-generated content and more, we’ve got the skills to craft campaigns, create content and take your social media to the next level.