2024 promises to be an exciting year for digital marketing, with social media leading the charge through some transformative trends.
The market for social media marketing is significantly expanding. In 2022, 33% of all digital advertising spending was attributed to social media advertising.
Image via Hootsuite
If you want to future-proof your social media marketing and gain a competitive edge, pay close attention to these five social media trends for 2024.
These trends are set to reshape how brands connect with customers on social media over the next few years.
Let’s get right to it.
1. The Rise of Social Commerce and Shoppable Content
The rise of social commerce is one of the social media trends for 2024 that has the potential to revolutionize digital marketing.
Social media platforms are increasingly integrating shopping features and digital marketing tools that allow businesses to sell products directly on social networks.
Social networks like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok are testing shoppable posts, product tags, and in-app checkout features. These tools permit brands to tag products in posts so that users can complete purchases without leaving the app.
A good example of a brand that uses social commerce is Eureka Furniture, a well-known furniture store in Australia. With the use of shoppable social galleries, the company has effectively increased product discoverability.
Image via Instagram
With this trend, social channels will become a key part of the ecommerce experience, not just platforms for building brand awareness and engagement.
Social media marketing for ecommerce will take center stage, enabling brands to seamlessly convert engagement into sales on social media platforms.
2. Video Marketing Gets More Interactive and Immersive
One of the social media trends for the 2024 digital marketing landscape is mobile video advertising through virtual and augmented reality technologies.
Marketers will leverage interactive and immersive videos to forge deeper relationships with and offer more meaningful marketing experiences to viewers. These experiences will stay with the viewers long after the experience ends.
Here are two types of videos that will dominate:
- Interactive Videos: Interactive video incorporates annotations or clickable areas within the video that prompt viewers to take action.
As viewers engage with these interactive elements, marketers gain valuable data about their interests and preferences.
- 360-Degree Video: 360-degree videos, also known as immersive videos, surround the viewer with a panoramic scene.
When viewed through a virtual reality headset, they create an incredibly lifelike experience. Employing an event photographer can enhance the quality of these videos by capturing high-definition, professional footage that elevates the immersive experience.
Travel brands, like United Airlines, are already using 360-degree videos to showcase destinations and tours.
Image via YouTube
As costs decrease, more brands will employ this technology to emotionally connect with audiences.
3. Influencer Marketing Moves Towards Micro and Nano Influencers
One of the key social media trends for 2024 will be a shift in influencer marketing, with an increasing preference for micro and nano influencers.
These Influencers have smaller followings, typically ranging from 10k to 100k followers for micro-influencers and 5k to 10k followers for nano-influencers.
While celebrity influencers will still have a place, smaller influencers are projected to drive higher engagement and ROI.
Image via Statista
Brands are recognizing the power of micro and nano influencers. These influencers often have a highly engaged, niche audience that trusts their recommendations, and can boost your social media marketing ROI.
As authentic content and community building become key social media trends for 2024, brands will prioritize long-term partnerships with micro and nano influencers.
4. Contactless Marketing and QR Codes Become the Norm
The increasing emphasis on connecting the real and virtual worlds will be one of the key social media trends of 2024.
As people continue to value safety and convenience, contactless marketing provides an easy way to access information or make purchases without touching shared surfaces.
This is done through quick response (QR) codes or near-field communication technology (NFC) tags which allow potential customers to scan a code with their smartphone.
Samsung’s NFC posters are an illustration of how NFC marketing technology is being used. When consuming digital material, users may download a selection instantly to their phones by holding their phones up to the NFC panel.
Image via Mobile Marketing Association
QR codes and NFC tags are added to social media posts, ads, and email newsletters. Followers and subscribers can scan to instantly access content or make a purchase.
5. More Brands Will Leverage User-Generated Content and Reviews
As social media platforms become increasingly saturated, brands will need to find new ways to reach and engage their target audiences in 2024. One effective strategy is to create a unique and memorable brand identity. By using tools to create a logo, brands can distinguish themselves from the competition.
One of the social media trends for 2024 that is gaining significant momentum is the use of user-generated content (UGC) and customer reviews.
Businesses weave in authentic UGC and embed Google reviews directly onto their website and marketing materials to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
For example, Airbnb, a leader in the travel and hospitality sector, gets a large majority of its Instagram engagement through user-generated content.
Users are encouraged to share their experiences with the brand, tagging Airbnb’s Instagram account to be featured.
Image via Instagram
Final Thoughts
Since social media marketing is always changing, it is critical to keep up with current trends to remain relevant.
Take advantage of this post’s list of the top five social media trends for 2024 to give yourself a competitive advantage.
Need help with your social media marketing efforts? Get in touch.
