In just the past decade alone, social media use has skyrocketed, putting it in every marketer’s best interests to hop on the bandwagon. That said, trends in social media can be challenging to navigate, as they’re not all created equal. Some quickly come and go, while others last significantly longer.
At Galactic Fed, we understand how frustrating it can be to get used to one popular trend only for it to change on a dime. That’s why we’ve brought together everything you need to know about social media trends right here. We’ll show you how to master them without spending too much of your marketing budget or wasting your valuable time.
The Power of Social Media
As of January 2024, there are 5.04 billion social media users worldwide, which equates to roughly 62% of the world’s population. Creating a business account on social media networks like Facebook and Instagram, which have nearly three billion active users and over a billion active users, respectively, allows you to engage with current and potential customers in many exciting new ways.
Let’s break down the four trends in social media that experts believe will make waves this year and beyond.
1. Artificial Intelligence
These days, no matter the industry you work in, you’ve likely heard about artificial intelligence (AI) and its growing popularity in marketing. In terms of advertising alone, 80% of Google’s customers use AI-powered search ad products.
You can use AI in your social media strategy in various ways, such as for image editing or even customer support purposes, as well as in all of the following tactics:
Sentiment Analysis
AI-powered sentiment analysis can help you understand how the public perceives your brand by analyzing things like user comments and interactions. For instance, they can tell you which hashtags are most popular in posts regarding your brand and whether people mention them more positively or negatively.
Predictive Analytics
AI can predict future trends in social media based on user behavior, which means you can stay ahead of the curve. AI algorithms can also tell you which products are likely to perform well, helping you better promote your brand and address audience needs.
Automated Content Curation
Writing social media content is a necessary, if tedious, endeavor. But AI tools can gather and suggest relevant content, saving you time and providing a consistent influx of social media content ideas. They can also write your captions and blog posts. You just need to scan them before posting to ensure they retain a human element.
Ad Targeting
AI tools can analyze your user data and ensure your ads target the right audiences at the right times.
Take, for instance, Netflix: It recommends content it thinks you’ll like based on your previous viewing history. There’s no one manually determining these recommendations. It’s all done automatically with AI, and it works in encouraging users to keep watching.
Trend Influencer Targeting
Partnering with a trend influencer to help promote your brand is another popular social media marketing tactic. Fans of content creators tend to trust what they have to say and (more importantly) whatever products they recommend. AI tools can help determine which influencers will be the best partners for your brand so you don’t waste money on a partnership that won’t benefit your business.
2. The Platform Trend
The average social media user logs into seven platforms monthly, which means it can be particularly daunting trying to keep up and maintain an engaging presence on each of the latest social networks. But does that mean you must spread yourself thin and waste precious resources attempting to be everywhere at once? Not necessarily.
Platform trends in social media have become less of a social phenomenon and more of a movement among marketers looking to save time, energy, and money. We’ve noticed that marketers are using their returns on investment (ROI) to determine where to invest their efforts and marketing budget.
With that being said, it’s on-trend and better for your bottom line to compare your platform-by-platform ROI scores and make business decisions accordingly.
Tips for Picking the Right Platforms
We recommend you take the following steps to make the most out of your time and money on the best social media platforms for your brand:
- Run a social media audit to identify which platforms you’re thriving on and which aren’t gaining traction
- Calculate the ROI of each platform and compare them
- Master cross-posting to save significant time and energy
In short, it’s better to become an expert at handling a few different platforms than it is to be mediocre at all of them.
3. Entertainment Over Information
Trying to entertain an audience can be intimidating, but it’s what the people want. Besides connecting with family and friends, people use social media as an outlet to mentally unwind. There’s no denying that we live in a world that sometimes feels dominated by bad news. Being able to watch something lighthearted and entertaining after a long day is more than just enticing. It’s necessary.
Self-promotion is a no-go these days. Most consumers get turned off by it and won’t want to follow you on social media if that’s all you do. That leaves marketers in a tricky predicament, though: How can they promote their products without actually promoting them?
How to Entertain Your Audience
Entertaining your audience is the key to earning their follows, engagement, and purchases. Here are some tips on how to do it:
Talk to Your Followers
You don’t want to make content based on what you assume your followers want to see. Ask them what they prefer directly through Q&As or polls. Doing so will help you create content your audience likes and shows that your business cares about them beyond just making a sale.
Don’t Rush the Sale
Consider social media to be a long-term marketing strategy. It’s not meant to get you immediate sales. Instead, it’s a place to build relationships with your followers and turn them into loyal customers over time.
Consider Purpose
Measure how much engagement on social media impacts your larger business goals. It can give social media a higher purpose, encouraging you to keep your strategy rooted in customer value and authentic interactions.
4. The Human Factor
These days, people want to feel connected to the brands they support, and that places relatability among the trends social media users are likely to favor for years to come. Instead of presenting as a business, present as a human. After all, social media is supposed to be interactive and a place where engagement is a two-way street.
You want to showcase your brand as one that cares about the humans behind its follower count. Here are some tips for becoming a customer favorite online:
- Tell stories: Share behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and showcase the good you do in your community
- Listen: Actively listen to what your customers say about your company and implement any necessary changes in response to concerns
- Be grateful: Show your followers your appreciation by thanking them or hosting giveaways, contests, and promotions
- Solve problems: If any customer concerns arise, address them immediately, open-mindedly, and politely
- Offer free resources: Share links to free resources like e-books, whitepapers, video content, and more to show followers you value their support
The more you open up to your followers and relate to their interests and challenges, the more they’ll believe that your business cares about them, leading to greater interest in your company and increased sales.
Use Trends Social Media Users Love to Grow Your Brand
Trends in social media can be challenging to tackle, especially when they seem to come and go so often. However, we can confidently say that each of the trends listed above will dominate through this year and likely for many years to come.
If adapting to these trends still sounds like a lot of work, you can find comfort in knowing it is natural to experience some trial and error to get your social media strategy right. Approach different trends to see what works best for your unique business. Chances are that something will eventually stick. When in doubt, being genuine will go a long way.
Even then, you don’t have to figure out your social media strategy alone. A reputable digital marketing agency like Galactic Fed can help determine which trends in social media will best set your business up for success.
