IN THE dynamic world of social media, staying ahead of trends is crucial for corporate success. The 2024 Global Social Media Trends Report by HubSpot, complemented by insights from the 2023 Social Media Report by Global Web Index (GWI), provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape. These reports highlight key trends and strategies that corporate executives should consider to maximise their brand’s impact.

Consumer discovery journey

Consumers have fully embraced social media shopping, and platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube offer the highest Return on Investment (ROI) for social selling. However, marketers must navigate consumer concerns around trust and focus on building strong relationships with their customers and social followers. By offloading some responsibilities from social media managers to community managers, brands can enhance the customer experience and reach wider audiences more effectively.

Power of influencers and the creator economy

One of the most significant trends identified in the reports is the growing influence of social media creators. Consumers increasingly rely on recommendations from friends and trusted influencers to make decisions, whether professional, like choosing an AI email assistant, or personal, such as selecting an electric car. This shift underscores the importance of the creator economy, where influencers play a pivotal role in guiding consumer behaviour. As consumers shop directly through social media, their purchasing decisions are heavily influenced by the creators they follow and the communities they engage with.

Brands that effectively leverage these relationships can tap into a powerful channel for driving sales and building brand loyalty. The rise of YouTube parallels the increasing popularity of creators, making it a top destination for consumer engagement. Brands are following suit, recognizing the platform’s potential to reach and resonate with their target audiences.

Shifting landscape of social media platforms

YouTube’s ascendancy

This year, YouTube has emerged as the most effective social media platform for brands, experiencing a remarkable 79 percent growth year over year. It has overtaken traditional powerhouses like Instagram and Facebook, thanks to its ability to deliver strong ROI through both short-form and longform video content. Long-form videos and ongoing YouTube series have proven to be sustainable mediums for growth, offering brands a platform for deeper consumer engagement.

The power of social videos

Social videos are a powerful tool for brands, generating 1 200 percent more shares than text and image combined. They allow brands to showcase personality and experiment with content. For example, Skims, an American shapewear company, uses TikTok to post videos of real people showcasing their purchases, building trust among customers.

Short-form video remains the most popular content format among Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X. Consumers enjoy images, short-form videos, live streams, and long-form videos. Brands should use each format strategically, ensuring content is authentic and tailored to the platform.

Stephen Gray, senior business marketing insights researcher at Meta, advises brands targeting Gen Z and Alpha to embrace short-form video. Gray says, “these videos should be entertaining, relatable, digestible, and authentic. High production value is less important than connecting with consumers in a way that aligns with their expectations.” The reports highlight the platforms with the most engagement for brands: YouTube (23 percent), Instagram (23 percent), Facebook (22 percent), TikTok (13 percent), and X/Twitter (7 percent).

Additionally, YouTube and Facebook have the best audience targeting tools, with 27 percent and 26 percent of social media marketers, respectively, citing them as the top platforms for precise audience targeting.

The social fabric of top platforms

Understanding what content resonates on different platforms is crucial. For example:

– Facebook: Users prefer funny, informative, and creative content.

– TikTok: Funny, informative, and relaxing content is most engaging.

– Instagram: Funny, creative, and informative posts perform best.

– X/Twitter: Informative, relevant, and funny content is key.

Turning authenticity into brand love

Rob Gaige, director of Global Insights at Reddit, emphasises the importance of listening to the community. Brands should participate as guests, not dominate, and seek genuine feedback. This approach fosters authenticity and builds brand love. Staying in the moment and sharing passions with the community can transform brand interactions into meaningful connections.

User-generated content, such as honest reviews from real people, is highly persuasive. This type of content is particularly effective in industries where consumers are hesitant to buy without trying, like fashion. Brands like HelloFresh have successfully used bloggers to showcase real-life benefits, proving that even smaller influencers can drive significant engagement.

Paid vs. organic content

Understanding when to use paid versus organic content is essential for an effective social media strategy. Paid social is ideal for launching new products or services, testing new messaging, promoting influencer partnerships, and generating leads or retargeting customers. On the other hand, organic social excels in educating the audience on new concepts, showing behind-the-scenes clips, building brand awareness, and engaging followers with relatable posts.

Actionable tips for social media success

In response to changes in how consumers interact on social media, brands need to adopt a few key strategies:

– Analyse your audience and identify the most engaged segments on different social platforms.

– Optimise social media content for search to increase visibility.

– Invest in creator or influencer partnerships and develop internal employee personas to humanise the brand.

– Set up and improve social media shop pages and product listings to facilitate seamless shopping experiences.

– Combine organic content with paid advertisements to test messaging and imagery effectively.

In conclusion, the reports underscore the dynamic nature of social media marketing. Corporate executives must stay informed and adaptable, leveraging the power of influencers, optimising engagement on key platforms, and embracing creative campaigns to drive success in this ever-changing digital landscape. By strategically using paid and organic content, brands can effectively reach and resonate with their target audiences.

Mkwananzi is a social media strategist, writer, and graphic designer.