12 Current Social Media Trends in 2024 [Updated]

Social media is driven by trends. Whether a trend is specific to one platform, or whether it’s long-term, or a super short-lived trend, content that performs best is often leading or jumping on the latest trends. Brands and creators need to keep up to date if they want to be relevant and get traction.

We’ve put together the 12 social media trends shaping the landscape in 2024, and give you some tips on how to stay updated and make a bigger impact with your own trending content.

1. More and more user-generated content (UGC)

User-generated content, also known as UGC, has been in the spotlight of digital marketers for a while. According to 2021 data, UGC is seen as the most authentic type of content from a consumer’s point of view since it offers the personalization and friendliness that most consumers seek. In fact, 80% of consumers even consider UGC an important factor when making decisions to purchase.

This level of demand has paved the way for UGC creators. For those who are not familiar with the term, UGC creators are content creators who intentionally make content that looks like UGC but is actually sponsored. 

In 2024, it seems like more and more UGC creators will enter the market, monetizing their own social media platforms. A win-win situation for both the brands and creators.

2. The creator economy will continue to grow

Many people may have had concerns that the bubble of creator marketing was about to burst. However, in 2022, when comparing the content produced by traditional media and brands with the content created by influencers, the latter was viewed 13.2 times more. Furthermore, it is predicted that the combined viewership of creators and influencers across all platforms will reach 10 trillion views per month in 2023. This shows that the creator economy will continue to grow and it is a significant opportunity that no business should overlook. 

3. 2024 is still the year of short-form videos (especially TikTok)

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At this point, almost every article about social media trends in 2024 includes predictions that short-form video trends, especially TikTok, are coming. It is agreed, among experts, that short-form videos will continue to stay on our social feeds and grow even further this year.

Therefore, 2024 is likely to be “the peak year” for short-form videos, with some even claiming TikTok as the number one social media platform. 

This is great news for businesses since short-form video is one of the most effective marketing approaches and statistics also show that it has the highest ROI compared with other kinds of content.

4. “Edutainment” content is coming on the way!

People used to shake their heads when they heard the term ‘edutainment,’ but not anymore this year! Thanks to the rise of short-form video trends, edutainment content has found the perfect platform to shine. 

If you’ve ever scrolled through the reels section, you’ve probably been intrigued by clips featuring fun facts, mini-tutorials, and explainers. These types of content can quickly grab the audience’s attention and could be very beneficial for brand owners. It’s the perfect time for your brand to address FAQs, debunk myths about your product, and engage with your audience through these short-form clips.

5. More investment in video production

In the past, video creation wasn’t considered a crucial part of social media strategies. But that’s no longer the case as a result of short-form video trends. In fact, as video continues to be a popular medium, many companies will see this as a major opportunity, deciding to invest more in video production equipment and staff. However, this doesn’t mean the brand has to go for high video production all the time, it’s also important to take a mobile-first approach too.

If your brand has always neglected video content as a part of your marketing strategy before, all we can say is this year is not too late yet.

6. The way brands communicate about the environment is going to change

We’ve probably seen businesses trying to be conscious about the impact their brands have on the environment. However, there have been many backlashes in recent trends as many of those kinds of brands have been labeled as “greenwashing”. Greenwashing is a term that refers to when brands make exaggerated claims or use environmental causes solely for marketing purposes. Therefore, as a response, now there is a new trend called “green-hushing”, meaning companies choose to be quiet about their climate strategies.

This doesn’t mean that green-hushing is better than greenwashing. However, businesses should always make sure that what they communicate is not an overclaim and that they also have a corporate social responsibility to uphold.

7. Social customer care can be a powerful marketing tool

Most customers expect a fast response from brands as a standard. However, in today’s world, being fast is not enough anymore. Social customer care activities can be a great opportunity to express the brand’s identity and market itself in innovative ways. 

Replying to customers can make them feel heard and appreciated. And what would make them feel better – reading an automatically prepared answer or reading personalized content? Absolutely the latter. This provides a chance for the brand to create tailored content that could lead to deeper relationships between the brand and customers, and it could also lead to increased customer loyalty and gaining new fans.

8. Adopting non-linear storytelling is an interesting option

We all find ourselves overwhelmed by the vast sea of content in this day and age. It’s no surprise that consumers can easily get bored. Many people are now looking for fresh and inventive ways to storytelling. One notable trend that emerged in 2022 is the practice of telling a key message in the middle instead of at the beginning. 

This storytelling style, where an important bit is revealed in the middle, will intrigue the audience to delve a little deeper to understand what’s happening. By doing so, it will catch the audience’s attention and encourage them to stick with the content longer. 

9. Many apps are turning into “super apps”

Applications in the market are competing to grasp our limited attention span. This is why many of these apps transform into what are known as “super apps.” Super apps are applications that offer all-in-one features, such as entertainment, DM-ing, shopping, and payment functions. This provides users with convenience as they no longer have to switch back and forth between different apps, resulting in more immersive experiences.

In 2024, many applications will introduce more and more of a wide range of features. As a brand, you can utilize as many of these features as possible to connect with your customers.

10. AI as a trend of the mass

Since the beginning of the year, we have been hearing and seeing the term ‘artificial intelligence’ (AI) everywhere. At this point, it’s safe to say that almost everyone has heard of AI. 

Believe it or not, it has become deeply integrated into many aspects of our lives. Many AI-inspired features have gained popularity, such as filters that can transform you into your favorite fictional characters. Moreover, copy generator sites like Chat GPT and Jasper.ai have also become useful assistants for content creators.

While AI won’t be taking over our jobs anytime soon, it’s important for us to learn its potential and utilize it effectively. Instead of fearing it, let’s explore the possibilities it holds and make the most of what it has to offer. 

11. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR & VR)

A term that we don’t hear much about anymore is the Metaverse. Although there were many controversies surrounding its definition, many well-known brands announced Metaverse experiences for their customers, and Apple’s announcement of their Vision Pro headset has re-ignited interest in 2023.

In fact, over 50% of marketers planned to allocate at least a quarter of their budgets toward developing a metaverse/AR/VR social strategy. This year, we will probably see the results of these investments.

As a brand owner, you don’t need to worry much about it just yet, as it is still in the experimental phase. However, it’s important to be aware and keep a cautious eye on its developments.

12. People already turn to social media searches

According to the study, in 2023, around 87% of social media marketers believe that consumers will increasingly turn to social media platforms rather than search engines when searching for brands. Nowadays, 24% of individuals aged 18 to 54 already use social media for brand searches, with the highest percentage coming from Gen-Zers at 36%.

Even Google’s senior vice president has confirmed by himself that social platforms are taking over Google’s core products: Google Search and Google Maps. This shift can be attributed to the growing preference among consumers for visual and audio content over text-based content.

How can your business leverage social media trends

Now we know what the upcoming trends are. What can be done next? For businesses, there are several things to do in order to leverage social media trends. Here are a few examples:

• Discover what’s trending on social media with the help of AI
• Create useful, informative, and educational content that relates to your products or services
• Incorporate relevant hashtags to market your brands and products
• Make the most of each function offered by various social media platforms
• Use paid ads and other social media marketing strategies to promote both your store and products
• Avoid resharing the same content across all platforms

By incorporating these strategies, you can capitalize on social media trends and maximize your brand’s reach and impact.

Future Social Media Trends and Predictions

We’ve just looked at 12 trends, but it’s important to remember that trends move quickly, and there are countless others waiting to be explored. Additionally, many trends are mere predictions. For instance, AI and the Metaverse are still in the experimental phase. The future remains uncertain.

Given that digital marketing is closely intertwined with technology, both brand owners and consumers need to be open-minded and stay aware of what the future may bring. 

Ready to Adapt These Social Trends to Your Social Media Strategy?

Trends play a vital role in the realm of social media. They are unstoppable, often unpredictable, and require brand owners like yourself to stay ahead of the marketing game.

To ensure that you don’t miss out on the latest trends and stay informed in time, you can rely on our AI assistant, Mandala AI. It can tremendously help you to identify trends on social media and plan your marketing strategy along the way. Don’t hesitate to leverage this tool and stay at the forefront of the ever-evolving social media landscape.