As we celebrate Social Media Day 2024, it’s impossible to ignore the seismic shifts and fascinating trends shaping the digital landscape. From TikTok’s unrivalled engagement rates to YouTube’s newfound dominance in brand engagement, the realm of social media is more dynamic than ever!
Did you know? In 2024, there are estimated to be 5.17 billion total social media users worldwide, with an average person using 6.7 different social networks per month!
This staggering connectivity highlights the importance of social intelligence in our digital age.
To help you navigate this dynamic landscape, here are some invaluable tips from Ben. K Ellis, a Social Intelligence Researcher and Consultant:
Active listening, paying close attention to what people say online and how they say it, looking beyond the literal words and trying to discern the emotions, intentions, and underlying meanings behind people’s interactions.
Empathy, remembering to understand the perspectives, motivations, and challenges of the people we observe.
Understanding the context behind people’s online behaviour, because social posts and interactions are influenced by a wide range of factors – from cultural norms and current events to personal experiences and individual personalities.
According to Dash Hudson’s 2024 Cross-Channel Benchmark Report, TikTok leads the pack with an impressive 4.6% engagement rate, closely followed by YouTube at 3.9% and Instagram at 3.5%. Despite TikTok’s allure, Instagram boasts a wider reach, connecting with over 75% more users globally than its viral video rival.
Here are some notable TikTok trends:
TikTok Maintains Strong Brand Growth and Engagement! TikTok isn’t slowing down! Brands are seeing robust monthly growth (8%) and a steady engagement rate (4.1%). It’s the ultimate platform for connecting and captivating audiences.
Brands With Higher Engagement Rates Attract More Followers! Want more followers? Focus on engagement! Large brands (4.6%) outshine established (3.4%) and growing (3.4%) brands in engagement rate, leading in shareability and connection with users.
Sports and Travel Sectors Thrive on TikTok With Rising Popularity! The Sports (213K) and Travel (202K) industries have the highest number of video views, on average. Additionally, Sports (5.7%) has the strongest engagement rate, surpassing Media and Publishing (4.9%). Short-form video is a powerful format for brands focused on marketing entertainment and experiences.
Looking ahead, here’s what social media professionals need to prepare for:
Using AI tools in social media marketing strategy will become more important: Action: Invest in AI policies, training, and tools.
Using data to drive social media marketing strategy will become more important: Action: Build out easy-to-read social dashboards or reports that help your team quickly get results & make decisions.
Marketers will need to plan ahead in case they have to pivot their social media marketing strategy due to major world events: Action: Have an action plan in place with your brand’s point of view (POV) on events like the election. Consumers want to know your brand values, so be prepared to share your leaders’ perspectives if that’s something your audience cares about.
Creating content tailored to the interests and needs of your audience will become more important: Action: Create AI workflows to repurpose content for different segments of your audience.
Creating content that reflects brand values will become more important: Action: Develop a brand guide for working with influencers and creators that outlines your brand mission, vision, and values.
Working with small influencers (1K-100K followers) will become a better investment than working with larger influencers (over 100K followers). Action: Identify micro influencers in your space, whether your brand is B2B or B2C, and begin outreach ahead of your next campaign.
The future of social media marketing is teeming with possibilities – limited only by your creativity! Dive into ambitious campaigns, measure their impact meticulously, and refine your strategies based on real-time feedback.
Here’s to embracing innovation and seizing every opportunity that lies ahead in our vibrant digital landscape. Happy Social Media Day to all our friends and followers. Fancy a top job in Tech? Head here for our newest digital roles!