2024 was a turning point for social media. Audiences are more disparate and divided than ever—across ideologies, platforms, and even geography. Where users go, inevitably brands must follow. But when should you make an allowance for these new platforms in your channel strategy? I’d argue, it’s now inescapable.
The shift toward more fragmented audiences
Social media users aren’t gathering in the same spaces anymore. They’re forming smaller, more focused groups for a lot of reasons:
Shared interests: People are increasingly joining platforms that align with their specific interests and perspectives. They want meaningful connections with people who value the same things they do. This is changing the tone and culture of each platform, making it essential to understand who’s active where.
Rise of alternatives: Platforms like Bluesky and Threads are finally providing serious alternatives to Twitter/X. Each offers unique features and communities, and they’re shifting expectations about what a platform can deliver. Branded subreddits and Discord groups have become normalized in some sectors, and it won’t be long before others follow. More options mean brands need a clearer strategy to decide where to show up and how to engage.
Shifting culture: In many places, the cultural importance of physical gathering has been replaced by social connections in online communities. The pandemic accelerated remote work and the rise of online-first groups. Trends, conversations, and movements are happening everywhere at once, without the geographic anchor they used to have. And in the real world, social influences are shifting. 29% of US households are now single people, living alone - a demographic growing faster than any other. It’s hardly surprising online communities are booming as real-world equivalents come under pressure.
The new players you need to know
Twitter/X is no longer the automatic choice for real-time conversations. Bluesky now has nearly 17 million users - up from nine million just two months ago - and is gaining traction. In New York, Mayor Adams’ office has even ordered all city government agencies to set up Bluesky accounts, further legitimizing and validating the platform. Threads gained more than 15 million signups in November alone. Both platforms are growing fast, hitting new records almost daily, and offering new opportunities for brands to connect with audiences. At the same time they’re maturing technically, adding new features and rapidly reaching parity with established social platforms.
Threads is preparing to roll out advertising features next year - leveraging the same infrastructure as Meta stablemates Instagram and Facebook, while Bluesky looks to subscription models to add more customization and capabilities, likely to appeal to brands.
Bluesky
- A decentralized network that’s building a loyal, engaged user base.
- Focused on transparency and giving users more control over their experience.
- While it’s still growing, its decentralized structure positions it well to sustain momentum.
- Offers users a choice of feeds, rather than a ‘master algorithm’ and plans to allow developers to define their own feed algorithms for greater customization and control
- Tackles early discoverability challenges with “starter packs” of recommended accounts
Threads
- Backed by Meta, with seamless integration into Instagram, Facebook, and the Meta ad platform.
- In 2024, Threads began rolling out support for ActivityPub, paving the way for the social network to become part of the Fediverse of decentralized social platforms, and allowing some Mastodon servers/users to interact with Threads users.
- Ads are launching soon, and they’ll have the same sophisticated targeting tools Meta already offers.
- A good fit for brands looking for efficiency and a broad reach across connected platforms.
But Bluesky and Threads aren’t the only social platforms worth considering. Alternatives like Mastodon, Discord and Slack are also gaining attention, each catering to different types of communities and interactions. Reddit’s recent data-sharing deal with Google has made its content four times more visible in search results. Depending on your audience’s interests and behaviors, these platforms could also play a key role in your social strategy.
The end of relying on a few major platforms
Social media strategies have always been about connecting with the right audience on the right platform, but it used to be easier to focus on a few big platforms and reach a wide group. Now, with a growing number of platforms offering distinct communities and features, brands need to be more thoughtful about where they engage and how they adapt their content.
Each platform has a unique audience with specific preferences and behaviors. This means your content should be just as intentional. Bluesky might require a conversational tone and focus on community-building (which is, incidentally, friendlier in its approach to external links), while Threads could be an opportunity to lean into integrated campaigns that span Meta’s ecosystem.
It’s not about trying to be everywhere. It’s about being strategic with where you show up and how you connect.
Your next steps to an evolved social media strategy
Start with an honest evaluation of your current social media strategy. Are you prioritizing platforms because they’re familiar, or because they’re actually delivering results? Does your content reflect the differences between audiences across channels? Have you familiarized yourself with new platforms, or refreshed audience research to identify new or fast-growing communities to engage with?
If you’re not sure where to begin, our team at Highwire can help. We specialize in building strategies that align with your brand’s goals while navigating the constantly changing social media landscape.
2024 reflected a year of big changes in how people use social media, and as 2025 approaches, we’ll see that the platforms that succeed—and the brands that thrive on them—will be the ones that adapt quickly and invest in thoughtful, audience-first strategies.
Let’s talk about how to make that happen for your brand.
