Social media is always changing. With new platforms, rules and features cropping up constantly, marketing and PR professionals need to keep up to stay ahead and deliver messages effectively.
For 2024, here are the top four social media trends you should watch.
1. Look for platform accountability and transparency
In 2024, big social media platforms will face more scrutiny, especially because it’s an election year. The U.S. Supreme Court is looking at how these platforms police misinformation, and regulators and users are demanding more transparency. The public wants openness on algorithms, content moderation and data privacy. Organizations that come clean will win over users. Those that remain in the shadows y may drop in popularity.
Communications professionals should focus on the most transparent platforms. Communicating on a trusted platform, will help build trust and promote a positive image for the brands you work with. Using trusted platforms signals that you and your clients support openness and honesty in social media, and, by extension, are open and honest with what you're promoting.
2. Prioritize LinkedIn for B2B video content
LinkedIn is chasing the success of video-first platforms like TikTok and YouTube. And users are responding.
With LinkedIn videos getting 5x the engagement, you'll see more videos in your feed from both businesses and individuals. The value for B2B marketers lies in using video on LinkedIn to:
- Promote company culture
- Introduce the people behind a brand
- Serve up bite-sized thought leadership
B2B creators might have smaller audiences than their B2C counterparts, but they're credible and can influence buyer decisions.
3. Expand your use of AI for predictive analytics in B2B social strategy
Using AI for social media is about more than rapidly generating posts. In 2024, AI can drive better content and enhance your strategy through predictive analytics. AI’s predictive analytics capabilities can rapidly analyze vast pools of data to:
- Spot rising trends and topics
- Identify what content is resonating with which audience
- Guide future content direction to have maximum impact
AI helps you make smarter plans and stay ahead of the curve. With predictive analytics, data, not intuition, drives your messaging and campaigns. This helps focus efforts, as well as saves time and money. Plus, A.I. can help enhance and improve personalized messaging, revolutionizing the approach to B2B campaigns. If you know how to develop effective prompts, you can utilize AI to fine tune your messaging. The key is to remember that AI only aids communications pros, it cannot replace them.
4. Pick the right influencers
Influencers are having a bigger impact on business and consumers than ever before, with a market size of over $21B in 2023. This power extends to societal attitudes, opinions and even spending. As other ad channels evolve and mature, 63% of brands are spending more on influencer marketing in 2024, citing an 11x higher ROI.
Picking the right influencer to partner with is key. Highwire’s blog Everything you need to know about influencer marketing for B2B and consumer campaigns is a useful resource to learn more about influencer marketing. And, we’ve also put together a list of top influencers in tech/AI, financial services, security and health to help you get started on your journey.
Influencers should both fit your PR goals and come across as genuine. With the rise of new platforms like Meta's Threads, it's clear consumers want real conversations with actual people, not just faceless brands. Influencers can help bridge this gap.
How social media trends impact PR strategies
Regarding your social media PR strategy, remember that you are operating on rented land. Social media channels can (and have) abruptly changed policies and features without notice. Your strategy must be adaptable to navigate sudden shifts and opportunities.
To recap, here's how PR professionals can apply these 2024 trends to their social media strategies:
- Follow transparency conversations: Platforms that show openness will see an uptick in loyalty.
- Use video on LinkedIn: Make your mark on LinkedIn's algorithm as it leans into video content.
- Stay ahead of the trends with AI: Stay ahead of the curve with AI-generated trend insights and audience engagement strategies.
- Leverage the powerhouse sway of influencers: Choose influencers wisely to drive thousands, if not millions, of consumers your way.
Lead the charge on the next wave of social media in 2024. Get in touch with the Highwire team to learn more about our integrated services.
