Everyone wants to be present on social media and reach the right audience, but the sheer amount of "noise" makes this a difficult task. How can you stand out from the crowd in 2024? What should you pay attention to when creating your content? We’ve brought you the social media trends for 2024 so you can reach your target audience with a truly impactful strategy!
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What creative content is winning in 2024?
Visual presentation has become a central element of social media over the last few years, and this year is no different.
#m1-p#Video content performs best in 2024, so if you haven't focused on it before, now is the time!##
Of course, there are things within this that you should pay attention to. For example, according to the latest research, 73% of consumers prefer short videos—even just 20-30 seconds or less—over longer ones.
The rise of short-form video
Since TikTok exploded onto the scene, long-form video content has been replaced by short, easily digestible content. Many believe you only have 3 seconds to grab your target audience's attention enough to make them want to watch your video to the end. That may seem like a short time, but it can be enough for a lot if you use it wisely!
We’ve brought you some practical examples of how to produce short videos.
Start with the most interesting information!
Newspapers have followed the well-proven practice for decades of always putting the most important, most interesting information on the front page. You should start your videos the same way! If your information is valuable to your target audience from the very first second, they will definitely stay and watch your video to the end.
Let's say your cosmetics company has a new product you want to introduce. Start by stating the best, most interesting, most useful, or most unique feature of your product, or the problem it (finally!) solves. It’s even better if you do this within the framework of a personal story . For example: "I'll show you how [product name] cleared up the stubborn red spots on my face in less than two weeks."
After that, you can dive into sharing further details.
Speed it up!
For certain products and services, it doesn't work as well if you just stand in front of the camera and recite what you’ve carefully noted down. The video needs to be dynamic: include movement, new locations, and punchy cuts.
However, this doesn't necessarily mean you need a professional film crew and exotic locations: if you have a shop, for example, it’s enough to act as a "tour guide" for your viewers, walking them through your products and spicing up the video with some dynamic cuts.
Don't try to say everything in one video!
When brainstorming video ideas, two things usually happen: either we can't think of anything, or we have so much to say that it definitely won't fit into those few seconds. Don't be afraid of the latter; you just need to figure out where one video should end and the next should begin. For example, you could tell the story behind the creation of your product or service in the first part, and wrap up by sharing its benefits and key features in the second.
It’s just the seasoning, not the main course!
If you want to create attention-grabbing videos for your company, it’s definitely worth focusing on conveying a feeling rather than just the most important information. This makes it easier for your audience to connect with your brand and seek out the vibe you’re projecting—even to the point of ordering your products or services.
Let’s say you’re expanding your repertoire with a new service. Instead of a direct promotion in the teaser video, it might be enough to start by using the power of storytelling to explain how you realized you should launch a new service. You can link to your website for the details just as you would on other platforms—or by responding to follower questions you can share more information in a follow-up video!
Attention-grabbing creative content—beyond video
Just because video content is in its golden age, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be the most effective format for your brand—so we’ve collected other types of creative content that work well and how you should manage them.
First, let’s summarize which types of content are worth using on which platforms (in general!) and when. Just like the topics, posting times are not set in stone; these are just suggestions from both us and Meta’s Ads Manager—it’s worth testing what works best on your own channels!
Here is the table we created to help with social media management:
How should you communicate on each platform?
Every social media platform is different: the users, expectations, and standard formats vary, and the list goes on. We’ve brought a few examples of how our company communicates on each platform and what you should keep in mind when creating visual content.
As shown in the table above, Instagram is best suited for carousel posts, as they allow users to digest all key information with just a few swipes. For content created for Instagram, we prefer to place most of the text directly on the creative assets rather than in the caption, since this platform requires content that is particularly quick and easy to consume.
In our example post, we made sure that even though we placed all our messaging on the visuals, we didn't want the content to look cluttered—so, following the "less is more" principle, we only shared the most valuable information on each slide.
This tactic is also worth using if you want to generate interest in more complex topics, as such a post can even drive your readers to your website's blog to read your more detailed articles.
Threads
The Threads app was introduced over a year ago and has enjoyed massive success in a short time. It was inspired by Twitter (now X), as Meta openly aimed to create a rival for it. With Threads, which appears in the Instagram feed but is a standalone app, text-based content takes center stage on a platform that was previously heavily visual —and its success is due to the ability to communicate directly and authentically with followers. If you want to ask questions or share thoughts about your brand, it's worth a try, as your followers can easily comment and share their opinions—creating a sense of mutual connection over topics or questions you both find important, building a community from your brand's target audience.
Although we've often heard that Facebook's star is fading, that is far from the truth. Honestly, raise your hand if you haven't opened Facebook yet today!
Many of us still use it regularly, so let's not forget about it when planning our content!
It is also worth trying out short animated content on Facebook to spice up your usual communications - just as we did with the post shown below.
If you don't have a graphic designer to help you with this, don't worry: among others, Canva offers a transparent, easy-to-use interface that is also available in Hungarian, giving you endless possibilities to experiment with video creation. A few sliding images, some text with the most important keywords, and you're done - you don't have to jump into the deep end right away. Of course, it's worth striving for better and better quality here too, so if you need advice or help in this area, we are happy to help!
International and domestic trends
The trend train can be dangerous, so it's not always worth hopping on - only if you feel that a given trend aligns with the values and image you have defined for your company.
The question of artificial intelligence: with or without it?
After video content, the biggest trend is artificial intelligence. It writes text for you, and can even generate videos and images, so you don't have to worry about those either. Sounds good, right?
The reality, however, is much more nuanced. As we have written about before, for this very reason, for example, Google's algorithm also filters AI-generated content, so it is worth treating this trend with reservations.
Artificial intelligence can help with many things, but in our opinion, it is best used for brainstorming ideasOpinions on AI remain divided, so it is worth considering your target audience before using "virtual assistance" on your social media channels.
Honesty and authenticity
Building on our previous point, there is a growing hunger among users for honest, human, and "real" content. They want to see situations they can relate to and communication from people they see themselves in or feel are accessible. Research shows that more than half of the younger generation would support companies, not just individuals, actively communicating about more difficult, serious topics.
It seems that in 2024, "highlight reels" are starting to be replaced by honest and authentic communication. The target audience increasingly values openness and transparency, and expects companies to talk not only about their successes but also about their challenges.
SEO in social media
Did you know that TikTok is the number one search engine for Gen Z? Properly SEO-optimized content can therefore play a prominent role on the For You page. This requires you to react quickly to current trends and create high-quality content. Don't just use the usual hashtags; find the most effective keywords instead!
We recently wrote a detailed article about this: TikTok SEO - How to rank higher in search results!
Storytelling
Do you have a story that could be relevant to your target audience? If so, it's time to share it - but how you do it matters!
Storytelling is an evergreen staple that never goes out of style. It has long been one of the most effective marketing tools, as our brains process stories quite differently than when we simply receive information, making it very easy for any target audience to identify with them.
In 2024, however, you don't need to pay as much attention to linear storytelling as you did before.
#m1-y#Due to the massive amount of media noise, it is best to jump straight into the middle and start your story at the most exciting part, no matter how strange that may seem.##
UGC - user-generated content
When it comes to honesty, personal connection, and storytelling, we must mention the increasingly popular user-generated content (UGC), which is one of the most effective ways to build engagement. Its power lies in the fact that content related to the brand is created by private individuals (members of the brand's target audience) rather than the companies themselves, making communication more authentic and direct. If you reinforce this impact with well-thought-out online ads, you can achieve incredible growth!
It is important to note that UGC is not the same as the infamous influencer marketing—although the latter is also very popular, its effectiveness is based on somewhat different foundations.
A few tips
To wrap up, we have summarized a few points based on our years of social media management experience regarding what you should do (and avoid) in your online communication in 2024.
- Define your strategy! - Plan ahead what you want to communicate and how you want to execute it. This allows you to align your communication with current events in advance and structure it in a way that makes your audience want to keep coming back to you.
- Every platform requires a different approach. - As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, it is crucial not to treat all platforms the same, but rather to build a separate strategy for each. For example (unless it is the core product of your business), do not share your business values primarily on Instagram, as your target audience is unlikely to appreciate them in the same way they would on LinkedIn—a platform specifically designed for professional networking.
- Variety is key! - Avoid monotonous, repetitive posts. Create educational content, lighter and funnier posts, or even a short newsletter or thought-provoking posts—this way, you can also see what your audience responds to best.
- Don't have ChatGPT write all your copy. - While outsourcing copywriting might seem like a quick fix, your followers will notice when the human element suddenly disappears from your communication—and they definitely won't appreciate it.
The "secret" to a truly impactful online presence is to always keep an eye on trends, the needs and habits of your target audience, and, last but not least, the activities of your competitors. By adapting the best practices you learn this way to fit your own company, you can build an active community connected to your brand across your online platforms.
#promobox-szolg-social-en#Do you feel like you could use a team's help in building an effective strategy?##
