2024 marketing trends have affected every platform, from Instagram to TikTok. Each month we’ve been reporting on the newest trends and updates, and how you can best use them in your own business. We’ve offered lots of insights over the past 12 months, but we’re not done yet! Today we’re covering 4 of the top 8 trends we’ve noticed over the last year in hopes that you can translate some (or all!) of these into your own 2025 marketing strategy.
Let’s dive in!
Social Media Is the New Search Engine
In a study done earlier this year by We Are Social, it was found that 94.6% of internet users between 16 and 64 years old visited a social network site in the last month. In that same month, just 81.8% visited a search engine. This tells us that things we used to go to Google for – discovering products, researching brands, getting opinions – are now what we actually go to social media to achieve (Looking at you, TikTok!). Consumers have turned to this social search because it is convenient and constantly updated. In fact, 44% of Gen Zers and 33% of millennials get their information mainly from social media, and brands are beginning to leverage this behavior to meet consumers where they are already at, as they should. Yet another reason you should be taking your organic social media strategy very seriously!
Nano Influencers Take Center Stage
While brands are still going out of their way to work with mega names, and we don’t think that will ever change, they’ve definitely shifted some of those marketing dollars to invest in nano and micro influencers over the course of 2024. These smaller influencers (under 10k or even 1k) are slowly emerging as a powerful tool in a brands marketing toolbox, in large part due to increased trust and engagement with a smaller audience. Hubspot reports that micro influencers actually drive up to 60% more engagement than macro influencers. So while it IS typically engagement that a brand is after with collaborations like this, ultimately it’s also the return on their investment. As brands look to spread out their marketing budgets and potentially invest in different avenues in 2025, it will become more appealing than ever to work with smaller influencers.
Social Media Becomes An Extension of Customer Service
If you’ve never thought of your social media presence as an extension of your customer service department, it’s time to change that. Trust us when we say that the FIRST place an unhappy customer is going to turn to is Instagram – or their other preferred social platform. Handling these types of comments is what we call “reputation management,” and it’s critical for this to be thought of with your marketing team in today’s world. The most important aspect of this work is that consumers want a response FAST, and when you know you aren’t going to get that waiting for an email back or even a chat bot to have the right answer for you, many are turning to social media to get an immediate reply back. According to a SuperOffice study, 90% of consumers feel that an INSTANT response from customer service is either crucial or very important, and this demand for a speedy reply is leading many brands to offer customer service and support via social media channels.
AI Features in Social Media
When you think about AI and social media, the first thing that comes to mind might be “Easy! Chat GPT can write my captions for me!” but that is certainly not the only OR best way to use AI. While a DigiDay study found that more than 40% of social media marketers are using AI to write captions, there is still a significant amount of work that has to be done in the editing process to ensure that captions are customized to each brand. The AI in social media that we’re referencing are tools that have enhanced the customer experience on the apps. A few examples include Pinterest curating customized images for product placement in spaces based on your search history, or Sephora and Mint Mobile using AI to launch ad campaigns. What we’re seeing is that AI is increasingly being used to customize the experience for your audience!
There was simply too much to cover all in one post, so be sure to come back for part two in a few weeks! In the meantime, if you’re looking to outsource your social media marketing this coming year, we’d love to support you. CLICK HERE to book a call and learn more about what we do!
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