Originally posted to www.carnsight.com

No two days are the same on Social Media with trends, platforms and user behaviour continuously changing from one minute to the next. This year we witnessed Twitter’s transformation into ‘X’, the introduction of Meta’s ‘Threads’, as well as continued growth and use of AI to create social content.

What can we expect for 2024? Here are our predictions:

AI’s Social Media take over

Hate it or love it, AI is here to stay! In fact, 97% of business leaders agree that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will play a big role in the future of social media analytics. For many businesses, this will mean stronger strategies for both social media and overall business alike.

It’s not all positive though. You may have already noticed the rise in a lot of social content being generated by AI, weakening human connection and consumer trust. Not to mention, the blandness in content.

The need for verification

With AI continuing to grow, more users will be cautious of how they tread in the online world. We have already seen an increase in fake influencer endorsements that have been created by AI. This will push brands and businesses to pay platforms to have their accounts verified. Looks like a win for Musk, who introduced subscription fees on ‘x’ earlier this year.

Continued preference for raw content

Raw content has been favoured in 2023 as the platform TikTok, which supports a less polished vision, grows in popularity. This trend has had a clear influence on Instagram, where more and more users have been posting real footage of everyday life as opposed to when everything was edited to perfection. The days when users spent hours editing their shots on Photoshop are over.

Social Media platforms as search engines

Need to do a backup check on a product before purchasing? Forget the old search engine. Your social media search box is the place to go. Just search for the brand in question and gain access to real people (I am not talking about influencers) sharing their real experiences through tagged content. I have personally done this for several clothing brands.

Platforms to focus on in 2024

The answer to this depends on what your business actually uses Social Media for. There has been talk of TikTok taking over the show, but I personally do not see that happening anytime soon. Although the short-form video platform brings a lot to the table, Instagram is still home to 2 billion users, double that of TikTok. But will Meta’s ‘Threads’ steal the limelight from ‘X’? We will all have to wait and see!

Interested in learning more about what was trending in the world of Social Media in 2023? Check out our blog from earlier this year.

About Carnsight Communications

At Carnsight Communications we create strategies and campaigns to showcase our clients’ brilliant work through PR, content and social media. We help them get noticed by the right audience, at the right time. We specialise in creative agency PR.