Table of Contents
- Every year, social media predictions often feel repetitive, highlighting the same obvious trends. But amidst all the changes, it’s time to dive into some of the lesser-discussed social media trends that are genuinely insightful and impactful.
- Forget the overused “year of the video” predictions; let’s explore bold, meaningful trends that tend to fly under the radar.
- And no, I’m not overly dependent on AI (too predictable!).
1. Marketing speed
Speed is a critical factor for success in social media marketing, yet it’s often overlooked. In a recent blog post, I highlighted the importance of quick responses, particularly on fast-paced platforms like TikTok, where trends can change in the blink of an eye.
Many businesses struggle to keep up with the fast-paced environment, especially when it comes to legal matters. The ability to make quick marketing decisions plays a crucial role in areas like measuring success, customer service, legal compliance, and managing agency relations.
For instance, a financial services company I collaborated with hired a lawyer to speed up the content approval process. How are you adapting to the growing need for speed in marketing?
2. Social upends search
There’s a lot of buzz about how AI will disrupt online searches, but there’s an even bigger trend flying under the radar. Statista data shows that Gen Z is now searching for products on social media nearly as often as they do on Google.
This shift is closely tied to the rise of influencer marketing. Gen Z spends a significant amount of time on social media, following their favourite influencers who frequently showcase new products they adore.
But it’s not just Gen Z driving this change. According to GWI’s 2024 trend report, there’s been a 57% increase in baby boomers using TikTok since Q2 2021. Surprisingly, they’re now even more likely than Gen Z to have made online purchases in the past week.
This suggests that SEO should be more aligned with influencer marketing. But is anyone truly considering this shift? Is anyone even acknowledging it?
3. The big new platform
Predicting the next big social media platform is challenging, but there are clear signs. Each generation tends to have its favourite platforms, such as Facebook for older generations and TikTok for Gen Z.
The next big platform could be for Gen Alpha, the younger generation following Gen Z. They’ll likely crave their own unique space. This new platform might centre around video, with a strong focus on authenticity and relationships, possibly blending features from TikTok, Snapchat, and BeReal.
While it may take some time, perhaps over a year, some experts believe a decentralised social network powered by blockchain could be the future. This would offer more transparency, control, and security, with blockchain potentially playing a significant role.
This new platform for Gen Alpha could be a game-changer, providing a space uniquely suited to their needs and preferences. With video at its core, it could create opportunities for genuine connections and authentic expression.
4. Influence is everything
The marketing world is undergoing a massive shift. As traditional ads become less visible and more expensive, where should brands invest their money?
New research by Ed Keller provides one clear answer: influencers. The creator economy is far larger than we previously realised, but measuring its impact has been challenging.
Take YouTuber Mr. Beast, for instance. He’s racking up over 2 billion views every month. That’s enormous—surpassing the reach of even a Super Bowl ad!
People trust digital creators like Mr. Beast more than traditional ads because they feel like part of a close-knit community. Their endorsements carry far more weight than conventional advertisements.
A recent study revealed a staggering 39% increase in engagement with creator content. This is significant! By collaborating with creators, brands can accelerate the process of getting people interested in their products.
Creators are no longer just influencers—they are the new media, and they are taking over the world of marketing. Are you ready to be part of the revolution?
5. Social listening is in trouble
According to Edison Research, the number of people actively using Discord‘s social community app surged from 13% to 20% between 2022 and 2023. However, the real eye-opener lies in the details: while TikTok usage among young people is on the decline, Discord is seeing explosive growth. Daily usage among those aged 12 to 34 skyrocketed from 26% to 42% in just one year.
This growth is unprecedented for any social media platform. Even more fascinating is the fact that many crucial conversations on Discord remain invisible to social listening tools like Sprout Social and Sprinklr. As a result, brands relying on these platforms to track sentiment, mentions, and competitors are becoming increasingly blind to a massive segment of online chatter as more young people gather behind Discord’s virtual walls.
This rapid shift to Discord poses a major challenge for brands trying to stay in touch with their audience. With a growing portion of young people now gathering on Discord, traditional methods of tracking social media conversations may no longer provide a full picture. These hidden discussions are happening beyond the reach of conventional tools, making it essential for brands to rethink their monitoring strategies.
6. Community is the future of marketing
I recently came across an intriguing quote: “Creators are the new priests.” While it’s not about religion, it speaks to the idea of bringing people together. In my book, Belonging to the Brand, I explore how building communities can foster strong emotional connections, which is ultimately the goal for any brand.
This isn’t about manipulating emotions. Brands are deeply woven into our daily lives, and by creating brand-based communities, companies can form genuine connections and offer meaningful support.
I’m not alone in this belief. McKinsey recently released a white paper asserting that community is the next big wave in marketing.
As I’ve shared, social media isn’t merely a tactic—it’s the beginning of a larger journey toward building communities.
7. Social Commerce, finally
In 2022, we witnessed a surge in people purchasing products directly from social media platforms. This trend continues to thrive in 2024, with social media emerging as the go-to destination for shopping.
Experts predict that global social commerce sales could reach a staggering $6 trillion by 2026, with the US alone expected to have around 108 million people shopping on social media by 2025.
A HubSpot survey revealed that 22% of social media users made purchases directly on Instagram, while 21% did the same on Facebook.
Live commerce is a major phenomenon in Asia, where influencers showcase products in real time, and consumers can make immediate purchases. And the best part? This trend is set to explode globally in the coming year!
8. Designer content
The competition in social media revolves around keeping you hooked. Platforms are designed to keep you engaged for as long as possible to collect data, serve you more ads, and ultimately increase their profits. They use recommendation algorithms to suggest content they believe will captivate you, sometimes even aiming to make you addicted.
Imagine this: you’re obsessed with photos of cute kittens, especially ones dressed in human clothes. Why wouldn’t Instagram show you an endless stream of exactly that? They could even use AI to generate images tailored to your preferences, making you want to keep scrolling for more.
Now, think about the future. Soon, we might be able to create entire movies using AI right on our computers. So why wouldn’t social media platforms like Instagram start crafting custom video content just for you? Even major players like Netflix and Disney could follow suit, sending you personalised movies.
We’ll be glued to our screens, mesmerized by content that feels made just for us. Who knows? Maybe this obsession with personalised content will lead to something resembling the Matrix! But hey, if it does, we might have those adorable kittens to blame.
Imagine spending hours consuming content that perfectly matches your interests, like those irresistible kittens. It’s almost like being in a trance. And who knows? One day, we might look back and realise that our obsession with custom content was the start of something much bigger, perhaps even a Matrix-like reality.
But for now, let’s enjoy the personalised videos and cute kitten photos while we can. After all, who can resist a furry friend in a tiny outfit?
9. Watermarked content
This is the year we’ll witness massive disruption from deep fakes. It will be more than just disruption—it will be complete chaos. I’ll bet that at least one death will be attributed to deep fake content and misinformation this year.
We must establish safety watermarks for all content to help distinguish what’s true. While progress is being made in this area, the real challenge lies in creating a watermark that can be universally detected but is impervious to forgery.
If you work in social media or content creation, this will soon become your major priority.
10. Local content hubs
In my hometown of Knoxville, we have a local celebrity named Bill Landry. He might have been the first independent video creator to monetise his audience, not on YouTube, but on local TV.
Bill was the writer, director, producer, and actor behind The Heartland Series, a collection of 1,400 short stories about Appalachian history, food, crafts, and rural life. His incredible storytelling aired on local TV, was sold as DVDs, and even turned into books. Thanks to his self-made fame, Bill became a highly sought-after speaker.
This is the classic creator model—build an audience, then monetise it. And Bill was doing this back in the 1980s!
This is the only partnership between a creator and mainstream TV I’ve encountered. But why couldn’t this format be popular today?
Local TV stations often have unused production and ad sales capacity. Local creators need revenue, production facilities, and an audience. It makes perfect sense. So, why wouldn’t local TV stations produce local cooking, sports, and music shows for a livestreaming audience, creating a new revenue stream?
This idea might feel retro. In the early days, local TV stations featured a lot of local talent. Today, however, there seems to be a barrier between traditional TV and streaming content—but why? If social media is overcrowded, why not reimagine local TV as a community content hub?
Some of the most non-obvious social media trends involve posting content and building audiences in unconventional places.
So, there you have it. I hope these non-obvious trends spark new ideas for marketing strategies and business opportunities. The world of marketing is endlessly fascinating, and these trends are just the beginning of what’s to come!
Conclusion
Navigating the constantly changing world of social media requires more than just keeping up with the obvious trends. In this dynamic landscape, identifying and leveraging non-obvious trends can be the key to standing out and driving meaningful engagement. Here are some essential, yet less obvious, trends to watch right now:
