Social media is a totally different beast to the early days! In our latest Untangler session for clients we tackled this head on, and ran through the latest platforms, trends and techniques on which you should focus to get results for your business.

Remember when establishing a digital presence meant setting up profiles on a couple of popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn?

Simpler times...

Now, some once-familiar platforms feel a bit precarious, and new contenders for your audience's attention have emerged.

We've been immersed in social media since the early days, so we're well-placed to show you where to focus your social media efforts in the year ahead.

What are the trends we can see around the corner, what can you do to future-proof your socials, and what are the evergreen social media tactics that will always get results?

Top social media trends for 2024

1. Authentic content

Demand is growing for content that offers more depth and authenticity. This authenticity goes a long way towards fostering more meaningful connections with your audience.

People can easily spot inauthentic content. Hard stare at LinkedIn, which pushes and shoves you in the direction of using AI to write your posts. Which are coming across as bland, overly long, and not adding anything of substance.

Instead, focus on relationship building by sharing real stories, showcasing your brand’s values, and encouraging participation.

By being real and relatable, you’ll cultivate loyalty and help your brand stand out from the social media crowd.

Top tip

Create longer posts, more detailed videos and content that educates audiences, rather than immediately trying to sell to them!

2. Social search and discoverability

Making sure your content is easily discoverable is key. SEO research will ensure it’s as easy as possible for the posts you create to be found by your target audience.

Social media platforms are refining their search functionality beyond the hashtag, and following SEO patterns.

TOP TIP

Include relevant keywords in your social media content and About and Bio sections. This will increase your chance of being discovered by non-followers.

3. Behind-the-scenes content

Brands are increasingly putting their internal communities at the front and centre of their social media content.

Video, photography, reposting original material they created - these are all tried and tested ways to showcase the skills and personalities across your team and give your brand a more human feel.

Top tip

Do some research. Check how your competitors are approaching their behind-the-scenes content (if at all). What’s generating engagement?

4. The evolution of video

Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are vying for YouTube’s audiences and creators. Despite being known for short-form video - and having a ripple effect which means that other platforms followed suit, such as Instagram reels - longer form video is slowly trickling into TikTok content…

TOP TIP

Look out for LinkedIn’s dedicated short form video tab on the mobile app, which is being tested now. YouTube is also testing a new Shorts carousel on mobile.

Social media marketing tactics that work for your business in 2024

There are a few key things you can do to help future-proof your socials:

1. Monitor your organic metrics

It’s crucial to track the metrics of your organic social media, so you can get a better understanding of what’s working and what isn’t.

There are a few key metrics to closely monitor:

• Awareness raised through reach including impressions, subscriber count, email opens and view numbers

• Community sentiment, which can be detected through the tone of your comments and direct messages

• Engagement levels from interactions such as reactions, comments, reposts, and clicks

• Conversion rates from your CTAs including website visits from social media, mailing list sign-ups, whitepaper or lead generation downloads

Also carefully check your overall social media community growth, monitoring not only the number of followers, but the type of followers you’re receiving.

Are they your target audience? If not, why? How might you reach more of the right kind of people?

2. Optimise your paid campaigns

Organic reach is great - but paid campaigns can help amplify your message and reach your target audience with pinpoint precision.

Platforms like LinkedIn Ads, Facebook Ads and Google Ads all offer sophisticated targeted options and robust analytics to help you optimise your campaign.

Adding paid campaigns to your social media marketing mix will help you expand your reach far beyond what’s possible with organic traffic alone.

3. Branch out on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a powerhouse platform for professionals.

It’s the ideal place for you to build credibility as an expert in your field, connect with industry figures and expand the reach of your business.

Some of the main reasons to focus on LinkedIn in your social media strategy include:

• Networking opportunities are plentiful, so regardless of your industry, you’ll be able to connect with relevant organisations and grow your contacts.

• LinkedIn can also be a powerful lead generation tool, converting your connections into business opportunities when approached strategically.

• The platform is a great space for growing brand awareness and developing thought leadership. Whether using your company page, personal page or both, it’s a place to share content that establishes you as a trusted expert.

4. Don’t underestimate the power of great copywriting

With all the talk around AI content generation, it’s easy to underestimate the role of the copywriter. In truth, if there’s one skill that’ll get you far on social media, it’s this one!
As more and more people use artificial intelligence to write their social posts, audiences can identify the hallmarks of AI-generated text.

When you’re trying to connect with people, it pays to talk to them in your own unique voice. You don’t have to be a writing maestro to create a great social media post, but you do need to have something unique to say.

When it comes to sharing longer and more complex content on your socials (such as lead generation pieces and trend reports) the skills of a gifted copywriter will certainly be required!

Social media techniques that will always get results

• Knowing your audience and the things they care about

• High-quality, helpful information that speaks directly to your target audience and existing community

• High-resolution photography and video that provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse of your company or brand

• Content that celebrates major milestones and achievements

• Real, human stories and creativity - including user-generated content

• Reviews and testimonials that showcase your expertise and approach

• Being mindful of world events and current affairs, including social issues and international days

• Writing like yourself or your brand consistently across all platforms

Let’s talk social media strategy

Get in touch to find out how Sookio can refresh your social media marketing strategy. And once we’re working together, you’ll get your invite to the next Untangler event too.