2024 Where to Put Your Energy Insights from Social Media Experts
Visual Storytelling remains at the core and seeps into every strategy….
as I was researching and reading everything I could on 2024 I realized that all of the tips I was reading about and interpreting, had a common theme, one that is the basis for all marketing….Visual Storytelling…..
As the digital space becomes more saturated the need for authentic and quality content is paramount to the quantity of content….
So what are the experts predicting and how does it relate to you? What should we as content creators and entrepreneurs be focused on during 2024? Drawing insights from several social media platforms (Hootsuite, Plann, Planoly, Tailwind, to name a few) and experts like Sue B. Zimmerman, Neil Patel, and Shannon McKinstrie I am aiming to provide a helpful summary of what you should be focused on in 2024.
I have mostly focused on Instagram (unless otherwise noted) here, however, I do think for most of my clients Pinterest and LinkedIn should be a part of their strategy, more on this later (TikTok, I know, I try, I just can’t help but be annoyed by it.)
I realize it is now February and I have been writing this for about 3 weeks and this could be a 10 pager…but I am trying to keep it tight and focused in order to cut down on the overwhelm that is our digital marketing life.
…I would be interested to know if these are things you already knew, and if they are helpful!
Engaging Your Audience Should Be Your #1 Focus
Long story short, it's not about feeding facts and figures but sparking conversations and showcasing your leadership. - Shannon McKinstrie
Why is engagement (still) important?….. bc its how Instagram's algorithm prioritizes content ….Content that creates high and active engagement signals to Instagram that the content is valuable and thus improves its visibility in users' feeds.
In 2024, you should be prioritizing fostering meaningful interactions with your audience in the following ways:
Be human and accessible, think of ways to build interactions and community by engaging with other accounts through sharing their content or reposting.
Respond to comments in your posts
Encourage DM conversations: Engaging with your audience in direct messages on Instagram is vital for establishing meaningful connections and fostering loyalty. It serves as a crucial touchpoint with current and potential clients, offering personalized interaction and insights into their needs. This direct communication cultivates a sense of community, strengthening brand relationships and driving increased engagement.
Encouraging shares and saves, there is more on this below in terms of the algo but think of this also as a way to spread knowledge and build community
Get more from Later by clicking HERE and read about 10 tried-and-tested ways to increase your Instagram engagement in 2024.
The Dominance of Video Content….Short Form Video Reigns Supreme
(and what should you do? Create Long Form and Repurpose it….)
Neil Patel, the genius digital marketing strategist studied 6.3M posts across all types of social platforms to see what generated the most engagement. Neil encourages creators to create longer form content and then splice it up to short-form content, something I have been encouraging clients to do this for years!
Create blog posts and then splice it up into short-form posts / content to use elsewhere…..It is the most efficient way to create and then repurpose content.
So, no, Reels are not going anywhere! Lean into video creation and focus on the quality of your Reels…update your phone, use the best natural light possible and ……hire a professional to help you.
As we ride the digital waves, one thing becomes clear – video content is the undisputed king of social media. Short-form videos, reels, and TikToks continue to captivate audiences across platforms. A study by Statista reveals that video content is expected to account for 82% of all internet traffic by 2024. The rise of platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels is a testament to the insatiable appetite for visually engaging content. - Statista - Video Content Consumption Trends
Create Shareable + Saveable Content
This was an interesting one for me bc I def saw the uptick in text-based content this year, did you? And at one point in the year, there was talk of carousel posts performing better than Reels! Carousels keep your viewer around longer + text based content is very easily shared and saved!!
Saves, Shares and Carousels: Important Partners……Keep in mind that the algorithm favors certain types of content, and "saves" and "carousel posts" are gold. Text-based carousels, in particular, are highly savable and shareable. Designing content with these elements in mind not only boosts engagement but also enhances your brand's visibility.
Where should you start?
Look at your past content and what has been shared
Look at the table below that shows what text-based content gets the most engagement, what can you create in these categories that relates to your business?
Look at Rachel Karten’s shareability test below when creating content.
Use Canva to simplify the process of creating visually appealing text content that aligns with your brand identity. Set-up a template that you can use over and over again, so that your brand is recognizable
It’s ok to Embrace AI, but it’s YOUR words that matter…
The future is about quality, originality, and thought leadership. AI can churn out content by the truckload, but what it lacks is the human touch, the unique insights, the emotional resonance that only you can provide. - Rory Vaden
Embrace the power of AI as your creative companion. Platforms like Chat-GPT can be your secret weapon for generating fresh and unique content. Don’t just cut and paste though!! Blend AI-generated ideas with your authentic voice and style for a winning combination.
So, as you can see, 2024 is about reclaiming Instagram's essence - authentic human connection.
From the Insta queen herself, Shannon McKinstrie, “…So if you like showing your face on Stories and simply talking to your people, you're about to LITERALLY dominate the rest of this year & 2024...Because what's working right now isn't 6 second videos, trending audio, and posting at 1pm (spoiler alert: there is NO magic time to post)...It's talk-to-camera Reels…..Shoot from your car, on your walk with your dog, or the comfort of your kitchen. There are NO major rules or sleazy gimmicks needed. (How refreshing, right?) And here's why they're working...because people are tired of the gimmicks and these almost act as a disruptor in the newsfeed.”
Show your audience the real stories, the real Behind The Scenes…..The Real You….behind the scenes and real-time access to lift humanize your story…show up as you…this will build that know, life trust factor with your audience and draw them in to want to stick around to hear the “rest of your story”
As the digital space becomes more saturated the need for authentic and quality content is more important than the quantity of content….Take time each week to create meaningful content that is authentic to your brand voice, is telling your story, and is helpful to your audience and then share the behind the scenes real time with your audience daily!
I am more than happy to go in-depth with you to understand how this relates to your business! Check out The Visual Strategists