17. December 2024 Social Media News 2024: Trends and Innovations You Shouldn’t Miss Moving Into 2025
AI tools, TikTok, X-odus: 2024 was an exciting year for social media managers. It’s high time to take a closer look at its highlights.
Here we present the most important social media trends and innovations of 2024, including general developments and new features on individual platforms that you should keep an eye on.
Because a review like this is always associated with a look ahead, we also give you a few tips for a successful 2025.
Cross-channel trends on social media in 2024
AI tools are now firmly established
The days when only exotic companies created content with ChatGPT are over. In 2024, AI has become an established tool in social media management.
Figures also prove this.
In a global survey of social media marketing managers, 80 percent of respondents stated that they use AI to create texts. In comparison: 67 percent in 2023. The proportion of those who use artificial intelligence to edit images has almost tripled. AI is also becoming increasingly important in community management and interaction with users. For example, you can have it automatically hide potentially offensive comments or answer queries when your team is off work.
In this context, the number of tools that use AI has increased. Whether text creation, image editing or video generation, the selection is growing rapidly. Social media platforms are also integrating their own AI features. As the competition has only just picked up speed, we can certainly look forward to more exciting innovations next year.
Lessons learned: AI is here to stay. Anyone who has not yet explored its potential in social media marketing should do so quickly to avoid being left behind. AI tools may not replace social media managers, but they do make work much more efficient.
Our tip for getting started: our free “AI Prompts for Social Media – Cheat Sheet”. Learn how to create prompts that will deliver top-notch outcomes!
Social commerce
Social commerce has also reached the next level in 2024. More and more social media platforms are integrating in-app shopping functions.
The advantages for companies:
- Consumers can discover and buy products without leaving the app. The seamless customer journey reduces abandonment rates.
- Companies reach a young, ready-to-buy target group wherever they are.
- They can create an interactive shopping experience and benefit from a high reach and impressive conversion rates.
- Users search for new things on the social media channels Pinterest and Instagram. This results in attractive opportunities for brands that have just started.
The important thing is that shopping functions are slowly being rolled out in Europe. TikTok Shop, for example, has only been available to the first European users in Spain since December 9.
Lessons learned: Companies that appeal to a young target group and sell products that are easy to present visually benefit most from social commerce. Having an online store makes it easy to get started. However, it is important to know your target group, choose the right platform and present products in an appealing way.
Social search: Social media competes with Google
Google was yesterday, TikTok is the new search engine?
It’s not quite that simple. But young users in particular are increasingly abandoning traditional search engines and browsing social media for recommendations, instructions, and trends. TikTok has responded to this and added more functions to its search widget. Recently, companies have even been able to place keyword-based ads here – Google Ads sends its regards.
Learnings: For more visibility, it is becoming increasingly important to adapt SEO strategies and pay more attention to social SEO. Owners of restaurants, bars, or local stores can use short video clips to draw the attention of potential customers and give them initial insights.
X-odus – away from X, towards Bluesky or Threads
Donald Trump’s second election victory has accelerated the departure of many users from X. In addition to prominent individuals such as Stephen King, Jamie Lee Curtis and Moby, numerous media outlets and companies left the platform in 2024.
I'm keeping this account active but very little if any activity is going to take place from this point onwards.
— Rasko 🇺🇦 (@Rasko_Tweets_It) November 18, 2024
Can be found on Threads, Blue Sky & Instagram.#FuckOffElon#RIPTwitter
Bluesky and Threads were the main beneficiaries. They experienced a rapid increase in user numbers. It remains to be seen who will ultimately win the race to succeed Twitter. In any case, it is already clear that Bluesky, Threads, and the niche Mastodon each have a different focus.
Learnings: If you haven’t already done so, familiarize yourself with X alternatives. You can find a detailed comparison between Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky in our blog.
De-influencing and underconsumption – trend towards authenticity and sustainability
Authenticity has long been a key currency in the social media world. In 2024, new facets were added to this trend. This includes de-influencing. Unlike traditional influencers, de-influencers promote frugal consumption, minimalism, and repairing instead of buying. The underconsumption core trend on TikTok can also be understood in this context.
@dainty.nugs Some underconsumption tips ive been trying to follow this year, i am actually spending WAY less already than last year on material items and way more on experiences, traveling, hobbies and spending time with loved ones! #underconsumption #deinfluencing #underconsumptioncore ♬ original sound – speedz!
Learnings: Despite all the justified criticism that “Underconsumption Core” romanticizes conditions that are inevitably part of everyday life for poor people, the trend also reflects a genuine need for more sustainability and conscious consumption. Brands can respond to this by providing repair and care tips, but also by recognizing longevity as a good marketing argument.
Instagram introduced several new functions in 2024.
Particularly interesting:
- Instagram Broadcast Channels: Creators can use Broadcast Channels to get in touch with their followers directly. They can share text messages, photos, videos, voice messages, GIFs, and polls. Followers can respond to messages with emojis and take part in polls. Only commenting is not allowed for the time being. This makes broadcasts ideal for customer loyalty and for obtaining feedback via surveys, for example.
- New Instagram stickers: The Cutouts sticker, for example, opens up exciting opportunities to spice up stories and interact with others. The AI stickers, which are unfortunately not yet widely available, can be created with prompts.
There were no groundbreaking Facebook innovations in 2024. However, Meta began rolling out new AI functions across its apps. Much of this is in the starting blocks or not yet available in Europe, but the signs are clear: in the future, companies will be able to make greater use of the platform’s AI functions to create and edit content.
Meta is also testing local tabs, which allow users to access a selection of local content directly, and an Explore tab.
TikTok
TikTok has been providing advertisers with a suite of AI tools since this year:
For example, you can use them
- to produce a TikTok video quickly and with minimal resources,
- automatically synchronize TikTok videos,
- create avatars and
- optimize advertising campaigns.
Photo Carousels are also new on the platform. Creators can use custom thumbnails to give their videos more attention.
Regarding content, TikTok once again confirmed its role as a trendsetter. Whether it was the “Potato Ranking” or the “What to Eat” and “BookTok” awards, which were presented for the first time, TikTok trends were also a talking point outside of social media. The fact that the platform was also discussed in connection with extremist content and targeted election interference should not be concealed.
In the USA, TikTok is even threatened with a ban in the near future if Bytedance does not sell the platform to an American company.
YouTube
Of course, the triumph of artificial intelligence has not bypassed YouTube. Many creators are particularly excited about the auto-dubbing function that the platform has been gradually rolling out for some time. This allows videos to be synchronized automatically – a great option for reaching target groups worldwide. The AI feature Veo is suitable for editing, remixing, and creating video content.
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More InformationThe new community area promises community experiences. Creators and subscribers have the opportunity to exchange ideas here.
By 2024 at the latest, the age of short videos will also have arrived on LinkedIn. You can share videos between 15 and 30 seconds long in the video feed.
LinkedIn video feeds could help companies address a younger target group on the platform, provide visual insights into their day-to-day work, and establish themselves as experts. However, it remains to be seen how well the Shorts function will be received. After all, LinkedIn is not TikTok.
The expert status of members is also supported by a Top Voice award. The successor to the LinkedIn Influencer Program provides for two awards:
- The LinkedIn Top Voice Badge is awarded to a very small group of selected leaders and experts.
- A LinkedIn Community Top Voice Badge is awarded to subject matter experts who contribute to shared articles.
LinkedIn Top Voice reflects LinkedIn’s efforts to focus on professional exchange and the dissemination of expertise. A good tool for this is the Document Post, a versatile slideshow format for up to 300 pages.
2024 had megatrends and exciting new features to offer
Several major trends shaped social media management in 2024. At the forefront, of course, is the AI megatrend. It has arrived on a broad scale but is still in its infancy. There are sure to be some surprises in store for us in 2025. Social commerce and social search are no flash in the pan either.
Major social media platforms also came up with new features – as they do every year. Finally, users also provided variety. Movements such as the underconsumption core trend and de-influencing could indicate that young people’s shopping behavior is changing permanently.
Do you want to be prepared for all social media trends? Swat.io has your back so you can react quickly. Try our tool for free and experience how easy social media management can be. Features such as a clear editorial plan for all your channels, a central ticket inbox, analytics, and much more ensure this.
