One thing we can guarantee for sure is the changes in social media marketing trends in 2024 as social media platforms continue to develop and change their algorithms and features.
Social media management platform Hootsuite was quick to make its forecast on social media marketing trends 2024.
I’ve done all the work for you in curating the most relevant bits of their Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 research. And for you, I’ve sliced everything from this report that concerns employer branding, recruitment marketing, employee advocacy and thought leadership on social media in 2024.
This episode gives valuable insight for those of you working regularly with social media and wanting to keep your knowledge up to date.
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Important Social Media Marketing Trends 2024
The summary directly from the Hootsuite research states:
“In 2024, ROI will take center stage on social as smart organizations finally close in on their top-performing tactics. From singling out hero platforms and perfecting their content mix to boosting their team’s capabilities with AI, the marketers and brands who set the pace this year will do so with a
new level of precision and efficiency. There’s no time to waste on efforts that yield no results—no matter how sentimental we might feel looking behind us. From here on, it’s full speed ahead—and that’s why we may be looking at social media’s most pivotal year yet.”
According to Hootsuite, the most important social media marketing trends 2024 are:
- The AI Trend
- The Platform Trend
- The ROI Trend
#1 The AI Trend as one of the Social Media Marketing Trends 2024
Let’s start with the AI trend, as this connects directly with authenticity and transparency for brand trust, which I have spoken about recently as incremental elements of all successful branding.
I also have a couple of recent blog posts about AI in relation to HR marketing on my agency Emine’s blog.
If you want to check those out, here are the links:
Embracing AI in employer branding and recruitment marketing
AI in Marketing – AI revolution in talent attraction
Last week, I also posted this infographic by Giraffe Social Media about the essential dos and don’ts for social media marketing in 2024.
Jumping on the generative AI bandwagon
Many, if not most of us, have jumped on the AI bandwagon and tested generative AI in content creation.
Am I right?
So much so that those generative AI posts on social media stand out with a certain vibe and repetitive use of words that those accounts have not used before.
I started to pay attention to this (in my own posts) when I had been testing and using various generative AI for a while.
One of the key trends in all social media marketing is authenticity.
So you want to make sure your posts are not recognised as AI posts because I’m predicting that soon those posts will stand out like a sore eye (it’s the sore thumb, I know), and that can hurt your brand authenticity.
How? Iterate the AI drafts in your tone of voice and style of wording.
One of the key trends in all social media marketing is authenticity, so you want to make sure your posts are not recognised as AI posts because I’m predicting soon, those will stand out like a sore eye (it’s the sore thumb, I know) and that can hurt your brand authenticity.
Susanna Rantanen
According to this Hootsuite study, interest in AI was so high in 2023 that topics posted in over 15,500 news articles and blogs on learning about AI increased by 550%!
Furthermore, their study revealed that organisations are planning to double, if not triple or even quadruple, their use of AI across various activities, from customer support to editing images.
Using AI in social media marketing does not come without risks
What is important to know for all of us using AI is that it does not come without risks.
The Hootsuite study revealed that our audiences are not embracing AI and AI-generated content as much as social marketers are flocking to use it.
62% of the audience say they are less likely to engage with and trust content if they know an AI application created it.
The Hootsuite study revealed that our audiences are not embracing AI and AI-generated content as much as social marketers are flocking to use it. 62% of the audience say they are less likely to engage with and trust content if they know an AI application created it.
Susanna Rantanen
Some interesting additional facts on the AI Trend in social media marketing 2024
Between Gen Z and Gen X, the more mature the audience member is;
- the less likely they are to engage with content created by AI.
- the less likely they are to trust the information.
If you want to continue using generative AI for employer brand and recruitment marketing, you must redefine authenticity for your brand. Authenticity is then no longer about who or what creates your content, but about the brand experience your content creates for your target audience.
#2 The Platform Trend as one of the Social Media Marketing Trends 2024
It should not be a secret that you need to be where your audience is.
You also need to match your communication style and how you pursue engagement with your audience as an employer in ways your audience expects you to.
This means that whoever is responsible for your employer brand content marketing and social media presence truly must understand your talent target audience behaviour on each platform and match the employer branding style accordingly.
This means that whoever is responsible for your employer brand content marketing and social media presence truly must understand your talent target audience behaviour on each platform and match the employer branding style accordingly.
Susanna Rantanen
The platform trend means audiences expect slightly different versions of content from platform to platform
According to this Hootsuite report, an average social media user logs into about seven platforms each month!
I use Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube very actively, daily, I would say. I also log into Facebook and Threads reasonably regularly and Pinterest semi-regularly. So that’s seven for me too.
Maintaining an active and consistent presence on multiple social media platforms is hard work for the employer branding and talent acquisition team.
Especially since the audience expects slightly different versions of the content posts from platform to platform! And, to get reasonable reach, you should post daily!
With the lingo between unique audiences, different trends, word counts, formats, hashtags, SEO optimisation and different visual specks, it’s no wonder the social media work can get demanding!
The respondents (sample size 4281) to this survey said their main concern is the impact these requests have on social media ROI.
I find it amazing (thrilled-amazing) that the impact on ROI has become a main concern because that tells me about important progress in social media marketing maturity.
More and more organisations have started to understand social media marketing for business purposes needs to make an impact and return value for the business. I love this trend!
The top 5 concerns with platforms when it comes to social media marketing in 2024
The top 5 concerns stated by the study respondents are:
- Time or budget investment to maintain a presence on multiple social platforms (52%).
- Uncertainty about the accuracy of campaign success metrics (35%).
- Uncertainty about the attribution of campaign success (34%).
- Unsatisfactory connection between social media metrics and business metrics (33%). That would be due to not having business goals and objectives set for brand marketing. It’s impossible to know which marketing metrics is relevant for the business if you don’t have a marketing strategy. For us, this means a marketing strategy for employer branding and or recruitment marketing.
- Uncertainty about social media strategy (31%).
What do you think about these concerns? Can you relate?
What is your top concern, or do you have a different one?
If you are watching this on video or reading the show notes article, please, comment below!
To me, these all ring very true. Our clients also have these top issues on employer branding and recruitment marketing on socials.
Here’s the thing.
These concerns are quickly washed away with a good employer branding strategy that clarifies the strategic goals, objectives and KPIs for employer brand marketing and connects social media marketing objectives and metrics with those business goals and objectives for employer branding.
These concerns are quickly washed away with a good employer branding strategy that clarifies the strategic goals, objectives and KPIs for employer brand marketing and connects social media marketing objectives and metrics with those business goals and objectives for employer branding.
Susanna Rantanen
Furthermore, a social media savvy talent marketing partner will guide their clients on social media making sure the ROI matches the resources and budget allocated and the client gets the best possible outcome.
Changes in the social media platform choices
Another important revelation from this survey is how brands have made changes to their platforms of choice!
- The use of TikTok grew by 16% from 2022 to 2023.
- Use of LinkedIn grew by 5% and Instagram by 1%.
LinkedIn has continued to report growing engagement on the platform.
At the cost of adding new social media platforms to the marketing mix, something had to go. And this something was WhatsApp (-18% drop in usage), Pinterest (-11%), X (-7%) and Facebook (-1%).
A recent Business Insider-YouGov survey revealed that Gen Z, aged 18 to 26, sees YouTube as more trustworthy than other social media platforms and Facebook as the least trustworthy.
Consider these in 2024 if your target students and graduates or other young people fit the Gen Z age frame.
A recent Business Insider-YouGov survey revealed that Gen Z, aged 18 to 26, sees YouTube as more trustworthy than other social media platforms and Facebook as the least trustworthy. Consider these in 2024 if your target students, graduates, or other young people fit the Gen Z age frame.
Susanna Rantanen
#3 The ROI Trend as one of the Social Media Marketing Trends 2024
Let’s move on with the most essential social media marketing trends in 2024: the ROI trend.
ROI (return on investment) is essential in employer branding, but also in recruitment marketing.
The answer to how to grow the ROI is captured in one intimidating word, and this is ‘entertaining’.
Social media users want your employer brand content to be mentally unwinding and more entertaining.
Social media users want your employer brand content to be mentally unwinding and more entertaining.
Susanna Rantanen
What does this mean?
- Less self-promotion because according to this study, it’s a major turn-off for your target audience.
- More relatable content on social media, because that’s what your audience wants to see and wants to engage with.
According to Hootsuite, the problem is that brand accounts ignore this and publish brand and product updates multiple times a week.
According to Hootsuite, the problem is that brand accounts ignore this and publish brand and product updates multiple times a week. What your company and employer brand accounts need to stop doing is indulging in your own greatness and needs and paying more attention to what works for your audience.
Susanna Rantanen
So, if you think your job advertising and recruitment marketing promoting your hiring needs is what captivates your ideal audience and grows your reach and audience, you could not be more wrong.
What your company and employer brand accounts need to stop doing is indulging on your own greatness and needs, and paying more attention to what actually works for your audience.
How to create an employer brand marketing plan that matches the social media marketing trends in 2024?
I have great news for you modern employer branding enthusiastics!
The Magnetic Employer Branding Method™️ applies storytelling and persuasive communication in all content creation, from career site content to career stories, blog articles, job posts, recruitment marketing content and the Queen of all: employer branding content.
Therefore, by basing your employer brand and recruitment marketing on this method, you are already doing what works, putting you a mile ahead of your competition!
The Magnetic Employer Branding Method™️ applies storytelling and persuasive communication in all content creation, from career site content to career stories, blog articles, job posts, recruitment marketing content and the Queen of all: employer branding content.
Susanna Rantanen
You see, taking entertainment too literally is going to be a huge risk, as humour is such a difficult type of art.
Entertaining content is enjoyable, easy on the eye and the mind and lets your audience have a break from something more burdening.
How can you make your employer brand content more enjoyable? Easy! You make it about your target audience and connect with them on mutual grounds. If this sounds complex to you, it’s engraved into DNA of the Magnetic Employer Branding Method™️.
You simply need to base your employer branding strategy and employer brand marketing on this game-changing method to stop this from being a problem for you and your employer brand.
Modern employer branding with our method takes into account what your audience wants and prefers, what is relatable to them and keeps you miles away from the hard sell no one likes, yourself included.
The ROI trend is that ROI is the trend, getting ROI or better ROI is essential if you want sufficient means for employer branding.
If you want to start delivering consistent employer branding ROI, then contact me and let’s book a chat to see how Employer Branding Agency Emine can help you. We have options from self-learning programs to coaching programs and partnering up with our agency and doing this together!
Okey, this is it for this week!
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Until next week!
Moi Moi!