Social Media Trends in 2024: Unpacking Video Content Creation Trends for 2024 for Businesses
For a while now, short-form video content has dominated social media trends as TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Watch and YouTube Shorts have steadily grown in popularity. Entering into 2024, new trends emerge and social media video trends are shifting. In this article, we’ll delve into the social media trends in 2024 and examine the best practices of social media video content creation and its influence on the marketing landscape.
Long-Form Video Content vs Short-Form Video Content
The forever ongoing tug-of-war between long-form and short-form video content has always been a hot topic of discussion among social media content creators and social media marketers, and we’ve seen a consistent wave of inquiries seeking clarity on this trending social media topic.
A prominent social media trend, short-form content, has reigned supreme on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok for a considerable time. Short-form videos aim to hook users fast and increase watching time and views, which enhances the potential for “going viral”. Following this trend, 2023 saw an abundance of snappy, 3–5-second looping videos that were cleverly crafted to draw viewers into reading longer, detailed captions about the topic. These bite-sized content pieces certainly aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but the shifting social media landscape of 2024 suggests a revival of an older trend: long-form video content.
The increasing popularity of long-form content suggests that excessive focus on short-form content might no longer be effective in building a loyal, engaging audience. Despite the continuously shrinking digital attention span, a phenomenon known as ‘short-form video fatigue’ is starting to show across different social media platforms. This fatigue leads audiences to skip the fast-paced content and favour content creators that pack more value and information in their posts—particularly on topics that call for deeper exploration. Short-form video fatigue is a phenomenon that should not be overlooked in marketing. Take the case of Vine, for example: once a popular short-form video platform, it was shut down in 2017, partially due to the impact of this very trend.
So, what kind of content should we create? The answer is twofold: Firstly, given that, today’s popular social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are optimised for shorter captions, it is essential to produce long-form content that not only offers comprehensive insights but also has a casual and authentic feel. Secondly, despite the growing trend towards long-form content, it’s crucial not to dismiss the value of short-form videos. Your business should ensure that both types of content are included in its social media strategy and content plan. Rest assured though, short-form memes are, undeniably, here to stay.
Casual vs Scripted Storytelling in Social Media
Capitalising on the appeal of authenticity, casual storytelling is emerging as a prominent trend in social media for 2024. This shift towards more natural, unscripted content is quickly gaining popularity, and brands are beginning to adapt to this new trend. These casual narratives, often crafted by seasoned social media content creators or a capable storytelling agency, come across as genuine human connections rather than staged promotional pieces, fostering an unprecedented level of relatability with audiences. Empathy in marketing is becoming more and more essential, especially on social media, where newer generations are seeking deeper, more authentic connections with brands.
Content Series Over Single Videos
Echoing the golden days of YouTube, when long-form content and vlogging reigned supreme, we’re witnessing a comeback of these trends. The social media landscape is now tilting towards a content series-based approach, moving away from single, standalone videos. The popularity of TikTok playlists signals this shift's onset, hinting that it won't be long before Instagram and Facebook catch up, bringing these trends full circle.
Including content series in your social media strategy ensures sustained audience engagement and offers in-depth storytelling opportunities. What is more, this approach allows for a more thorough exploration of the different aspects of your brand’s identity and values. This strong, yet undervalued social media strategy brings the power of narrative to the foreground, sparking a curiosity in viewers that has them coming back for the next episode, creating a loyal and engaged follower base.
Filming content series over single videos is one of the re-emerging social media trends in 2024
Social Media Video Content and Empathy Marketing Go Hand in Hand
Did you know that empathy marketing can have a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of your video series? Any psychology-driven marketing agency, such as Ainoa, would agree that the key to forging deeper emotional connections lies in personal, authentic, and data-informed content. To create content series that embody these characteristics, empathy marketing experts savvily combine consumer psychology, data, traditional digital marketing and social media marketing psychology. The result? Stronger relations between consumers and brands, which in turn can boost customer loyalty and brand preference.
Social media-savvy generations, namely Millennials, Gen Z and the emerging Generation Alpha, have grown with social media. Consequently, they're now yearning for authentic interactions with brands, which makes empathy marketing and consumer psychology even more important in social media marketing. In response, major corporations are now racing to hire the best psychologists for their marketing teams to better understand and respond to social media trends and audience preferences.
What's worth noting is the considerable purchasing power these age groups command. In 2023, Millennials worldwide wielded a purchasing power of roughly 2.5 trillion dollars, and it will almost double by 2030. Gen Z is set to hold more than a quarter of the income by 2030, surpassing Millennials with over 33 trillion dollars in purchasing power according to the Bank of America.
Such staggering figures highlight the importance of developing a deep understanding of these demographics' preferences. It's not just about developing engaging content anymore; it's about layering in empathy and leveraging psychology to ensure the brand messaging resonates with these influential consumer groups. These population sectors cannot be sidelined when drafting a social media marketing strategy; they should be the focus of targeted and strategic social media content creation designed to foster authentic connections.
The Influence of Social Media Trends on Consumer Behaviour
After reviewing those eye-watering numbers, one must ask, can following social media trends have a positive impact on consumer behaviour? The answer is a resounding yes. Brands that leverage social media video trends such as series content, long-form videos, and casual storytelling tend to build stronger connections with their audiences. As we know from consumer psychology, these stronger connections lead to heightened brand awareness and commitment, which in turn increases purchase intent. To forge connections like this, an influencer marketing agency that taps into authentic storytelling can help you elicit emotional responses in your audience and inspire them to actively engage with the brand on social media.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the current social media trends, whether it's series content production, casual storytelling, long-form content, or a focus on empathy marketing, are shaping the future of social media. Brands must be aware of these social media trends, not just for 2024 but for the years to come. Adapting to these changes could be the deciding factor between visibility and obscurity for your business in the competitive digital landscape. What is clear, though, is that video content creation remains a lasting and significant force in the social media landscape.
If you aim to capitalise on these social media trends in 2024, we’re here to help, whether you’re looking for content creation or a full-scale social media strategy and social media management. Ainoa is one of the few agencies in the world that specialises in empathetic marketing, with consumer psychology as the cornerstone of its marketing approach.
