Changing dynamics have resulted in a culture-first approach to social media

Social media dynamics have changed and what worked for social media’s previous era no longer applies today, says Ogilvy’s 2024 Social Media Trends Report.

The previous social media era, says the report, was built for paid distribution and helped advertisers achieve reach at scale. “For big brands, this was largely operationalised through rigorous planning months in advance, with siloed teams working on content, community, creator and media directives.”

In the latest social media iteration, “the pendulum has swung back to content built to entertain and inform, with algorithms once again rewarding organic traction”.

This new social media era is defined by fragmentation of internet culture and community, where anyone and anything has a niche — or even more than one niche — to call home. It’s also, says the report, a web of complexity and contradiction between authentic, lo-fi and real vs surreal, otherworldly and fantastical mixed realities; polarisation on main vs deeper, more intimate and cosy web connections; and a transition away from traditional influence vs the unstoppable rise of creators.

The report says that big brands slow to adapt to this new environment are starting to feel the pressure from social-first challengers who have built new brands almost purely through digital native propositions, and that to compete, brands must deliver a more dynamic, relevant and meaningful value exchange. This requires tapping into culture with audience-centric content.

The culture opportunity in 2024 is to build relevance in more sophisticated and enduring ways. However, brands need to be clear on the role they have to play in the culture landscape and the engagement levers required to activate.

“Being responsive to culture, as well as gradually shaping and creating that culture, require understanding and monitoring of what’s happening across all corners of the internet, as well as geolocations. The more bespoke the intelligence model, the more impactful a brand’s output can be,” says the report.

It predicts that brands will increasingly look for unusual alliances and that the more original, counterintuitive or bizarre, the better for disruptive engagement.

The creative economy — and creative partnerships — will continue to grow and evolve and will include everything from obvious product placement and staged enthusiasm to more ambitious co-creation between creator and brand, with product seamlessly integrated.

Another trend is the evolution of basic community management to a proactive community engagement strategy. Gen Z and millennials, says the report, have had enough of fake news, polarisation and overstimulation, which is why are increasingly drawn to safer and quieter spaces, including closed forums such as WhatsApp, private Facebook groups, Reddit, Discord and Mastodon. They’re looking for platforms to meet specific needs. This means brands need to either nurture their own communities of customers and fans, or connect strategically with external communities through a meaningful value exchange.

There’s a move away from pay-to-play approaches towards audience- and interest-first social content that is geared towards optimal organic performance. It’s about engaging content that is unscripted, unpolished and unpredictable.

Expect a rise in longer video with more potential for ad placements and creative brand content. The priority in 2024 will be testing and balancing short- and long-form video.

TikTok is the most important platform for big brands to crack in 2024, says the report, noting that its rise continues among Gen Z users. Instagram will continue to be a key tool in the social arsenal of big brands, and brands will become more intentional and creative about how they use LinkedIn.

To succeed on social media platforms, says the report, brands need to develop fit-for-audience and fit-for-platform content and put the audience first and the brand second.

Read the full report here.

The big take-out: “Being responsive to culture, as well as gradually shaping and creating that culture, require understanding and monitoring of what’s happening across all corners of the internet, as well as geolocations.”