For those who work with social networks, the publication of the Hootsuite trend report is a highly anticipated moment at the end of the year. It brings the inputs that help pave the way for the coming months.
This time, it was divided into three macro themes:
Artificial Intelligence and social networks
The multiplatform dilemma
ROI
Here, I read the entire report and the impression was that technological changes do not necessarily bring new debates to the daily life of social media, but rather add more layers to the reflections that we have already had for some time. AI, for example, added greater depth to the challenges of credibility, which already permeated the minds of those who produce online content. The multiplatform dilemma, a term used by Hootsuite to describe the unbridled growth of new networks, reinforces the already-known importance of prioritizing investments in digital. And the difficulties of returning efforts (ROI) become deeper with so many new denominators in play. Anyway, you can find other perspectives from Hootsuite alternatives but on this occasion we will limit ourselves to what Hootsuite concludes.
Would you like to see a summary of each of these themes?
Artificial intelligence and social networks
Anyone who works with social media knows – everyday life is exciting! AI can, if used well, be an ally to optimize the daily work of social media. According to the Social Trends survey, 61% of companies say they want to use AI to help relieve social media. And, by 2024, we should expect an increase in the use of Artificial Intelligence, especially to review post texts, edit and generate images and support online customer service.
If, on the one hand, AI can be a good ally in workforce optimization, on the other, it brings a major challenge – that of credibility. 62% of social media users say they are less willing to engage with content if they know it was generated with the help of AI. But, within this amount, there is an important age range – baby boomers and people from Generation X are the least willing to trust this type of publication, while millennials and Generation Z are more likely to trust it.
In 2024, therefore, a major challenge for brands will be to draw a clear and cohesive line between efficiency and credibility/authenticity on social media. There is no way to escape AI, but you need to know how to use it in a way that does not harm the credibility of content production.
The multiplatform dilemma
“Be where your audience is,” they said. But what about when it’s on multiple channels? A DemandSage survey shows that social media users are on, on average, 7 digital platforms. And every time another one enters the game! This presents a huge challenge, as entering a new channel requires investment. So what to do? The magic word here is to prioritize!
We know that the conversation about “you don’t need to be on all platforms” is not exactly new, but it becomes more important as new social networks enter the agenda of the day. But it is necessary to evaluate which networks really make sense for your brand, using the main criteria:
– What are your audience’s priority channels? It is no longer enough to know where it is, you need to know the main
– Considering the indicators I need to report and my macro objectives, which network makes the most sense? To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the vocation of each social network
– Analyze the competition and the market very calmly and carefully – is there a channel whose absence presents a real risk of market loss? Here we cannot surrender to FOMA (fear of missing audience). Being everywhere our competitors are is not necessarily strategic. It is worth prioritizing those that really present risks in terms of gaining and retaining an audience
ROI
Now let’s talk about it – the ROI of social media. According to a survey by Hootsuite, 69% of social media professionals consider engagement as the main metric for evaluating the return on investment in social networks. In second place, are impressions or views, with 51%, and followers, with 49%. In other words, the criteria for evaluating content on networks largely involves 3 metrics (view, engagement, and followers) that demand great attention from the user.
And the ROI isn’t always coming! 68% of social media professionals are concerned about the ROI they are delivering. This may be justified by a GAP between the analyzed KPI and the content being produced.
In other words – ROI is measured via engagement, but brands, in general, are not producing engaging content! How to remedy it? For Hootsuite, the answer is in entertainment. There is no longer room for brands to focus on themselves or with an overly serious tone, which promotes a vertical conversation. They need to be alongside their audience and communicate how they communicate, in a way that generates joy and positive sensations for the audience. And this is not just about humor, but also about inspiration or learning something new. Finally, in 2024, winning brands will be those that “give them what they (audience) want to have what they need”. There’s no point in closing in on yourself, we need to get to the heart of what the public wants to consume to build truly engaging brands and bring people closer to us. Only then will we have positive ROIs.
Want to make some changes then?
