Table of contents
Social DNA Team
Trends
Corporate Influencer
Introduction
Who would have thought that Marc Zuckerberg would be the shining winner in the social media game in 2024? We certainly didn't. But Meta, with its brands Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and now Threads, is back on the social media throne after a long dry spell. Followed by the other two social media winners in 2024: TikTok (content and influencer marketing mecca) and LinkedIn (B2B and professionals' favorite child).
Marc Zuckerberg can thank Elon Musk in particular, who plunged Twitter (X) into chaos after his takeover and offers a global platform for at least questionable, if not unethical, content. Many companies and advertisers no longer want anything to do with the platform and are turning their backs on it. Meta has skillfully filled this gap with its new Threads platform. Find out more in the trend Bye Bye Twitter (X) and Hello Threads.
Instagram also developed well and even overtook TikTok in terms of growth and user numbers this year. All user figures, growth and our Social DNA channel matrix can be found in the chapter Social media platforms 2024 - user figures, growth and classification.
Another smart move by Meta appears to be the introduction of broadcast channels on Instagram and WhatsApp. We shed light on the implications for companies in the Trend Newsletter 2.0 - Broadcast channels on Instagram and WhatsApp.
LinkedIn also continued to flourish and reached a milestone in platform development at the end of 2023 with one billion registered users. From a German perspective, the final farewell to Xing as a competitor can be observed. The increasingly popular social media marketing tactic of corporate influencer initiatives is further fueling the professional use of the platform (see trend LinkedIn continues on course for success with corporate influencers and AI power).
Over the past year, TikTok has established itself as a mainstay in the social media marketing mix - especially for marketing campaigns aimed at the younger target group. However, this will not remain the case as TikTok users inevitably age along with their platform. Meanwhile, the platform is struggling with the first adult problems: ad fatigue, politics, slowing growth and much more. However, TikTok continues to set standards in the area of 9:16 video content creation, influencer marketing and user-generated content. But while TikTok alone has set new content impulses in recent years, it is now up to TikTok to copy other formats (Stories and Carousels) and start its own experiments in the field of social shopping. (Trend #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt and TikTok content).
Another trend that TikTok and Instagram have brought "on the map" this year is "social SEO". GenZ no longer googles for "cafés nearby", but uses TikTok or Insta to get a picture of the location or company (trend social media is the new Google (+Search Ads)). We discuss how the world of influencer marketing has evolved in the trend UGC content and B2B influencers.
In the chapter " Active community management or unhinged marketing?", we talk about a new generation of community managers who have perhaps become a little too infected by the TikTok culture and are fishing for compliments among 15-year-olds in the name of their company instead of actively promoting community management. The meme marketing trend is also critically examined in this chapter.
First, however, we look at THE hype topic in all digital areas. In the AI Social Media Trends chapter, we write about the impact of artificial intelligence on the social media world.
As always, you can find out what all this means for companies' social media marketing strategies at the end of the article under Social media trends 2024 - recommendations for action for companies.
Trend 2 - #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt and TikTok content
"Excuse me, it's 2023" and you've never bought anything because you saw it on TikTok?!
TikTok has established itself as one of the world's few leading social media platforms, whereby the ongoing trend is not only due to the variety of content, but also to the opportunity to directly influence consumer behavior. After all, there is hardly anything better for brands and companies than when their own products go viral.
Under the hashtag 👉 #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt (already over 84.9 billion views at the time of publication), trendy drinks, food variations, products and clothes are not only generating a lot of user-generated content on TikTok, but also causing shelves to be emptied in no time at all thanks to videos on TikTok. For example, a viral video about feta pasta meant that feta was no longer available in various supermarkets. Companies such as 👉 Rossmann and DM have taken advantage of the megatrend and have already set up their own #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt landing pages and displays in their stores.

#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt is a good example of the effects TikTok can have on the demand for products. However, the decisive factor is how the content affects sales. After all, the hype can disappear just as quickly as it came. This poses a 👉 challenge for companies that have to deal with the rapid dynamics of TikTok trends. Ultimately, the question remains as to the long-term effects on the market and for whom such a phenomenon will actually become established.
How nice it would be if you could shop online immediately from TikTok... Wait a minute! There was something! While other platforms such as Meta & Co. are discontinuing their shopping services, TikTok has turned online retail on its head once again and is now presenting the 👉 TikTok Shop. However, the concept is not entirely new and has long been known as "social shopping". Anyone who wants to sell something via TikTok soon can do so immediately within the app. However, it is yet to be launched in Germany.
In addition to all these trends, new formats & features were also introduced and although 9:16 video has been one of the central content formats on the platform for years, this time it was TikTok that copied functionalities from other platforms and not the other way around.
Stories have become an integral part of many platforms, so why not TikTok? That's why users can now publish their own TikTok stories:

But another very popular content format is now also available on the platform: Carousels (which can even be set to music).
The platform continues to be characterized by 9:16 short videos with creative elements. However, the era of "trashy" short clips is almost over, not least thanks to the many TikTok creators who are known for their high-quality videos.
Trend 4 - Proactive community management or unhinged marketing?
Proactive community management differs from reactive community management in that it not only responds to direct requests and comments, but also pursues an active strategy for brands and companies. Here, they specifically look for opportunities to get involved in various conversations and topics and thus also make contact with communities outside their own. This is not just about appearing in comment columns, but rather about organically positioning your own brand in a targeted manner. In 2023, this trend celebrated its triumphant advance on TikTok in particular and was used by many well-known companies (e.g. Deutsche Bahn, McDonald's, Netflix) to show a more informal, fun side. Proactive community management offers small brands the opportunity to generate attention and reach, as the following example shows: Here, the American Lung Association used the release of a new Taylor Swift album to skillfully showcase itself, alongside other larger brands:

In contrast, unhinged marketing is a more extreme form of community management in which companies attract attention through polarizing comments or actions, often at the expense of others. In doing so, they follow a trend that may not even fit their own brand. A negative example of this is the exchange of blows between EDEKA and ProSieben, in which the two brands give each other nothing:

It is therefore a fine line between making a targeted contribution to discussions, which can have a positive impact on brand image, and overshooting the mark with cost-of-living comments, which can have a negative impact on one's own brand image. It is to be expected that this trend, which peaked at the end of 2023, will slow down in 2024 and be viewed increasingly critically.
Trend 6 - UGC content and B2B influencers
Trust, integrity and authenticity are the common pillars that companies and influencers (should) share. By integrating high-reach social media users into corporate communications, brand awareness can be increased quickly - a potential that is becoming increasingly valuable not only for the B2C sector, but also for the B2B sector. In this context, we would like to take a closer look at the key factors that are crucial for successful collaboration.
When it comes to social media, B2B companies are often faced with the communicative challenge of communicating products and services that require explanation in an understandable and entertaining way. In the meantime, enough influencers and thought leaders have developed in the respective niches so that influencer collaborations are also becoming increasingly effective in the B2B sector.

As there are significantly fewer cooperation partners here, the focus should be on long-term partnerships. Such partnerships not only enable continuous collaboration, but also promote deeper insights into content and joint marketing strategies.
Another element in the influencer marketing cosmos that should not be underestimated is the topic of 👉 user-generated content (UGC). In this social media discipline, agencies and companies no longer rely solely on their own posts or those of influencers, but also on content created by "normal" social media users. In some cases, this content can be integrated into a company's own content strategy much more cost-effectively and offers a perspective on an equal footing with the corporate community.
Of course, companies can also integrate automations for user-generated content into their usual customer touchpoints. Examples such as Airbnb, which encourages its guests and hosts to share their experiences under the hashtag #Airbnb and republishes the best influencer-generated content, show the effectiveness of this approach.
In summary, influencer marketing helps not only to build a loyal community for the brand, but also to sustainably increase engagement and conversion rates. In a world where the market is constantly changing, the importance of these strategic partnerships will continue to grow.
Trend 7 - LinkedIn continues on course for success with corporate influencers and AI power
In November 2023, LinkedIn passed the impressive mark of one billion members and is considered the world's leading business network. To continue its dynamic growth, LinkedIn is increasingly relying on 👉 new AI tools. To this end, LinkedIn is working more closely with OpenAI and Microsoft. The new AI functions include "Accelerate", a tool designed to increase the efficiency of advertising campaigns on LinkedIn(👉 So urce).
Although the importance of 👉 AI is emphasized as a useful tool for creating high-quality content, the platform's focus is clearly on human interaction and authentic personal branding. For this reason, LinkedIn has updated its algorithm to curb AI-generated mass content without added value(👉 So urce).
The trend towards the "social CEO" will also continue to grow in 2024. Executives and top managers are increasingly using LinkedIn to interact with their audience, share insights and strengthen their personal brand. Companies also benefit from this in many ways. Not least due to the role model function of a social CEO, more and more employees are also using LinkedIn actively, routinely and increasingly professionally. In the B2B sector, the importance of corporate influencers is growing, as their expertise and authenticity contribute significantly to a positive overall perception of their company and employer brand.
With the new "Thought Leader Ads" ad format, LinkedIn has created an opportunity to advertise posts by employees via their profiles, thereby building a personal connection with the target group and strengthening trust(👉 So urce). The innovative ad format offers great potential for increasing influence and visibility, especially as part of corporate influencer programs(👉 So urce).
Trend 8 - Bye Bye Twitter! Hello Threads?
X criticized
Since its acquisition by Elon Musk in 2022, X, formerly known as Twitter, has come under heavy criticism. The platform has faced various challenges, ranging from the polarizing name change to issues with disinformation. One major point of criticism is X's decision to leave certain harmful posts on the platform as "public records", raising concerns about the spread of disinformation and content moderation. In addition, there have been legal threats against researchers documenting an increase in hate speech on the platform. These developments have prompted a number of companies to leave the platform.

The rise of threads
Threads, an offshoot of Instagram and a product of Meta, was rolled out worldwide in July 2023 and finally throughout the EU on December 14, 2023. Thanks to its direct connection to Instagram, Threads was able to gain one million users within an hour of its launch. No other digital platform has ever achieved this in such a short time. The initial hype for Threads is very noticeable, but many users also report that the fun of Threads wears off after just a few weeks. At the moment, the platform still seems to be finding its feet and the future of Threads is uncertain.
Implications for the social media strategy
The current dynamics in the social media landscape, particularly the rise of threads and the challenges that X faces, offer important lessons for businesses and brands. Diversifying presence on different social media platforms is crucial to reach target audiences more effectively. At the same time, the case of X illustrates how quickly public opinion about a platform can change. It is therefore of utmost importance to be agile in responding to such changes in order to protect brand image and ensure long-term success.

Social media trends 2024 - recommendations for action for companies