The Good, the Bad, and the Social trends
Is BeReal Dying? Can Threads overtake X? Is 2024 the year for TikTok Shop? Lets find out!
We sat down together with Jeffrey Kloezeman, Head of Media, and Jeroen van den Berg, Content creator at GoSpooky diving deep into the freshest trends in socials, the future of Threads, TikTok shop, and WhatsApp. We chatted about the ins and outs of 2024, and the potential of some recent features in the digital landscape.
Here are the ‘Juicy’ bits:
Community Building: fostering robust communities on your social platforms should be a central focus.
Consistently adapting on socials while staying true to your core values and identity is essential for overcoming challenges and attaining success as a brand.
Chasing virality won’t make your brand unique. Amidst the rapid changes in the social media landscape, marketers need to trust their instincts, look at their own experiences, and stay observant of trends.
It requires reading and research before your brand starts jumping into trends and being at the forefront. So, let’s dive in!
Yannis Sykianakis (Social Insights Analyst): First can you tell me both about your current role at Gospooky?
Jeroen V. (Content creator): Hi, I'm Jeroen. I'm a content creator at GS. I've been working at GS for three and a half years now, including my internship. I mainly focus on the creative aspect of the brands.
Jeffrey K. (Head of Media): I'm Jeffrey. I’m the Head of Media at GS overseeing the media department and involved with a combination of new business and strategy for GoSpooky!
Yannis: What has been your main focus in terms of platforms over the last few years?
Jeroen: I've primarily focused on the TikTok platform over the past three and a half years. However, it's important to note that within this platform, trends and user behavior evolve rapidly, so my focus continually shifts and adapts to meet the changing dynamics of the community. It's crazy to see the evolution of TikTok over the past years. Initially, it was mainly about folks dancing and creating fun content. Now, it has matured, becoming a hub for both meme culture and visually captivating aesthetics. Moreover, it has transformed into a platform where users engage with some of the most compelling and relevant topics globally, almost serving as a search engine in its own right.
Jeffrey: From my perspective, it's getting tougher for brands to shine on socials. Back in the day, you could just post whatever, and your followers would see it. But now, with so much noise out there, it's harder to get noticed. Now, it's all about playing with the algorithms and building communities. It's not just about shouting into the void anymore. That's why some brands struggle to get noticed – people are there for the community, not just random content. With existing platforms constantly rolling out new products, features, and updates, it can be challenging for brands to determine where they should focus their efforts and what they should experiment with.
Jeroen: [..] Getting people's attention is a whole different ball game on platforms like Instagram. With a follower base, your content is more likely to be seen by those who follow you. Building a community there means your content has a better chance of reaching the right audience
Yannis: You both mentioned the importance of communities and it seems a big thing in socials for 2024. What other trends/ platforms do you see dominating the digital landscape soon?
Jeffrey: Spotting the biggest trends can be tricky, especially when it comes to identifying truly new ones. I'm not convinced that a new platform will suddenly grab a huge market share. Snapchat is a prime example of an underrated platform. It's everywhere, and it doesn't get the recognition it deserves. But I'm skeptical that any single feature will be a game-changer. Take TikTok's shop, for example. It's getting a lot of hype, but people are complaining about low-quality products and influencers pushing irrelevant stuff just to make a quick buck.
Jeroen: [..] I think there's going to be a lot of buzz about TikTok Shop in the coming months and years. It's going to grow, but at the same time, I sense that many users on the platform are starting to get annoyed with all the TikTok Shop-related content. The thing about TikTok is that its community is known for being real and cutting through the fluff…so I doubt this will work for non-creator users. [..] Another platform that I believe is underrated for brands right now is WhatsApp. Something cool that came out towards the end of last year is WhatsApp updates. While it's been a thing in the US for a while, it's catching on in countries like the Netherlands too. What's intriguing about WhatsApp updates is the potential for brands to engage with niche communities. By personifying their brand and establishing a more personal connection, they can create the impression of having a genuine conversation with their audience, and this can work for older target group especially.
Yannis: I’ve heard you talking about TikTok shop, Snapchat, and WhatsApp but what about the buzz surrounding Threads?
Jeffrey: I believe Threads will take over Twitter or ‘X’ completely by mid-2024. Threads is drawing significant engineering resources from Facebook and Instagram due to its growing popularity. Thread’s algorithm at the moment is a bit weak, but this will change soon and I have a feeling there's going to be a big change in the next few months. More users will start thinking X is just too toxic and switch over to Threads.
Jeroen: I have my doubts about that. Sure, X is pretty toxic these days, but I've also noticed negativity starting to creep into Threads. It feels a bit like the early days of Twitter to me, where people would post funny updates like ‘going to the bathroom now, coming back soon’. That said, there's definitely potential because Threads offers a fresh perspective, and it seems like people are kind of done with X.
Yannis: Do you think any other platforms are on their way out?
Jeffrey: I think Breal's days are numbered, but it probably won't kick the bucket in 2024. It might stick around for a bit, maybe get swallowed up by another platform. The hype's cooled off, and I reckon it'll quietly fade away over time.
Yannis: Dealing with all the changes in social media can be pretty wild. Any advice you'd give to brands or strategists to help them keep up and thrive?
Jeffrey: Trust your instincts while observing trends around you. With new social mediums popping up all the time, revealing fresh platforms and features, it's super important to stay in the loop.. [...] Focus on observing and engaging with what resonates with your audience—whether it's at a stadium, a metro station, or any other public space where people interact with their phones. The solution you seek may be right beside you.
What's your take on the ‘‘tarot reading predictions’’ we made for socials? Let us know or CALL US NOW If you're unsure about where your brand is headed.
