The Social Trends You Need To Know About For Q4 2024

We’re heading into Q4 2024, so what are the social media trends we can expect to see for the remainder of this year?

We asked senior social media manager Jamie what he’s predicting in the coming months:

1. What TRends Do You See Dominating Social In The Coming Months?

The need for brand versatility and agility.

We’ve seen it coming for years now – but most recently (and probably most notably) through ‘Brat summer’. Who’d have thought that an album would have the entirety of social media in its grasp for months?

A clear learning we can take from this is that users want something different. I’m a big believer in the fact that ‘aspirational social content’ is dead, and that users are looking for content that either inspires them, reflects their community, or provides escapism.

That’s a pretty long answer, so I’ll bring it back to the destabilisation of brand. It’s less of a trend, more of a willingness to trend. Marketing teams will need let the brand guideline reins loosen slightly to stand out on social. I’m not saying that every brand needs to go full Kamala Harris-mode and turn all their campaigns ‘Brat green’… but why not?

With all of this, we need to bear in mind that we’re heading towards peak trading season. As we face a Black Friday and festive season with spending concerns front and centre for most, brands need to provide a point of difference.

2. How Do You Think User Engagement Will Change?

The one constant in social is change.

My point here goes hand in hand with my answer for the previous question, but I think user behaviour will change further due to trends.

As branded content metrics continue to decline, we need to think about ways we can capture and, more importantly, keep user attention for as long as possible.

What’s the last brand that stopped your scroll? What do you remember about the content? It’s probably not their mission statement, their brand story, or their dedication to saving the planet.

That’s how engagement is changing, especially with the rise of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. They don’t want mission statements about saving the planet shoved down their throat. They want to know that a brand is socially responsible and sustainable but, to them, it’s a given that the t-shirt they’re buying shouldn’t compromise the planet.

So, what can we do about it? Create relatable, shareable content that reflects your customers, their needs, their wants, and their communities (and it’ll get you plenty of brownie points from the platform algorithms!).

3. What Role Do You Think Video Content Will Play In Q4?

Video content isn’t going anywhere, shock!

If anything, video content is probably the most essential part of your social media marketing. Now, I’m not just saying that as someone whose screen time would bring a tear to your eye… I’m saying that as a person whose life has been completely changed by video (I can barely cook anything unless I watch a TikTok how-to-guide on it).

Remember the good old days? Statics only, curated, aesthetic feeds. There’s still a place for that in the right space, but our job as social media marketers is to bring things to life.

Whether you’re looking for product reviews, demos, recipe ideas, holiday inspo or day out ideas for the family – video is the perfect way articulate key messages. Oh, and with TikTok search only continuing to rise, users are now running to social rather than their search engine of choice.

Let’s not forget about live steaming. Did you know users are more likely to spend three times the amount of time watching live steams?

4. What Type Of Content Do You Think Will REsonate Most With Users This Quarter?

In short, people.

There’s nothing that pleases me more than when a brand showcases their team. Every time I see Hobbycraft Wimbledon on my FYP I instantly want to start knitting (I’d be dreadful, but I want to do it nonetheless).

Seeing the same faces on social repeatedly builds recognisability and stops the scroll through that familiarity. These faces are becoming internal influencers – in(house)fluencers if you will.

5. How Should Brands Adjust Their Strategies for Q4?

Have an awareness of the life cycle of trends.

We see trends come and go so quickly that it’s key to have speedy approval processes so that you’re able to hop on them while they’re relevant and in the zeitgeist. There’s nothing worse than being late to the party.

Another piece of advice: if your influencer outreach list is all cis-gendered white women, then it’s probably best to rethink your approach. It’s incredibly important for social to reflect society and to reflect the community of the brand. Make sure that your creator outreach lists are as diverse as possible across cultural background, the gender, sexuality, and disability spectrum.

The author: Jamie Jackson is a senior social media manager who has lived and breathed all things social since 2018. Specialising in bringing social-first content to life, Jamie is experienced working with household-name consumer brands and knows how to analyse campaign performance for growth opportunities.