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Year-in-Review: Top 5 trends in social media  

Writer's picture: Clarion StaffClarion Staff

By Joshlin Lukenbill & Emmalyn Vang, Clarion Staff reporters


In 2024, there were a crucial amount of trends on social media platforms. It’s been a major trend as people don’t rely on books anymore for information, but instead use search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Also, people don’t only rely on search engines, but also artificial intelligence (AI) which is trending for answers that they yearn for.


Besides people running to the internet for questions or inspiration, social media and TikTok marketing still grew with many small businesses. Apps like TikTok and Instagram were popular for short form videos, showing entertainment to all audiences and creating common culture, as well as an expansion in influencer content.

AI

AI is starting to become a big part of social media. Social media platforms use AI to make personalized feeds, recommended content, and even create posts. Also AI allows social media users to generate text, images and videos quickly. Apps integrated AI features that let users create more sophisticated content with minimal effort, to allow users to make custom filters, stickers, and special effects. This lead to more content possibilities and more negating content.


TikTok

TikTok emerged as one of the most powerful platforms for digital marketing, offering brands to engage more with their audiences. Since TikTok is a short-form video app and has many creative tools, it provides advantages for marketers looking to build awareness about their business and promote their product or service. Short ads up to 60 seconds ("For You Feed") allowed brands to reach a broad audience. There are also spark ads that allow brands to boost organic content and turn it into an ad.


Social Media = Search Engine

Social media platforms really became strong search engines, changing how people look for information. Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest were at the forefront, using advanced algorithms and AI to give users highly personalized search results. People used these platforms not just for fun, but to find new products, check out trending topics, and get detailed tutorials or how-to guides. The visual and interactive content on these sites made them more engaging and easier to understand than traditional text-based search engines.


The shift also affected big search engines like Google and Yahoo. Google is still a major player but started adding more social media content to its search results, like Instagram posts, TikTok videos, and Pinterest pins. Yahoo worked on improving its search features by including more multimedia content and social media integration to stay competitive. 


Short-term Videos

Short-term videos have completely revolutionized social media, becoming the go-to format for content consumption on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. These videos typically last from a few seconds to a few minutes, and perfectly match the fast-paced lifestyle of modern users who like quick, engaging content. The trend also pushed brands and influencers to get creative and produce memorable clips that can go viral in an instant.


This format allowed for a more personal and immediate connection with audiences, as it’s easy to watch, share, and interact with. The rise of short form videos also spurred significant advancements in video creation tools and features. Enhanced editing apps, filters, and effects are more accessible, raising the quality of videos. 


Influencers Influence

There continued to be a major rise in social media influencers. An influencer is someone who has the power to affect the opinions of others due to their perceived expertise,authority or relationship with their audience. Influencers typically gain large followings by sharing content that resonates with specific communities or internet groups.These communities ranged from beauty enthusiasts to fitness teachers. Influencers continued to gain massive followings on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and were pivotal in shaping trends, influencing consumer behavior and driving brand narratives. 










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