By: Aneesa Rashid, Social & Influencer Lead, UM UAE

The social media landscape is ever evolving, driven by technological advancements, changing user behaviors and societal shifts; over the past year we’ve witnessed social e-commerce integration build momentum.  

Be this through catalog powered shopping lenses on Snapchat that seamlessly blend scale and personalization to drive performance; TikTok livestream shopping for products in real time led by creators, the inclusion of AR virtual fittings that elevate the online retail experience or the widespread availability of social shops.  

With Instagram’s checkout allowing users to complete the entire shopping process from discovery to purchase in app, and TikTok’s shop launch bringing creators closer to their audience’s purchasing decisions while transitioning itself into a seamless virtual store with an affiliate program. 

Another notable difference was changes to algorithms, which have continued to mature, providing audiences with more tailored content and experiences than ever before. This has not only enhanced engagement but has also led to increased user time spent on social platforms. This trend has been particularly evident on IG Reels and TikTok. 

AI and automation garnered substantial popularity for improving social media performance. This includes chatbots streamlining customer service inquiries and automatic translation features enhancing the accessibility of social content for a global audience. Furthermore, these technologies contribute to more efficient campaign planning, where features like dynamic ads, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization can be automated and tailored through AI to increase ad relevance and optimize campaign performance. This enables brands to develop more data-driven strategies based on customer behaviors and interests.   

Nevertheless, one key trend that’s here to stay   is video content, which is at the core of all platforms. With short-form videos, live streaming, and ephemeral story features gaining popularity, TikTok has emerged as a major player in the short-video space. That said, we are starting to see a shift towards long-form content, with Instagram jumping on the bandwagon as they experiment with longer Reels of 3-10 minutes, mirroring TikTok’s 10-minute video uploads introduced in 2022. The question arises: Will this be a transformative social development, or will it follow the path of feature rollouts such as IGTV, which faded into obscurity? Only time will tell.   

Looking into developments on a social platform level we’ve also witnessed a great deal of change. 

X, formerly known as Twitter, has seen unpredictability since Elon Musk’s takeover. This is partly due to a change in leadership but also stems from the uncertainty surrounding platform adjustments. For instance, enhancing free speech and rolling back content moderation have raised concerns around brand safety. Meta’s launch of Threads has further posed a threat to X’s existing audience base, as well as potential growth in the marketplace.    

However, X’s recent launch of performance-driven products, including mobile and website conversion ads, has helped optimize campaign performance through CPA buying. Since then, we’ve seen interest shift back to the leading micro-blogging social network. Elon Musk has also speculated that as a part of Twitter’s rebrand into X, they would expand beyond just social media networking to include banking, shopping, and most recently, a feature for video and audio calls without the need for a phone number. This move effectively builds a global address book, so this may just be the beginning of a comeback. 

Audiences are typically against change at first. Let’s not forget the negative sentiment around Facebook’s controversial removal of the wall back in 2011, something we all became accustomed to. As we now know, this drastic adjustment brought about ingenuity and behavioral changes that shifted social usage, particularly with the feed integration. Which is a great segway to discuss the unveiling of Threads, Instagram’s text-based conversation app, which is still emerging in the space. We know there was a lot of hype around the initial launch, especially given CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s social rivalry with competitor CEO Elon Musk of X. That being said, the anticipation has fallen since, and the drop-off in platform usage has been noticeable. The easy integration for Instagram users to seamlessly sign up for a Threads account helped fuel its initial sign-ups at record-breaking rates, but the platform’s drop-off since has been staggering. We’ve observed daily consumption time continuing to decline. Recent developments, including the introduction of a desktop version addressing user frustrations for accessibility, coupled with ongoing beta testing for keyword search functionality, indicate that Mark Zuckerberg is keen to enhance audience adoption. However, it’s still too soon to evaluate if the platform is on the road to success. 

Pre-COVID, brands were apprehensive about experimenting on TikTok, but over the past few years, it has emerged as a major player in the social media landscape. Surprisingly, it’s not just with younger audiences, as momentum grows among older demographics. Brands are utilizing widespread trends like #CleanTok, #MumsofTikTok, and #TikTokmademebuyit. The short-video format and algorithm-driven content discovery of TikTok have made it a formidable competitor. We’ve witnessed a significant shift, with brands incorporating the platform as a crucial component of their marketing strategy. Many are reevaluating their content approach due to its seamless integration with high-quality editing features, tools like TTCX enhancing native branded content, and the utilization of creators, who are at the heart of the platform. TikTok’s branded mission feature has also made strides in crowdsourcing authentic creator content at scale to drive mass reach. Ultimately, TikTok’s ability to forge deeper connections with audiences and enhance brand amplification in an authentic manner has fueled its widespread adoption, helping it to rise in the ranks.   

Snapchat on the other hand has been a pioneer player in the regions, especially in markets such as KSA and Egypt. When paired with more innovative formats such as augmented reality, effects, lenses and interactive features, Snapchat enhances user engagement and provides new creative avenues to produce unique immersive experiences. The platform also continues to innovate in the AR field through virtual try-on shopping, digital catwalk collections, and mesmerizing location-based activations powered by Snap Map and Geofilters. They have also hinted at future AR glasses powered by generative AI to enhance Snap’s camera capabilities, potentially transforming its nature entirely.   

Last but not least, Instagram remains pivotal due to its extensive audience reach and cost efficiencies, particularly when integrated within the Meta family of apps. Its ad formats and capabilities continue to evolve, leading in new trends like collaborative ads. These ads empower brands without e-commerce storefronts, allowing them to take control of shopping ads by linking with reputable third-party sellers. This not only provides trackability and transparency over conversions as a direct result of ad spend but also offers valuable insights into consumer purchase behavior.   

 

You might wonder about Instagram’s role in the influencer space amidst TikTok’s surge. Meta has recently introduced the branded content search tool, offering opportunities for in-depth insights into influencers partnered with by competitors. This tool enables brands to stay updated on rival campaigns, serving as a valuable source of inspiration, and enhancing the ability to monitor branded content campaigns effectively. The data-driven approach to influencer partnerships has the potential to transform Instagram’s role in the influencer marketing landscape, providing brands with a competitive advantage.   

Every social trend and platform development is something to take note of and has a different role to play depending on your objective and audience targeting strategy. This is why we recommend tailoring your approach by platform to enhance potential audience footprint and impact.  

The reality is the social media landscape will continue to change, sometimes more rapidly than we expect.  

It’s an evolving learning space that’s fueled by consumer needs, consumption patterns, shifting trends and advancing technology, and we look forward to anticipating what 2024 has in store!