Jocelyn Uithaler, Digital Content Creator at Nerdware.

Is your business on track to meet its social media goals? Or are you struggling to get your audience through the conversion tunnel, prompting them to take essential actions such as clicking, subscribing, or engaging?

If so, it may be time to optimise your content with some of this year's most important and valuable social media trends. While some brands may swiftly hop on a trend to appear more relatable and in touch, authenticity still remains paramount. Your audience can quickly recognise when you’re not being authentic. And they’re not afraid to call out brands that fall short.

Jocelyn Uithaler, Digital Content Creator at Nerdware, emphasises, "If your content lacks resonance and authenticity, your audience won’t hesitate to click ‘unfollow’, ‘unlike’, or ‘unsubscribe’ on your social pages.” Many marketing professionals and brands seek guidance from digital experts like Nerdware to integrate effective trends into their strategies. "Incorporating the right trends into your strategy ensures your content reaches the right audience at the right time, enhancing brand visibility and ROI," adds Uithaler.

Enhance your strategy with these five key social media trends:

1. SEO isn’t just for your website

More often than not, your online audience is turning to social media for a quick search, instead of using search engines. In fact, research shows that almost 40% of Gen Z prefer using TikTok over Google to get information. And this trend is becoming more prevalent.

Use your SEO tools to guide, and optimise, your social content. Use relevant keywords and hashtags in your profile description, your social copy, and in your alt text, to ensure your brand comes up top on social media searches.

2. Use Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Some brands may give AI a bad rep when they use it poorly, but it really isn’t going anywhere. It’s best to embrace AI, and understand how to use it, and to use it well.

Using AI will give your content more authenticity. If you’re doing it well, your audience won’t question who or what created your content, and the brand experience you deliver will add more value to their user experience.

It all starts with knowing your audience and deciding what tasks can be used with AI. And, don’t forget to institute AI policies and follow best practices.

3. Be entertaining and drive ROI

Social followers want to be entertained and unwind when they scroll through their timelines. This is one of their top reasons why they use social media. If you’re posting self-promotional and inauthentic content and your goal is engagement, chances are you won’t reach that target by sharing content your audience isn't interested in.

What then is the solution? It’s simple, just give your customers what they want to see. All brands and organisations, regardless of their industry, can be successful in creating and sharing entertaining content. Consider adding polls, informative content where your audience can learn something new, caption contests, or sharing a good picture to your social calendar.

4. Go behind the scenes

Create content that gives your audience a glimpse into your brand or business behind the scenes. Not only will this type of content show off your brand personality, but it gives your audience an opportunity to see if your values align with theirs. And if they do, the audience will stick around. Authentic behind-the-scenes content truly does foster genuine connections and builds loyalty.

5. Social data isn’t just social

Use your insights to inform decisions in all key business areas, beyond that of social media and marketing. Social insights can help you develop and improve on your business, your customer relations and support, and your product. And, if you’re using your social data well, you’ll already be a few steps ahead of your competition.

And remember, as you approach the halfway mark of any campaign, it's essential to review your social media strategy and messaging to ensure alignment with goals. And then again post campaign.

If you are ready to elevate your social media strategy and boost your brand by leveraging these trends to achieve your goals, then get in touch with a professional business to help you unlock the full potential of your digital presence.