Have the fundamentals of making social media actually changed in the last decade?

Social media has never been this popular as, both a topic of conversation as well as a ‘business’ investment. I don’t have to tell you that, after all this is probably just another drop in the wave of ‘here’s what we’ve done’ and ‘you’re doing it all wrong’ that seems to perform so brilliantly on this particular platform. Hopefully, though, my thoughts can happily sit somewhere in the middle.?

With so much noise around what Mr. Instagram is doing with the algorithm, new stats on usage on platforms and the ever-shifting landscape of trend-jacking, hopping and making, the philosophical question I’m asking this week is:?

Have the fundamentals of making social media actually changed??

I’m talking about the pure essence of reaching people on platforms designed to be social and, whether that’s through organic or paid, whether the requirements to make good social work have been altered at all.?

Let’s first take a look at the role social media plays in our lives in 2024. All of us in the industry are well aware of its evolution,? from keeping in touch with friends and family to anything and everything in between: the rise of live, social commerce, the birth of the digital creator, and, most recently, the shift to entertainment-based, phone-focused activity. The platforms move fast in an effort to cash in on the so-call attention economy in the quest to find feedback loops that maximise the commercialisation of our interests.?

From a brand point of view, however, these shifts in interaction actually sit below a higher purpose, which, in earnest, would translate to purposely adding value to users’ lives in a way that actually makes a difference and gives them a reason to follow. Working with different clients and brands has taught me there’s sometimes a clear way into people’s lives through as well as more creative ways to break in. Its in working within the limitations of these brands and really honing in on the unique propositions that otherwise makes them successful in their field of expertise.

One statement that keeps coming up when building from-the-ground-up strategies for any industry or sector remains the same: social media presence is built on the foundation of understanding audience, platform and content. ?

The equation is simplistic yet often overlooked in efforts to cash in on new trends and formats. Let’s break down each element to understand the role they play strategically:

Audience - Who are we reaching??

Most brands are unaware of their true audience, the breakdown of people actually engaging with their content versus the people they’d like to target demographically. This is usually an exercise in, as my old boss used to say, ‘stabilising the patient’ before making more changes. Understanding audiences, existing or objectified, is key to unlocking? the current makeup identifying where the gaps (and opportunities) lie. A holistic view tends to reveal shocking information that can help redirect resources and strategy. Social media is nothing if not a platform to actively reach and engage people and understanding who they are the first piece of the puzzle.

Platform - Where are these audiences?

Up next is platform. In this case any existing or opportunistic channels based on the above. Many initial briefs dismiss existing audiences and are eager to go after new ones (spoiler alert, they tend to be those elusive ‘youth’, Gen Zers). Of course, acquiring a new audience is a completely worthy objective, but the key lies in understanding where these audiences are interacting and spending their time. In the Gen Z example, there’s enough data to suggest jumping into TikTok trends to appeal to this audience, however, there may be additional pockets of niche verticals that could offer similarly targeted approaches. Is there a sub-reddit with an opportunity to tap into a conversation as a brand? Are there specific creators that can amplify reach across a specific pillar to cut through differently? You want to put content in the most relevant place to maximise the amount of insight and intent as possible.?

Platform strategy has never been more relevant in 2024, as the big, core social channels become fragmented within themselves. Whether its ephemeral Stories content, algorithm-run video content or in-feed ‘traditional’ posting, the platform question has gotten crowded and complicated. A good strategy would take this into consideration and stick to the most relevant parts of a channel that really play nicely with the targeted demo.?

Content - What are we creating and publishing?

The last part of the equation, and arguably one of the most important ones, is the content. Creating content that not only appeals to that audience but is right and relevant for the platform it’s being published on is one of the biggest challenges for brands. First, because the ‘spray and pray’ approach is still very much alive and reductive when it comes to appealing to said targeted audiences. This breaks down into two different elements: the first is the essence and integrity of the content and the next is the actual format.

The first is fundamental. If the platform is trend-based, algorithm-driven and video-first you must ensure the content created falls in line with this or the investment will dissipate quickly. Tapping into the well-oiled machine of creators in the space is a great way to tackle content, as well as thinking through exactly where the messaging should live and the best way to present it to this audience using as many native tools as possible to maximise impact. Sound, location tags, snappy copy and publishing tools are all part of ‘content’, because platforms do not live in a vacuum and these elements can help fill in and contextualise messaging and brand gaps to really let the content cut through.

The second is an obvious yet common mistake. You wouldn’t put a vertical image on a landscape billboard in the middle of a motorway now, would you? The same principles apply to social media platforms. Putting a TVC on social media as a copy/paste mechanic, as more realistic example, actually proves both points when it comes to the approach: the integrity of the TVC is compromised by default as its narrative structure was designed for a completely different medium and its execution cements another issue: thin, landscape and branded video content living on for-portrait feeds.?

These formulaic elements are nothing new, in fact, you could argue they make up the basis of many marketing activity above and beyond social media touchpoints. However, addressing and strategically approaching all three is often overlooked and costly; they are also the hardest elements to master. Jumping into a trend or piece of innovation (hello live social commerce) and expecting stellar results? will always be at odds with understanding the fundamentals that will help reach the right person with the right message at the right time (and place).?

Reflecting on the title of this piece, have the fundamentals of social actually changed? The evolution of all channels and platforms has forever changed how society interact and behave, not to mention providing new and exciting opportunities to creatively reach and message consumers. For brands, however, the fundamentals haven’t actually changed at all. Its thinking about this trifecta that will help shift the needle and cement a firmer grip on consistent output, no matter what next big innovation makes all of us shake and shuffle.?