Leveraging AI and video to shape tomorrow’s public affairs strategies

As social media continues to evolve, so do the ways we interact and engage with it. This blog explores the shifts in user behaviour, and the role that emerging technologies such as AI and video content play in public affairs.??

Understanding Behavioural Shifts in Social Media Engagement?

Over the last five years, social media platform choices have generally settled, despite the relative turbulence at Twitter (X) and the fact that back-end data available from social platforms has stayed largely the same for a while. ? ?

However, behaviours have shifted throughout this time. One example of shifting social media behaviours is video consumption, which has dictated platform preference towards TikTok, Twitter (X), LinkedIn and some features of Instagram. All four platforms have prioritised videos in their newsfeeds, and audiences have duly obliged. For example, in the last week, 89% of UK internet users have watched a video on a mobile device, up 4.6 percentage points since 2021. The growth has been in shorter videos (less than 10 minutes), where the figure stood at 50.3% of internet users compared to 46.3% in 2021.? ?

In the 2010s, we used to talk about public measures such as engagement and shares. We now know that message retention is better in video than in text and images. For instance, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text (Insivia, 2023). This shift means a greater focus on private social media measures, such as reach, click-through and message recall. Daily time spent on social networks has returned to pre-pandemic levels at 143 minutes a day (Statista), creating a greater demand for higher quality of engagement rather than its quantity. This has been underlined by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who reiterated the platform’s focus on action and human connection:?

? “More important than watch time or like and comment counts is send rates, [and] generally, I think the rate is more important than the count. So the number of sends per reach, the number of likes per reach, the number of comments per reach.

This indicates that end users are making quicker decisions on whether something is relevant and whether they need to act or not – for example, scrolling on social media before making a meaningful action. ? ?

Given this, we are almost back to tracking awareness, action and the information that people retain, returning to pre-social media audience research methodology.?

Emerging trends

The continued importance of Twitter (X)?

Despite experiencing some functional challenges since Elon Musk’s acquisition in October 2022, Twitter (X) remains a crucial platform in public affairs comms, due to its unmatched ability to facilitate real-time discussions, alongside continued access to policymakers and political journalists. It remains the preferred platform for Members of Parliament, allowing the platform to keep its status as the primary social media hub for political discourse.??

The significance of multimedia content is particularly noteworthy. For instance, tweets containing video content receive up to 10 times more engagement than those without (Forbes, 2024). This underscores the platform’s effectiveness in quickly disseminating impactful messages quickly and highlights how video content significantly amplifies reach and influence.??

The rise of short-form video??

The popularity of short-form video content, especially on platforms like TikTok, has surged dramatically. Videos shorter than 90 seconds retain 50% of their viewers (SocialPilot, 2024), demonstrating the importance of concise and to-the-point communication for engaging online audiences.??

The ability of compelling video content to quicky convey complex information and resonate with viewers makes it a powerful tool for public affairs professionals looking to amplify their messages and connect more effectively with their audiences.??

Additionally, platforms like TikTok have shown remarkable growth, with TikTok’s user base expected to reach 1.8 billion by the end of 2024 (Business of Apps, 2024). This growth further emphasizes the importance of short-form video content in engaging audiences.?

The Role of AI in Public Affairs?

AI technologies are redefining communications strategies further, with emerging platforms like ChatGPT offering the ability to create tailored content at scale and analyse user behaviour and preferences for maximum campaign impact. For example, Coca-Cola recently integrated AI into a recent advertising campaign through their “Create Real Magic” contest, inviting the public to use AI tools (including ChatGPT and DALL-E), alongside Coca Cola’s historical advertising materials, to create new artworks.??

Meanwhile, Netflix has used AI to enhance their user experience through personalised content recommendations. Netflix uses AI to alter the thumbnail images shown to users based on their viewing history, thereby increasing the likelihood of engagement.??

For public affairs professionals, these innovative uses of AI by Coca-Cola and Netflix, provides valuable insights into the potential of AI in campaign strategies. By facilitating more interactive engagements and allowing for more targeted content, AI offers the ability to fine-tune brand messaging and interact with audiences in a more impactful way.??

As we see significant shifts in social media behaviour and advancements in technology, adapting our communications strategies is not just beneficial – it's essential. For public affairs professionals aiming to stay ahead of the curve, embracing these trends and integrating these tools into their workflows is crucial. By leveraging cutting-edge AI applications and dynamic content formats such as video, communications professionals can ensure their campaigns are not only more engaging but also more effective in achieving