VANCOUVER, BC: Marketers are having a hard time keeping up with social media, according to Hootsuite’s 2024 Social Trends report.
Based on a commercial survey of more than 4,200 marketers and a consumer survey of more than 4,500 people, Hootsuite dug into what is guiding brands’ marketing and social strategies and what consumers want.
According to the report, marketers are struggling to meet consumers where they are due to the increased proliferation and use of a variety of social platforms. Fifty-two percent named time or budget investment to maintain a presence on multiple platforms as the primary concern about ROI for their social media activities.
It’s not just the number of social media platforms; it’s also the frequency with which new features are released that’s giving marketers headaches. Fifty-eight percent said this pace of change makes it hard to keep up.
It should come as no surprise then that 61% of organizations say the top reason they’ve adopted AI for social media is to reduce staff workload. However, more than six in 10 consumers (62%) say they’re less likely to engage with and trust content if they know it was created by AI.
It’s not just AI that’s perpetuating a disconnect between brands and their target audiences. Thirty-four percent of consumers say that a brand excessively focusing on self-promotion will negatively impact how they view it, but 48% of marketers are publishing product or brand updates several times a week. Instead, 56% of consumers want brands to be more relatable, such as sharing humorous, inspiring, moving or informative content.
Brands are also hungry to connect with consumers, as evidenced by 69% that said engagement is the top metric for measuring ROI.
These findings largely echo Hootsuite’s Social Media Career Report, which found that 51% of respondents don’t have enough time to do their job well.