Social media is an ever-evolving tool, and businesses of all kinds must continue to develop strategies to make it work best for them.
As a REALTOR®, it’s important to develop a marketing strategy, understand your audience and stay on top of whatever is trending. Here’s a list of social media trends that CREA’s social media experts are watching in 2024.
Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t going anywhere
Generative AI has established its dominance on social media and is transforming the way we connect online. From hyper-personalized feeds to social media optimization, AI is already a part of daily scrolling, whether we know it or not. According to Semrush’s Social Media 2024 Trends Report, AI will continue to make headlines this year, moving away from a period of experimentation and towards integration and adoption.
As technology advances, it’s important to keep safe. Learn how to manage potential threats by enrolling in CREA’s Raising Cybersecurity Awareness course.
Authenticity is a tool
AI is advancing and the volume of content out there is endless. Being authentic is a great strategy to cut through the noise. What does that mean? Leave behind those heavy filters, lean into video content and photo dumps, and generally: don’t overproduce your social media strategy.
In 2024, users will engage more deeply with User-Generated Content (UGC) than high-production content. UGC fosters a sense of community and trust. You can use UGC in your business by encouraging your clients to share their stories and property transformations. This strengthens the relationship between REALTORS® and their clients, and extends how many people hear about you, building your brand as a REALTOR®.
Social media platforms are also search engines
As society continues to seek human connection, social media platforms are becoming search engines. According to Hootsuite, social media will be the biggest threat to traditional search engines in 2024.
We’re starting to see this as TikTok is testing out a new feature that integrates Google Search into its own in-app results, and more social media savvy businesses are optimizing their Instagram profiles for searchability. This means that it’s important now more than ever for you to optimize your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on every platform you’re active on (pro-tip: transcribe your video content), and answer as many client questions as possible in an engaging manner.
Did you know: REALTOR® is not a job title, and is in fact a trademark of CREA. To learn how to use trademarks correctly online, take CREA’s Trademarks course.
Video content will remain your best value for effort
By now, you’ve probably heard that video content is becoming increasingly necessary. It’s all about that authenticity piece. While short-form videos like Instagram Reels and TikToks will remain dominate, longer-form videos may be making a comeback in 2024 (YouTube anyone?). Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have recently extended their video limits, which is likely to start a trend. These new features will open up new opportunities for audience interaction and storytelling.
Be strategic with which platforms you invest in
Just like you can’t be everything to everyone, not every social media platform will be worth your time investment. It’s better to take a tailored approach where you’re doing one or two platforms really well, than trying to do them all. That era is coming to an end. In 2024, use a return on investment (ROI) strategy to figure out your next moves. If a platform doesn’t serve your personal brand and clientele as a REALTOR®, it’s better to use your resources elsewhere.
While trends will come and go, social media is here to stay. Using these tips to guide your 2024 social media marketing strategy can help you have a better online presence as a REALTOR®.
