Facebook may be an elder amongst social networks, but it's still the world's largest player and an indispensable tool for social media marketing today and keeping up with the times is just as important as ever. These Facebook trends will have a significant impact on how businesses market themselves on the platform in 2024.
We've identified 6 major trends and will show you how each trend is likely to shape your social media marketing:
1. Increased focus on privacy and security
Facebook has faced intense scrutiny in recent years over concerns about privacy and security, a trend set to continue in 2024. In response, Facebook continues to improve its platform's privacy and security. In the last years, Facebook rolled out new features such as end-to-end messaging encryption and two-factor authentication for accounts.
Additionally, Meta launched a new privacy center, which will provide users and businesses with a central location to manage their privacy settings and data for Instagram, WhatsApp & Facebook.
Social media users are not becoming less wary about how their data is collected and used, which will likely remain a trending topic this year and in the future.
As a consequence, to this trend, businesses will need to be more mindful of how they collect and use customer data, and be transparent about their privacy practices. It's likely that there will be an increase in marketing campaigns that focus on privacy and a stronger emphasis on building trust with customers. The goal is to show customers that the business is committed to protecting their privacy and ensuring the security of their data.
You can read more about how your organization can stay safe on social, as well as what facelift does to keep your data protected by reading this article.
2. Greater Emphasis on Groups and Communities
As a social network, groups and communities have always been a part of Facebook, but in 2024, we're likely to see even greater emphasis on these features. Facebook has been investing in tools and resources to help groups and communities thrive, such as new features for group administrators and improved ways for members to engage and interact with each other.
Facebook will also allow the publishing of Stories and Reels in groups, making this short-form video form more relevant than ever. If you want to discover more about Facebook Reels - check out our detailed blog article on "How Businesses can Take Advantage of Facebook Reels".
With Facebook putting more resources into groups and communities, businesses will need to find creative ways to engage with customers in these “natural” environments. For example, businesses can participate in discussions, host events, and create content specifically for these groups in a more intimate way!
3. Even more growth of E-commerce and online shopping
E-commerce and online shopping have gained even more momentum during the lockdowns and continue to grow rapidly. It's a little surprising that Facebook has let this trend go so long, especially considering that Instagram and WhatsApp already offer social commerce features.
As of last year, you can now set up a store on Facebook. With the Facebook Store, you can sell your products to your customers by redirecting them from your Facebook page to an external store. In addition, users can send you messages about specific products and tag items in your posts.
So, what's missing? Facebook is currently testing new e-commerce features similar to what we've seen on other platforms, such as buying directly from a business's page. The significant success on other platforms and the opportunity to generate additional revenue makes it likely that this will be implemented in 2024. For businesses, this growth in e-commerce will be followed by an even greater focus on usability and the customer experience when shopping online.
With the ability to buy products directly on Facebook, retailers should invest in their product descriptions and photos on the platform and ensure a seamless customer journey.
By the way, social commerce is an important but surprisingly unknown topic in Germany. If you want to learn more, you can read about it here.
4. Expansion of virtual and augmented reality
Virtual and augmented reality are booming, with sustained growth on the horizon. It's no secret that Meta has ambitious plans ever since the Metaverse burst onto the scene. As a result, Facebook is already at the forefront of this trend.
The company has invested heavily in VR and AR, launching the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset. In 2024, Facebook plans to further expand its VR and AR offerings with new features that will likely revolutionize the way people use Facebook.
As AR and VR become more prevalent, businesses need to consider how they can use these technologies to engage with followers and customers. How about creating virtual product demonstrations or hosting events? Or are there ways to integrate AR into the customer buying experience? One tool that can help is Spark AR Studio.
5. Ongoing growth of video content
Video content has been growing tremendously for a while now, not just on Facebook, and in 2024, the preference for video on Facebook will continue to thrive. Facebook is investing in making it easier and more accessible to create and share video, including the ability to live stream in 4K and new editing features. In addition, Facebook is exploring new ways for businesses to leverage video content for customer acquisition, such as video shopping and refining video ads.
With the growing trend of videos on Facebook, businesses should allocate budgets and resources for high-quality video content. After all, it pays to keep your followers entertained.
How about casual live formats or behind-the-scenes looks? This authenticity can earn your customers' trust and take your employer branding to the next level. If you want to keep up with the Facebook trends of 2024 and take your video marketing to the next level, check out our new guide to short video formats. It's free and covers everything you need to know about Facebook Stories, IG Stories, TikTok, and more. 👇
6. Facebook and Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a core component of Facebook since before the advent of ChatGPT. People often ask: where does the algorithm end and where does artificial intelligence begin?
AI is already being used on Facebook to personalize user experiences and optimize content. The platform uses AI to analyze user data, display relevant posts and ads, and filter out spam or inappropriate content. AI is also being integrated into Facebook's Messenger services to provide chatbots and automated customer support features. Facebook's use of AI improves the user experience and tailors content to individual user preferences. To learn more about AI on social media, check out our article "AI and Social Media: A Match made in Heaven?"
Until now, Meta has focused primarily on its AI model or algorithm called Llama for text. However, more recently, Meta announced its plans to introduce AI-based image generation in the near future. A new AI solution relates to stickers, which are reaction images popular on Facebook and messengers such as WhatsApp. The introduction of EMU (Expressive Media Universe), the sticker engine, works well in theory, but Meta failed to implement sufficient filters.
This means that many criteria can be applied to the generation of stickers that would normally be restricted in other services of this type. Nevertheless, it can be said that these filters are more than incomplete. It will be interesting to see how these innovations develop.
Summary of Facebook trends in 2024
These are the six key trends that will shape Facebook in 2024: With a focus on privacy and security, the introduction of new shopping options, and the use of video content, Facebook is committed to meeting user needs and keeping them engaged on the platform. These trends will impact the way businesses present themselves on Facebook. To effectively reach your followers, it is imperative to proactively embrace these trends to maximize their brand potential on the platform.
If you're curious about how social media management can become more efficient and convenient for your business, consider scheduling a free Facelift demo. Discover how we can help you optimize your Facebook pages and more. Plan, publish, and analyze content, and engage with your community, with Facelift. The future of social media management is in your hands - give it a try and see how easy it is to improve your online presence! ⬇️
