Social media strategies for architects and designers in 2024
It’s November and we’re already knee-deep in an influx of trend forecasting articles and insights for the year ahead. However, when it comes to social media, life moves at lightning speed and predicting how it will shape in 2024 can often be overwhelming and feel intangible.
However, fear not as the digital team at Sandford has been doing the leg work for you! We’ve assimilated those trends and created our thoughts on social media strategies for architects and designers in 2024 and beyond. The four key trends we will expand on below are:
Trend 1: Harnessing the power of Artificial intelligence (AI)
Trend 2: The X-odus and What Happens After Twitter
Trend 3: Creators and the Creator Economy
Trend 4: Social media as a search engine
Trend 1: Harnessing the power of Artificial intelligence (AI)
Let’s start with the biggest topic and one that has come up time and again in the trend report sessions we’ve been attending. To be honest, we think we could write an entire article on this alone!
The trend itself has been interpreted in different ways each time but the reality is that AI is here to stay and grabbing headlines.
We have, of course, just seen the first ‘AI summit’ here in the UK to kick-start important conversations about how it evolves. We have also seen a shake-up in the world of OpenAI with the now ex-CEO, Sam Altman asked to leave by the four-person Board at short notice…and then rejoin 48 hours later.
We recently listened to a podcast with Professors Hannah Fry and Gina Neff where they talked about the role of artificial intelligence in wider society and they reassured us that the chance of robots taking over the world any time soon was a very minuscule one (phew!).
Instead, we were more likely to see the development of functionality that improves or enhances more mundane tasks that we wouldn't even think of, like spelling and grammar checks, or finding the best insurance deal for us in the first instance. It will also play an important role in shaping ad campaigns, helping to identify elements like target audiences more effectively.
It doesn’t stop there, however. Digital agency, Battenhall Social stated in their trends report that
“If 2023 was the year that put generative AI on the main stage, 2024 will be the year when it becomes a household name – and social media will put it into the palms of our hands.”
So let’s look at some initial, practical examples as the industry works through what this might look like for creative brands in 2024.
Big hitters in the social media landscape such as Meta and LinkedIn are starting to embrace this technology more publicly, weaving it into content creation, for example. Have you noticed that LinkedIn has started to suggest using AI to write you a post? And in more transformative applications, Meta has, for example, “used AI algorithms to remove over 12 million pieces of misleading content about COVID-19 and vaccines” (Source: Battenhall Trends Report 2024).
Here’s an interesting slide from the latest Hootsuite Trends Report.
Predictions for the year ahead seemed to be focused on there being a new alliance between AI and creativity. So for example, creative teams may use it to brainstorm topics or ideas as a shortcut to getting to the more creative part of the process. This is especially helpful if you are short on time.
Using tools to assist in drafting posts for social media too has come up though there is certainly an element of caution here. Whilst you can use AI to come up with topics or ideas relevant to your target audience, people will see the lack of human touch in content so it’s important to simply use it as a thought-starter and then add more personal elements to the copy.
Designer Fabian Freytag recently spoke to AD Germany about the use of AI in design and how he’s been using Midjourney, an AI image generator tool. He explored the opportunities it presents but also said,
“Human creativity needs to be caressed and nurtured. Because that will now become an issue: that people feel too small.”
The AI-generated bedroom of the “Portofino Pavilion”. Fabian Freytag via Midjourney for AD Germany
He broadly sees AI as a way to challenge thinking but not as a replacement for the creative spirit that can suddenly bring a flash of inspiration, a sharp turn in approach or an idea that only a human brain could conceive.
Importantly, Hootsuite said that we need to recognise where to draw the line between AI and a real, human voice in what we create and that’s a risk we need to be aware of.
Understandably, regulation and ethics are at the heart of the discussion in all the reports we’ve listened to. Safety is a trend in its own right for many. There is still a long way to go to protect creative expertise and copyright but as companies start to dip their toes into using it more overtly, it’s better to have at least an initial grasp of tools such as ChatGPT or image creation apps to ensure you are not left behind as it evolves. People are also distrustful of AI (although less so with Gen Z and younger) so this is something to be mindful of (Hootsuite Trend Report 2024).
However, the general feeling is that AI is there to enhance rather than replace creativity so we will start to see social media strategies for architects and designers in 2024 starting to weave it in rather than ignore it completely. Read more specifics in our article here.
Trend 2: The X-odus and What Happens After Twitter
We can’t escape the tumultuous journey the platform formerly known as Twitter has been on in 2023. Elon has certainly left his stamp on the world of social media. Every report we have seen mutters about the increase in toxicity on the site and importantly for brands, the real-world impact for them. Hootsuite’s social media team said in their latest trend presentation that unless you have an active community there, then they wouldn’t advise starting there from scratch. Why?
Well, Battenhall’s Trend Report stated that in 2023 (since the takeover) there have been:
A 19% drop in traffic
A 55% drop in revenue
A 26% increase in hate content
That’s pretty stark data. And ones that have resulted in some big-name brands pulling advertising in recent days, which is significant.
In previous social media strategies for architects and designers that we have developed, Twitter was often a tertiary or sometimes secondary channel, not least because it was a great place to connect with journalists and experts in the field. Now these accounts are migrating rapidly to other platforms and there are two clear front-runners.
However, did you know that only 11% of people jump on a new platform when it launches and most take a wait-and-see approach (Hootsuite Social Media Trend Report, 2024)? Let’s look at the front runners in 2024 that are attracting more and more followers now they can see how effective they can be.
Threads (by Meta)
Despite its initial success, Threads went off the boil after the launch but with X imploding quickly and Threads adding more and more features to improve its UX, people are coming back to it. The consensus is that there is more of a community feel to the platform. It can allow brands to test and learn what types of content appeal best to their audience.
You can also start to explore trending topics (functionality is still rudimentary on this) and engage with your audience more directly instead of losing them in a sea of comments. We’ve seen brands such as Monzo and Channel 4 embrace the platform, using it to be creative in tone, and slightly more irreverent and so far, the response has been very positive. And as of 20th November, the POTUS and White House have migrated across too!
According to Battenhall’s Trends Report, there has been a 41% increase in the volume of content on this platform between 2021 and 2023. It feels like more of a comfort blanket for brands not ready to try out Threads strategies but want to engage in meaningful conversations and drive thought leadership. We’ve seen plenty of journalists use the platform more frequently too.
The challenge for weaving LinkedIn into social media strategies for architects and designers in 2024 is that the platform will start to require more entertaining and engaging content. This doesn’t mean funny memes or videos of the office Christmas party but brands should be testing what engages their audience most and provides entertaining and lively discussion.
You can read more about the specifics of how LinkedIn can elevate your networking game in our recent article here and you may be inspired to explore the platform further in the year ahead.
Invest time in the platforms you are getting the most value and ROI from - it will be worth it.
Trend 3: Creators and the Creator Economy
Hootsuite Trend Report, 2024
We have heard a lot about the creator economy and the rise of the creator over the last few years but 2024 is going to be a key year for brands to take this seriously. However, as Hootsuite says, it’s not about doing something crazy to gain followers. Entertainment doesn’t mean that for every brand. It’s about content that ENGAGES your audience and holds their attention.
We Are Social shared in their Think Forward report under their trend “Attention Layering” that
“Instead of assaulting people’s attention, creators are helping people focus”.
People are also looking for realism in content - not highly polished brand videos. Real, authentic content that is believable. The Wes Anderson trend of finding entertainment in the mundane is a great example of this.
Architects, designers and product creators need to start taking content creators seriously in 2024. It is a very real trend that will allow you to connect, grow and engage with your audiences in a way like never before.
Many brands are looking for ambassadors in particular - those who have a genuine interest in your brand from the outset - who can add real value to you and your brand. That mutually beneficial relationship can be a great way to expand your reach.
Social sharing platform, Slate said in their recent report, “Share the value propositions of the brand to ensure that the creator/influencer aligns with [you]. Influencers need to stay authentic to their values, too”
However, do ensure you are investing in the right people. They work hard to create the right content for your brand and need to be compensated accordingly. Serious investment is important in 2024.
Trend 4: Social media as a search engine
Did you know that 40% of Gen Z use social to search over search engines (Source: We Are Social)? 2024 is likely to see a shift from purely SEO to SMO - Social Media Optimisation. While SEO focuses on optimising content for search engines, SMO emphasises optimising content for social media platforms. Together, they contribute to a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.
The goal of SMO is to generate more engagement, increase website traffic, and build a strong online presence. It involves optimising various elements of social media profiles and content to make them more appealing and shareable. We will write a longer post on this in the new year as there are so many elements to explore - from optimising your profiles to enhancing your post copy and ensuring people can easily share your content too - it all drives improved discovery and engagement.
Conclusion
Social Media strategies for architects and designers in 2024 are going to need to start pushing conventional boundaries. Dipping toes into the world of AI and the creator economy in various ways should be considered when planning for the year ahead. It might feel daunting now but with the lack of robust safety measures in place, people are taking AI particularly, at a cautious pace. However, if companies wish to lead rather than follow then these trends could provide an important foundation for your activations in the future.
If it all seems overwhelming, then do reach out and we’d be happy to help explore some of these trends and how they can adapt to your own business.
