Social media has become embedded firmly into society. However, that doesn’t mean how people use it has always stayed the same.
Two key news pieces that have caught my attention this week have been:
- The release of more Instagram DM options
- A recent report detailing how brands are seeing less engagement on TikTok over time.
In this blog, I will pick apart these trending social media news pieces in more detail to see how social media behaviour is changing in 2024.
Instagram DM Updates
Instagram wants to get those direct messaging options just right.
As reported by Social Media Today, Instagram has released more DM features ‘as it works to enhance the usage of messaging as the key connective element in the app’.
This is because the platform has recognised that users are starting to engage with the app more privately, preferring to send messages and posts to friends, rather than posting updates on their main feed or stories.
And from a personal reflection, this behaviour trend makes sense.
For example, recently I have found myself using Instagram more to share funny videos or news updates to friends or family/keep in touch with them via my inbox, rather than worry about updating my profile content.
So, what are the updates?
- Message Editing- you can now update your DM for up to 15 minutes after sending (similar to WhatsApp).
- Pin- you can now pin three chats to the top of your Inbox, to keep those important discussions more visible.
- Read Receipts- you can now switch on read receipts for either all DM chats or specific threads.
- New Chat Themes- to jazz up your message screen!
- Save Stickers- new option to save your favourite stickers in Instagram so they will be at the top of your sticker tray and easier to include in your DMs.
When Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced the change he reiterated:
“When you think of Instagram, you probably think of a feed of square photos. But how Instagram works has changed a lot over the years, and if you look at what people share, and how people express their creativity, the primary way they do so is actually DMs on Instagram. More photos and videos are shared in DMs than are to Stories or to feed on any given day.”
This might be worth noting for brands. It may be that engagements on a post are declining, but perhaps if you are creating shareable content that is useful or entertaining, this might be shared privately and be a way to reach new people who do not follow your page.
So shares could be the metric to look out for in your campaigns.
TikTok’s Engagement is Down
Speaking of engagement- TikTok’s engagement is declining for brands.
This may be due to more competition now using the app and fighting for people’s attention and therefore is a metric that makes sense.
However, it has been noted in three separate benchmark data reports as their key finding, and therefore it might be worth noting this changing social media behaviour.
Here’s a roundup of the stats from the different data reports (as reported by Social Media Today):
- Rival IQ- ‘found that TikTok’s current average engagement rate of 2.63% for brand content is down by more than half of what it was a year ago (5.69%).
- Emplifi- ‘TikTok post interactions are down 26% from its highest numbers at the start of 2022’.
- SocialInsider- ‘average engagement rate for TikTok clips declined by 35% over the past year’.
This is another behavioural change that is important for brands to note.
The decline, as mentioned, could be due to more competition on the app or that over time brands are finding it harder to consistently produce engaging content.
However, understanding that in the wider context of usage there has been a decline might be somewhat reassuring that it might just not be all on your efforts, and that other brands are struggling too.
Overall, how people are using these two key social media platforms seems to be changing. Instagram is taking note, along with Meta, and introducing new features to align with private usage. And data experts are keeping an eye on TikTok, ready to see if this revolutionary app will also take a similar decline and have to adjust its offerings to suit what society needs.
Want more social media content? Check out our blog post on 3 Digital Marketing Trends to Look Out for in 2024!
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Sources
https://www.instagram.com/p/C4GZX7RRp46/
Blog Cover Photo: Whiskerz/istockphoto.com
