The Real Impact of Social Media

Remember the days when shopping meant driving to the mall or scrolling through websites for hours? Those days are fading fast. According to a survey by HubSpot, 1 in 3 consumers now discover new products on social media before they even think to search for them elsewhere. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have turned into digital shopping malls, where you can see a product in a post, click on it, and boom—you’ve bought it without even leaving the app.

Brands have caught on too. A report from Sprout Social reveals that 87% of marketers plan to either maintain or increase their investment in social shopping tools in 2024. The reason? Features like Instagram Reels and TikTok videos have made it ridiculously easy to connect with consumers and drive sales. For brands, social media is no longer just a marketing tool; it’s a direct sales channel.

Let’s be real—if you’re not creating short-form videos, are you even relevant? TikTok has exploded, and now every other platform wants a piece of that pie. Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are booming, with TikTok leading the charge. According to GWI’s 2024 social media report, TikTok users spend an average of 34 hours per month on the app, and that number is only climbing.

Short-form videos have become the go-to for quick entertainment, product recommendations, and even tutorials. It’s why brands are shifting their content strategies to match—if you can’t catch someone’s attention in the first few seconds, you’ve lost them. And honestly, platforms like LinkedIn are even getting in on the video action because, yes, businesspeople love quick, digestible content too.

Ever DM’ed a company on Instagram or Facebook for customer service? Chances are, you’ve talked to a chatbot. Social media has become more than just a platform for selling—it’s where customer service lives now. A survey by HubSpot found that 76% of social media marketers say their companies now offer customer service directly through social platforms, and 87% plan to keep or boost this investment going forward.

And that’s not all—AI is becoming a major player in the social media world. From generating content to responding to customer inquiries, AI tools are making social media management smoother and faster. You’ve probably seen AI-generated posts, and honestly, some of them are so good, you wouldn’t even know a bot wrote them.

Gone are the days when brands only worked with big-name celebrities. Now, it’s all about micro-influencers—people with anywhere between 10,000 and 100,000 followers. Why? Because they come across as more authentic and relatable. HubSpot’s 2024 social media survey shows that 64% of marketers saw the most success working with micro-influencers last year, while big celebrity endorsements are starting to fall out of favor.

Consumers trust micro-influencers more because they feel like actual people, not just spokespeople. Plus, these influencers often have highly engaged, niche audiences, which translates to better ROI for brands.

In a time where trust in traditional media is shaky, more and more people are turning to social media for news. According to GWI, 53% of X (formerly Twitter) users log in to get the latest news updates. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are also growing as news sources, especially among younger generations. The days of flipping through a newspaper or even watching the news on TV are dwindling as more users turn to their social feeds for real-time updates and breaking news.

So there you have it—social media isn’t just where we hang out anymore; it’s where we shop, learn, and even handle customer service. From short-form videos that capture our attention in seconds to AI-driven customer support making brands more accessible, social media has taken over in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago.

Micro-influencers are changing the advertising game, giving brands a more personal and relatable way to connect with their audience, while platforms like Instagram and TikTok have transformed into digital shopping malls. Even news consumption is shifting, with platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok becoming primary sources for real-time updates.

If there’s one thing that’s clear, it’s that AI is going to play a huge role in shaping the future of social media. From AI-generated content to chatbots handling customer inquiries, artificial intelligence is making things faster, smarter, and—dare I say—more human. The line between bots and humans is blurring, and it’s only going to get more fascinating from here.

As for social media, it’s not going anywhere. In fact, it’s evolving faster than ever. Recent headlines show companies like Meta (formerly Facebook) investing heavily in AI tools to better personalize user experiences, while TikTok continues to roll out features that make shopping even more seamless. We’re already seeing AI-generated influencers on platforms like Instagram—think of how much further that could go. Looking to stay ahead in the fast-paced world of digital marketing? Join Fortray's Digital Marketing Program and master the latest tools and trends to dominate the online space. Enroll today and start your journey toward becoming a digital marketing powerhouse. The future of marketing is at your fingertips—make sure you're ready for it!