Unlocking ROI with Authenticity: An Investigation into Hootsuite’s 2024 Social Trends

Calculating the return on investment (ROI) from social media activity is a pain felt by countless marketing managers.

According to recent research, 68% of marketers express deep-seated concerns about their ability to achieve meaningful ROI on social platforms. The age-old question remains: How can marketing professionals ensure their campaigns resonate with their audience and yield results for their business?

The key to success lies in balancing authenticity with strategic use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

AI and Authenticity

Interest in AI use for social media has increased by 550% over the past year, driven by new tools and improved efficiencies. Integrating AI into your marketing arsenal effectively, however, requires a deep understanding of your audience’s stance on AI.

Is your audience receptive to AI-powered interactions, or do they have reservations? Address these inquiries and formulate transparent AI guidelines for social media usage. Ethical considerations may require disclosing AI use, particularly if your audience relies on impartial information.

Tailoring your AI approach to align with your audience’s preferences can make all the difference in building trust and engagement. For example, certain tasks should typically be carried out manually, regardless of whether AI can handle them or not, like nurturing relationships with your audience. Customers often benefit from, and appreciate, the personal touch that only humans can provide. Consider your comments and direct messages on social media. In many instances, AI can effectively respond to product or service-related questions, but fan mail and critiques are better left to a member of your team.

Cull of the Platforms

Since the first social media platform hit the internet, marketers have been pressured to be everywhere, all at once. However, in a landscape where new platforms arrive each year, bringing unique features and updates, this approach can quickly become unsustainable.

Before making the tough decision to trim your platform portfolio, take a moment to audit your social media platforms and posts.

• Who’s interacting with your content?
• Can you attribute clicks, leads, or even sales to the content on this platform?
• Is the investment in time and effort is worth it?

This information will make calculating your ROI for each channel easier and will help you decide on which channels to keep.

A lower ROI doesn’t necessarily mean you should cull the platform – it may be an opportunity to optimise your content for each platform. If the copy-and-paste method for all platforms isn’t working, try and test tailoring your content to its unique features and audience – like short copy and snippet style video on Instagram.

Entertain to Achieve ROI

Content that people can relate to fosters higher engagement and paves the way for continued support. Consider the following:

1. Ask your followers what they want: Actively engage with your audience to understand their preferences and tailor your content accordingly.
2. Analyse their behaviour: compare analytics like comments, shares, time spent watching videos.
3. Build relationships through engaging and interactive content: Foster meaningful connections by creating content that encourages interaction and dialogue. Polls and posts with a strong call-to-action (CTA) are good at opening communication.
4. Let your followers come to you: Rather than chasing after an elusive audience, focus on creating content that your current audience enjoys.

The path to unlocking higher ROI in social media marketing involves listening to your audience, optimising your strategies, and delivering content that resonates. To delve deeper into these insights and strategies, read Hootsuite’s report, which offers a comprehensive overview of the trends that will shape the social media landscape in 2024.