Social Media Predictions for 2020: What the Experts Think

Key Takeaways

• Social media platforms are shifting towards private communication, with younger generations preferring private messaging and group conversations over public sharing.
• Employers are gaining trust and becoming a source of truth and stability in a world with low trust in traditional institutions, especially among younger generations.
• Short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels are experiencing rapid growth, challenging traditional social media platforms to adapt.

In 2020, social media will continue to evolve at a rapid pace. New platforms will rise, old ones will fade, and the way we use social media will continue to change. Here’s a look at some of the top trends that experts are expecting to see in the year ahead.

Trend 1: Social Media’s New Balance of Public and Private

Social media platforms will increasingly become a place for people to connect with friends and family in private, rather than a place to broadcast their lives to the world. This is especially true for younger generations, who are more likely to use social media for private messaging and group conversations than for public sharing.

Stats:

• A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that 74% of U.S. teenagers use social media, but only 51% of them say they use it to share information about themselves with a broad audience.
• A 2018 study by the University of California, Berkeley found that young adults are more likely to use social media for private messaging than for public sharing.

Trend 2: Employers Take Center Stage in a Divided World

In a world where trust in government, media, and businesses is at an all-time low, employers are increasingly seen as a source of truth and stability. This is especially true for younger generations, who are more likely to look to their employers for guidance on social and political issues.

Stats:

• A 2019 study by Edelman found that 63% of global consumers trust their employer to do what is right.
• A 2018 study by the Conference Board found that 70% of millennials say their employer is their most trusted source of information.

Trend 3: The Future Belongs to Short-Form Video

Short-form video is the new king of social media. Platforms like Tiktok and Instagram Reels are growing at a rapid pace, and traditional social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are scrambling to catch up.

Stats:

• TikTok is the most installed app in the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users.
• Instagram Reels has over 500 million monthly active users.

Trend 4: Social Commerce – The Convergence of Social and Performance Marketing

Social media platforms are increasingly becoming a place for people to shop. This is especially true for younger generations, who are more likely to use social media to find new products and brands.

Stats:

• A 2019 study by Shopify found that social media is the most popular channel for online shopping, with 54% of consumers saying they have made a purchase on social media.
• A 2018 study by Facebook found that 74% of consumers say they have discovered new products and brands through social media.

Trend 5: Facebook Still Matters, But It’s Not What It Used to Be

Facebook is still the largest social media platform in the world, but its growth is starting to slow. This is especially true among younger generations, who are more likely to use other social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.

Stats:

• Facebook has over 2.7 billion monthly active users.
• Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users.
• Snapchat has over 300 million monthly active users.

BONUS: The Future of Social Media

The future of social media is bright. New platforms and technologies are emerging all the time, and the way we use social media is constantly changing. Here are a few things to look for in the years to come:

• The rise of artificial intelligence (AI). AI will be used to personalize the social media experience, recommend content, and detect and remove inappropriate content.
• The continued growth of social commerce. Social media platforms will become even more important for businesses to sell products and services.
• The emergence of new social media platforms. New platforms will continue to be created, and some of them will become major players in the social media landscape.

Social media is a powerful tool that can be used for good or for evil. It’s up to us to decide how we want to use it.