[eBook] The Future of Communications: Social Media

2023 saw some important changes in the social media landscape, so it’s perhaps not surprising that according to the Worldcom Confidence Index (WCI) the impact of social media is one of the top 10 business topics in terms of active engagement by the global C Suite. Despite the turmoil caused by the shift from Twitter to X, CEO confidence in social media saw a significant bounce in the January 2024 WCI results. So, we asked Worldcom Public Relations Group’s Global Partners for their thoughts on how to navigate the opportunities and threats provided by social media – and which platforms to focus on.

We’ve captured their thoughts in a seven-post series that covers everything from AI to sustainability. We’ve also included posts on two very important regions, Latin America and Malaysia and Indonesia.

We hope you find the advice helpful as you navigate your way through the challenges and opportunities that 2024 will bring.

Part 3 – Social Media

X’s Decline Creates More Social Media Engagement Opportunities

By Michael Queroz, Senior Vice President, Digital Public Communications Inc., Chicago, USA

If your company has not begun to double down on your social media platforms outside of X (formerly Twitter), now is the time to do so. We expect to see even more challenges on the platform for our clients (not including the political and reputational concerns). In the last several months, the platform has experienced significantly less advertising relevance and quality, brands have experienced lower engagement rates, and there are more barriers to audience growth.

In addition to X’s near demise, we predict LinkedIn will see even more audience engagement as users flock for a space to provide their thought leadership. We also expect Threads will not just be a flash in the pan but see a slight resurgence due to its heavy integration with Instagram.

The new social currency: Authenticity becomes key in social media communications

By Christina Weninger, Senior Social Media Consultant, BCC Business Communications Consulting GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany

With artificial intelligence on the rise, authenticity becomes a key ingredient for successful social media communication. In 2023, fake news and bot content have flooded our social feeds in an unprecedented quantity. Creating mass content – or rather, creating bots that create mass content – has become very easy. Consumers are catching on, beginning to question everything they see online. Thus, communication experts and marketers will not only have to think of new ways to get through to their target audience but also convince them that what they show them is true. Whether they use labels for content created without artificial intelligence or create campaigns centered around unfiltered live communication – countering the artificial wave will challenge social media experts in 2024.

The rise of LinkedIn

By Melissa Terry, Content Director, RH Strategic Communications, Seattle, USA

We’ve seen Facebook and X, or the platform formerly known as Twitter, descend into chaos. When these sites turned against actual news, people flocked to LinkedIn to meaningfully connect with their peers and exchange ideas in an environment that supports fact and thought. I predict that LinkedIn will become an increasingly important component of executives’ profiles and a way to elevate them as thought leaders.

Reach key audiences by expanding communication programs

By Hally Wax, Senior Vice President and Technology Practice Lead, RH Strategic Communications, Seattle, USA 

Business leaders will find themselves compelled to integrate sustainability into their core strategies and consider how best to communicate their commitments in an authentic, transparent way. Core to smart communications programs will be an emphasis that sustainable practices are not merely desirable for a more sustainable future, but imperative for long-term business success.

Download the updated 2025 Predictions eBook:

The Future of Communications: 2025 PR and Communications Trends

Can we help?

If you would like help from any of the experts in this e-book please contact them direct via the weblinks provided on individual pages. For any of our other experts please contact Todd Lynch.

And, if you’d like to keep your communications strategy ahead of the curve, see what over 100,000 C Suite executives around the world are thinking by visiting our Worldcom Confidence Index global tracker which is updated monthly.