Social media platforms constantly introduce changes that impact how consumers, brands and communications professionals engage online. In 2024, LinkedIn and Instagram rolled out several significant changes, shaping user interactions and content strategies.
Across all platforms, three key trends emerged:
- Encouraging users to spend more time on each platform;
- Positioning social media as a primary search tool;
- Prioritizing video content across feeds.
For brands and executives leveraging social media for communications and marketing, staying informed is essential. Understanding these changes allows businesses to adapt their content strategies and maximize visibility within evolving algorithms.
With over 1 billion users worldwide – 234 million profiles in the U.S. alone – LinkedIn remains a powerful platform for professionals and brands. Optimizing content for LinkedIn’s latest updates can significantly boost engagement and reach.
Leveraging AI features in content creation and strategic marketing on LinkedIn can further enhance these efforts, enabling social marketers to produce substantial amounts of content efficiently and adapt their strategies more frequently.
Change #1: Semantic Matching Over Hashtags
The LinkedIn search bar remains a crucial tool for content discovery, as users rely on search insights for quick and efficient answers. There's been a big shift away from hashtags in producing search results, which is one of the most significant changes. LinkedIn’s shift to semantic matching, reduces its reliance on hashtags for content discovery as post context is better understood.
While hashtags are no longer necessary for content visibility, they still serve a role in categorization. At B2, we have adapted by strategically incorporating hashtags that complement post copy, ensuring additional keywords can be discovered.
Change #2: Removal of Link Previews
To keep users engaged on the platform, LinkedIn has restricted link previews to paid advertisements. Now, when a link is shared in a post, the accompanying image appears smaller, making it less visually compelling.
Since posts with images increase audience engagement by an average of 100%, we recommend creating original images for posts that include external links. This makes sure content remains visually appealing and encourages interaction.
Change #3: The Rise of LinkedIn Videos
In Q4 2024, LinkedIn introduced a mobile short-form video feed, joining the industry-wide push for video-first content. With video engagement growing 36% year-over-year and video posts performing five times better than text-only updates, LinkedIn is prioritizing this format within its algorithm.
To maintain strong post reach, B2 and our clients have incorporated video content into our LinkedIn strategies. For brands without extensive video resources, we suggest starting with simple animations or repurposing static content into short videos.
As the world’s most downloaded app, Instagram remains a key platform for businesses and thought leaders. The latest updates further emphasize video content and refined search capabilities.
Change #1: Hashtags Are No Longer Prioritized
Like LinkedIn, Instagram has deprioritized hashtags. As of December 13, 2024, users can no longer follow hashtags, though they still aid in content discovery.
Despite this shift, B2 still recommends using three to five relevant hashtags per post to enhance search visibility and categorization. Social teams are adapting to these changes by exploring new ways to engage audiences, such as prioritizing creativity and entertainment over traditional brand consistency.
Change #2: Increased Video Favoritism
Instagram ranks as the second most popular app for short-form video consumption. With its algorithm favoring video – especially Reels – brands should prioritize this format to expand their reach beyond traditional static photos.
To align with this shift, we encourage clients to incorporate video into their content strategies, even if it means starting with one or two video posts per month. Additionally, videos can be repurposed across multiple platforms, maximizing content efficiency. Marketing leaders are prioritizing video content to stay ahead of social media trends.
Change #3: Carousel Posts with User Generated Content
While video is king, static content still holds value – especially carousel posts, which can generate up to 10 times more engagement than single-image posts. This is because Instagram resurfaces carousel posts in users’ feeds, displaying different images over time.
For brands, carousels provide an opportunity to share educational content, infographics or step-by-step guides in an engaging, swipe-friendly format. More than a quarter of social marketers are using carousel posts to engage audiences.
Social media changes are inevitable
As we look ahead in 2025, new social media trends will continue to emerge. Hootsuite’s 2025 Trends Report predicts that outbound engagement – such as brands actively interacting with their audience through comments and discussions – will gain increased value.
While we can’t predict every platform's change, businesses that stay agile and informed on social media will maintain a competitive edge.
Ready to elevate your social media strategy? Contact us today to ensure your brand reaches its audience effectively.