2024 Social Media Ads: What We Learned and What’s Trending
Hey, social media ad peeps! Ready to dive into the wild, wacky world of 2024 social media ads? Grab your kombucha (or oat milk latte, no judgment), and let’s get into what was trending, what’s sticking around, and how you can keep your ad game chef’s kiss.
1. Social Media Ads Got Weird—and It Worked
If 2023 was about aspirational vibes, 2024 was the year brands went full-blown relatable. We're talking TikTok ads featuring “Emily from accounting” explaining your product like she’s FaceTiming her bestie. Why? Because weird is memorable.
The lesson? Drop the glossy, perfect aesthetic. Instead, lean into humor, quirk, and “Oh my god, I totally do that!” moments. People want authenticity—well, the polished kind that still converts.
👉 Pro Tip: Use tools like Canva for easy ad design and CapCut to edit short, snappy videos that feel real but look pro.
2. AI Is Here to Stay (But Don’t Let It Run the Show)
AI tools took over faster than your mom on Facebook. Everyone and their dog used ChatGPT, Jasper, or MidJourney to whip up content. While these tools were lifesavers for idea generation, the best social media ads paired AI smarts with a human touch.
Keep it real by adding those relatable quirks only a human can nail. Oh, and don’t let AI write your captions solo—unless you want to sound like a robot pitching toothpaste.
👉 Free Plugin Alert: Grammarly is your BFF for editing captions, and Hemingway keeps your copy short and snappy.
3. Interactive Ads Took Over Our Feeds
Polls, quizzes, and swipe-ups weren’t just fun; they were conversion machines. Think Instagram Stories with “Choose your adventure” quizzes or shoppable TikTok Lives. People don’t just want to watch ads—they want to play with them.
👉 Steal This Idea: Launch a Facebook poll about a trending topic in your niche, then casually plug your product in the results. Or use Typeform to create a quiz that leads to your sales funnel.
4. UGC > Polished Campaigns
User-generated content (UGC) continued to dominate. Why? Because seeing real people use your product is way more convincing than a Photoshopped influencer sipping your “wellness elixir.”
The hack here: turn your customers into your ad creators. Offer incentives like discounts or giveaways for the best UGC featuring your product.
👉 Helpful Tool: Later lets you find and repost UGC while keeping everything on-brand.
5. UGC > Polished Campaigns
In 2024, brands got hyper-local, hyper-niche, and hyper-relevant. Ads weren’t just for “dog lovers” but for “single dog moms in Seattle who love hikes and oat lattes.” Weirdly specific? Sure. But also effective.
👉 How To Do It: Use tools like Adzooma to optimize targeting or HubSpot's Free Marketing Tools to fine-tune audience segmentation.
6. Trends to Carry Into 2025
Vertical video reigns supreme. If it doesn’t fit in a TikTok or Reels frame, why even bother?
Storytelling sells. Ads that tell a story connect better than bland promo posts.
Eco-friendly vibes. If you’re not talking about sustainability, are you even trying?
2024 Social Media Ads Changed the Game
The future of social media ads is weird, authentic, interactive, and targeted. Add a little AI spice (but don’t overdo it), sprinkle in some UGC, and keep testing what clicks. Remember, the best ads don’t just sell—they entertain.
Now go forth and conquer the algorithm like the chaotic creative genius you are. ✌️
Got more tips or plugins you love? Drop them in the comments—let’s make 2025 even better!