As the twinkling lights go up and the countdown to Christmas begins, we’re feeling all kinds of merry and reflective here at Social Firefly HQ. From dazzling social media campaigns to crafting strategies that sleighed across industries, 2024 has been a year packed with growth, surprises, and lessons aplenty. 🎁
So, in the spirit of giving, we’ve wrapped up 12 things we learned this year—little nuggets of wisdom to light up your 2025 strategies and keep you on the nice list (no social media faux pas here!).
Ready to unwrap some festive insights? Let’s jingle all the way! 🎅
1. TikTok doesn’t always need video content
When people think of TikTok, they think of snappy, creative videos. But in 2024, we discovered that image carousels can sometimes perform even better than videos. By launching TikTok accounts for brands in diverse industries, we’ve seen that well-curated carousels spark engagement—especially for product showcases or storytelling.
Take the posts we created for our clients One Acre Fund and Toupret —both saw an uptick in engagement when we experimented with visuals that slowed the scroll. Who says TikTok is all about moving pictures?
2. Retargeting at a local level really works
Retargeting might feel like old news, but it’s still incredibly effective, especially when you think local. This year, we helped Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) reach their Sussex-based audience with locally tailored ads that not only boosted footfall but created lasting community connections. The key? Understanding the language, imagery, and tone that resonate with specific regions.
Now, cost per click (CPC) can vary wildly depending on your product, audience, competition and the quality of your content, but in the UK in 2024 the average Meta (that’s Facebook and Instagram) CPC was around £0.70-£0.78 (according to The Good Marketer and Hubspot). With our retargeting campaigns we’ve been achieve between £0.13 and £0.24 CPC.
3. Community feedback drives innovation
Our Toupret Wood Filler campaign is a standout example of how listening to your audience can pay dividends. By incorporating customer feedback into the campaign, we created content that resonated deeply. It wasn’t just about selling a product—it was about solving a problem that the community had voiced, and that made all the difference.
How does 6,465% return on investment (ROI) sound for an impactful sales driving social media campaign?
Thanks to this campaign we were also finalists in this year’s Construction Marketing Awards for the best social media campaign. More evidence that social media includes the word social in it for a reason! If you listen to your community and actually build relationships you will have the ability to build outstanding campaigns.
4. X is on it’s way out
Remember when Twitter was the go-to platform? The winds of change are here. Across multiple clients, we’ve observed a steady decline in X’s (formerly Twitter) engagement rates. One of our clients even decided to leave the platform entirely, while others are already exploring a post-X world. The writing’s on the wall: X is no longer be the powerhouse it once was.
The X engagement levels over 2024 across various industries vs 2023:
(stopped using X entirely in August)
5. Threads (and potentially BlueSky) are on their way in
But when one platform dims, others light up. Threads and BlueSky are showing promise, with some of our clients reporting significant engagement increases. In fact, brands are starting to treat these platforms as spaces to experiment with more personal, conversational content. It’s early days, but we’re excited about the possibilities for 2025.
Examples of Threads engagement growth in 2024:
6. LinkedIn shines for live event engagement
If you’re hosting an event, don’t overlook LinkedIn. During Brighton Summit, we saw how live posting—paired with tagging attendees, speakers, and partners—amplifies the event’s buzz. It’s the perfect platform for fostering professional connections in real-time and keeping the conversation going long after the event ends. We think it’s taking th place of X (Twitter) for engaging in live events.
7. You don’t always need a photo or video on Facebook
Sometimes, simplicity is best. In 2024, we experimented with engagement questions on Facebook and discovered that posts without images or videos could perform exceptionally well. Asking the right question can spark meaningful interactions and remind your audience that your brand values their input.
Take this example from the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. It’s the most simple question but it firmly puts RCOT at the heart of the occupational therapy community, encouraging them to highlight the breadth of specialisms in the OT professions, leading to almost 500 comments!
8. Single-image Meta ads get 21% more shares than videos
We crunched the numbers, and single-image ads on Facebook and Instagram consistently outperformed video ads in terms of shares—by a big ol’ 21%. Whether it’s a bold product shot or an inspiring quote, static images remain a powerful way to connect with audiences.
9. Video works particularly well for landing page view ads
For years, marketers believed asking users to watch a video and click a link was a step too far. But 2024 has turned that idea on its head. Our tests with Brighton Early Music Festival and other clients showed that video ads encouraging landing page visits are converting at higher rates than ever before. People are willing to invest their time if the video captures their interest.
This example not only had an exceptionally low CPC (remember the average for 2024 in the UK is £0.70-£0.78) but is also had a high click through rate (CTR). On social media getting over a 2% CTR is considered good – some of this would have been people clicking on the video but we also saw high traffic on the website from these so know the majority were visiting the website.
10. SEO is crucial for social channels
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) isn’t just for websites anymore. In 2024, optimising social media bios, captions, and alt text with relevant keywords became a game-changer for discoverability. Social platforms are evolving into search engines in their own right, and brands need to think about how they rank there too.
11. Social commerce is expanding
If you’ve ever caught yourself clicking “Add to Cart” thanks to a #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt video, you’re not alone. Social commerce has exploded, and in-app shopping features are becoming more integrated across platforms. As these tools improve, brands will have even more opportunities to turn followers into customers.
12. AI isn’t stealing jobs – it’s supporting them
AI is here, but not as a replacement. From refining tricky messages to brainstorming campaign ideas, we’ve embraced AI tools to make our workflows smarter and more efficient. The human touch still leads the way, but AI is proving to be a handy co-pilot in the fast-paced world of social media.
🎉 What’s next, you ask?
As we deck the halls with plans for 2025, we’re buzzing to put these lessons into action and uncover even more social media magic. With the ever-changing landscape of likes, shares, and trends, staying adaptable and innovative is the name of the game.
But enough about us—what’s been your biggest aha! moment this year? We’d love to hear it! Drop us a comment or slide into our DMs on social media to share your festive social media wisdom.
Here’s to a sparkling, creative, and impactful 2025—cheers to making it our best year yet!
James is a strategic and analytical thinker with a creative flair and love for the psychology of social media. He's been working in marketing and communications since 2012 and specialised in social media when launching Social Firefly in 2018. He's an ever struggling piano player, a fair weather sea kayaker and a travel lover.