2024 Media Trends and Aspirations for the New Year!

 Another year has unfolded, bringing with evolving trends and transformative shifts in the media landscape. It's time to celebrate the prospect of growth, elevation, and progress—both in our businesses and our personal lives.

In 2024, we find ourselves at the core of technological advancements and societal aspirations, setting the stage for a year that promises to redefine how we connect, consume, and engage with content and media in general.

Some of those media trends to look out for in the New Year range from augmented reality, niche content platforms, shoppable content, and simply back to HUMAN CONNECTION! 

Another profitable area for content creators is user-generated content which continues to grow, especially on platforms like TikTok, reminding us of the authenticity and relatability that resonate with audiences on a deeper level.  This gives us an opportunity to  integrate great stories into our narratives, which can foster a sense of community and inclusivity.

One of my personal favorites is the podcast and audio revolution. Over the past year we saw a huge surge in podcasts and video podcasts.  To give you more context and how much podcasts grew, here are a few statistics, which I found to be so impressive and builds the case for adding a podcast to your content and brand strategy. 

Podcast Statistics – (Via DemandandSage) 

• There are over 5 million podcasts globally, with over 70 million episodes between them.

• There are 464.7 million podcast listeners globally as of December 2023. This number is predicted to reach 504.9 million by the end of 2024.

• The United States has the most podcast listeners in the world. It is predicted that there will be over 100 million active podcast listeners in the U.S. in 2024.

• The podcast industry is currently worth $23.56 billion.

• An average American listens to 8 podcasts every week.

• Smart speaker sales increased by 22% during the pandemic, and it is one of the most popular channels for listening to podcasts.

I love these types of statistics. It really amazes me on how much media, technology and digital has evolved in the last few years.  Never before have we had so much control over our brand narratives.  We are all producers in a sense. My goals include to increase my podcast listening and reach. I look forward to inviting new experts on the podcast. For social media, I’d like to see Twitter / X get back on track, as this was / is one of the best social media platforms to date. Fingers crossed. Happy New Year, everyone—may it be a year of boundless creativity, remarkable achievements, and profound connections. Cheers to moving up and elevating in every facet of life and business! 

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