In 2024, something fundamental shifted across all major social media platforms. YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, even LinkedIn is testing a "For You" page—these changes are part of a broader move away from the social graph, which is based on who you know, to the interest graph, which serves you content aligned with your interests, regardless of who shares it. What’s driving this? The rise of interest-based algorithms, a model popularized by TikTok, which doesn't rely on connections but on behavior—what you watch, like, and engage with.
The Rise of Interest Graphs: From "Who You Know" to "What You Like"
Historically, social media platforms used social graphs, prioritizing content from people you followed. This approach seemed straightforward, but it had a major flaw: your interests evolve, while your connections often don't. You’re stuck seeing irrelevant content from old friends or accounts that no longer resonate with you. Enter TikTok and its revolutionary interest graph, which reads your behaviors and interactions to serve up the most engaging content. The focus shifted from who shared the post to the kind of content you engage with, marking a major turning point in the way algorithms function across platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. The implementation of TikTok-like algorithms on things like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts has led to increased engagement on these platforms. Dataportal’s Digital 2024 Global Report indicates that both TikTok and Instagram have seen substantial increases in time spent per user, with TikTok up by 12% and Instagram by 34% over the past year.
This "TikTokification" of social media has transformed the landscape. It’s no longer about connections but engagement—who engages with the content and how frequently. This pivot is reshaping marketing strategies, leveling the playing field for smaller businesses and creators who can now compete with larger brands based on content relevance, not follower count.
Why Social Listening Fails: The Old Guard vs. New Realities
Traditional social listening tools—focused on tracking keywords—are falling behind. They’re unable to keep up with the new, complex web of interest-driven interactions. Simply counting keywords ignores the intricate nuances of how social media narratives form and evolve. Brands, influencers, and marketers are no longer interested in just what is being said but why it’s resonating with their audience.
Enter Nebula Social. Nebula doesn’t merely monitor keywords; it tracks the dynamics of entire online communities or networks, recognizing how influencers and their communities are interconnected. By identifying influential figures and tracking how narratives emerge, Nebula can uncover what topics or content will grow in virality across multiple platforms. It’s not just about raw data—it’s about understanding the patterns of engagement, the emotions behind the conversation, and the networks driving these trends.
Understanding the "Whales" of Social Media: A Network-First Approach
According to The 2024 Influencer Marketing Hub report by Sprout Social, almost half of all consumers (49%) make purchases at least once a month because of influencer posts; and almost all consumers (86%) make a purchase inspired by an influencer at least once a year.
Nebula Social takes a network-first approach, focusing on the "whales" of social media—the major influencers who shape the narratives within their communities. These individuals have the power to sway opinions, spark trends, and create cultural movements that ripple through their networks. Nebula targets these influencers, building an interconnected knowledge graph of their interactions and the narratives they promote. This is a far more nuanced approach than simply counting followers or likes.
This insight is crucial in today’s landscape, where people are posting less and consuming more. Social media usage has shifted towards passive consumption. In 2024, engagement is being driven by a smaller set of highly active creators—the whales—who generate content for a large, passive audience. By understanding this, Nebula Social helps brands identify and engage with these key players, ensuring they remain relevant within their target communities.
Decoding Context Across Modalities: The Power of Video Vision
As evidenced in Dataportal’s Digital 2024 Global Report video content continues to dominate social media, with TikTok leading the charge. Nebula Social’s true edge lies in its ability to decode context from all forms of media, including videos, images, captions, and comments. With video content exploding across platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Nebula uses its Video Vision Model to analyze not just the text but the full context of visual and audio media. This means understanding the emotional tones in a TikTok video or identifying emerging trends from the imagery in Instagram posts.
By doing so, Nebula doesn’t just identify what will go viral—it understands why a piece of content resonates with audiences, giving marketers the ability to create hyper-targeted campaigns. Whether it’s figuring out why a health trend like turmeric supplements is gaining traction or identifying the next viral product, Nebula’s multi-modal analysis provides actionable insights that go far beyond traditional social listening.
Winning the War for Attention
In a world where social media algorithms no longer care who you follow but instead cater to your interests, brands need to evolve. Nebula Social is built for this new era. By taking a network-first approach, analyzing the "whales" of social media, and decoding content from every form of media, Nebula offers an unparalleled advantage in understanding and shaping the narratives that matter.
Gone are the days of endless scrolling, hoping to stumble upon the next trend. With Nebula Social, you’ll know what’s going viral—and why—before anyone else does. It’s a tool that transforms how you think about engagement, content, and audience dynamics in 2024.
