The bubbles that fuel periods of financial speculation take shape long before prices collapse. Sometimes they are mere trial balloons, but on other occasions they appear to be grounded in reality. In any case, these bubbles arise from ideas. Before accounting imbalances or credit excesses—the triggers of stock market crises—accumulate, they take root in the investment climate through a collective narrative that seeks to convince people of a radically different future in which the classic rules of asset valuation no longer apply.

Do investors tend to suffer from low self-esteem? Are they simply the target of speculative greed on the part of certain market gurus seeking profits? Do they sometimes forget to value assets in the short term, to look beyond the immediate horizon, or to take a long-term view of their investment portfolios? Quite often—and not infrequently—the answer seems to be yes, judging by the rapid spread of episodes of irrational exuberance that have occurred since the middle of the last century. The IMF, for example, has recorded 414 currency crises, 200 sovereign debt crises and 151 banking crises. Dozens of them every decade.

It is true that most are local or regional. They appear to be limited in scope. But we must not underestimate their propensity for chaos. Because there have been ten instances of financial instability on a global scale since the oil crisis, some accompanied by global recession and all by stock market crashes, such as that of the 1973–75 period and its seismic aftershocks in the 1980s. Almost without a break, the Latin American debt crisis emerged. Another period of stress with widespread geographical repercussions that lasted a long decade until the Tequila Effect was overcome, which depressed the Mexican peso and spread to the markets and several banking systems. Or Black Monday in 1987, with synchronised falls from Hong Kong to every stock exchange on the planet, and the crunch in Japan two years later, which ushered in three long decades of economic stagnation and deflation in what was then the world’s second-largest GDP.

Before the end of the 20th century, there was still time for competitive devaluations of Asian currencies to take place and, almost in parallel, that of the Russian rouble, which resulted in five prime ministers in two years before Vladimir Putin came to power.

More recent —and even more global — have been the dot-com of 2000, with origins in the US and spreading recession in Germany and the credit crisis of 2008 with the nationalisation of Lehman Brothers and suspension of trading on the Stock Exchange in Moscow due to the freefall into the depths of hell of its share price. It was like watching the world upside down: the paradise of the free market buying with federal funds a a45> bank of investment private and the former USSR preventing the collapse of trading in capital. But it was not the last major systemic crisis. The European debt crisis of 2012, which was on the verge of bury the euro, and the Great Pandemic of 2020 caused by COVID -19 also led to economic contractions.

Common themes in the story

The story that has accompanied all of them has not been exactly the same. However, it contains common threads. The narrative that takes root in the markets not only persuades the investors, but also extends into the public arena. Analysts, banks, the media and political leaders end up reaching a consensus which seems to confirm that structural change is inevitable and is underway.

The 2013 Nobel laureate in Economics, Robert Shiller, described this phenomenon as narrative economics, based on the idea that the stories circulating in society directly influence economic behaviour and investment decisions. When a narrative gains sufficient traction — whether it be a transformative technology, a new financial model or a seemingly unstoppable economic cycle — it can become the oxygen that fuels any bubble.

The warning about irrational exuberance

One of the most famous concepts associated with them emerged as an institutional warning. In 1996, Alan Greenspan, then Chairman of the Federal Reserve, publicly wondered whether the financial markets were displaying “irrational exuberance that was inflating stock market valuations beyond their fundamentals”. The expression became a benchmark for understanding speculative cycles. Paradoxically, the warning did not dampen market enthusiasm. Over the following years, the Nasdaq continued to rise, driven by the tech narrative.

Until it burst, the dot-com bubble was the example most visible of how a story can dominate investor sentiment. The internet promised to radically transform the economy, eliminate intermediaries and generate new forms of productivity. Technology companies began to gain value more due to their potential rather than for their actual profitability. Shiller explained it in his a46> influential book Irrational Exuberance: “the markets can enter into dynamics collective where optimism feeds feeds back into and in which each rise confirms the dominant narrative, and that narrative continues to attract new investors”. In 2000, the Nasdaq crashed and the narrative changed with the same speed with which it had been built.

In the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, a widely accepted dogma also took hold: house prices were a structurally safe asset. This assumption justified an extraordinary expansion of mortgage lending. From so-called subprime loans to complex financial instruments. They were dubbed “toxic assets” and became a permanent fixture on bank balance sheets. They were vast in scale following years of excessive lending and, above all, highly dangerous due to the dubious recoverability of the loans granted. They imploded when the credit cycle began to deteriorate and the international financial architecture revealed its grave fragility.

Very few investment voices—including, amongst others, Jeremy Grantham and Nouriel Roubini—warned several months in advance that the US property market was in the grip of a bubble and that a correction was inevitable. To no avail. Because the prevailing narrative continued on its optimistic course.

Spain and the rhetoric of bricks

In Spain, the property bubble also had a very clear rhetorical dimension. Over the years, a mantra became firmly established in political speeches, industry reports and everyday conversations: that property was always a sound investment and its prices never fell. This narrative served both an economic and a cultural function. It justified a growth model based on construction and reinforced the perception of housing as the safest asset for family savings. The logic was simple and powerful: building created jobs, jobs drove demand, and demand sustained prices.

So, when the international financial crisis spread to the European banking system, that dynamic quickly faded. The once-stable engine of growth became the most serious vulnerability in the recent history of the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy.

The narrative pattern of bubbles thus follows a recurring pattern:

· Innovation or structural change: a technology or economic model emerges that promises to change the rules of the game.
· Expansion of capital and credit: markets mobilise resources to capitalise on the opportunity.
· Consolidation of the dominant narrative: analysts and the media reinforce the growth narrative.
· Decoupling of expectations and fundamentals: valuations become detached from economic reality.
· Abrupt shift in narrative: when results fail to meet expectations, the narrative is reversed.

Furthermore, on rare occasions they erupt due to a lack of information. Rather, they collapse when the narrative underpinning the optimism ceases to be credible. The new narrative—that of today’s AI—is beginning to follow in its wake. It is a technology that is transforming entire sectors, from business productivity to scientific research, and is triggering a massive wave of investment in companies involved in AI development.

To make matters worse, the voices are growing louder once again setting off the alarms once more. Top executives from firms in the investment and private banking assure that the climate for investors could be underestimating the impact of the conflict in Iran following a correction in the stock market which has become apparent on Wall Street in February, prior to the escalation of military tensions in the Middle East, due to the persistence of certain values linked to AI unleashed with excessive use of credit.

There are warnings that the market is once again functioning as a storytelling machine. And with good reason. After all, financial bubbles are not merely economic phenomena. They are also narrative phenomena. As history shows, stories are also traded.

La entrada The story that inflates the bubbles: of the irrational exuberance of the past to the new narrative of AI se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

Today, in 2026, that fascination with anticipating what is to come remains intact. But in digital communication, it is no longer just an exercise in curiosity; it is a strategic necessity. Platforms change, algorithms mutate, audiences fragment, and technology advances at a speed that forces us to constantly rethink what we communicate, how we do it, and, above all, for whom.

If 2024 was the year artificial intelligence finally took off, and 2025 was the year it became normalised (with ups and downs), 2026 looks set to be the year of maturity. A turning point at which digital communication will cease to be obsessed with scale and automation and refocus on something as old as it is essential: people, usefulness and trust.

These are the main trends in digital communication for 2026 that we are already beginning to detect and that will set the agenda for brands, institutions and creators of content.

Back to human: the value of what is not done with AI

After several years of technological euphoria, 2026 will consolidate a clear reaction: fatigue in the face of mass-produced, generic, and soulless content. So-called AI slop (mass-produced texts, images and videos with no real value or criteria, or even of poor quality that demonstrate a lack of care in their production) will begin to be penalised not only by audiences, but also by the platforms themselves.

Paradoxically, artificial intelligence will continue to be a key tool, but its use will become increasingly invisible. The brands that stand out will be those capable of demonstrating human sensitivity, editorial judgement and authenticity. The imperfect, the handcrafted and the clearly human will gain relevance over the artificially perfect.

It is no coincidence that we have already seen campaigns withdrawn for abusing AI-generated resources or for failing to pass a minimum creative and ethical filter. In 2026, communication will be, more than ever, a question of intention and not just efficiency.

GEO and algorithmic reputation: communicating for AI (without forgetting about people)

Traditional SEO is not disappearing, but evolving. In 2026, brands will compete on new ground: that of GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), i.e. optimisation for AI-based response engines.

We will witness the rise of the so-called zero-click world: searches that will no longer drive traffic to a website, but will be resolved directly in the search engine or conversational assistant itself. This will force a complete rethink of digital visibility strategies.

In this context, a concept that is still in its infancy but decisive will come into play: algorithmic reputation. What does AI say about your brand, what sources does it use, what context it offers and what biases it reproduces. In 2026, this variable will begin (hopefully) to be integrated into plans for digital and reputational crisis management.

Brands that understand how to train their digital presence for these new environments (media, experts, quotable and consistent content) will have an advantage in a scenario where it is no longer enough to position oneself, but rather to be referenced.

Politics and geopolitics: from the margins to the centre of digital content

Far from being a passing fad, politics and geopolitics are establishing themselves as key topics in digital communication and social media. The reason is simple: the global media agenda spans all areas (including economics, technology, energy, defence and digital rights), and audiences, with increasingly specialised profiles and in many cases followers of current affairs, demand context.

Clear examples are the TikTok communication strategies of institutions such as Moncloa, the Prado Museum, and political figures such as the Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, who have understood that social media is not only a space for entertainment, but also for education and storytelling.

To this we can add the rise of newsletters and personal analysis formats. We can give as an example the Monthly active management, the monthly newsletter by Iván Díez, Country Head of Iberia and Latam of La Financière de l’Échiquier, on current events in markets (and many other topics), which demonstrate that there is an appetite for complex content explained in a clear and accessible manner.

In 2026, brands will not be able to ignore this context. Even those that do not explicitly discuss politics will need to understand the geopolitical framework in which they operate and how it affects their narrative.

Fewer likes, fewer comments… more real value.

One of the great frustrations of communication teams in recent years has been the gradual decline in visible engagement. In 2026, this trend will become more pronounced: there will be fewer likes and fewer comments, even on high-quality content.

The difference will be made by usefulness. Metrics such as saves or shares, viewing time, and recurrence will become much more relevant indicators than superficial interaction.

The formats that will work best are those aimed at solving specific problems or providing practical knowledge: tips, explained trends, tutorials, step-by-step guides, recipes, or applicable analyses.

Effective communication in 2026 will not be synonymous with virality, but rather with sustained relevance.

No more masses: hyper-segmentation and hyper-personalisation

This trend is not new, but in 2026 it reaches full maturity. Mass communication ceases to make sense in an ecosystem where there is no longer a homogeneous audience. There is no mass; there are communities, niches and micro-interests.

Hyper-segmentation of audiences and hyper-personalisation of messages (two terms we were already using in 2025) become a strategic requirement. It is not just a question of adapting the channel, but also the language, approach, timing and value provided to each audience.

Communication becomes surgical. Fewer impacts, but better targeted. Less noise and more connection. The goal is no longer reach, but rather building solid, lasting bonds.

Deepfakes and fake news: a structural threat

Unfortunately, another trend that will become more prevalent in 2026 is the increase in deepfakes and fake news. Technology is advancing faster than regulation and digital literacy, creating a perfect breeding ground for misinformation.

Recent cases, such as certain media crises linked to generative AI tools (the most notorious being Grok), highlight the fragility of the current information ecosystem. And everything points to us seeing more similar episodes throughout the year.

For brands, this means taking on a new reputational risk. Monitoring, verification and responsiveness are no longer optional. Digital communication in 2026 will need to incorporate clear protocols for dealing with content manipulation and identity theft.

Conclusion: communicate less, but better

Digital communication trends for 2026 paint a demanding picture, but also one of a new world full of opportunities. This will be the year when technology ceases to be the focus of discussion and becomes a tool at the service of judgement and strategy but, above all, of trust.

In a way, we are returning to the fundamentals: understanding who we are talking to, providing real value, and protecting our reputation. We must accept the responsibility that comes with communicating in a hyperconnected environment.

In a world saturated with messages, winning will not be shouting louder, but saying something that really deserves to be heard.

La entrada 6 digital communication trends for 2026: less noise, more judgment se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

Until recently, a significant part of a designer’s job was knowing how to use photo editing, vector illustration, and editorial design software. I spent so many hours in Photoshop courses, where seeing my classmates achieve the same result through different paths amazed me as much as it scared me that time would erase that knowledge. How many notes and screenshots have I accumulated to remember how to use the grids system or adjust the text to the base grid in InDesign?

The arrival of YouTube tutorials on how to use these tools meant we no longer had to memorise the processes, menus and submenus of these design software tools. From then on, it was enough to remember what the tools could do, NOT how to do it. If you needed to perform a specific action, you no longer had to go to forums to ask questions or consult the user manual. All you had to do was find a tutorial that explained it visually in a minute.

This has allowed more users to lose their fear to complex software. And the proliferation of Instagram reels that attractively explain how to create a photographic effect, a specific vector illustration style, or an editorial design based on the golden ratio.

The power of the free tools

The design tools available from a simple web browser are becoming increasingly powerful. They do not require us to download anything (with the risk of it containing a virus) and are accessible from any device.

Ilovepdf provides us with options that previously required paid software.

Background remover surprised us at its moment with a feature that you could only get by paying a fee.

What can we say about Photopea? A suite of free photo editing tools, fully functional that offers an interface similar to Photoshop (in exchange for showing us advertisements in the right-hand panel).

The use of Turboscribe for audio transcription is essential. Its option to add time stamps (indicating the minute and second when each sentence is spoken) has been extremely useful for synchronising subtitles. This feature has recently been incorporated into free video editing programmes.

Jitter has allowed us to create professional animations without mastering complex motion graphics programmes.

TikTok knows that we all prefer well-edited videos with beautiful transitions, sound effects, and eye-catching subtitles. That’s why it created CapCut, with powerful desktop versions, but also for mobile. It’s free software with paid options and a huge community behind it. I can’t fail to mention Trevor Jones, a video editing expert who has gone from working in Hollywood to focusing on a YouTube channel with thousands of subscribers, where he unravels all the secrets of CapCut’s timeline, keyframes, filters, effects, and settings in a fun and light-hearted style.

The war for the design pie

A war has broken out in all sectors to attract users, and in the field of design, Canva has led the revolution against Adobe’s monopoly. Initially criticised by some graphic designers who were “delighted to meet themselves”, Canva made its definitive mark with Affinity suite, a free software package (available for Mac, Windows and soon iPad) that combines photo editing, vector illustration editing and editorial design software in a single space. Three areas of graphic design for which Adobe’s Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, with their £80 monthly subscription, had been the industry standard until now. Among Canva’s new tools, its new portfolio creator and text summariser stand out.

Thousands of users have made the leap. Affinity Suite allows you to export to a .psd file or a vector PDF file with bleed and crop marks. This means there is no problem whatsoever in sending it to the printer or sending a project with layers to a colleague who works with another system.

This leap involves learning to use a new tool, after years of being accustomed to the menus and submenus of Adobe programmes. Had this steep learning curve occurred at another time, it would have put many people off. But nowadays, all you have to do is ask Gemini or ChatGPT how to select multiple layers at once, how to convert an image to a vector, or how to make a clipping mask, and you’ll get the answer instantly.

Canva has seen Affinity Studio as an opportunity to expand its user network and bases its business model on paid artificial intelligence features. However, the price of its PRO subscription is much lower than Adobe’s.

Apple also wants its slice of this pie and has just launched a subscription to Apple Creator Studio for 13 euros per month.

The ubiquitous artificial intelligence

Our capacity for amazement knows no bounds when it comes to generative AI. Gone are those hallucinations and that ‘dreamlike’ texture of images. A few months ago, there was no way to get the character created for one image to be used in the next, maintaining its appearance but in a different position. A few months of Google Nano Banana and ChatGPT competing for the throne have been enough for us not only to be able to do this, but now all we need is a photo of a character to ask the AI to show it to us in any setting, in any pose and from any angle. We no longer need a long photo shoot with lots of photos of a client to ensure that the creative content we produce for their social media is not monotonous.

Zara itself has confirmed that, although it continues to use real photographers and models, continues to use photographers and models in real life, it uses generative AI to generate to get the multitude of versions it needs.

Now more than ever the highest value of the graphic designer is his judgement. “Common sense,” as Jorge Álvarez Naveiro says in the first episode of the eighth season of our podcast.

All creative people have suffered from imposter syndrome at some point. This psychological pattern occurs when professionals, despite having obvious achievements, doubt their abilities and feel that they do not deserve their success, fearing that they will be exposed as ‘frauds’. Everyone knows how to write. Does that make us all potential journalists or novelists? If anyone could cut their own hair or design their own clothes at the touch of a button, would the world be full of stylish hairstyles and fashionable neighbours? Or would it be a cacophony of absurdities?

Now the time has come when everyone has the tools to design simply by typing what they want (prompt) into a text input field on a website. But if you leave the design of your company in the hands of non-professionals, will we see a balanced, elegant and eye-catching style throughout? Or will it be a nightmare of Comic Sans Serif, garish colours and gigantic logos?

At present, in a field that affects us on a daily basis, AI specialising in presentation design continues to rely on proposals with short texts and striking images. This is not the case for most of our clients, who require extensive explanations on financial matters and do not have a tangible physical product such as a fizzy drink or dazzling jewellery.

What is undeniable is the invaluable assistance provided by tools such as the following in graphic design processes:

Brainstorming and idea generation: ChatGPT, ideogram

Product mock-ups: Pacdora y Kittl,

Hyperrealistic images:: Stable diffusion, Midjourney, Firefly y Nano banana

Choosing a colour palette: Coolors y Khroma

Upscaling images: Remini y Topaz Gigapixel AI

Visual graphics trends for 2026

With this brief overview of the advances we have tested, I look ahead to the new year and, without a doubt, my favourite trend for 2026 is liquid crystal. Apple initially implemented skeuomorphism in its mobile operating system (iOS), a visual system in which digital elements such as buttons and icons imitated their physical counterparts, using textures, shadows and details to make them look real. Over time, in order to optimise resources and bandwidth, it moved to flat design, led by Android (Google’s mobile operating system), a user interface marked by minimalism with simple, schematic icons. Now that mobile phones with high-performance processors are very popular and download speeds are fast, we are returning to a realistic style with Apple’s liquid glass (whose successful creator has joined Meta’s design team) and the resurgence of glassmorphism. Styles and fashions are not for everyone, and Apple had to backtrack and offer an iOS update with the option to switch from liquid glass to frosted glass, sacrificing visual spectacle for the sake of readability.

Other styles we have followed closely, but which we are unlikely to apply to more traditional clients who prefer a more timeless line, are: Digital Pastel (soft colours such as lavender and mint, mixed with blurred gradients that look like clouds or crystals), Retro-Medieval (ancient icons and Gothic letters mixed with metallic effects and futuristic neon lights) and Kinetic Typography (letters that stretch and deform as if they were liquid and occupy the entire composition).

But all this is in January 2026. With the relentless evolution of artificial intelligence and the brutal battle for our attention from social media, everything could change next week. What wonders does the future hold? We will continue to watch eagerly.

La entrada Graphic trends in communication 2026: new tools and AI bring out our inner artist se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

In recent years, and particularly intensely in 2025, we have talked a great deal about what communication brings to organisations. We have generated rivers of specialised content, we have asserted our role in forums, conferences and networks, and we have broadened the narrative about our strategic relevance. At the same time, the nomenclature has changed: we are no longer just communication directors; we are now responsible for corporate affairs.

The problem is not the change of name. The problem arises when it is not accompanied by a real change in the way of intervening in decisions. “How many words, how many nomenclatures for one same confusion”, as Cortázar said.

Trends, yes, but with demands

When discussing trends for 2026, the diagnosis is widely shared: greater fragmentation of audiences, conversational environments that are increasingly more scattered every day, increasing pressure on reputation, private spaces that are gaining ground to public spaces and an artificial intelligence that accelerates processes, lowers the cost of producing content and I am not very confident that it raises the bar for what is considered a differentiator.

All of this forms part of the context that communication professionals will be dealing with this year. But the real challenge is not so much identifying trends – we have been doing that for many years – as ensuring that they do not remain a rhetorical exercise, something we also know a lot about. Because the risk is clear: talking about change without changing anything.

I don’t know if we’re going round in circles a bit, but we keep repeating the idea (which is now so obvious) that communication cannot continue to be a reactive function. It cannot be limited to explaining decisions made in other areas or strategically glossing over what has already been decided. If we truly aspire to be a structural area, communication must be part of the core where priorities are defined, risks are assessed, and decisions that affect the business and its reputation are made.

Less noise, more meaning

Paradoxically, while we demand greater strategic relevance, the sector contributes to saturating the ecosystem. New blogs, podcasts, newsletters and opinion formats emerge almost daily. In part, this is logical: if no one is talking about you—or your brand—it seems as if you don’t exist, especially in an algorithm-mediated environment, now more than ever as AI tracks your GEO like a bloodhound.

But: are we providing clarity or simply more noise?

An abundance of content does not always translate into greater influence. Often, the opposite is true. In an oversaturated context, value lies not in saying more, but in saying what matters, when it matters, and from a position of judgement. This requires giving up certain comfortable platitudes in favour of more thoughtful positions that are more connected to the reality of organisations and less dependent on passing fads.

AI as a mirror, not as an excuse

The emergence (now normalised) of artificial intelligence is perhaps the most obvious challenge of 2026. Not so much because of what it automates – a lot, as we know – but because of what it reveals. AI writes, summarises, translates, proposes and multiplies production. What it does not do is answer the question for us: what is important?

Here, it is worth turning the usual discourse on its head. AI has not come to make us think less; it has come to make us think much more. This is according to Xavier Marcet, and it is worth remembering. We cannot lose the value of thinking. He adds another recommendation that is worth bearing in mind: “thinking is done alone; reasoning is done as a team“.

In communication, AI can accelerate the “what”; but the value will continue to lie in the “why” and the “what for”. And that requires thought.

Thinking is not a luxury nor an intellectual gesture. It is a professional responsibility. Especially in a context where technology is accelerating, the noise multiplies and the temptation to express an opinion without criterion is always a click away from.

If communication wants to occupy the place it claims to want to occupy, in 2026 it will have to demonstrate this less in storytelling and more in decision-making. Less in overexposure and more in influence. Less in fashion and more in craftsmanship. In short: take action.

It means thinking before speaking. And acting accordingly. Or, in other words: from saying to doing.

Happy 2026, the year of action.

La entrada From saying to doing: communication 2026, less speech and more impact se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

This is not a logbook of stock market investments. For that, there are increasingly well-paid financial advisors. Nor is it a market oracle, God save Warren Buffett! La Vuelta al Mundo merely aims to provide a snapshot of the diplomatic, economic, commercial, stock market and, of course, geostrategic issues that dominate the global scene. At a crucial moment, when the multilateral order that has governed us since the end of the Cold War—the era carved out by the hammer blows between the US and the former USSR, which created a fragile but resistant armour that balanced the telluric forces of a planet under nuclear threat and the clash between two economic concepts: the free market and state interventionism—is under threat.

Many unknowns have accumulated in the complex equation that should lead to a harmonious world, with open trade relations and free capital flows. Most of these questions arose in the first quarter of this millennium, just after the end of a period of tense calm, with arms reduction, nuclear non-proliferation treaties and a boom in investment and trade globalisation that many analysts called The Great Geostrategic Siesta. This term was coined from an ingenious numerical game: from 9/11 (1989), the date on which the Berlin Wall and the bloc of planned economies fell, and 11/0 (2001), when the Twin Towers in New York collapsed, elevating the fight against international terrorism to the top of geopolitical agendas around the world.

The only combined foreign attack on American soil came close to bringing about the Clash of Civilisations predicted by Samuel P. Huntington, a political scientist and professor of political science at Eaton College with a British passport, who saw a confrontation between Western Catholics and Eastern Muslims as inevitable. Similarly, during those years, Francis Fukuyama’s theory in his famous essay The End of History and the Last Man, that liberal democracy would proclaim victory over authoritarian regimes at the end of the Cold War, had moments when it seemed that the battle between the heavyweights of world ideology was going to tip in favour of Washington’s allies.

Pulse to the markets in a world in turmoil

Twenty-five years into the 21st century and three major crises later—the dot-com crash of 2000, the credit crunch of 2008 and the Great Pandemic of 2020—and no shortage of industrial restructuring and productive dynamics put in place to mitigate collateral damage and usher in more sustained and prosperous economic cycles, geostrategic swords remain raised. Now the standoff is between the US and China, with Russia waiting in the wings as a leading nuclear power, and a cohort of emerging markets gaining international muscle. At almost the same pace, other key players of the past, such as the European partners in the EU, Japan and the United Kingdom, have lost their influence abroad.

This geopolitical framework has not prevented old conflicts, such as that in the Middle East, from continuing to be a particularly volatile hornet’s nest, or others from emerging, such as the war in Ukraine on the very borders of the EU. Nor has it prevented investors in the stock market from being carried away by impulses more or less surrounded by realpolitik. Gone is the New Economy that, at the beginning of the century, incorporated technologies into the production patterns of companies and countries. It was the era of the Internet, and the private tech sector was emerging without rules or internal structures capable of assimilating such a huge commitment to the future. All this created a stormy climate from a credit perspective. Personal loans (mortgages) and corporate guarantees led to (…) the nationalisation by the US Treasury of one of its flagship investment banks, Lehman Brothers, and the suspension of the Moscow Stock Exchange in the face of the free fall of its securities!!!

On 15 September 2008, the world seemed to be turned upside down. The country that championed the free market, which Fukuyama had elevated to the pinnacle of capitalism, was intervening in its banking system, while the nation that had pioneered economic planning – Russia, heir to the Soviet model – was defending its stock market tooth and nail.

This geostrategic game is what Around the world seeks to explain in each weekly meeting with its followers. To explain these seismic aftershocks on a planet in constant flux, with trends and phenomena that are more or less paranormal. To try to propose a regular game for those interested in following the trail of geopolitical, economic, investment and business shifts that are shaping a new system of international relations that will surely replace a process of globalisation that has driven the flow of goods, services and capital with virtually no borders.

A geostrategic race for global hegemony

This is a crucial moment in history. Trump 2.0 aims to bury multilateralism, undermine and even fragment globalisation, promoting, if necessary, the creation of two trading blocs, two spheres of power dominated by the US and China that will reconfigure value and supply chains, economic and trade diplomacy, and private business. All this is taking place amid a geostrategic race for global hegemony unparalleled since the Second World War. Beijing is challenging the supremacy of the dollar and its technological leadership, with AI as proof of origin of this innovative El Dorado.

For all these reasons, at Agencia comma we believe that Around the world, its review of Risk, which each week proposes a move that may differ substantially from that of the previous seven days, can serve as a road map in this famous game of geostrategy for taking investment positions in the global casino in which we live. Although this road map would also fulfil its purpose if it served, at least, to shape ideas and modulate consciences at a time when an ever-dangerous economic and ideological nationalism has emerged which, contrary to the collective subconscious that has prevailed in this first quarter of a century, leaves little trace of the triumph of liberal democracy that has ruled in the so-called Western bloc.

The return to protectionism, to the customs duties re-established in the interwar period almost a century ago, with the revival of reciprocal tariffs and a series of export bans and controls between the two superpowers of the moment, calls for a periodic review of events and rigorous analysis. This is especially true if, in the meantime, we have witnessed a stock market boom that has weathered geopolitical conflicts, with rampant global economic anaemia and corporate uncertainties about business AI projects and the dawn of an era of oil overproduction, but with emerging electricity demand to supply massive data centre facilities, the engine room of the intelligent algorithm that awaits us.

These are turbulent times. In the markets, where volatility has taken hold; in geopolitics, with intense tensions and rivalries; and in the economy, where business cycles have become endless, with no glimpse of their hidden dangers. In the case of high-income countries, excessive and risky indebtedness and runaway fiscal deficits.

Rocky roads towards technological leadership

But these are also complex times. Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria have transformed their acronyms. Now, the talk is of Energy, Security and Geopolitics, company boards are beginning to demand directors and executives with experience in these areas, and doubts have been raised as to whether the two acronyms can coexist peacefully. Energy neutrality and climate change are facing rocky roads. And values are adapting to multiple transitions: logistical, commercial and, above all, competitive. Without a precise compass, but with high doses of active resilience. Similarly, AI leaves unresolved dilemmas. Will nuclear energy return to solve the energy demand deficits of its data centres? Will its assets enjoy an eternal era of splendour? Will its robotic algorithms replace more or less skilled workers?

In all these areas, Around the world will seek to find analyses and points of view that clarify this combination of factors that will determine whether the future of humanity is written in terms of progress or destruction. Each week, it will report on geopolitical, economic and investment perspectives. Of course, it will keep an eye on the European roadmap, which must emerge from its ostracism if it wants to compete on equal terms with the US and China on a planet that is spinning too fast. That’s the thing about translational motion.

La entrada Around the world, a weekly game of ‘Risk’ at the capital’s Gran Casino se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

This integration of AI design and communication agencies is not about replacing humans with machines, but rather empowering designers with a tireless and ultra-fast ally. At the agency, we have experienced this transformation first-hand, especially with the generation of visual content for our blog and 3D images for our report covers and social media carousels.

The challenge of the abstract: visual identity with AI

Every graphic designer sometimes faces the challenge of illustrating concepts that are inherently complex and abstract. Terms such as public relations, digital marketing, or specialised communication are not easy to capture in a single, memorable image.

With the redesign of comma’s image, the agency decided that the featured images on our blog should be a manifesto of our philosophy: modern, conceptual and organic, even using technology. We decided to use AI to generate images that symbolised the sound waves of communication through different materials and textures, assigning a material to each of our main content categories:

• Content creation: watercolour, due to the artistic and improvised nature of the creative process.
• Communication training: porcelain, symbolising the process of transforming clay (raw knowledge) into finished beauty (polished skills) through a process of modelling and firing.
• Digital marketing: glitter, due to the urgent need to attract attention and the fleeting but necessary sparkle of online campaigns.
• Media relations: paper, honouring its traditional origins in the written press
• Public relations: marble, which evokes the seriousness, solidity and institutionality with which long-term relationships of trust are built.
• The agency: fungi, for their symbolism of being a living entity, interconnected beneath the surface (the mycelium), representing the organic and collaborative spirit of our agency.
• Specialised communication: The pearl texture inside an oyster, being a unique, highly valuable element, requires a cultivation process and specialisation to be found.

By associating each theme with a texture, we have created a unique visual language that has only been possible thanks to the versatility and synthesis capabilities of AI design. It is the perfect example of AI at the service of human creativity.

AI SEO: the intelligence of structure

The symbiosis between AI design and communication agencies goes beyond the visual; it impacts the visibility of our message. Artificial intelligence has become an essential ally for the SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) of our texts.

For a communications agency seeking to position itself, the structure of a post is as important as its content. AI helps us optimise this structure in a surgical manner:

• Inclusion of the target keyword phrase: AI helps us to insert our target keyword phrase (AI design and communications agency) naturally into the text, headings (subheadings) and body of the article, maintaining readability without overdoing it.
• Hierarchical structure: ensures that we use headings (H1, H2, H3) in a logical and hierarchical manner, making it easier for both users and Google crawlers to read.
• Optimised meta description: AI is capable of condensing the essence of the post into a concise and attractive meta description, complying with character limits and using SEO criteria to encourage clicks from search results.

Essentially, AI is our structural architect for SEO. It frees us from the mechanical and repetitive part of optimisation, allowing us to concentrate on what we do best: creating valuable content.

The decline of traditional tools?

The pace of advancement in AI tools is so fast that the reflections in this post, and the capabilities we celebrate today, will become obsolete in the near future. We need only look at examples such as the capabilities of Google Nano Banana (or similar AI plugins in browsers) or the new features of ChatGPT to perform tasks that until very recently were exclusive to advanced design software such as Photoshop o Illustrator.

The question is inevitable: Is this the end of traditional design tools?

The most accurate answer is: no, it is its evolution. AI does not replace Photoshop or Figma, but rather integrates into them as a layer of superpower. Designers no longer spend hours cutting pixels, manually vectorising or creating the plan, profile and elevation of an object; they delegate these tasks to AI and devote their time to conceptualisation, art direction and strategy. The traditional tool becomes the ecosystem where the designer, assisted by AI, executes their vision. AI accelerates production, allowing creativity to scale to new levels of ambition.

IA illustration: visual fatigue and the return of the line

The ability of AI to generate amazing results from a simple prompt or text instruction is undeniable. We have witnessed the explosion on social media of ART TOY-style portraits (of collectible figures), GIBLI-style portraits (with their traditional Japanese animation feel), or studio-lit photography-style portraits, all generated in seconds from a selfie.

This ease and democratisation of image generation raises a crucial question for the discipline of design in a communications agency: Isn’t it all the same?

AI, by its very nature, is trained using vast data sets (existing images). The result, while technically flawless, often shares a basic aesthetic, a flavour that, when overused, quickly leads to visual fatigue.

• The paradox of perfection: projects such as Adobe’s TurnTable, which can generate a 3D image of any object from a front-facing photo or drawing, demonstrate AI’s incredible ability to standardise production. However, when we see twenty examples of the same thing across social media, the initial impact fades. Technical perfection can become tedious.
• The impact of hand-made: I recently visited Javier de Juan’s exhibition of urban posters from the 1990s at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid. After months of visual overstimulation with AI-generated images, I was struck by the raw, real beauty of the hand-drawn illustrations. The irregular lines, the palpable texture, the imperfection of when the spacing between letters in titles was measured with a ruler… It all screamed uniqueness.

AI has taught us to value human imperfection. AI design is, inevitably, just another style, an aesthetic filter. A style that, if not handled judiciously and with strong art direction, leads to homogeneity.

The future: imitation vs. authenticity

The big question is: Will the manual style make a comeback? Or how long will it take AI to learn to imitate it?

The answer lies somewhere in between. Manual style, authenticity and handmade items will return as a safe haven, as a statement of exclusivity and rejection of standardisation. However, AI should not be underestimated. Developers are already training models to introduce controlled imperfection and simulate the complexity of manual strokes, uneven brush strokes or ink bleeding.

The key for designers in communications agencies is not to fight against AI, but to use it to transcend it. Use AI design to produce quick ideas, mock-ups and options, and then apply human intelligence, aesthetic judgement and art direction to inject that uniqueness that machines still cannot generate in a coherent and emotional way.

The marriage between AI design and communication agencies is not the end of the designer, but rather a tool that forces them to be more strategic, more artistic and, paradoxically, more human.

La entrada AI design se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

Gone are the days when the industry limited itself, at Mobile, to discussing infrastructure and telephone networks -although 5G and 6G continue to hover over the stands of the major telecoms-. And that accompanied this conversation with the presentation of smartphones and other devices whose improvements justified, edition after edition, the replacement of previous models with a new version -at a much higher price-.

MWC 2025 has made it more than clear that the bet goes far beyond devices, because AI has redefined the frontiers of knowledge and innovation. AI has redefined the frontiers of knowledge and innovation.. From language models optimized for education, discussions on quantum computing applied to banking, to autonomous assistants that operate without connection to the cloud, the message is clear: artificial intelligence models are no longer an add-on, but the infrastructure on which the digital future will be built.

The era of technological content creators

The other trend that has been consolidated in the MWC edition, held from March 3 to 6 in Barcelona, has undoubtedly been the massive proliferation of content creators. massive proliferation of content creatorswho have displaced the traditional media as the main storytellers of the event. Throughout the pavilions, youtubers, tiktokers and streamers competed for the best frame, broadcasting live every technological novelty and generating instant analysis on their social networks.

According to José Manuel Resuaa consultant specializing in digital communication at comma, this phenomenon responds to a change in information consumption habits: “The audience no longer wants to just read about innovations, but to see how they are used in real time. They want to observe firsthand how a creator experiments with artificial intelligence, tests a device or interacts with technology.” Meanwhile, traditional journalists are relegated to the background, surpassed in immediacy and connection with the audience.

The data accompanies the heyday of this new era of the influencer as informant. In 2024, the streaming world underwent an unprecedented transformation, driven by the entrenchment of YouTube, Twitch and Kick, and by an audience increasingly interested in the practical use of artificial intelligence (AI). With 2.9 billion active users, YouTube maintained its dominance of the digital ecosystem, where more than 500 hours of content are uploaded every minute, reflecting the rise of creators. Twitch, with 105 million monthly views, leads in live streaming, although Kick has emerged strongly, registering 142% year-on-year growth and reaching 258,000 concurrent viewers.

From the specialized journalist to the influencer: the responsibility of brands

Technology has ceased to be the exclusive domain of specialized journalists and has passed into the hands of influencers. The hyper-specialization of the latter has strengthened their authority in very specific niches. Users trust a creator who dominates a specific sector – be it AI, mobile devices or wearables –more than generalist coverage. With this transformation, MWC 2025 has become a live digital show, where the conversation is dominated by the creators themselves.

All of the above shows that the innovation narrative is no longer built on traditional media, but on content designed to go viral, a phenomenon to which brands have contributed with million-dollar investments in influencer marketing. The global market for influencer marketing influencer marketing will be worth approximately $24 billion by 2024, representing an increase of 13%.which represents an increase of 13.7% over the previous year.

Brands also contribute to the saturation of social media with their own content, debates, products and programs, which forces them to develop content strategies in their own channels that must be highly segmented, dynamic and aligned with current trends.

The key voices of MWC 2025

Another of the event’s sources of content is the number of international figures from leading companies in the innovation and technology sectors who attend the MWC. This edition has brought together, both in its official program and at the stands of the major brands, some of the most influential minds in the technological and economic sphere, whose interventions have outlined the horizon of advanced AI.

To name just a few:

Steve Wozniakco-founder of Apple, opened the debate on the convergence between quantum computing and artificial intelligence, exploring its revolutionary potential in data processing, with applications in cryptography and complex simulations.

Arthur MenschCEO of Mistral AI, focused his speech on education, highlighting how language models allow unprecedented personalization in learning, adapting content to the pace and needs of each student.

Peggy JohnsonCEO of Agility Robotics, a pioneer in the development of bipedal robots designed to work in human environments.

Leah SeligmannCEO of The B Team, an organization that promotes responsible and sustainable business practices.

Jessica Sibley, CEO of Timemagazine, shared her vision on the evolution of media in the digital era.

Talent Arena: the future of the new technology professions

Another major highlight of MWC25 was the debut of the Talent Arena, a space designed to connect new generations with the professions of the future. In a world where artificial intelligence redefines the skills needed in the labor market, it has become clear that it is no longer enough to know how to program or analyze data.

The rise of AI ethics, language model interaction design and applied neurotechnology has opened up new specializations that we are just beginning to explore. The message is clear: automation will not eliminate human talent, but will reshape it, giving rise to new disciplines and opportunities.

MWC25 reflects a world in transformation

MWC25 has not only consolidated its evolution beyond telephony, but has also made clear a paradigm shift in technological communication. Innovation is no longer told in long reports or analyzed exclusively in specialized media; now it is debated, recorded and broadcast in real time, with thousands of spectators interacting instantly.

Artificial intelligence is no longer an abstract promise, but a tangible force that is redesigning education, the economy and our relationship with information. And the most fascinating thing is that its future is no longer defined only in laboratories or in the offices of large corporations, but in every live broadcast, in every content creator who explains innovation in his or her own language.

The future is not only designed: it is shared, commented and viralized.

La entrada Content creators take control of the most futuristic MWC25, with AI pervasive se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

From the absolute dominance of the reel on Instagram, we are moving, once again, to the adoption of the traditional post (if we want to have a good reach). From a LinkedIn focused on professional achievements, we are moving to a social media, almost of a new nature, in which content and stories take precedence. There are also drastic changes in other platforms such as Twitch, the favorite (or not so much anymore) of streamers, or X, the renowned “new cradle of misinformation”.

Before analyzing these changes in depth, let’s take a look at the trends we will see reigning this 2025 in the complex and diverse social media ecosystem.

Key social media trends for 2025

Beyond the possible evolutions that each platform will undergo individually, this year we will see general changes that are shaping a new way of communicating on social media.

AI takes control of content

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the world of content, from better recommendation algorithms (“it looks like Instagram is spying on me!”) to automatically generated content. The future of this trend is so strong that the social media X, owned by tycoon Elon Musk, incorporates Grok as standard, its AI capable of generating content that is triumphing among the platform’s users.

Micro-influencers will have (even) more prominence

Microinfluencers and hypersegmentation go practically hand in hand: one is a consequence of the other, and vice versa. Is there a better way to approach specific and segmented communities than through opinion leaders or influencers admired by those communities? The answer is obvious: no. Brands prefer collaborations with smaller, but highly engaged communities.

The rise of user generated content (UGC)

Users and employees have become the best brand ambassadors, and brands find themselves with an almost priceless opportunity (but also with an unimaginable risk). Unboxings, hauls, tutorials… Users and content creators are incredibly imaginative when it comes to inventing new formats never seen before and with great appeal for their communities.

Audio formats resurge (amidst so much video)

Although their boom seemed to be a thing of the past, voice-over content is finding its place on platforms such as YouTube and LinkedIn. These formats are perfect to enhance personal branding, but also to reach specific audiences with storytelling and key messages.

Analysis and what to expect from social media in 2025

In view of these trends, the conclusions reached by Metricool in its Social Media Study 2025 will become clearer. This report, already considered a reference for those of us dedicated to digital communication, is a detailed x-ray of an ecosystem in constant transformation.

TikTok and YouTube: the dynamic duo of outreach

It is no coincidence that TikTok and YouTube continue to dominate the scene. TikTok, with 71% more viewing time, and YouTube, with 2.7 billion monthly active users, are the platforms where brands can achieve greater visibility without relying exclusively on paid advertising.

comma recommendation: take advantage of the short video format. TikTok and YouTube Shorts are still booming and offer a perfect space to connect with your audience in seconds.

Instagram: when posts shine again

Instagram has rewritten its own history. While the almighty reels have lost 20% of reach, the previously useless posts have grown by 21%. Carousels of up to 20 images have become the star tool for generating interaction and retention.

comma’s recommendation: don’t focus all your efforts on creating reels. Well-designed carousels can become an engagement engine, helping to keep the attention of your community.

LinkedIn: the new engagement giant

It used to be the social media for finding jobs and CVs. Today, LinkedIn is a space for valuable content. In 2024, its interactions increased by 99%, making it a fertile ground for personal and professional branding.

comma’s recommendation: bet on valuable content. Storytelling, sector-specific insights and formats such as newsletters are the most popular on the social media.

Facebook: still the king of web traffic

Despite a 41% drop in reach, Facebook remains the best platform for generating traffic. With 413 clicks per post on average, it remains key for brands with conversion-based strategies.

comma recommendation: if your goal is to drive traffic to your website, Facebook remains a key player. Combine posts with links and take advantage of the synergy with Instagram.

X (Twitter) and Twitch: uncertain times

X has had a turbulent year (and will likely continue to have a turbulent year). Despite a 50% increase in impressions, its engagement is down 30%. Meanwhile, Twitch is facing a deep crisis, with an 88% drop in subscriptions and its content creators migrating to other platforms.

comma recommendation: if your audience is on X or Twitch, diversify. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket and explore alternatives such as Threads, YouTube or TikTok.

The ideal funnel for social media

Metricool’s study suggests a strategic approach based on data, very useful to take into account in content planning and strategy creation.

• Top of the Funnel (increase visibility): TikTok and YouTube are ideal for reaching new audiences.
• Middle of the Funnel (getting interaction): LinkedIn and YouTube generate higher engagement.
• Bottom of the Funnel (getting to conversion): Facebook and LinkedIn stand out in traffic and lead generation.

Recap

2025 presents us with an ever-changing social media landscape, where AI, micro-influencers and user-generated content will take center stage. While TikTok and YouTube dominate reach, Instagram posts are regaining their value, LinkedIn is consolidating its position as engagement leader and Facebook remains key for web traffic. X and Twitch, meanwhile, are in the doldrums, making it necessary to diversify strategies.

To succeed in this new digital ecosystem, it is crucial to adapt strategies to each platform, leveraging the power of each social media: TikTok and YouTube for visibility, LinkedIn and YouTube for interaction, and Facebook and LinkedIn for conversion. The key will be flexibility, innovation and the ability to connect with the audience through valuable content.

La entrada Social media in 2025: a digital ecosystem with new rules se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

The year 2024 looks set to be an exciting chapter in the history of social media, as digital evolution continues to transform the way we connect and share information; As we enter the new year, we think it would be interesting to anticipate (as far as possible) the emerging trends that will set the pulse of the most prominent platforms. These predictions are based on various sources and analyses of the current dynamics of the digital space;

General trends for networks: AI will continue to grow

1. Interactive content and immersive experiences; Leading platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn are set to adopt more interactive approaches; It is expected that the immersive experiences, involving virtual and augmented reality, are further integrated into the content. This trend aims to take user engagement to new levels, creating experiences that transcend the screen and become even more immersive;

2. UGC or user-generated content will continue to improve in quality. The user-generated content or UGC has undoubtedly been one of the ‘top’ formats of these last two/three years. Much more ‘natural’ and spontaneous than the ad hoc advertising content we are all familiar with; And it will remain the lifeblood of social media, but this year, it is expected to be a step up in quality, a ‘step up’; Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram will implement more advanced editing and production tools, giving users the ability to create more professional and engaging content;

3. Boosting the importance of mental health in social media; Yes, as you read; And it’s about time; With growing awareness of the importance of mental health, social networks are taking steps to create more positive environments; Even more features and tools that promote digital wellbeing, such as reminders for breaks and limits on the visibility of certain types of content, are expected to be introduced in 2024; Something more than interesting and necessary;

4. Integration of shopping and social networks; This relationship between shopping and networks has been commonplace in recent years, but platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are now expected to continue to improve the direct shopping functions from posts, videos and stories, transforming the digital space into an interactive showcase where products can be discovered and purchased even more easily and quickly;

5. Artificial intelligence as a form of personalisation (among other things); AI will play a super-relevant role in personalising social media experiences; More advanced algorithms are expected to learn and adapt content according to users’ individual interests, improving retention and overall satisfaction;

6. Authenticity is rewarded; According to Metricool, in a year in which artificial intelligence has been one of the protagonists, the user is rewarding – more than ever – authentic and close content on social networks; According to the platform, user engagement and interaction is higher on smaller accounts; In other words, connection and closeness between brand and user;

And that is why the trend of this connection is going to expand through the different options offered by the networks; This is the case of Instagram’s private broadcasting channels, Whatsapp, interaction stickers, etc.

Social media trends 2024

Facebook

At least for me, I have the feeling that Facebook is starting to be one of the great forgotten social networks; However, it is still the one with the most users in the world; It certainly won’t be the place where you’ll find millennials, let alone Generation Z;

Like all other social networks,over the past few years, Facebook has been prioritising video content, and this trend will likely persist in 2024. The platform is expected to further enhance its video capabilities and encourage the creation and viewing of audiovisual content;

Based on data analysed by the Metricool in its Social Media Study 2023, brands are spending less and less effort on Facebook, a social network where content from other networks is “leveraged”.

X (Twitter)

The loss of credibility in X over the last year is more than evident; The new policy allowed any user to obtain verification by paying a monthly fee, without a rigorous identity verification process; This change led to a wave of fraudulent verified accounts and spam, which led to the platform losing credibility; In addition, verification was removed from many legitimate accounts, leading to confusion and dissatisfaction among established users;

What is being done to try to ‘restore’ that credibility? As we have seen in recent months, X is introducing tools that make it easier to contextualise conversations; This could include features that allow users to add context to their tweets, providing additional information to avoid misunderstandings and encourage more informed discussions;

The resulting situation has been a critical point in the perception and functionality of X, calling into question the effectiveness and sustainability of the company’s strategic decisions under the new management. The loss of trust from users and advertisers, coupled with technical and financial issues, suggest a difficult road ahead this year.

Will X, Twitter, reinvent itself and thrive, or will it fade into social media history? According to Metricool and its study this year, X remains an effective platform for engagement, even despite declining impressions, algorithm changes or account size;

LinkedIn

LinkedIn will continue its evolution towards a more visual and collaborative platform; A increase in the use of professional video content and live broadcasts is anticipated. This trend aims to achieve that kind of ‘more authentic connections’ between professionals, as well as creating a more dynamic and participatory environment;

We can also expect thatLinkedIn Learning is consolidated as an essential resource for professional development; With a focus on continuing education, companies are likely to use the platform for staff training;

Likewise, and as many of you already know, LinkedIn is a rather opaque network in terms of providing data, among other things; So we will gradually see what changes they implement in 2024;

Instagram

As mentioned at the beginning, Instagram will continue its transformation into an e-commerce platform; The ‘shoppable’ feature will expand, allowing users to shop directly from posts and stories both directly from brands and from brands through influencers. Brands will strive to create more immersive shopping experiences, using augmented reality and interactive video;

Of course, as we all already know, preference for video content has been on the rise on Instagram, and this trend is expected to continue in 2024. Reels, short, entertaining videos will likely play a central role in Instagram’s strategy to keep users engaged; Further diversification of video content is anticipated, from tutorials to more immersive experiences;

TikTok

Oh, TikTok, that social network that until a couple of years ago was ‘teenage stuff’; How wrong we were…

For 2024 we expect even more diversification of content, as TikTok is already a search engine in itself. It will continue to be a leader in short, entertaining content, users will seek more enriching experiences, including educational videos, tutorials and wellness content to balance entertainment with utility;

In addition, it is more than likely that TikTok will continue to improve its creative tools to allow users to create more sophisticated content. We will see a greater focus on advanced video editing, special effects and interactive features that allow users to take their creations to new levels; All in all, I am sure that this year TikTok will gain in quality;

Threads (Instagram)

Threads, Instagram’s messaging app that just arrived in Europe a few weeks ago, is expected to experience continued growth; Privacy will be key, with enhanced private messaging features and greater control over content visibility, cementing its position as an intimate space for communication between close friends;

Mark Zuckerberg’s company aims to add more than 40 million additional users to the platform by 2024; Will it succeed?

Finally, although we don’t have the ‘crystal ball’, the reality is that 2024 promises an exciting evolution in social media; From LinkedIn, where professionalism is mixed with authenticity, to Instagram, which is becoming an interactive showcase, to TikTok, which will continue to gain followers and improve the quality of its content, or Threads, which aims to be that platform for intimate communication (and even replace X), the trends reflect an ever-changing landscape; Those who understand and take advantage of these trends will be better positioned to build meaningful connections in this fascinating and ever-changing digital world;

Sources: Metricool Report 2023 and Trends 2024, wwwhatsnew.com, Digital Trends Reports from specialist consultancies such as Hootsuite and We Are Social, as well as analysis of changes in platform functions by digital marketing experts.

La entrada Social Media Trends 2024: what’s in store for us this year? se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

comma’s communication trends report listens to and analyses social media posts and media hits on industry topics; Analysing society’s understanding of communication is essential to address the challenges facing the sector in a contextualised way;

Metrics

In this second four-month period of 2023, around 17.183 news items on communication in a total of 4,146 media outlets in Spain; The activity generated in the digital ecosystems (social networks, forums and blogs) is 30.532 posts, which had a reach of more than 129 million potential impressions;

Analysis of digital communities: a segmented study of narratives

This new edition focuses on thecommunity analysis. This way of structuring the conversation in terms of the relationships between the individuals who participate in it has allowed us to segment the different audiences and then delve deeper into the narrative trends that each one of them yields;

The report ends with a series of recommendations aimed at suggesting improvements in the positioning of opinion leaders as well as actions to reinforce the reputation of the sector.

Main findings

In addition to the fragmentation of content and the struggle for attention with superficial content discussed above, the report reveals an absence of verifiable data, reliable information or references to enrich the conversation as a result of a growing obsession with going ‘viral’; dramatically narrowing arguments to the anodyne;

With regard to the analysis of digital communities, the report reveals that those communities that have generated the most conversation in the period analysed are those of a political nature; On the other hand, it is the media and magazine communities that have the most relevant profiles in the conversation (47%);

In the analysis, the digital conversation is organised around two large blocks: one focused on political issues, which have a more generalist approach; and another block with more specialised profiles that mainly discuss current sectoral issues;

Within the type of conversations, there are recurrent and cross-cutting themes in the policy dialogue, such as:

• Increased distrust of the media due to its relationship with public and private advertising.
• Strategy versus authenticity; The actions and publications of certain public figures and political parties are seen as false authenticity, pure marketing strategy;

In the sectoral communities, the most relevant cross-cutting themes are:

• Responsibility and social change, with sustainability and equality as highlights. Consistency between what is done and what is said is considered paramount;
• Technology, AI and the future of the profession.

Recommendations for the sector;

From a communication perspective, the narrative trends present in the content sample highlight the importance of transparency, consistency and authenticity in organisational communication.

Corporate communication should avoid conveying this perception of manipulation and ensure that messages are consistent with the organisation’s actions.

In addition, building public trust requires reinforce transparent communication, which accurately represents the company’s values and objectives.

In an environment where political agendas and economic interests influence communication, companies must strive to maintain its independence and demonstrate a strong commitment to ethics and social and environmental responsibility.

La entrada Trends in communication: viral superficiality or expert but isolated content? se publicó primero en Agencia comma.