Boring? Think Again: Social Media Content That Stole the Show in 2024

One of my favorite things about this time of year is all the year-end lists. Naturally, I wanted to make a list of my own that highlighted the accounts and content that I loved this year. The problem is I didn’t want to make just a regular list of favorites. I needed a twist. That’s when three simple words struck me: Don’t be boring.

Every strategy I’ve ever written has come down to that one sentence. I say it in every meeting, and it’s the one rule I give anyone who works with me. The problem is that the idea of something being “boring” is extremely subjective. It’s like when people tell you “The secret to engagement is making good content.” This is useless advice because it doesn’t mean anything!

What’s boring to me may not be boring to you, and vice versa. But, that subjectivity is what’s so amazing about content; anything can be engaging if you find your audience and give them what they want. Although this list isn’t focused on higher ed, inspiration can come from anywhere—even the most unexpected places.

So, I present to you the inaugural My Favorite Content of 2024 that Some People Might Consider Boring, but I Love List™️. It’s a working title, but it will be good—I hope. Though, some of you might still find it boring…

Ready? Let’s start!

Category 1: Yapping on Camera

Picture this: a single person on your screen is staring down the barrel of the camera, and they are talking about things that you may or may not know anything about for anywhere between five and 180 minutes. 

• Dami Lee – At this point, I’ve included Dami’s YouTube channel as an example of content I love in my last three digital content strategies. Her combination of knowledge and passion are perfect conduits for teaching about architectural marvels like the walled city of Kowloon or explaining the hidden secrets of the Dune movies. I could watch her content all day and not be bored. 
• NakeyJakey – A goofy guy sitting on an exercise ball in front of a green screen talking about random stuff for up to 60 minutes. If that’s what you take away, that’s fair, but there’s more below the surface. For instance, take his video titled NPCs in Video Games. What starts as a funny takedown of non-playable characters in video games, quickly morphs into a video about AI’s ability to improve and destroy creativity.   
• Derrick Gee – A guy with a passion for music and sound, creating content based on those interests. Something about the visual aesthetic and the sound quality of his videos pulls me in and keeps me from scrolling. One of my favorite posts he does is when he takes a viral sound/video and breaks down the history of its international origin. 
• Kai Cenat Mafiathon 2 Stream – On a base level, it’s a guy streaming himself on Twitch for 24 hours a day for 30 straight days. Kai Cenat is the biggest streamer in the world, and this event has been the biggest streaming event ever. The best part about it, he doesn’t do it alone. He seamlessly mixed celebrities with macro-, micro- and nano-influencers allowing all of them to shine and be embraced on his platform. Long live long-form content!

Category 2: Very Specific Content

We live in a world of niche interests, and social media has helped put such a bright spotlight on them that even niches have niches. I love it all, but I can understand why they might not be for everyone. If you can find a content niche and an audience that’s engaged, the world is yours!

• Jonice111 – A first-person point of view of someone buying lunch from a Korean convenience store. That’s it. The disembodied hand grabs an ice cup, a drink, some noodles, some cheese and a sweet treat. Then, we sit down and watch the hands make their meal. With a hint of ASMR and an inside look at an unfamiliar environment, I’m locked in every time it comes across my FYP. 
• HoofGP – HoofGP is my happy place, and I’m just as confused about it as everyone else. The channel stars an Irish guy named Nate, who cleans cow hooves for a living. During each cleaning, he talks about potential issues he’s seeing and how he’s going about fixing them. Overall, it’s a soothing affair, but there’s always the possibility of something gross happening. Amazing content!
• Zachthebold – Full disclosure: I’ve never played a game of Dungeons and Dragons, but every time Zach’s videos hit my feed, I wish I did. I love nothing more than content that makes me feel like I’m experiencing what I’m watching, and this account always achieves that.
• freda_ayy – A ball gets kicked in the air, Freda touches and returns it, and then said touch and return is given a rating. It sounds so simple, but it’s the best content! Sometimes you just have to show yourself doing the thing and let an audience find you.

@zachthebold A story in parts #dnd #dndtok #ttrpg #comedy ♬ original sound – ZachTheBold

Category 3: Uh…What?

Yea. I don’t know what to tell you about this category. The heart wants what the heart wants, I guess, and my heart wants vibes. It doesn’t matter if the vibes are 10 seconds or 10 hours.

• OBSIDIAN SOUNDFIELDS – A mysterious structure shrouded in fog and neon with ominous, atmospheric music serving as backdrop. After five minutes, you realize this is all it’s going to be for the next hour. I love it!
• vicestrella.psd – I recently learned this art style is called “lofi low-poly,” but it reminds me of being a kid and playing my PlayStation One. Not a lot happens in these videos, and they last for less than ten seconds. One video is just pizza spinning in a microwave, but I could watch that digital pizza spin for hours.
• station.09 (Aesthetic Anime Food 🍜✨) – The name kind of says it all. I love food accounts (I know it’s not real food); I love anime; and I love aesthetic content. So, this account is perfect for what I want to get out of a digital experience! 
• the_clone_man2224 – And this one? I don’t know, I just really enjoy it even though it’s pretty much the same post every day since January 1, 2024. 

Happy New Year!

 

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