The finalists in this year’s Social Media Awards have been announced ahead of the event on July 25 in the Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin.

There are 56 finalists, competing in six categories. Data from the organisers show that the social media landscape is changing rapidly, with Twitter and Facebook less popular than before and Instagram on the rise. 

According to Sockies organiser Damien Mulley, Twitter has gone from being highly popular with brands five years ago to the point that most brands no longer focus on it. Snapchat is an afterthought for brands even though 1.6 million under-35s use it in Ireland, largely due to a lack of tools for businesses,Mulleay added.

Facebook remains strong, says Mulley, but its demographic is now concentrated among the over-35s, with more senior citizens than teens using it. 

The new brands favourite is Instagram, whose “creative space” appeals to young users and advertisers alike.

In Association with

Mulley also flagged recent successes by NGOs and the voluntary sector with social media. He instanced the Repeal the Eighth campaign’s success in raising €250,000 in 12 hours by appealing direct to the public on social media, and said more such organisations are getting into the space.

A notable feature of the past year, according to Mulley, has been a move by big brands to take social media management back in-house, either going solo or having their in-house team collaborate with agencies. 

“Past Grand Prix winners including Bank of Ireland, Supervalu and Dublin Zoo, and multiple winners like Lidl, all have in-house teams. The number of brands with in-house teams this year is greatly up on this year. We have also noted the amount of boutique agencies has increased over time.”

The list of nominees is available here.

Photo: Damien Mulley (right) with Michele Neylon of Blacknight Solutions (left) and broadcaster Rick O’Shea