Social media is in a constant state of change. Social channels are continuously updating their features to make them more appealing to users and grow their audiences. Because of this, there is always an opportunity for marketers to find new and creative ways to reach their target audience. By staying up-to-date with the latest trends that are expected to dominate social media this year, you will be setting your marketing strategy up for success.
As most of us are aware, social media usage has seen a significant increase in recent years. In 2021 it was estimated that there were 4.26 billion users world wide and that number is projected to increase to nearly 6 billion over the next 5 years. That equates to roughly 58.7% of the world’s population being active on social media. It is without question that the pandemic that began in 2020 is partially responsible for the large number of social media users. It’s true, according to the statistics, that individuals are spending more time on their preferred social networks than ever before.
More users let’s you target a larger market share which is great! But with increased competition, it can be difficult to stand out from the other businesses on social media. Content saturation and user engagement fatigue are two major problems that can occur if you don’t focus your marketing efforts properly. Let’s take a look at where you should be focusing your efforts for the best results.
Live Streaming
Twitch was one of the first platforms to show the potential of live streaming, and Youtube Live followed soon after. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been seeing a recent surge in live streaming on social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook. In fact, 1 out of every 5 videos on Facebook is now a live broadcast. Have you ever wondered what the appeal is?
Utilizing live streaming is a great way to bolster your marketing strategy. You can conduct a webinar and immediately connect with potential customers. You can also host tutorials as well as Q&A sessions. That’s why video streaming development is one of the most popular fields among developers right now.
Reels and Short Form Video Content
Video content is continuing to gain popularity, with Youtube leading the pack. 92% of marketers view it as a vital part of their marketing strategy, so this momentum is only going to continue. To keep up with the digital media consumption trends, major social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are all improving their video capabilities.
A recent trend that has gained traction is the rise of short-form videos, such as those seen on TikTok. This content is popular among Gen Z, but other age groups are beginning to follow suit. The appeal of these videos lies in their accessibility – they’re easy to make and don’t require a lot of expensive equipment. As a result, we see a lot of great user-generated content being created.
Instagram has introduced short form videos, in the form of Instagram Reels. Even though their core demographic differs, IG Reels has seen a major boost in popularity. This content trend will only grow as attention span decreases from generation to generation. Influencers, for example, create IG reels to promote products. Click below to see some of the reels we’ve produced for our clients.
Why You Should Use Micro Influencers
On the subject of influencer marketing, this year it has become even more important. As more people shop from home, your brand promotion approach will be based on collaborating with influencers and their followers to promote your business. Although influencer marketing is a successful social marketing technique, it can be expensive.
With social media now in the limelight, prices have increased for well-known influencers. However, this doesn’t mean that smaller businesses are completely left out of the market share. Instead of promoting your brand with big names, try reaching out to smaller influencers within your niche–you may be surprised at how much they can help!
Macro influencers have a hard time engaging with their followers, while micro influencers have smaller audiences but a higher engagement rate. They are also less expensive to work with. Working with numerous smaller influencers that are more relevant to your particular market may result in a better ROI for your company.
The Rise of Social Commerce
Find out where your consumers are and get there before they do. That’s what Facebook and Instagram wanted to happen anyhow. They were the first sites to provide social commerce options. With the shift to online shopping and a new generation of active users entering the market, they made an excellent decision. As a result, if they aren’t already, you may expect that Facebook Shop and Instagram Storefront will become two of the most utilized features on their platforms.
Because modern buyers are very informed and research brands carefully before making a purchase, this approach to commerce has excellent potential. Customers value convenience, so offering it will make them more likely to buy from you. Did you know that over half of people use social media to research products before making a purchase? This means that it’s important for your brand to have a strong presence online, including customer interaction and reviews. Having all this information available in one place will help potential customers make a quick and informed decision.
Another thing to keep in mind is that as other social media sites begin experimenting with similar features and methods for bringing new business opportunities, this trend will only continue to expand. This will put businesses and audiences on the same page when it comes to company goals and audience expectations.
Using Social Media Platforms for Customer Service
Over time, social media networks have become much more sophisticated than their earlier versions that only allowed people to connect and share content. With businesses adopting them for use, another piece of the puzzle fits into place. Just as commerce plays a role in these platforms, it makes sense that customer service would be the next logical step.
It’s critical to have a direct line of communication with your consumers in order to address any problems immediately. What better way to contact with them than by using an already accessible function that allows you and your consumers to communicate back and forth rather quickly? Also, it’s great PR for businesses when they respond openly to their customers and assist them.
Customer support is an area where Twitter, for example, doesn’t provide a particular function. Customers can get the company’s attention by tagging it or posting on an official tweet. Facebook, however, offers specialized tools like a single inbox, automated replies, and chatbots to assist businesses.
Make Your Social Ads Personal
Many businesses rely on paid social media advertising to supplement their marketing efforts, and this is only expected to increase in the coming years. With video and graphic content becoming increasingly popular on social media platforms, it’s no surprise that Instagram will see the majority of ad spending. Additionally, the platform has seen a boost in its audience size in recent years, making it an even more attractive option for marketers.
Advertisements will also be sent to users on these sites, resulting in an increase in ad traffic and content promotion. According to Hootsuite, marketers consider these channels the most efficient in achieving their business objectives. And they’re quite beneficial for a variety of commercial goals.
If you want your ads to be seen and produce conversions, get creative with the content. Use social proofing and user-generated content to make yourself noticed. Creating ephemeral content can also work in your favor by playing into the fear of missing out marketing concept.
Listen to Your Audience
You need to be up on the latest social trends. Follow the discussion and become a part of what your audience is talking about. Although it may be tempting to try and talk with multiple people at the same time, it’s usually less effective than talking with one person at a time.
There are several methods to apply social listening. When someone talks about your company, you want to be there for them, particularly if they have a problem or a question. Quick and useful answers are more beneficial to your brand image than any advertising campaign.But staying ahead of the curve isn’t just about being reactive to developing topic trends, it’s also about seeing how people will react to them.
Another excellent method to include social listening in your marketing plan is competitive analysis. Keep an eye on the competition in your market to see how they are engaging with their customers. Find out what they’re doing right and how you can improve your social approach. And learn which social media platforms they frequent, so you may explore new possibilities and audiences for your own brand.
Small Social Groups
The rapid growth of social media users, on the other hand, isn’t all that wonderful for everyone. For some individuals, the noise is becoming a problem and they are turning to alternative methods of communication.In smaller communities, people tend to be more like-minded and content can be shared more freely. In this case, the micro-communities are characterized by low numbers of people but high participation rates.
Both Facebook and LinkedIn have reaped the benefits of this newfound social interaction by experiencing a rise in the number of groups. This perfectly aligns with current events, as people are craving social interaction more than ever before. The trend of engaging with social media followers to create a community is attractive to companies.
You may use this technique by focusing your audience around something specific like your brand or a certain product. By getting feedback, offering quality content, and gaining valuable insights, you can steer the conversation with your audience.
Brand Involvement in the Political Arena
Another area where brands can run into trouble is when they use political and environmental hashtags in an attempt to connect with customers. This can be perceived as both sincere and controversial. A majority of social media users would appreciate seeing brands take a stand on difficult topics, especially young audiences.
As you can see, even a large corporation like Nike uses social marketing to address global justice and inequality issues. They wouldn’t dream of launching a campaign without first measuring the response and potential their project has for PR. Evidenced by the positive virality and increase in sales, their audience wholeheartedly supported this transition. The secret to success? Knowing your audience inside out and catering content specifically to them and the problems they face.
Your brand will become more personable by participating in content on a topic your customers are passionate about. Furthermore, this will result in them having a more positive outlook and being loyal to you and your brand. Be cautious though when approaching a controversial topic to make sure you stay within the bounds of what is acceptable to your audience.
Social Media & Email Marketing
The distinctions between various digital marketing channels are becoming increasingly blurred. Marketers are working to connect the gap between them in order to obtain as much information as possible and apply it effectively. This has resulted in a multichannel approach with the aim of providing clients a full brand experience. To be effective, you must establish the tone of your brand and maintain it, synchronize your social and email campaigns, and keep them aligned.
A fantastic way to use both channels is for different objectives. Social media platforms are best for creating brand awareness and consumer interest while email marketing focuses on conversion. A successful cross-channel campaign, such as a giveaway on social in exchange for a subscription to your email newsletter, is an excellent place to start.
Not only can you improve your social media connections by uploading a segmented email list, but you can also use Facebook Custom and Lookalike Audiences to reach new potential customers. This is also beneficial for ad retargeting campaigns.
Augmented Reality
The filters you often see people using on their personal photos are called augmented reality effects. Augmented Reality improves real-life visual content and makes it more noticeable on social media platforms. Younger audiences tend to love this feature, but augmented reality is more than just a trend on social media.
Facebook and Instagram have enhanced the social purchasing experiences for their customers with AR. Although presently only a few sorts of items are accessible, the technology has considerable potential in the buyer-supplier market.
With the rise of social commerce, augmented reality’s continuous trending is to be expected. Since all you need is a smartphone, marketers have taken note of AR’s growing popularity and are starting to implement it in their social media campaigns.
Virtual Reality
The VR trend is less dynamic than AR, and consumer usage is gradual but constant. It will only continue to gain momentum as one of the greatest technological trends that can provide a fully immersive experience. Aside from the hefty price tag, another reason VR hasn’t taken off yet is because it’s still relatively new technology. However, as with any new technology, it eventually becomes more affordable and widespread.
With tech giants like Facebook investing in virtual reality, you can be confident that this technology is here to stay. Though VR’s primary use now is for gaming, there’s no doubt that its applications will only continue to grow in the years to come.
Not only is VR here to stay, but we have hardly scratched the surface of its potential. As more people begin to use VR, eventually businesses will start following suit. Virtual reality will set a new bar for shopping, purchasing a car, or looking for a new apartment by showcasing your product in 3D. And the nicest thing about virtual reality is that it’s only the beginning.
Changing Social Trends
New trends always have small beginnings, so you should always be aware of new social media buzz and look out for opportunities to capitalize on them.
But be cautious of taking on too many trends at once. You’ll get better results by focusing on a couple that you can execute well and are relevant to your brand. To figure out what works for you, pay attention to the feedback you’re getting from your audience.