Of all marketing channels, social media is the one that changes the most often. Much of the social media strategy that worked well just a few years ago will no longer work in the current social media environment.
Social media use trends change quickly. Currently, they involve areas such as the use of video, augmented reality, stories and niche platforms that serve a very specific clientele. The following looks at seven of the biggest marketing trends.
The Continued Growth of Stories
Everyone loves stories, and telling them will continue to be one of the big trends in social media strategy. Whether it’s Instagram or YouTube, digital storytelling is going to continually grow. Hootsuite reports that 64% of marketers have already incorporated Instagram Stories into their strategies or plan to do so soon.
Offering stories is something that all social media channels, both current and future platforms, will offer to users. It’s important for an organization’s marketing efforts to leverage those platforms to reach the widest audience possible.
Niche Platforms
While big platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram will still dominate, others have started to emerge. For example, platforms like TikTok are taking off at record rates for younger users. Other niche platforms will also come out that target people in niche communities, such as Twitch, a platform for gaming fans.
In the same way Pinterest attracts those who like interior decoration, these niche sites will attract people with a big interest in specific topics. If you’re not paying attention to these niche channels, you’re not going to do well with your social media strategy.
Social Commerce
More people want a presence on social platforms that support e-commerce, such as Facebook and Instagram. Many companies are choosing to do this first rather than targeting Google, because they want to reach a specific audience on social media platforms rather than a more general audience.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is expected to become bigger in the coming years. Although the technology is not yet fully there, it’s expected to be soon. For example, future technology – just a few years in the future – may allow people to use augmented reality to shop with friends in a virtual environment without anyone having to leave their home.
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Regulatory Control
There is a lot of data out there, and it’s not surprising that government regulations will increase to protect privacy. Companies will need to keep close track of federal and state regulations to ensure that they do not break any rules around the data they collect and how it is used.
More Technology Innovation
There is more innovation to come in technology that will move how people communicate away from website based platforms and onto apps and other systems that integrate more into our daily lives. This includes the use of video, which now has such fast and reliable loading and playback speeds that it is becoming more widely used.
Video Becomes More Popular
Speaking of video, it’s central to all future digital marketing. People are much more likely to watch a video than read text-based content. More and more people will want video content because it plays back so fast on their smartphones, making it easier to watch. Video already does better than text-based and audio-based content in terms of audience. If you are not yet moving into video, you need to start making those plans now.
Keeping on top of these social media strategy trends can make the difference between staying ahead of the competition and falling behind. It’s a fast-paced environment, but consulting with digital marketing experts can move your business in the right direction.
Savvy marketers and business owners need to be aware of the latest social media use trends if they want to get ahead in business.