Alright, we admit it! We spend a little too much time scrolling on social media. But, social media is an important part of buyer culture. People use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to make informed purchases. Companies know behaviors of their customers. Chances are your competition is pushing out lots of digital marketing. With so much content clogging the social media airwaves, how do you stand out?
Social media trends change every day to meet the demands of users. That’s why your social media marketing strategy needs to be fueled by innovative trends that connect with your target audience. Here are 4 social media trends that you should be aware of in 2020.
#1 Instagram removing likes
In late 2019, social media giant, Instagram, began removing the number of likes on users’ accounts. The beta-test promotes positive mental health by lessening the validation users receive from likes. Although the update hasn’t reached everyone, it most likely will this year. Now brands will be unable to quantify the impact of their campaigns through Instagram likes anymore. To counteract, companies will have to invest in more paid advertising through Instagram. Boosted content receives more trackable analytics used to better understand buyer behavior.
One way that you can track analytics on Instagram is by starting your own social media storefront. Instagram Shopping offers allows you to tag products in photos and show product descriptions and prices directly on the app. Most importantly, the feature drives website traffic, leading to an influx in sales. The feature links to the product on your website for users to purchase from. Creating a shop-able feed is a great way for users to explore your best products and can help you get discovered.
#2 Influencer Marketing
If you haven’t heard already, influencer marketing is at an all time high. Influencers are individuals with a large social media following. Influencers can be YouTubers or celebrities who have established trust with their loyal followings. With an intention of building awareness for you online, influencers can shoutout your product or business to their following. Working with influencers can drive sales, boost your SEO, and build brand awareness by creating content that features you. The audiences that see this content trust the opinions of influencers and use their voice to guide their online buying decisions. Social media influencer marketing is so powerful that some organizations solely rely on it to build online engagement. The key to influencer marketing is to find the right influencer for you. Even if you’re not a large brand, finding a local influencer who is trusted in the community can benefit you.
#3 Ephemeral Content
What the heck is ephemeral content, you’re asking? Ephemeral content is any digital photo
of video that is accessible for a certain period of time. Examples of disappearing content include Snapchat or Instagram Stories. Combined these platforms receive billions of views per day. The power of ephemeral content is that it creates FOMO (fear of missing out). You can influence your audience to act now or miss out by creating limited edition content. Your brand can use this type of content to
- show tutorials and product demos,
- give behind the scenes clips at the office, or
- offer exclusive tips and content.
When creating stories, be engaging and actually tell a story. Both platforms have great features that allow your audience to interact with your audience through polls, music, or animated filters that you can customize to fit your brand.
#4 We need to talk about TikTok
Trust us, TikTok isn’t just for lip syncing teens. With over 500 million users, the video app is a great platform to introduce your business’ goods and services. Studies show that the success of video content will surpass that of photos in the future. Since the platform is new and growing at an unprecedented rate, the time to build your brand on the app is now. Using TikTok can be especially benefical if you’re trying to reach a younger target audience.
We already talked about influencer marketing, and there are tons of untapped influencers on TikTok perfect for reaching millennial buyers. To get started all you have to do is find the right influencer that matches your target audience. TikTok offers great tools for searching user bios and mentions so you can find an influencer that works best with your brand.
Even though marketing on TikTok isn’t for everyone, it’s a great place to demo products and be yourself. Show off your products with a fun video demonstration while giving a glimpse of who your brand is on a personal level.
So, do these trends make more sense to you now? Social media can be a great place to capture your audience’s attention and create organic traffic to your online business. As more people immerse themselves into the digital realm of social media, businesses need to stay on top of the trends guiding the market. Be sure to use these tips to in your social media planning for 2020. If you need more help in making your mark on social media or creating unique digital content, we can help! Contact us today to get your new campaign started.