Aug 2, 2018
Changing Social Media Trends in 2018
Social media is changing every moment. And so are the trends. From Facebook & Instagram’s changing algorithm to the rise in social messaging, 2018 has brought in some unprecedented changes in the world of social media marketing. Gone are the days for brands when being active on social media was enough, nowadays marketers have to stay updated with latest social media trends and learn to apply them to their business to engage with the target audience.
After analysing trends of the previous year and observing the ones that have emerged this year, I have been able identify some of the top social media trends that are crucial for a brand’s success in the digital space. These trends will continue to dominate in the rest of the year and propel brands to rethink their social media strategy in this ever-changing digital landscape.
- Facebook Trends
In order to provide people a more meaningful experience and relevant content, Facebook updated its algorithm and cut down on branded content in January this year. This left several businesses baffled as they experienced a major drop in engagement, making organic reach more difficult.
To show up on news feed, brands now have to focus on engagement by delivering valuable content that fosters interaction in terms of comments and shares. Analyse your brand’s niche market and focus on providing information that people can use and is also entertaining at the same time. Brands can also thrive on Facebook by investing in paid advertising and influencer marketing.
2. The new Instagram Algorithm & launch of IG TV
While in 2016 Instagram placed a heavy weightage on post engagement, the new 2018 algorithm brings back the chronological order but will also take into account a number of other factors including engagement. Some of the variables are how recently the content was posted, how often you post, and how engaging your content is. Instagram also recently launched IG TV giving everyone on the platform to be a content creator. Users can now upload videos up to one hour in length, up from the previous one-minute limit. Brands can utilize IG TV to share valuable information by partnering with influencers and create content that resonates with their brand essence.
To optimize your posts for maximum reach and engagement, you have to find an ideal time for publishing content. You can find the perfect time for posting by making use of Instagram analytics and other social media marketing tools available. These tools will help you analyse your audience and identify the ideal time for maximum engagement. Strive towards creating meaningful engagement on your posts. Your posts are more likely to show up in the feed, if users engage with them regularly and for longer periods of time. Make use of strategic hashtags and Instagram features such as stories & videos to ensure that your content performs well.
3. The Rise of Chat Bots
Chatbots are being rapidly integrated with social media platforms. They are used by businesses to communicate with customers on various social media platforms. According to a survey by Oracle, 80 percent of senior marketing and sales executives around the world are already using chatbots for their business or plans to use them by 2020 to increase their revenue. As Facebook Messenger advanced, the number of bots in Messenger also grew — from 33,000 to more than 100,000 in just a year. Many other platforms such as Slack, Viber, iMessage have also adopted chatbots.
Chatbots serve a variety of purposes such as marketing, promotion, lead nurturing, payments, resolving customer queries and more. They are available 24 x7 hours and perform repetitive tasks effectively. This has resulted in the elimination of many manual processes and reduction in costs. As a business owner you can employ chatbots on social media to automate mundane tasks and you’re your customers a personalized experience, which in turn enhances customer satisfaction and drive brand loyalty.
4. Leveraging the Power of User Generated Content
With the decline of organic reach on social media, user-generated content has emerged as a reliable way to reach audiences. Customers are no longer convinced by TV ads or sleazy marketing campaigns. People trust other people who give out honest opinions and feedback about a brand’s product and services. Influencers who have managed to garner a strong social media following are acting as the catalysts for changes in trends and deciding which trends survive.
Brands are now tapping into the power of UGC and word-of-mouth referrals by encouraging customers to talk about the brand and post about it on social platforms. As a brand owner, you can then repost your customers’ social media posts, thereby encouraging even more customers to post about the brands on social media and increase brand reach. Once people see that you post user content to your company’s profile, they will be more encouraged to post about your brand in an effort to be featured.
5. Video Still Rules
Video content is still more preferred over pictures all across the globe. The immediacy and engagement videos offer help brands to deliver an enhanced customer experience. The four most popular video categories are explainers, product demos, how-tos, and testimonials. Nowadays most of the social media platforms have live streaming capabilities, which gives brands the ability to experiment with the content. According to an article published by Hubspot in June 2017, 53% of social media users want to see more video content from marketers, businesses now publish an average of 18 videos each month, have an average of 293 videos in their library, and 85% of businesses have in-house personnel and resources for video creation.
Brands can enhance engagement by doing product reveals, Q & A sessions with experts, important announcements, covering live events and behind-the-scenes. Choose the platform where most of your audience is likely to watch your videos.
In order to get the best results on videos, you should let your brand’s followers and fans know in advance about the live streaming. Start posting reminders every day without sounding too pushy. Keep your content authentic and informative. Try to connect with your audience on a personal level by responding to comments in real time. This will not only help you strengthen the foundation of customer relationships, but also gain more customer loyalty in the future.
6. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing revolves around creating branded user-generated content to spread your brand’s message through the networks of influencers. People trust recommendations from influencers over brands as it feels more organic and relatable. Though influencer marketing will continue to rise this year, it’s far more challenging than before. The market is saturated with influencers in every sector and it’s difficult to determine which influencers to partner with and which to avoid. As customers are proactively seeking authenticity, brands need to work with influencers that are relevant to their industry and regarded as influential by the target audience.
Don’t partner with an influencer based solely on their high numbers of following. Look for relevancy to your industry, products, their average amount of comments received per post, other engagement metrics, and the overall sentiment of the target audience towards them. Once you hone in the right influencers, reach out and build a relationship. Have a focussed strategy from the start to create high-quality content that boosts conversions. Keep a track of the influencer’s activity and measure performance of the campaigns.
7. Augmented Reality
AR is a technology that layers digital elements or information onto the user’s view of the real world. With increased mobile phone usage in buying products/services, it’s vital to take advantage of AR this year in engaging people with meaningful experiences. This in turn will enhance brand affinity and cultivate brand loyalty. AR can be used to assist customers during different stages of the buying journey, providing personalized recommendations and reviews, etc.
AR overlays virtual 3D objects over the real world to create a sense that they’re in front of you, requiring one to be aware of the surroundings. Brands can use AR to help customers find their way in stores, select and compare products, thereby enhancing the overall shopping experience and foster engagement with customers. Before launching AR, invest in user testing to make sure that you get it right and deliver a truly unique experience for your audience.
8. Paid Social Media Marketing
Paid social media marketing has been increasingly adopted by majority of brands all across the globe. It helps you to target specific audiences that are most likely to be interested in your products and services. This increases both audience engagement as well as your brand’s reach.
Brands can make the best use of paid social by including a clickable call-to-action (CTA) within the ad that will lead customers to take action. Some of the commonly used CTAs are “Buy now”, “Start free trial”, “Learn More”, etc. By creating a direct tie-in from the ad to the product, you give consumers an easy route to view and/or purchase it online.
9. Social Messaging
Social messaging usage has surpassed social media usage. According to report by Business Insider, More people are now using the top four social messaging apps (WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, and Viber) than the top four social media apps (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn). Businesses are using messaging to connect with their customers more than ever. From getting business questions answered to making appointments, social messaging is helping customers greatly while at the same time benefiting businesses.
Brands can further leverage this platform by automating conversations, delivering announcements & promotions, creating a sales funnel, etc. Sharing relevant content and offering a personalized experience can go a long way in making your customers feel more connected to the brand.
Conclusion: The social media world is constantly changing. Whether you’re a brand owner or a marketer, you have to stay updated with the latest trends every now and then to effectively connect with your target audience and get the best results. Based on my research, I was able to list out some important social media trends to watch out for this year. Use this as a reference for planning your social media marketing strategy.
