Social media use has increased significantly among every demographic since the start of the pandemic. As the majority of people continue to live their lives through social media, brands are taking note and changing how they promote themselves online. Fortunately, you can learn a few things from the latest trends and how to leverage them for better results.
To help you build a strong social media marketing strategy, here are four of the top trends to be aware of.
1. Live Streaming
Live streaming is a feature that is available on all the major social networks like TikTok, Twitter and Facebook. In fact, one in five videos on Facebook are a live broadcast. So what makes this feature so appealing? There are several reasons.
First, live streaming presents a way for people to connect with your brand from a safe distance, which has certainly come in handy during a pandemic. Second, live streaming allows you to support your marketing strategy, such as by holding a webinar, tutorial or Q&A session.
And, the best part about live streaming is that it doesn’t cost money. You can stream an event for free through the major social media platforms. However, you may want to pay to have your event promoted so that more people know about it.
2. Short Videos
Another trend on social platforms is short videos. Whether it’s TikTok or Instagram Reels, short-form videos have become a popular phenomenon with younger audiences. Even though this trend is largely driven by Generation Z, other generations are following suit.
As people’s attention spans shrink, a quick video is becoming more enjoyable compared to a long, in-depth one. Short-form videos are also great for brands, as they are easy to create and relatively inexpensive. Plus, brands often find that they’re able to get user-generated content by posting short videos.
3. Microinfluencers
Influencers continue to be important, but there’s more of a focus on microinfluencers this year. Microinfluencers are defined as accounts with 10,000 to 50,000 followers, while macroinfluencers are defined as having 50,000 to 1 million followers. Even though it might look more attractive to work with a macroinfluencer, you’re likely to see better results with a smaller influencer.
Because of their large followings and well-known accounts, influencers are asking for higher prices. That’s why asking smaller influencers to help out can be more advantageous. They’ll be cheaper, and you can reach a smaller, niche audience with excellent engagement rates.
4. Social Commerce
Facebook and Instagram have been the first social networks to offer social commerce options. This was a smart idea considering that more people are shopping online these days. By taking advantage of Facebook Shops or Shops on Instagram, you can get your products in front of more people and make it easy for them to buy something without leaving the platform.
As other social channels begin to experiment with these features, you’ll have more options than you do right now. But, social commerce will also get more expensive and competitive, so it’s best to prepare your brand now.
These are some of the hottest social media trends happening right now. If you feel that you’re not taking advantage of everything you can on the major social networks, get in touch with WSI Internet Partners. We’ll make sure that you’re utilizing every tool to get your brand noticed on social media.
