And just like that another year has come and gone – and quite quickly, right? Social media has experienced many changes in 2018, and we have adapted (like we always do) but let’s take what we know now, and prepare for social media in this New Year.
Here is what you need to know:
| Our trust in social
Trust is important, right? With the countless data breaches that happened in 2018 – users trust in social networks is quickly diminishing. For example, Hootsuite reported users trust in Facebook has dropped 66% which we can say is in large part due to when Facebook was sharing user’s data. Privacy concerns are at the forefront for users. Social media platforms are working hard on rebuilding users trust in them by being more transparent and openly fixing their mistakes.
| Messaging
Whatsapp, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, Twitter – are just some of the top messaging apps that are being used every day. Hootsuite cited a survey from Twilio, which found that nine out of 10 respondents would like to use messaging apps to communicate with businesses, as well as a study by Facebook IQ finding that 61 percent of U.S. respondents had used a messaging app to contact a business in the past three months and 69 percent said directly messaging a company gives them more confidence in the brand.
- Do you have a strategy in place for users who contact you via your social channels? Customize an automatic reply for inquires via Facebook Messenger and take advantage of direct messages through Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat. Be authentic – users want to know there is someone behind that computer screen.
| Telling your story with ‘stories’
Whether people choose to click through it or not, your story is out there when using social media. Visual content is key – captivating images, vertical video and less text. ClickZ reported that more than 400 million people are consuming stories on Instagram on a daily basis.
From Snapchat (the original video sharing social platform), to Facebook attempting to incorporate stories – vertical video is what people want to see on social. Who would have thought? Stories are simple (don’t over think it) – they are easy and quick to create, intriguing and fun to watch, can be staged or organic and take minimal editing.
- Implement ‘stories’ in your 2019 social media strategy and see what happens! Unsure where to begin? Start small, listen to your audience and build on the response and interaction.
| Social commerce
Starting with an interest, to product discovery to product purchase – advertising on social media is constant. It may be a paid ad or even an influencer demoing a favorite product – all with the intent of user purchase. Instagram allows you to link products in stories and posts – allowing users to simply ‘swipe up’ to buy or showing the price directly on the image. This simplistic approach has become so successful – less steps for the user to change their mind on following through with their purchase.
According to Mary Meeker’s report of Internet Trends in 2018, 55% of respondents who discovered a product through social media proceeded to a purchase later on.
Search Engine Watch reports that 2019 will see an even further increase to marketers social ad spend, with Instagram growing in popularity.
- If you aren’t utilizing social advertising yet – what better time to start than now?
- Already implementing social media ads? Target your advertisement to your users. To get an even further reach – try boosting organic content.
| Augmented reality
AI (artificial intelligence) really is the future – and you’ve probably already used it! Through popular social platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, you can add filters to your photos. Although this isn’t something new – it is a trend that is here to stay in 2019.
This is your chance to have a little fun and get those creative juices flowing. What can you advertise by using a filter? For example on Instagram, Disney has a filter that will add either Mickey or Minnie ears on your image. Or hit TV drama, Greys Anatomy has one also. What can you come up with for your brand?
Adapting with the changes is the name of the game for social media. Find the social platforms that work best for you and your business and invest. Put in the time, the effort and find the right strategies that work – and most importantly, listen to your audience.