It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that most people spend a better part of their day on social media. In today’s world, social media has become a crucial part of people’s daily routines and lives. Some people have become so addicted to social media platforms that the first thing they do after waking up is check their social media feeds. Since it plays such an important role in the lives of their consumers, it is not surprising to see businesses and marketers flocking to social media platforms for connecting with their target audience. However, competition on these networks is really tough because there is content overload.The only way businesses can stand out in such a competitive market is if they have a social media marketing strategy in place. Staying updated on the latest trends relating to social media can help businesses in standing out. Listed below are the top social media marketing trends for 2020 that can be a lifesaver in devising a strategy for the upcoming year:
EPHEMERAL CONTENT IS ON THE RISE
Content that can only be accessed for a short duration and disappears after a while is referred to as ephemeral content. Some excellent examples of this type of content are Snapchat and Instagram Stories. But, attention spans have reduced significantly and people have also begun to consume content differently. This explains why Stories are popular because they are engaging, short and addictive in such a way that people can scroll through one Story after another for hours. Marketers need to take advantage of this trend in order to reap the benefits.
NICHE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WILL FLOURISH
There is no doubt that Facebook and Instagram have dominated the social media landscape for years. But, in recent years, some niche social platforms have risen to fame as well. A perfect example of such a platform is TikTok, which was launched in 2016 and instantly became a favorite of the youth. LinkedIn is the top choice of B2B companies whereas Twitch is the preference of gaming communities. Such social media alternatives are becoming popular and this trend will continue in 2020.
LIKES MAY VANISH FROM INSTAGRAM
One of the largest social networks is none other than Instagram and any changes that take place on this platform can have an impact on the entire social media landscape. One possible change that could take place is Instagram eliminating the like feature from their posts. This proposal has been tested recently in a beta test and may be applied globally. The reason is that likes are used for determining the social value of a person, which could be detrimental to a user’s mental health. However, some are of the opinion that it is just a tactic to earn more. Without likes, brands won’t be able to determine the effectiveness of their campaigns and would be forced to invest in Instagram Ads for easily tracking their ROI. This will definitely have an impact on your strategy.
SOCIAL COMMERCE WILL GAIN TRACTION
Brands have used various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for selling their offerings. Social commerce is a new retail avenue and it will only get stronger in the next year. In fact, this retail channel could actually go up against other mediums, such as offline stores and websites. As more and more social networks are introducing pro-selling features, the trend will likely strengthen and these networks could evolve into retail platforms. Marketers and brands need to leverage these and include social commerce in their strategy to stay on top.
VIDEO CONTENT IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE
One of the most engaging forms of content on the internet nowadays is video and it is gradually dominating social media. It is expected to become the winner over all kinds of content in the next year. Whether it is short videos or long ones, videos are being regarded as the future of content on social media. In the next couple of years, almost 82% of the content on these platforms will be pure video. This clearly indicates how important it is for businesses to start using video content for staying relevant in the world of social media. If you are not already using videos in your content strategy, it is time to incorporate them.
TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION WILL INCREASE
The adoption of new technologies on social media networks, such as Virtual reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), will experience a rise. As these networks continue to grow, users are going to demand more engaging and better experiences and they can only be achieved through these technologies. Facebook is already moving towards adopting these technologies in the form of their social virtual reality world called Horizon. It is a kind of virtual world where people can connect with each other, explore and play games. It is the next level of making social connections and could be the future of social media. The use of Augmented Reality (AR) filters has also become common on several platforms, such as Snapchat and Instagram. The purpose is to improve visual content and this has boosted their popularity.
INFLUENCER MARKETING WILL CONTINUE TO GAIN POPULARITY
Even though this trend is not a new one, but influencer marketing is not going anywhere. Today, social media is dominated by influencers who are getting paid for promoting brands and businesses. The number of influencers has increased on social media as has the marketing spend by businesses on influencer marketing. It is a lot cheaper for businesses to invest in this marketing instead of opting for paid ad campaigns and yet it can provide great results. Moreover, influencer marketing doesn’t just generate leads, but also helps in achieving a number of other marketing goals. Therefore, it will continue to get stronger and popular in the next year and beyond.
With these social media marketing trends, a will have a great strategy for 2020 that will allow it to reach their target market effectively and stay relevant in the social media world.
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