Trends in social media are getting large in both frequency and speed, throwing waves through the industry of digital marketing as brands are having to quickly adapt to the times, or be left behind to those who can. In this day and age, over 90 percent of millennials engage regularly in social media, and it has been reported that about 85 percent of Gen Z relies on social media to learn about new products. Numbers like these prove that social media is becoming more and more useful for marketers, along with cementing its position as a vital tool in connecting with the mids and wallets of generations to come.
The days of radio ads, catalogs, and (some argue) channel-based marketing are gone. What is replacing these are things digital strategies to be evolved, like persona-based marketing, paid media, and the introduction of apps. It is no longer enough to gain the attention of consumers by just being aware of rising and current trends in social media. In order to own the landscape of social media in 2020, both the forethought to anticipate trends in the future along with the ability to capitalize on them sooner and better than your competition.
It has been shown from research that 85 percent of consumers believe that user-generated content (UGC) is more valuable, along with being more trustworthy, than branded content. UGC not only fosters consumer engagement immediately, because it is directly created by consumers, but it takes way less time and resources from your team. The ideal forms of UGC that you should inspire your customers to provide are guest posts, testimonials, and reviews by using strong CTAs, creating a robust digital presence, and partnering with the right influencers.
Although Instagram and Facebook have dominated the world of social platforms for a long time, there are a few small, niche social platforms that are growing in popularity. Twitch, TikTok, and Houzz are platforms and apps that all cater to a specific kind of content. For example. TikTok is dedicated only to short clips of mobile video content. It can be incredibly beneficial to tap into social platforms of these types to reaching your target audience. If Gen Z is your target audience, for example, then investing resources and time into building a profile on TikTok can show you the kind of content valued by your viewers along with providing opportunities to be able to engage with them.
With augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) having recent new advances, there has been a substantial effect created from them on social media. Although neither of these concepts is relatively new, other advancements in technology are rapidly broadening their applications to social media. Virtual try-ons, interesting photo filters, and even games can create opportunities for brands to create fun, useful, and relevant content.
The social media landscape is always changing. As a digital marketing agency, we are experts in social media marketing and can help you stay ahead of trends and get on them early to capitalize. Social media marketing is one of the many services we provide as a full-service digital marketing agency. We offer all things digital marketing. Call today!