The world is constantly changing, and so is social media.
Knowing the latest social media marketing trends can deliver substantial value to your company if you implement them properly. Social content allows you to provide steady reminders of the main pillars of your brand, opening up a window to potential customers and brand advocates.
Content is the king. Therefore, creating thoughtful content for the right audience drives the degree of impact on the overall performance of your brand within the digital world.
Let’s dive into some of the latest social media marketing trends and how you can properly apply them to your business:
1. TikTok is taking over the social media scene:
User-generated TikTok content has been on the rise since the pandemic started. According to HubSpot, TikTok has had unprecedented growth in just a few years; the platform saw a 61% increase in mentions since 2021, and more companies are currently considering it when creating social media strategies. That’s because it can help reach wider, more varied audiences, even for certain types of B2B brands.
Some helpful tips if you are just getting started on TikTok :
- Showcase the most authentic side of your brand: People like organic content, and TikTok is the platform ideally suited for it! Showa day in the company, a highlight of your employees or the type of clients you work with, for example.
- Be consistent when publishing: Consistency is key to achieving goals, and TikTok does not work differently. Aiming for 3-5 videos a week will enhance your chances of reaching your audience goals.
2. Delivering a well-executed social media commerce experience:
Social commerce is when you purchase and sell directly on social media, and even though it has been on the scene for a while, it is coming on stronger in 2022.
According to Sprout’s social research, 73% of businesses are participating in social commerce today, and 80% of social media users feel more confident about purchasing products in the digital space. That’s because it now appears more familiar to them.
How do you start with social commerce?
- Execute creative Instagram shoppable posts: Engage in the visual story presentation and deliver outstanding results by creating visually – appealing and creative storylines with nice aesthetics, music, and more.
- Engage in live streaming shopping: Streaming and video platforms such as Youtube can be used to perform social advertising creatively.
Different brands in the beauty sector engage with live-streaming users when publishing tutorials and educational content that creates brand advocates and potential customers.
3. The number one brand advocate on social media? Employees
According to Forbes Magazine, leveraging employees as brand advocates is a social media trend that brings excellent results. Nobody can say anything better about your business than your employees, so keeping this in mind will benefit every stakeholder in the company.
Showing organic employee-generated social media content is a great way to boost confidence in your brand.
4. Showcase the humane side of your business:
Today’s clients are seizing brands that show a more human side and advocate for social causes, aside from just selling products or services.
Therefore, it’s a great idea to engage your business in social causes you aim for. Appropriately showcasing this on social media will enhance your brand’s digital reputation.
5. Reach potential Gen – Z customers:
To properly reach Gen-Z audiences, it is necessary to understand their online behavior. According to a Sprout Social survey, 81% of Gen Z consumers said Instagram is their favorite social media for brands, while YouTube comes right after with 56% of users.
Fun and creative snippets of video are great ways to connect with younger audiences. These posts tend to deliver better engagement or client acquisition results. Consumers prefer shorter videos rather than more extensive ones when it comes to advertising videos.
6. Deliver brand accountability:
Use your business social media accounts to support customers by quickly answering FAQS, complaints, and other suggestions. Brand accountability is necessary for brand reputation, which is why customer service should be good both in-person and online.
7. Exhibit “before and afters” in your processes
Show the “before-and-after” visual as part of social media strategy and leveraging brand loyalty. Include testimonials along with before-and-after strategy descriptions, and the chances of new client acquisitions will increase. This can work well for categories ranging from real estate to health, to food products.
8. Implement augmented reality in your social media strategy:
Augmented reality can help attract brick-and-mortar shoppers switching to online shopping, according to Forbes.
Augmented reality is here to stay. Data provided by CreditCards Poll, published on the Forbes website, shows that 80% of young customers made impulsive purchasing decisions that could increase with augmented reality.
Photos and videos can generate engagement, but with augmented reality, the permanency of users could last for longer, increasing the purchase intent. Augmented reality could show how a piece of furniture would look in a room, how a paint color might work, or how a clothing item or hairstyle may suit a customer.
9. Merge your business with the right influencers:
Influencer marketing places your business on the radar by connecting it with the right niche.
Even though it’s not a new trend, influencer marketing has experienced lots of shifts since TikTok’s appearance, turning it into a more organic and public-centered trend.
To achieve successful goals, research for the correct influencers becomes necessary, taking into consideration not only the number of followers but the value of the content, reputation, and credibility.
It’s best when a brand influencer is truly passionate about the product or service, can relate to customers in a realistic way, and is active on social channels and traditional media channels.
10. Create relatable content:
Show a more approachable brand by creating pieces of content for social media that are more relatable to everyday life. This helps consumers of all types imagine themselves in your brand experience. . Introduce your client’s stories, share challenges of your business or industry sector, and offer insights on day-to-day activities. These are all great ways to connect with audiences in a deeper way. Ideally, the product or service is solving a problem or making life easier…think of the best ad you’ve ever seen for laundry detergent or car insurance. It resonates because perhaps you’ve been in a similar position as the hero of the story. So, for social media, a Realtor might share an Instagram tip on sprucing up curb appeal. A tax attorney might post a YouTube piece emphasizing ways small business clients can save money on their tax bills.
Rebeca Basalo is a social media entrepreneur who participated in a June-July fellowship through the U.S. State Department (the Young Leaders of the Americas initiative) and worked with CRIMSON this summer.
