What is the first thing you do every morning?
A. Stretch or exercise
B. Work
C. Check your social media accounts
Be honest...
If your answer is C, you're not alone! Because apparently, social media platforms are the "first app of the day" for users in the United States.
And because social media users are always on, their needs are constantly changing. And so are the trends.
But that's why we're here today. We will talk about social media marketing trends that will help you strengthen your social media strategy in 2024!
So... let's get this show down the road!
What Is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing means advertising your products or services using social networking sites. Like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.
Because of the ever-changing social media landscape... more and more brands are learning to include social media in their marketing strategies.
And because social media popularity continues ... there are also various tools you can use to maximize your social media marketing strategies... such as analytics, scheduling, and management tools.
Social media is just evolving. And you need to take advantage of it.
Now, let's talk about its benefits.
Why Does Your Business Need To Be On Social Media?
You Can Engage With Your Customers
Social media is one way for you to connect with your target customers at any time of the day. This is one way to nurture your relationships with them.
And if ever they have concerns about your products, connecting with you is trouble-free.
See? Social media is more than that. It's not just for promoting your business on social media channels... but providing excellent customer service, too!
Another reason why social media should be part of your marketing strategy is...
Your Target Market Is There
Did you know that there are 4.48 billion people using social media in 2021? That's a lot! Right?
So, to increase your brand awareness, your brand should be on social media. But here's the catch... you still need to find which platforms your target audience is on. This will help your social media marketing strategy be effective.
And one of the best reasons why social media marketing is a must...
You Can Generate More Sales
Social media can help you generate sales just like any other digital marketing tactic.
According to a study, 54% of social media users browse platforms to research products. That's why if your priority in your marketing strategy is making sales, you need to be on social media. NOW.
Because social media can help you with that as long as you work with social media marketing trends.
Speaking of which... let's talk about the social media trends you need to take advantage of in 2024!
10 Social Media Trends You Need To Watch Out For In 2024
1. Instagram Reels
Instagram saw this opportunity and hopped on the short-form videos train. In 2020, Instagram released Reels. This allows users to post short-form videos, just like on TikTok. Since social media users have shorter attention spans...
Did you know that Reels have a higher engagement by 22% than regular videos? So, it's no surprise that Reels should be part of your social media strategy.
Here's what Reels looks like.
This is an example from Marks and Spencer. They utilized Reels to jump on food trends using their products. And we can see that Instagram users enjoyed it! There are over 6,000 likes and 200+ comments.
That's why if you want to increase your sales and brand awareness, make sure to use Instagram Reels. It's one of the booming social media marketing trends and Instagram features in 2023!
Next is...
2. TikTok Marketing
TikTok started gaining popularity over the pandemic. After over a year, it's still gaining massive users. In fact, more than 2 billion people downloaded the app!
Even if TikTok has a massive number of users... the app is still popular among teenagers or Gen Z. It's because most videos are entertaining and short but sweet.
According to the owner of Juno & Co., a Gen Z-focused skincare brand, their sales are 10 times higher on TikTok than on Instagram and Facebook. The brand also used the Shopify and TikTok integration when it launched.
But let's take another example of how Tiktok can help your business.
Let's take a look at the Tiktok hashtag #TiktokMadeMeBuyIt. It has over 7 billion views! ?
This just proves that TikTok is not just a social media platform to some. This is an online community. That's why some users trust others when it comes to their purchases.
And it has become a habit for some TikTok users to share their hauls or product reviews for others to see.
Take note: most of these videos are NOT sponsored. That's one of the reasons why some TikTok users trust the creators' credibility and reviews.
So, if you want to increase your sales, TikTok marketing will help you. Because TikTok is not going anywhere.
Another social media trend you need to hop on is...
3. Influencer Marketing
Influencers have been on a roll, and there's a need to utilize influencer marketing in 2022.
Not every brand is willing to invest a chunk of money on influencers. But businesses can make up to $5.20 for every $1 they spend on influencer marketing. Not bad, right?
Now, let me share some tips on how you can smash your influencer marketing strategy.
- Choose the best influencer. The best influencer is the one your target market loves. It's the influencer who aligns with your values. So, choose the best person who will represent your brand.
- Choose a platform. This is important because, as I mentioned above, you need to find where your target market is. Don't use influencer marketing and spend money on platforms your potential customers don't use.
- Nurture relationships with them. Influencers will love your brand if you foster your relationship with them. They can even be your genuine brand advocate!
If you're not yet planning to know the latest influencer marketing trends and use influencer marketing in your social media strategy, you're up to no good!
One of the best social media trends is...
4. Social Media Users Want Bite-Sized Content
Did you know that YouTube Shorts have an average view of 50 billion daily worldwide? I couldn't believe my eyes as well.
But the popularity of short-form videos isn't surprising. We saw this on TikTok, Snapchat Stories, Instagram Reels, and more... it's evident that social media users want bite-sized content.
This is definitely one of the social media trends you should try in 2022. But the earlier, the better! So, let me give you some tips on how you can create entertaining and effective bite-sized content:
- Make it entertaining. Remember, social media users have shorter attention spans. Because if they enjoy your content, they'll look for more! Make your videos short AND entertaining.
- Post it on the right social platforms. As I said, your target market is not everywhere. Find where they are first, so your content won't go to waste!
- Join the trends. Social media trends are everywhere, and joining them would increase your brand visibility.
Are you ready for our next social media marketing trends? Here it is...
5. Shopping Features
There are social media platforms with shopping features... like Facebook Marketplace, Instagram Shopping, and Pinterest Shopping.
According to Facebook For Business, 83% of people utilize Instagram to discover new products. While 80% use it to decide whether or not they would buy a product.
This makes shopping convenient for customers who don't want to leave the platform.
Let's take a look at Instagram Shopping.
This is an example from Express. This is how it looks like when you use the Instagram Shopping feature. If you post a photo, users can see the price of your products.
Here's how to activate Instagram Shopping:
- Confirm the eligibility of your business.
- Convert into a Business or Creator account.
- Link your Instagram to your Facebook page.
- Upload your product catalog.
- Review your account and wait for the approval.
- Turn on the Shopping features.
- Start tagging your products.
See? Easy-peasy! The next social media trend is...
6. Video Marketing
According to a recent study, it is expected that 82% of internet traffic will be from online videos in 2022. So, it's not good for your business to overlook it.
But here's the thing... video marketing is not new. In fact, 96% of internet users increased their internet video consumption in 2020, according to this article from HubSpot. Some businesses just don't give importance to this social media strategy.
Let's take a look at Coca-Cola's holiday campaign in 2016, "The Last Customer."
The Last Customer honored workers working during the holidays to serve others instead of being with their families. Because of this campaign, Coca-Cola showed that they care about others. And it humanized their brand and won the hearts of many with the emotional touch of this video.
But as an ecommerce business, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars for your video marketing campaigns! Here are some video ideas you can implement at home:
- Unboxing videos
- Product reviews
- Customer testimonials
- How to use your products
- Packaging/How you make your products
See? It's possible to start right away!
Our next social media marketing trend is...
7. Brand Transparency
Brand transparency is so crucial that 86% of people in the United States believe it's more important than ever.
More consumers want brands to be transparent about their labor practices and sustainable efforts. They need to make sure that what you're doing as a brand is aligned with their personal values. That's how you can win them in 2022.
And here are some ways to express your brand transparency:
- Don't delete negative reviews. If a customer is not satisfied with your products and they leave negative reviews, don't delete them. You need to accommodate them and be honest about your mistakes. That's how they're coming back to you even after an unpleasant experience.
- Share your process. Customers want to know about your ethical process. Share it online, so they know what happens behind the scenes!
- Be genuine. Rather than being performative for the sake of sales, being genuine will win the hearts of your customers. They can spot if you're faking it! Transparency requires honesty.
Now, one of our social media marketing trends is...
8. Content Marketing
Content marketing is sharing any content that will help prospects know about your brand and products.
Content marketing is not dethroned despite all the emerging social media marketing strategies in 2022. It's still king.
And there are many ways to implement content marketing. Let me give you 5:
- Blogging
- Podcast
- Social media posts
- Video
- Email marketing
Depending on your resources or staff, you can create these to boost your brand awareness. And here are 3 of my quick tips in smashing your content marketing strategy.
- Find what your audience wants. Create content THEY like. It's not always about you.
- Speak their language. Don't create content they don't understand. You will hear nothing from them. This means little to no content interaction.
- Incorporate your tone of voice. Branding is important, and this is one way to strengthen your brand identity online.
Remember, content marketing is about bringing value to them!
Next up...
9. Brands Need To Embrace Paid Advertising
Organic reach isn't the same as before. It's harder for brands to organically reach the target audience because of some factors out of their control.
So, what can you do as a brand? It would help if you embraced paid advertising. If you do it right, you can get a huge ROI or Return On Investment even if you don't spend thousands of dollars on your ads!
Here are some ways to advertise your products:
- Pay Per Click Advertising. This is an advertisement through Google. Every time an internet user clicks your ads, you will have to pay for each click you get.
- Social Media Advertising. This is paid advertising on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Retargeting Ads. This is retargeting users based on their previous actions on your website.
To maximize your social media marketing results, don't be afraid to welcome ads in your social media strategy!
And last but not least...
10. User-Generated Content
What is User-Generated content?
Let's say you're eating a hot and spicy chicken wing... it's so yummy, and you thought you should share it with your friends on social media. Now, you tag the brand, and they repost it.
That's user-generated content because they used your content. And you need this on your social media, too.
Since online shopping is emerging, consumers consider user-generated content as social proof. They want to see the products in use and genuine reviews before they place an order.
And this is why you need to collect user-generated content in 2022:
- It can boost brand awareness. If a customer shares their content about your product, their friends can see it. This means there's an increase in your brand visibility.
- It can build your credibility. When potential buyers see that your products or services are trustworthy, then they would consider buying from you. Remember, they won't trust you immediately. So UGC is important for your brand.
- It can increase your sales. If customers see that your products are great and you have good reviews, of course, you can improve your sales in no time with UGC.
Now that you already know the social media trends you need to execute in 2022, what is the next step?
Enhance Your Social Media Strategy!
Once your goals are aligned with the social media marketing trends, it's time to...
Optimize your store!
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