Social media trends are constantly evolving. Snapchat, for instance, gained quite momentum due to its disappearing content and filter-rich camera a few years ago. However, other social media platforms didn’t have these features at that time. Thus, only a handful of people used Snapchat and shared images with the dog filter on or with a tiara over their heads. The scenario is similar yet different in 2021. Disappearing content (in the form of stories) and camera features full of filters are available on every social media platform such as Instagram or Facebook.
So, what does this prove?
It is a minuscule example of how we adopt social media trends without even realizing it. Over 3.6 billion social media users are on social media platforms. Imagine the traffic your site or business would get once you adopt the latest social media trends, thereby reaching out to your target audience more effectively. So, look out for the following social media marketing trends in 2021 to take your online venture to a whole new level.
- Authenticity will gain importance
The role of social media has been huge amidst the pandemic. Strangers worldwide helped COVID-affected patients by donating money or getting them food and other essentials. People who lost their jobs were also offered new remote jobs to survive these insane times. So, now, consumers expect more than good reviews and standard marketing to invest in a brand.
In short, you are required to embrace authenticity and show the human side of your brain to attract consumers on social media.
How to do so?
- You can show authenticity by conveying COVID-19 related awareness. Make sure you convey only factually correct details.
- Use customer testimonials or user-generated content to connect with your customers.
- Share content that shows your brand cares for people and isn’t focused on spamming their newsfeed with your products.
Tipping Cow Ice Cream, for example, didn’t share blatant marketing messages on New Year’s Eve. Instead, they thanked their customers, businesses, vendors, friends, and family on the day. It conveyed a sense of realness and demonstrated authenticity.
- Live streams are going to be the NEXT BIG THING
The pandemic changed the way we interacted with our consumers. Traditional shops were shut down. People were at first not allowed to go outside, and now most of them choose to stay indoors and order online. Conventional face-to-face meetings changed to virtual conferences. Similarly, sellers are now more interested in showcasing their collections on live streaming videos instead of hosting exhibitions or new launches party.
Important noteworthy points:
- The number of views on Facebook and Instagram Live doubledwithin a week since the onset of the pandemic.
- Now consumers have gotten more comfortable interacting with brands through live shows without having to leave their homes. All they need to do is watch the live, take a screenshot of the products they are interested in and send the details on Messenger.
- As per the latest Sprout Social Index, nearly 25% of marketersreported that live streams were one of the most valuable forms of content required to achieve your social goals.
Let’s say you want students to get Assignment Paper Help from your brand. So, you can go live where you explain your services and interact with your target audience to know their pain points.
- Gaming and VR are popular among social media users
The number of gamers on social media has increased by 32% since the last year. According to the social media trends report by Hubspot, the maximum number of gaming identification happened during the lockdown period of the COVID-19. Social media platforms recognized their popularity and brought forth new VR products to expand online game-streaming capabilities. Facebook, for instance, launched Twitch, while Snapchat launched mini-game apps.
Gaming-related promotions are difficult in the traditional marketing space. But you can still launch your brand gaming tools and equipment through the VR products launched by social media platforms.
- Stories work wonders when it comes to interacting with customers
At least 500 million users communicate or interact with Instagram stories regularly. The concept of introducing disappearing stories didn’t happen overnight. It took time, but now it isn’t going anywhere any time soon. You need to choose the right content format to use in the Stories for your publishing calendars. If possible, use videos in Stories to attract the attention of your target audience. Consumers always prefer video content to audio content.
Nearly 51% of brands are already using Stories in video format. The number is most likely to increase by the end of 2021. According to a SocialInsider Study, consumers tend to tap forward Stories with images in them rather than videos. The same study also showed that Stories with photos in them reported more drop-offs than videos. That means people like to spend more time looking at videos in Stories.
- Social media is going to act more like shopping channels
The number of shoppers on social media increased by 25% from 2019 to 2020. Earlier, nearly 64 million consumers purchased products from social media platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Now it is almost 80 million. This number is expected to exceed 100 million by 2023. In short, if you have an e-commerce business, social media platforms are the hub for you to find your target audience. TikTok and Snapchat expanded online business opportunities in 2020. Instagram and Facebook, however, introduced separate tabs for shoppers and sellers to interact.
The Marketplace on Facebook and the e-commerce related posts on Instagram help consumers purchase the products by clicking on the image. They don’t have to exit the app for that.
Here is an example from Pink Lily Boutique’s shoppable Instagram post.
If you click on the image, you will find the tags related to each product the model is wearing. All you have to do is click on the link to purchase right away without leaving the app. Sounds great, doesn’t it? So, you can only imagine the effect it would have on your target audience.
- Augmented reality will become a media trend
AR has already been incorporated in our lives in the form of automatic cab-booking apps, Google Maps, facial recognition on our phones, etc. Now social media platforms are also introducing augmented reality as a buzzing media trend. The best thing about AR is that it doesn’t require additional hardware to access it. All your users need is a smartphone which we already know they have.
So, how should you use it for marketing?
The answer is AR filters. You can use these filters to promote new products or interact with target audiences. Filters are fun. But they also encourage interaction. For instance, let’s say you want to promote your Cheap Dissertation Writing services. So, you can incorporate a filter that shows what type of engineering student the users are. It would be fun and effective for your marketing efforts.
- Conversational marketing will not be the same
Whether small or big, brands relied on social media messaging channels to connect with target audiences earlier. In 2021, however, things have changed. Now there are several messaging channels. Consumers are these days more aware. So, they would ask for more information than just your brand history and product features to invest in you. And this is why the tone of digital conversations might change.
According to the Director of Social Media at Square Enix, brands should be more human on social media. They should consider the social media platform a dining table where target audiences can have meaningful and engaging conversations. Instead of focusing on promotions and sales during conversations, it would be helpful to educate the audience about your products or nurture them with an empathetic tone to convert to paying customers.
Wrapping Up,
Change is the only constant. No matter how cliché it sounds, it is a fact. Changes in social media are evident. Who knew Facebook or Instagram could be the best places to sell products? Well, it is. Similarly, the AR-induced filters on social media platforms are also one of the most popular trends on social media. Adopt these trends in your marketing strategies to make the most of social media. Good Luck.
Author Bio:
Ethan Taylor is a content marketer at a reputed firm in Australia. He also provides assignment help to students at Essayassignmenthelp.com.au. Ethan loves to read whenever he is free.
