In contrast to the CDC guidelines we’ve all become familiar with, social media marketers should be anything but “socially distancing” in 2021. Now is the time to establish new relationships, initiate new strategies, and possibly even rebrand your channels and content to become more efficient and more visible. Social media use continues to increase, and with the emergence of newer, morbidly popular platforms, there are certain trends and themes that we can analyze to shape our campaigns for 2022.
The beMarketing social media team doesn’t just love social media, we’ve made a career out of it! So much so that we’re constantly researching new features, new capabilities, and new trends that can boost our clients’ brand awareness on these ever-growing platforms. Take a look below at 3 major social media trends we’ve identified for this upcoming year!
Short-Form Content:
When it comes to your social media content strategy for 2022, we’d argue that less is more! No, that doesn’t mean less posting, less research, or less engagement, it just means less…stuff. The new generation of social media consumers wants content packaged in short, direct messages that are easily scrollable and get to the point fast. If the rabid popularity of TikTok or IG Reels has taught us anything it is this:
- Video content continues to reign supreme over any other form.
- Today’s consumers want video content that is 1 minute or less long.
- Do not underestimate emerging platforms.
TikTok started originally as “Musical.ly”, a platform that enabled users to upload lip-syncing videos to their favorite songs or perform karaoke with their friends. Today, there are over a billion users daily on this platform, presenting incredible opportunities for marketing your unique brand, product, or services.
User-Generated Content:
User-Generated Content (UGC) is a social media tactic that involves sharing content created by fans, customers, or any other user that’s not your brand to your channels. According to SocialMediaToday, brands that are incorporating UGC boasted a 20% increase in return visitors and a 90% increase in time that users spend on their websites. So, why is this so effective?
To start, creation possibilities are seemingly limitless for consumers. The reality is, the average millennial or Gen-Z is able to create social media content that’s more than worthy of sharing using just their iPhone and the video/graphic features it enables them to. Secondly, brands that do not establish themselves as user-friendly on social media traditionally do not receive engagement, are seen as “corporate”, and have no relatable characteristics. Showcasing user-generated content further demonstrates a healthy relationship with your customers while humanizing your brand at the same time.
Shopping Capabilities:
Not that it comes as a surprise to anyone, but online shopping and e-commerce experienced a tremendous boom throughout the pandemic and continues to be the prominent shopping option for global consumers. The reality is, the growth of online shopping has been trending upwards far before the pandemic. The future trend we’ve identified, however, is how social media can be used as an incredibly effective shopping outlet.
Currently, Facebook is the top social commerce platform in the US, with over 56 million buyers. All trends however point to newer platforms such as Instagram or TikTok for e-commerce explosions, as fewer Gen-Z’s and Gen-X’s remain on Facebook every day. Similarly, these platforms are creating a far more simple and direct shopping experience, with TikTok, for example, partnering with Shopify to help marketers increase conversion rates and make purchases directly in the applications.
Socialize with the help of The Hive!
Don’t let your social media marketing fall by the wayside this year using the same old posts. Partner with beMarketing to reach new heights utilizing new platforms and features to reach new audiences and customers. Connect with us today to receive a personalized social media content marketing strategy that will catapult your brand!