Unfortunately, being a marketer on social media isn’t quite as simple and easy as being a user (you’re really killing it, mom!). But now, simply being present on these platforms isn’t enough. Staying up to date on the latest trends is not only going to make you look cool, it’s going to be crucial to your business.

If you’re not, your customers will notice. Trust us. So we’ve put together 6 of the top social media trends that you can’t afford to skip this year. Let’s dive in. 

1. Customers will expect even more Videos.
   The stats regarding video marketing are kinda crazy. Like the fact that 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by watching a video than any other form of content. Or that 92% of those people will share that video with someone else (Hubspot). Just imagine if that was your video!

   By implementing video content and live streams into your social strategy, you’re welcoming a whole new wave of brand advocates that will put you in front of new potential customers. In fact, 54% of consumers want to see more video content from brands. And if your audience is asking for it, you better deliver — because if you don’t, your competitors will.

   We’ll leave you with one more stat: by 2022, Hubspot reports that 82% of internet traffic will be video content. So with more and more people going online, how much of this traffic are you willing to miss out on

2. Stories will continue to steal the show.
   More than 500 million Instagram users interact with Stories every single day, according to Sprout Social. The feature, originally made popular by SnapChat, was obviously crazy popular last year too, but this hype isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And businesses are all on board. As the fastest growing social trend in the last 10 years, one-third of stories are now created by business accounts (QuestforTech).

   But it’s important to go into this trend with an organized approach. Just like planning for any other type of social content, the format, timing and creative all matter. For example, a study by Socialinsider found that images in Stories have a 5.65% higher tap forward rate over video, meaning users moved on before the story even had a chance to finish. (Once again, video is king here!) But your strategy won’t look like everyone else’s. And we highly recommend it doesn’t!

3. Creating customer experiences through Chatbots & Messaging Apps.
   There used to be a bad stigma around Chatbots. And that’s probably because they were super frustrating and never gave you any of the answers you were looking for. But that’s not the case anymore. Now that technology has made chatbots smarter, quicker, and available 24/7, people actually want to interact with them.

   Not only do 90% of businesses report faster complaint resolution with chatbots, but they’re also saving them 30% on customer support costs by communicating with multiple customers at once. Messaging apps are designed to achieve the same quick and easy interactions. And with extensive customization capabilities to personalize the user experience, it’s really a win, win for brands and their customers.

4. Purpose-Driven Campaigns will take the spotlight.
   As brands and individuals navigated multiple crises this past year, we’ve seen an increased importance of sticking together and supporting causes that have a positive impact. People are willing and wanting to help more than ever, and they expect the brands they love and trust to do the same.

   74% of Twitter users surveyed said they want brands to show acts of kindness. And this is where campaigns that demonstrate leadership and purposeful action have taken a center stage for consumers. Knowing when to engage and when to sit back from sensitive issues is crucial for brand reputation, as well as evoking positive, memorable impressions in consumers. Being more thoughtful in the content of your strategy is key to successful social in 2021.

5. Authenticity & Transparency will be more important than ever.
   It probably isn’t possible for us to champion authentic marketing more than we already do, but we’re going to try — because it’s only becoming even more important. Consumers want you to get real with them. They won’t buy from you unless they know they can trust you. That means not just telling them what they want to hear, but showing them that you care.
   
   Voice of Customer Research is an invaluable method of understanding who your customers are, what they like, and what pain points they have. A positive customer experience starts with transparency and honesty. And social media is a big part of discovering what that looks like. From assessing your social reviews to creating audience polls to testing what posts your followers most engage with, you can start to understand their wants and needs on a deeper level.

6. The massive growth of Social Commerce will continue.
   We’ve all been there. We didn’t plan on spending any money today, but while we were sitting on the couch scrolling through Facebook, we saw something we liked, and it was just too easy not to buy. That’s the power of social e-commerce.

   While 30% of online users purchase directly from social media platforms, 84% of online buyers will first visit a brand’s social media account before making a purchase (Quest For Tech). So regardless of current ecommerce strategy, your social media is a big player in that. But being able to provide customers with the ability to buy your products without ever leaving their favorite social site is a major step in creating an enhanced buyer experience. And as one of the fastest-growing social marketing strategies in the world right now, it’s worth taking the leap. 

To learn more about the trends that are taking over 2021 and how you can step up your social media strategy contact shyft today.