We’re going to take a wild stab and assume that your company has a social media presence.
Were we correct?
So I figured. It’s safe to assume that your curiosity in social media marketing trends brought you here.
All OK, then?
Nine times out of 10, that would have worked. In 2021, according to Statista, 91.9% of businesses will utilise social media for advertising.
And, you know, they’re kind of justified in doing so.
One example is how widespread the increase in social media use is. Seventy-one percent of individuals are using social media more often now than ever before, per Sprout Social.
Source
More and more people are turning to social media for shopping-related activities. In a poll conducted by Sprout Social, 57% of respondents claimed they had learned more about a brand’s products or services through social media, while 47% said they had learned more about social media marketing trends by following businesses.
In social media, brands see huge increases in engagement when they fulfil (and often exceed) the expectations of their audience.
91 percent are willing to check out a brand’s digital properties, such as a website or mobile app.
The vast majority, 89%, will buy.
Eighty-five percent of customers say they’d suggest the brand to friends and family.
Naturally, consumer expectations change over time, particularly in the dynamic realm of social media.
Therefore, we set out to research the top 10 social media marketing trends to keep an eye on through 2022 and beyond.
These social media marketing trends and strategies are not brand new, but they are and will continue to develop over time.
This is evidence that the strategies have been successful. While certain social media marketing trends have faded over time, the ones we’ll be covering here have shown to be extremely effective at attracting, engaging, and converting today’s customer.
This implies that businesses must monitor the development of marketing strategies centred on social media platforms. As a result, groups will be able to figure out how to incorporate these tendencies into their social media marketing playbook for maximum audience service.
The Rise of Social Selling and Online Shopping
As we’ve already established, today’s social media users want and expect to be able to take care of a variety of shopping-related errands without having to switch between apps. You must guarantee that every interaction your customers have with your brand online encourages them to make a purchase.
(Again, if you aren’t already using social media for marketing purposes, now is the time to start.)
In recent years, social commerce’s popularity has skyrocketed as more and more people discover its convenience in making purchases online.
The study Social Commerce 2021 from eMarketer states:
With a 34.8 percent increase, social commerce revenues will top $36 billion by 2021.
After a 25.2% growth in 2020, the number of social commerce users is expected to grow by 12.9% in the following year.
In the next year, social commerce as a whole will expand by 37.9%.
As it stands right now, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are dominating the market share in social commerce.
Battlegrounds, both Paid and Free It’s important to strike a mix between sponsored and organic strategies when promoting on social media, especially at the local level.
It will become increasingly challenging to attract new clients and lookalike audiences through social media advertising. And with organic reach on Facebook and other platforms continuing to fall due to algorithm changes, it looks like marketers will be fighting an uphill battle no matter what.
A prominent trend in both sponsored and organic social media marketing is an increased emphasis on location.
On the paid side, we may see businesses promoting region-specific content and advertisements.
Just a few instances:
Commercials promoting items or ideas relevant to the current season or weather
Temporary user-generated material with geo-targeted, branded filters
Live event promotion commercials aimed for a targeted audience.
Marketing with Influencers Is Developing Further
The use of influential people in advertising is nothing new, and it shows no signs of disappearing any time soon.
However, it is always changing.
The explanation:
The influencer marketing standards that consumers formerly accepted are shifting.
These days, product endorsements from famous people or organisations aren’t enough. Only 4% of customers feel that celebrity endorsements are enough to convince them to make a purchase, according to a research by the ExpertVoice Consumer Trust Panel.
Most people, instead, rely on material created by influencers who:
displays the worth of the brand
Displays the use of the advertised goods or services
Describes how to make the most of the product or service offered by the company.
For example, the research states, “having honest, personable, and educated individuals making recommendations based on actual experience with the product is a key differentiator in determining whether they would trust a recommendation.”
This is why marketers are increasingly turning to micro- and nano-influencers to drive not just awareness but also substantial engagement.