Social media is all around. It has the two things people need most — the social aspect and the media factor. Therefore, it will continue to thrive and change as technology evolves. Keeping up with what is trending is crucially important for businesses/brands if they want to stay relevant and continue to connect with their audience. In today’s 411 Locals blog, we will discuss the main trends in social media for 2019. Keep reading!
#1 More and More Messaging
Whoever said we live in an asocial society, clearly ignored the aspect of digital media that allows us to communicate with one another through online messaging. Messaging apps have surpassed social media ones in usage, and it seems that trend will dominate 2019 even more. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, the list is long. What does it mean for social media? Brands have started recognizing this peak in online messaging as a way to connect with users which is why automated bots for customer service and e-commerce promotions are flooding us everywhere.
#2 Live Streaming, Videos & Podcasts
Content consumption continues to increase, but it is no longer just words and images on the menu. It is interactive content that goes beyond that. It is Instagram Stories, Facebook adjusting its algorithm to ensure more video posts appear on our feed, VR (Virtual Reality) in ads, it is everything and everywhere.
In 2019, we are looking at short videos with catchy captions, vertical videos on Instagram and Snapchat, long videos used for storytelling and strengthening brand recognition, live streaming as a way to keep in touch and personalize your brand. You can benefit from any of these as long as they pertain to your business goals and following.
#3 It Is All About Trust
Last year saw the rise of privacy vigilance on many fronts. Data breach scandals, Facebook being a prime example, directed the spotlight on data protection and the “how do we regain privacy” question. So, the takeaway for you and your business is really simple — build trust with your audience, be transparent about data collection and usage, and update people on the changes you have introduced in that field.
#4 Focus on Your Top Performing Channels
Social media optimization (and marketing) is getting more competitive by the second and, in this dynamic landscape, it is those who focus only on their best-performing channels who thrive. It is no longer about joining Facebook just because “everyone is already there’ and you’re missing out. It is about tracking where most traffic comes from, how your audience prefers to reach you, and what kind of content they want to see.
#5 Ad Spend and Ad Saturation
Yes, social media advertising is an ever-growing industry where ad-spend is constantly increasing. The best approach? Spreading your ad budget thin across multiple channels and hoping for the best is not something you want to do. Any sales you get out of it will probably barely cover your ad investment in the first place. Focusing on a single channel is also not advisable (no matter if for paid or organic growth) unless that channel is the only one that drives traffic and conversions.
There is a lot more to social media that will be trending in 2019, but those are the absolute basics. How you manage your social media can directly reflect your SEO. And the latter is something which our SEO company can manage!
Stay tuned for our next topic!