The majority of individuals spend a substantial amount of their time on social media. Social media has become deeply associated with people's lives and daily activities. In 2020, however, the use of social media intensified, giving way to the rise of digital marketing and trends. E-commerce sales increased dramatically, consumers spent significantly more time on social media, and video conferencing became popular. It has resulted in a significant change in the way brands interact with their customers. To offer you a leg up on your competitors, we've outlined 6 of the hottest social media marketing trends for 2021. Take these marketing trends to heart and use them in your new digital marketing strategy.
6 Hottest Social Media Marketing Trends 2021 for Marketers
1) Live Streams
Several programs like award ceremonies and concerts were canceled due to stay-at-home orders, and people were unable to attend in-person events. This increased the number of individuals watching live streams of such programs or their favorite celebrities going online. During the lockdown, live viewings on Facebook increased by 50%, while viewings on Instagram increased by 70%. In 2020, TikTok usage increased dramatically, and there's a high possibility that the trend will continue in 2021. Influencer live-streams, for example, tapped into the "in-the-moment" connection demanded by the post-pandemic customer base.
2) User-Generated Content To Increase Consumer Experience
One of the trends that have risen due to digital media is that the emergence of social media as a platform for advertising has paved the way for new digital media degrees. That’s why people are learning and coming up with innovative techniques of reaching far and wide with digital strategies. One of these strategies is creating simple ways for the customer to interact with the brand to develop a lasting relationship. When it comes to integrative content, user-generated content (UGC) checks all these boxes:
• It helps strengthen and establish communities
• It is both relatable and inspiring.
• It allows businesses to meet clients where they already are
• It enables brands to produce a lot more content in the face of stay-at-home requests and other restrictions.
3) Less Is More Approach
Many brands this year spent less time churning out social media postings and more time creating content that felt meaningful, valuable, and in touch with the society around them. The lockdown period opened their eyes for the brand managers and marketers, and they started focusing on whether the customers are actually interested in what they post. This resulted in brands dropping the spam posting approach and adopted the more meaningful approach.
4) Content In Stories
Instagram stories are seen by over 500 million people every day. So, even though Instagram stories were already the most famous content format the previous year, they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. If they haven't already, brands will need to get more organized and plan for stories as a content format in their publishing schedules. The story format elicits an immediate response, specially with the add-ins that encourage the user to interact. Another approach for marketers to use these formats effectively is to produce intriguing story content that keeps fans coming back day after day. As a result, your average social media following will grow, as will the number of eyes on your advertising when you post them.
5) Virtual And Augmented Reality
People are looking for more meaningful virtual contacts amid stay-at-home directives and the necessity for social distancing. One of the current technological advances that can supply them with those encounters is virtual reality (VR). When you interact with people through virtual reality, you get the feeling that you're genuinely there with them, even if they're halfway around the world. As platforms press forward with implementing this technology, virtual reality is projected to increase social media popularity in 2021. In early 2021, Facebook introduced the use of Oculus VR that lets individuals explore, connect with others, and play games through virtual means.
Recent events, similar to those that have expedited the acceptance of virtual reality, have accelerated the adoption of augmented reality (AR) experiences, notably in the social arena. AR, unlike VR, does not require any additional hardware beyond a smartphone, making it even more accessible. AR filters are quickly becoming famous for brands to promote new items or increase fan involvement on social media. It engages and entertains your audience. With the correct promotion, it may even help you attract new consumers.
6) Social Commerce
We keep seeing more features and tools that assist quick and easy shopping as the social media sector adapts to improve customer experience. For example, you may add product labels and enable easy checkout on Instagram without ever leaving the platform. You may create a shop on Facebook that people can explore and purchase directly from the vendor. Given the importance of social media in purchasing decisions, this could be the ideal tool for marketers to keep using in 2021, as it has been so for a long time now. Remember that 54% of social media users conduct product research on the platform. Furthermore, 71% of consumers are influenced by social media referrals while making a purchase.
Knowing today's social media trends will help you establish a more significant presence in the market. You will know what to look out for and adjust your social approach to what’s hot. As a digital marketer, the best thing you can do is to continuously analyze trends, online customer patterns, and your team's social networks to find out which trends or tactics to adopt and how to implement them.
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