Your private space, healthy online behavior and mobile content. There are some major social media trends that we need to address in the future.

Social media trend 1: The boundary between private and public disappears

The statement that Mark Zuckerberg gave a few years ago that “the future is private” can clearly be seen on social media now. We are frankly tired at the constant noise in our social media feeds. To avoid being met by information we are not interested in, we are moving more to private rooms and specific niche channels. Here we feel more comfortable talking freely and sharing content with our friends.

Does this mean…

That the consumer will completely disappear from the flow and we will only communicate privately? Well, not really, but it's more important than ever for marketers to get to know their target audience and create content that gives them added value and relevance as well as a personal experience. You need to create a journey that crosses the public with the private in order to build relationships with the target group. Namely, it is in the public spaces that marketers can create awareness among the target group with the help of targeted ads and then initiate private conversations in other forums to start building the relationship with their customers. In this way brands and product owners show their target group that they are interested in that they actually exist, by listening to their needs and in this way start building a relationship with the target audience.

Social Media Trend 2: Social Media Wellness

Do you usually get a small summary of your screen time each week and are always just as surprised at how much time you spend on social media each day? The growing awareness resulted in Social Detox and Social Wellness quickly becoming a hotly debated topic. Social Media Wellness is about how we should relate to social media to actually feel good. The trend has led us to be increasingly selective in which social media we use and how much time we choose to spend on our scrolling. This means that we must show in our communication that we care about our target group's time. Focus on quality instead of quantity and only focus on topics that create added value for the target group.

And the platforms are listening

The trend has also led to Facebook 2020 removing the opportunity for users to see likes - both on Facebook and Instagram. Many have wondered if the initiative will be long-lasting. Given that it is becoming increasingly important for us to look after human mental well-being, it will most likely be. Even if likes no longer become a yardstick, users will find other ways to show commitment, perhaps through more comments or shares.

Social Media Trend 3: TikTok Get Reel(s)

TikTok continues to grow and soon Instagram will launch its new product under the name Reels. Like TikTok, Reels is a feature where users can make 15-second videos with different types of effects and then share them in their profile. It is undoubtedly a format that will trend, but how should we as marketers think? Should brands hurry to get TikTok or wait until Reels has been launched?

If your primary target audience is Generation Z, you should definitely think about how you would market your brand on TikTok. For example through influencer marketing where users create content for your brand. Unlike TikTok, Reels will directly reach an older audience, which gives more companies the opportunity to reach their target group. Do not be afraid to try something new, the worst that can happen is that it did not go as well as you wanted. Nobody really remembers a coward!

Social media trend 4: Video is king of content

That mobile works well on social media is nothing new, but now mobile will be superior! We will increasingly leave text-based posts and replace them with both informative and entertaining videos. With the help of our mobile cameras and simple apps, anyone can call themselves a video director without having to pay too much.

Just to give the trend a little extra weight, here are some statistics from Wyzowl's latest survey. Let's start with the fact that consumers where 96% have chosen to watch a video to learn something new and 74% have been persuaded to buy a product by watching a video.

In addition, 83% of marketers say that video has helped them generate leads and 89% say that they have seen really good ROI from video content.

Which means…

That if video is not included in your content strategy, it is high time to get started. You will see really good results even if it is not a Hollywood production. Technical inventions are finally becoming a part of our everyday life!

Social media trend 5: AI, AR and VR

Soon, AI, AR and VR will take a large place in our marketing plan, which may be mainly due to the development of 5G. For those of you who do not know 5G, it stands for fifth generation wireless systems and is the technology that will take over after 4G. In addition to an opportunity for extremely fast connection, the new generation of mobiles will also have 3D screens, which will create new exciting opportunities, not least for AR.

AI

By now I think we all have come across the talkative women Siri and Alexa? Both are examples of AI technology that enable us to find information through voice control. This technology will grow in 2021 and mainly in countries like the US where 50% of all Google searches are predicted to be done via voice search. Even if the number will not be as high in Europe, it is important that marketers start thinking about implementing voice search SEO. Especially if you work for a company that sells products or services in a global market. The Google phrases we optimize for today will change when we will search by voice instead. They become both longer and more eloquent. In practice, working with voice search SEO means, among other things, that you must produce content that answers questions in spoken language, so that the AI ​​ladies can find what the user asks for.

VR

Virtual Reality (VR) has already been integrated with the largest social media channels and as 5G increases, VR content is predicted to grow at a rapid pace. VR content allows consumers to experience products and services before deciding on a purchase.

AR

Augmented Reality (AR) can be described as the bridge between the digital and the physical world. It may sound like sci-fi, but it means that you will be able to make content for social media that offers the consumer a completely new experience where digital becomes part of our reality. AR will offer the consumer everything from interactive shopping to playing football against real professionals directly via mobile. One company that has tested AR is Coca-Cola, where a can opens up a whole new world.

Social media trends: Some tips to keep up

Start by building a solid foundation by identifying your target audience. Create buyer personas and be detailed in your description to then be able to create content that solves their problems and interests them. Here are four tips to help you think about how to optimize your social media strategy.

1) Be yourself! As a brand, you gain a lot from being authentic and genuine in your communication. When communication is genuine, you appear credible, which is the key in all relationships.

2) Advertise in social media feeds. In public flows, it is important that you target yourself by advertising towards your personas. Do not be afraid to use technical aids such as pixels and insight tags. They will help you reach the right people.

3) Balance automation and human contact. Help yourself by automating processes that take time from other parts. For example, you should have both chatbots and human customer service to give the customer fast and good help.

4) Balance your marketing between advertising in social media feeds, which create awareness for your brand, product or service by initiating private conversations with prospects. These private and personal conversations should only take place with people who have shown interest in your product / service and aim to help them make a decision for a potential collaboration.