2020 was the year in which social media exploded, reaching a record-setting 3.5 billion active users. Businesses were also forced by the stay-at-home orders and the need for social distancing to close their brick and mortar outlets in favor of going online. At the moment, there is stiff competition for the attention of social media users and it helps to have a coherent social media strategy if you are to stand a chance of catching the eye of your target market. Staying in the loop regarding the developing trends on social media can give you an edge over your competition, and we share some of the most notable social media trends which deserve your attention.

Purpose-focused campaigns

Imagine seeing a blatant advert of the latest phone while you are at the bedside of a hospitalized family member- wouldn’t you react with anger to such a brand which isn’t showing any empathy for what you are going through?

The pandemic brought pain and suffering to lots of people, and this collective pain has forced brands to be more sensitive when designing their campaigns. This has given birth to the purpose-focused or driven campaigns where companies build brand awareness by taking active steps in support of a cause, such as collecting funds to support frontline workers during the pandemic.

People now expect or even demand that brands reveal their softer side by supporting causes which the community holds dear. It is therefore in your favor to find a way to incorporate this trend into your social media marketing efforts if you are to get traction.

Ephemeral content

If this concept is new to you, think of Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status Updates. These are examples of content that is posted to social media and it disappears within a given time-frame, such as 24 hours.

As a business owner, disappearing content offers you two key advantages. First, it reduces your content production costs since the content is normally brief. Secondly, ephemeral content rides on the internal FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) of users. Disappearing content creates a sense of urgency among your followers and they engage with that content promptly before it disappears. Do you see how this works out in your favor as a brand?

Streaming live videos

Streaming live video content, such as during a Facebook Live session, is increasing in popularity. Statistics indicate that users increasingly prefer live videos to other forms of social media content because live video is more authentic/spontaneous than pre-recorded videos.

Another major benefit of live streaming is that it helps to get your brand’s content to the intended consumers. Social media platform algorithms keep changing, and those changes often make it harder for your content to show up on people’s timelines. Live streaming cuts through all that.

For that reason, use this trend to market your business on all social media platforms where the feature is available. These include SnapChat, Instagram, Twitter, and of course, Facebook.

User-generated content

If you haven’t noticed how user-generated content (UGC) is taking social media marketing by storm, think about the marketing done by Airbnb. They mainly use user-generated content, and their results show that it delivers phenomenal results!

Just to clarify, user-generated content refers to content created about your brand by the users of your products or services. You can then take up such content and use it on your own social media channels.

Why should you prioritize UGC? People find this type of content more believable than the marketing content created by brands. User-generated content builds trust, and that trust will manifest in the bottom line of your business. The icing on the cake is that you will not have to spend a lot of money on video production for your brand, and your company will be seen as one that puts its customers first.

So, find ways to tap UGC for your brand. Some companies run promotions in which they ask people to create content about those brands and tag the company for a chance to win a prize, feature on their pages, and so on. Find what works for you!

Meme marketing

Are you tired of attending meetings about meetings? There definitely exists a meme for that. Do you loath cleaning the dishes after a meal? There are lots of memes for that. How about that nosy neighbor? Memes galore for that!

Memes have increased in popularity because they put a lighter spin to things and make people laugh. Given what people have been through during this pandemic, it is no wonder that they would like to laugh and be free from all the chaos happening around them, even for just a few seconds.

Memes are also “snackable” in that they can provide lots of information in bite-sized portions. As you may know, the attention span of internet users has dwindled dangerously, so conveying your brand’s message in a meme will gain more traction than churning out lengthy pieces of text. And, memes are easy to create, so what’s your excuse for not using them?

Cross-posting content

Have you watched a video on Facebook and noticed that the video has the TickTok handle of the content creator? This is another social media trend gathering steam.

Cross-posting content maximizes the reach of your social media marketing. For example, people aged 18-24 use TikTok a lot, so posting your TikTok videos on other platforms will draw in more of this younger demographic.

I believe you are now getting used to this bonus benefit; cross-posting content lowers your content generation costs without compromising your marketing intentions.

There are so many other social media trends out there, and our interest was in pointing out those that we thought were most relevant to you as a business owner. The main takeaway is that you should do your own research about the trends most relevant to your business and find ways to incorporate them into your social media marketing strategy.

Remember, trends are always in flux, so make sure that you stay updated about those prevailing so that you can adapt accordingly. This will keep your brand in the eyes of your target market and it will save you from spending money on a technique that no longer works. So, which other social media trend do you think business owners need to give serious thought to? Share your views in the comments section below!

To Your Success,

Jairek Robbins