Since the first lockdown, there has been a rise in the use of social media. These digital social networking tools have slowly found their way to the center of all our activities and daily routines: entertainment, communication, and commerce. And to get the best out of it, an active audience is required.

If you want to achieve the engagement or visibility you desire, you need to use social media and gain real Instagram followers and followers on other platforms you wish to utilize too.

However, as more people begin to join a social media platform; two lockdowns after, staying in touch with your audience is becoming more difficult.

There are now several trends, content, and brands competing to gain the most engagement and attention from audiences on each platform. So, to stay ahead of your competition, you need to master the new social media trends.

In this post, we’ll be highlighting the latest social media trends that’ll strengthen your social media marketing strategy and help your brand stay relevant for the longest time.  

1. Going Live

When all live events were put on hold due to the pandemic, and some, capacity restrictions, brands who still desired to engage their audience made use of the live feature on social media. With the live stream feature, audiences could attend their favorite shows right in the comfort of their homes, regardless of their location.

Platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube were used in place of other pricey hosting software with limited attendance capacity. While the major mandatory public health restrictions have been lifted in many countries and events are now being hosted physically, live streaming still remains a brand’s favorite tool.

Brands can connect with their global audience anytime and anywhere with the live streaming feature. And in the coming years, webinars, shows, and announcements will still be hosted via live streaming.

2. An Expansion in Social Shopping

The evolution of social media platforms over the years has made it possible to streamline connections with your audience. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest have included e-commerce tools that make it possible for customers to make a purchase without having to leave the platform.

With the use of these shopping tools, you can improve the shopping experience of your customers. In time, being redirected to a different website will seem like a lot for customers to deal with, and they might just have to patronize brands that keep all their shopping activities on one platform. So, get ready to set up your social media store in your next campaign.

3. Ephemeral Content

Everyone wants to see any content that only lasts 24 hours before it expires. They just might not get to see it again and will miss out on what information such content has in store for them.

As a brand that wants to grab as much attention as it possibly can in 24 hours, the story feature is the perfect tool. The social networking giants: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have rolled out this feature for brands who want to leverage the curiosity of their target audience and turn it into pure engagement and eventually convert them into potential customers.

4. TikTok Will Keep Going Viral

TikTok keeps rising to the top as the most used social media platform in this decade. The social media platform has amassed over 1 billion followers, making it the best platform for brands to gain more visibility than they normally would on other platforms.

The creators of this platform also understand that the attention span of consumers has reduced over the years, so, they made it home for short-form videos. Consumers find it more entertaining when they can watch multiple videos in a minute.

Recently, the platform has introduced a couple of marketing and business tools. Brands, creators, and individuals are all hopping on to this platform with different, achievable goals.

5. Video Content Is Here to Stay

Consumers find video content more entertaining and creative to see. Static images no longer intrigue them. They love to see and enjoy the motion, audio, and plot that come with each video.

You’ll need to include videos in your strategy to engage your audience. Not just any video, short-form videos that last for no longer than one minute. YouTube (YouTube shorts), Instagram (Reels), and TikTok all understand the importance of short-form videos and have introduced features that make it possible for users to utilize and meet the demands of their customers.

6. The Influencer Market Will Continue to Grow

Brands will continue to collaborate with influencers that can communicate their value to their audience.

Collaborating with influencers has proven to be way more effective than running ads. Potential customers want to buy products from people they can relate to. And influencers give the target audience a taste of what it’s like to patronize a brand, which in turn helps in achieving the set marketing goals, rather than generating leads of warm customers.

7. Increase in the Use of Social Media for Customer Service

Customer service is taking a new form. To give customers a better experience, brands will now be tending to the inquiries and concerns of customers via their social media channels.

With social media, customers no longer have to send endless emails or wait for long periods to get a response. Instead, they can simply reach out on the brand’s official social media page, send a text, and get all the assistance they need in minutes.

8. The Meme Bandwagon

A little sense of humor tends to boost the image of every brand. Customers love a brand that can give them a good laugh every once in a while.

In the coming years, even the most corporate organizations will be posting relatable memes that will help them hop on to the latest trends and communicate with their audience in a more casual way.

9. Mental Health Awareness

The world is experiencing a digital burnout, and creators aren’t excluded. Between working from home and having to spend more time on social media to stay in touch with the world, people are now realizing they need a break now more than ever.

To promote positivity, content surrounding self-care and digital detox will be the main focus. Platforms like Instagram are working on a “Take a break” feature that reminds users to stay away from social media at their preferred time. We will soon see other platforms working on this feature and helping users take a breather to reduce digital burnout.

Conclusion

Social media is taking a different form and these trends will help you stay on top of your marketing strategy. With proper understanding and incorporation of these trends, your brand can be a top competitor in this space and stay relevant.

You must also bear in mind that trends change, so keep your team updated on any changes that may occur along the way.