We’re all familiar with the term “what’s trending”. Every year there’s a round-up of new trends you can expect to see make waves. Ones that’ll grace us with their presence a little while longer and others that have outlived their 5 seconds of fame.
Lets take a look at what’s hot and what’s not in the world of social media:
TikTok
TikTok, the social platform that has taken centre stage and continues to shine bright during quarantine. Move over Gen Z, you’ll find a number of Millenials and Gen X users who can give you a run for your money.
Launched in 2016, this 4-year old platform currently stands at 800 million users worldwide. Impressive, right?! As a short-form video platform, TikTokkers can create original content, recreate scenes from movies or music videos and so much more. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy - both of which they’ve nailed.
Did you know, of the 800 million users TikTok has, 500 million originate from India?
Video content
YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram lives - need we say more? Video is big, and we’ll continue to see it increase in popularity for some time to come.
Why is this great for business? For one, you better your chances of reaching a wider audience. Add in video’s ability to help you better communicate your message to your current and potential customers, your competition will have the odds stacked against them.
And while some may say it’s an investment that can cost a fortune, that’s not entirely true. Although you may need specialised equipment or a professional to shoot or edit advanced video content. It is highly possible to produce DIY videos your audience can relate to.
And speaking of relatable content, real and raw (unedited and unscripted) videos have become a big deal and have a massive impact on audiences.
Communities / Groups
Communities and groups have somewhat been underappreciated. But consider all the Facebook community and business / networking groups you belong to, you’ll see there’s more worth in them than we’re willing to give it credit. Groups and communities have been around for a while. It’s where like-minded individuals join to share ideas and knowledge.
In 2020 we’re saying YAY to rallying your supporters together in a brand community to keep them informed and interested.
Instagram likes
If you’re one to count the number of likes your Instagram posts get, brace yourselves, Instagram has started hiding likes! While this has only been implemented in Canada, the US and a few other countries, we can most certainly expect to see it be rolled out in South Africa too. This hot topic has had many naysayers disapproving of the idea, but here’s what you need to know:
CEO, Adam Mosseri announced, the reasoning behind making likes private or hiding them is to make it less about competition and more about connecting and conversations.
Check out the clip where he explains why likes are being hidden
https://twitter.com/i/status/1192962986224128005
There’s however no reason to freak out. Likes won’t disappear, instead, it will be hidden to your followers and will only be viewable to you. How will this impact businesses? There’s no major impact on brands, the only difference is, brands will now be forced to shift their focus to becoming more creative with their content and how their audience connects and engages with the content. And in our opinion, that’s all-in-all a step in a more positive direction for businesses.
Paid advertising
“If you want to make money, you need to spend money”, so profound and so true. Social media platforms in South Africa collectively have over 1 million users on EACH of the major platforms.
That’s a lot of potential business! And with targeting becoming more and more precise, social media platforms are allowing you to reach more people faster and more effectively.
Social listening
Many speculated and questioned, is this real? Are brands listening in on conversations? Yes, but not in the secret agent kind of way. Social listening is merely a way for brands to suss out what people are saying about a brand / industry by keeping a watch on online conversations.
If you’re going to sell your product or service to an audience, you need to have an understanding of who you’re selling to and what they need or want.
When you listen, you learn; and when you learn, you’ll sell better and faster.
Below are some of the not so hot trends we can see fade out on social media.
Long video ads
Who doesn’t love a good video ad? Video is progressing rapidly, but no one is truly intrigued by a 3-minute long video ad. If it’s relevant, to the point, catchy and creative; your ad will appeal to the masses. Ideally, you want your ad to be between 30-90 seconds long. In doing so, it’s easier for the viewers to digest, you can easily hook them and they’re far more likely to take action.
We’re not saying longer videos don’t work, but when we consider audience preferences, shorter ads in present times have far more of an impact and a higher conversion rate.
Generic visuals
Marketing has evolved to such an extent, it is now perceived as an extension of your customer service. Brands are digging deep and focusing on connecting with their audience on a more personal and relatable level. Images play an important role in this communication and connection, so generic images just won’t cut it on social media anymore.
Here’s some key points for getting your message across with visuals on social media:
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Authenticity is EVERYTHING - be true to who you are
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Design with your audience in mind - what’s intriguing to them?
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Research what’s hot - trends exist for a reason
As marketers, graphic and web designers, trend watching is a BIG deal - mostly because it is relative to the success businesses experience online. And we’re all about putting our best foot forward for our clients.
See our social media marketing packages here
