More and more companies are relying on digital and social media for marketing. It's getting louder and more confusing, costs are rising, complexity is increasing. So far, this approach has proven to be sensible for most companies - nevertheless, advertising measures also need to be adapted to the trends in the new year 2021 and 2022 through social media. But what are the social media trends and how should companies react to them? We'll reveal it!
Trend Number 1: Videos and Ephemeral Content
By 2022, 82 percent of all online content will be video content, as predicted by a Cisco study. This includes not only traditional YouTube videos but also short films on platforms like TikTok, as well as stories on Instagram or Facebook. For video beginners, it is recommended to start by using the story functions of social networks. Here, one can experiment with filters and various widgets to find out which functions resonate best with the target audience and how to best showcase one's product or service. TikTok also offers various possibilities for this - since the platform has seen tremendous growth but still lags behind Instagram or Facebook, companies should first check the target audience and explore the marketing opportunities that TikTok offers. Ephemeral content will continue to be a topic in 2021. These are contents that are only available for a short time and then disappear. Snapchat initiated the trend with "forgettable pictures," which has since been adopted by Instagram and Facebook stories. Stories cater to the short attention span of people on social networks by engaging users in a short and captivating manner. The short stories can be quickly and easily checked on the go, allowing users to be reached at any time without much effort. For video professionals who want to provide their content permanently, YouTube can still be relied upon as a marketing platform in 2021 - although a change can be expected in the new year.
Trend Number 2: Micro-Influencers
In the past, especially in terms of marketing on typical influencer platforms like YouTube and Instagram, companies have relied on influencers with large reach and high visibility. This will change in 2021 as more companies recognize the importance of so-called micro-influencers: internet personalities who have tailored their content to a specific niche and/or present their content to a (still) small audience, making advertising appear more credible. Influencers selling their followers the third eyeshadow of the week as "the best" are out. Micro-influencers with appropriate communities, higher engagement per follower, and modern social listing will counteract fake engagement in the coming year. This approach leads to better targeting of the respective target audience, higher credibility, and good analysis possibilities - even in large numbers.
Trend Number 3: Security
Security in social media was already a major topic in 2020 - and not without reason: collecting and consequently misusing personal data is particularly easy via social media. The theory that some social networks sell their user data to companies persists without being comprehensively refuted. The response to this in 2020 will be a tightening of norms by social networks and regulatory authorities. Not only are social networks themselves interested in improving their reputation and making them safer, but influencers and users are also interested in this. Companies using social media for advertising purposes should therefore be prepared for further regulations and restrictions.
Trend Number 4: New Realities
In 2021 and 2022, the possibilities of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) will be further expanded and made accessible to a wider audience. While Virtual Reality has been more of a topic in the gaming sector and partially in the health and education sectors, the possibilities of Augmented Reality (AR) are already being expanded and made tangible to a broad audience. This development was clearly demonstrated by the Pokémon Go hype, where digital content was implemented into the real world for the first time, reaching a large audience. Similar technologies are also used in the augmented reality filters of Snapchat and Instagram. While social media has recognized the importance of AR and continues to expand its possibilities, virtual reality still has a long way to go in terms of integration with social networks. The reason for this is simple: expensive and complex VR headsets are still required to experience virtual realities. Those who own this technology can already gain experiences with the possibilities of virtual realities in social media through Horizon, Facebook's Social Virtual Reality. In this virtual world, people can connect with each other, play games together, and explore the virtual world. If VR technology is further improved and made accessible to a larger audience, more such opportunities can be expected.
Trend Number 5: Social Media Wellness
In the new year, companies must rethink to reach and engage potential customers. This is due to users' new perspective on the importance of social media: so-called Social Media Detox is in - users are more conscious of their smartphones and social networks and increasingly aware of the effects of social networks on mental health. Therefore, companies must put even more effort into creating advertising that binds users to their product or service despite reduced social media usage and convinces them. In addition to creating relevant and high-quality content, marketing professionals should aim to understand the behavior, interests, and needs of their target audience in 2021 and respond accordingly. Personalized content and experiences related to the needs and expectations of users play a particularly important role in this.
Trend Number 6: Voice Commands
Voice commands will also be part of social selling in the upcoming year 2021, used for purchasing goods or services. According to ComScore, over 50 percent of search queries will be transmitted via voice commands in 2021. Although this is not a new technology, companies should keep the importance of voice commands in mind in the coming year. Tools like Jetson.ai help make it easier for users to make purchases via smart home systems like Alexa or Google Home, as well as through the voice command functions of their smartphones and tablets. The tool learns from customers and responds to their wishes accordingly. For example, product preferences and favorite shops are stored, making shopping via voice command particularly easy for the user. In this way, it is almost easier to shop by voice command than through a smartphone or PC.
Conclusion: The Future Will Be Exciting
To continue using social media as an advertising platform, companies must rethink and think ahead in the coming year. In addition to exploring AR and VR as options for new advertising campaigns, decision-makers must also think more from the user's perspective: in addition to responding to more conscious consumption of social media, this includes the increasing popularity of video content and the declining trust in macro-influencers. "Behind the scenes" of social selling, data protection and security remain of particular importance for companies in 2020.
