By: Lauren Hendrick
In today’s society, social media is a part of most people’s routines whether it’s for work, fun or inspiration. Social media trends are important to be aware of as a professional to stay relevant in the digital world.
A few of the latest social media trends
Brand Humanization
Some brands make it an obvious goal to portray their establishment as a human with feelings, emotions and humor instead of keeping it strictly professional. Many brands use Twitter to jump in on a viral thread or have “friendly” banter with competitors for comedic purposes. When brands use this tactic on their social media platforms, the posts are likely to go viral, which results in good coverage. This strategy has been around for a few years, but is now becoming popular. Wendy’s twitter page is a good example of a brand who has utilized this approach.
Live Video
Many social media influencers are also starting to make use of live video. This allows the audience to feel personable with you, which can help with followers and sales. Live video also encourages interactions between the audience and company.
Using Social Media as Customer Service
If you scroll on social media and come across a post from a brand, or click on a brand website, you will find customer reviews and opinions. Brands can resolve problems for customers by reaching out and offering a refund or giving a sincere apology. While most of a company’s customer service used to occur face to face or over the phone, many customer service interactions now take place online. Brands are also able to calculate what consumers like or don’t like based on their social media activity, which can give establishments suggestions and ideas to improve.
A few social media predictions
More Use of Augmented Reality
Augmented reality warps the way we see our surroundings through a phone camera lens and allows us to see a life-like environment. Instagram and Snapchat are examples of social media apps that use AR. When you use a Snapchat filter it can make you look like you have a spider crawling across your face, fill the room with sparkles or give you ears and a snout to resemble a dog. The New York Times also started using AR with articles to make readers feel like they are a part of the story. Augmented reality catches readers attention and brings the story to life.
Social Media Communities
Social media gives users a sense of belonging and community. “Facebook Groups” are an example where users can join pages that focus on their passion or interests. The page is used for ideas, inspirations and to meet people with similar interests. This will continue to become more common in the social media world because it is an easy way to engage in human interaction. Users can make friends, receive ideas and share content.
Niche Social Platforms
Brands used to only focus on Facebook and Twitter. Now, more social media applications are becoming popular such as Tik Tok and LinkedIn. Niche social platforms open up more opportunities for brands to make a name for themselves. It also means brands have to stay up to date with multiple social media platforms, instead of just Facebook and Twitter.
Some social media trends stick around and make an everlasting impact on brands and consumers, while others fade away. In the midst of these trends, we can always expect something new as social media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.