Featured article by Bob Buxton , Independent Technology Author
Social media has become one of the major marketing channels for businesses across the vast majority of industries. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are the go-to choice for economical marketing options for small, mid-sized and even the largest corporations. But every savvy business knows that marketing trends are bound to change at some point – the challenge is figuring out when.
2020 will be a year where marketing on social media follows the trends that have already been established, of course, because when it ain’t broke don’t fix it. But there will be some changes and you want to be on top of them to ensure your business continues to get maximum exposure. Here are some of the trends we predict for 2020 and beyond.
Marketing Trends on Social Media – 2020 and Beyond
1. Video is only going to grow.
Video is estimated to account for 80% of the traffic on the internet by 2021. Audiences love video because it is an easy medium to consume – and marketers love it for the same reason. You can get the message across quickly and directly with video in a way that is not possible through text or even still images.
2. Live streaming is going to be used more often.
With the increased bandwidth available to the consumer market and the coming improvements expected for mobile data, it is becoming easier to livestream events. The fact that livestreams are so “real”, with mistakes and all being on display for the viewer, makes them seem personal in a way that standard video can’t achieve. There will be more one-on-one interactions with consumers through livestreaming, as well as improvements in networking opportunities and shopping experiences.
3. Personalization will become more intricate.
All of the sharing that people do on different social media platforms sets up opportunities for personalized experiences like never before. The platforms are collecting the data of every user to the finest detail and then use that data to offer more personalized experiences. They can also sell their data and/or insights to marketing companies so that businesses can provide a more personalized buying experience. The journey customers take online is being tracked from start to finish, and that information allows businesses to find the most opportune moments to insert their marketing into the path of each customer.
4. Augmented reality and virtual reality will come on board in a bigger way.
Augmented reality (AR) adds layers to the real world through devices like Snapchat’s Lens feature so that users can take advantage of the assistance provided by location data, such as letting them know that the best barbecue restaurant in the area is nearby. Virtual reality (VR) goes much further by creating fully realized worlds that users can navigate and explore. Both AR and VR are continuously improving, and marketers are taking notice. The more that the public starts using these technologies in the coming years, the more important it will be for businesses to correctly utilize the marketing opportunities they present.
5. Personal recommendations and reviews will become even more important for choosing products to buy.
The vast majority of consumers check reviews on products when they are choosing which they want to buy. A lot of these reviews come through social media platforms, something that is only going to increase in the future. Marketing companies are certainly aware of the value of personal reviews, which is why they encourage consumers to leave a review of their product after purchase. Social media platforms and online reviews ae likely to become more connected, a reality that marketers will need to adapt to if they want their clients to be competitive in an increasingly social media-oriented world.
6. Niche social media platforms will become more important.
The social media giants including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, are the primary platforms used by most users today. Although their hold on the majority is not going away anytime soon, you can expect other niche platforms to gain popularity as well. It is always the way of things that the most popular platforms become less interesting to certain segments of the public and they wind up going elsewhere to get their needs met. Marketers need to be on the lookout for these kinds of changes because they present a significant opportunity to gain more direct access to the right audience. LinkedIn is a good example. It has become increasingly prevalent in social media for anyone interested in getting a job and building a career. For businesses that cater to this audience, LinkedIn presents a major marketing channel that must be targeted.
7. AI will be used more often to handle mundane tasks.
You only need to visit a few major websites to see AI at work, such as the automated response apps that ask site visitors if they would like more information about the company’s products. The AI handles the basic back and forth and connects the user to a real person if that person makes the right decisions to proceed through the sales funnel. You can expect AI to become more capable of handling complex tasks in the coming years and marketers are going to take full advantage of its capabilities on social media platforms.
8. Ephemeral content will become more common.
There is something deeply appealing to the public about content that is guaranteed to disappear after a certain period of time. Instagram stories are a good example of the popularity of ephemeral content. People can’t wait to click on the next story to see what the people they are following are doing – after all, they better get it while it lasts. Marketing companies are going to find better ways to leverage the popularity of ephemeral content so that they can get their message in front of viewers who want to check out something interesting, funny, or relevant, before it disappears for good.
The social media landscape is always changing and 2020 will be no exception. Marketing using these platforms will continue to present a challenge and require companies to stay on their toes – but it will also offer unparalleled opportunities to reach the right audience and improve sales and customer engagement.
