Welcome to a new year and a new budget to explore all the possibilities of social media marketing! As you’re planning your strategy and taking note of what’s worked before, make sure you also do some research on how to stay ahead of the game. In terms of popularity, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok continue to dominate as the most popular social media networks, but the way businesses can utilize them is always changing due to new features and trends. Keeping up with those can be its own struggle, so we’ve put together 5 of the top social media trends you can use as a starting point to improve your brand’s reach on social channels.
Explore TikTok and more video content
With the continued rise of TikTok, the social media sphere has shifted even more to be reliant on video marketing. Instagram’s focus on promoting their Reels feature and other networks exploring short form video also proves that. Going into 2022, small businesses should try to fit in the time to take videos that could be informative or fun for their audience. A series focused on tips/tricks would be a good way to become an industry leader, and then making more informal videos based on trends will show the personality of your company. Then, once you have some video content, use it across all of your platforms. TikTok is most suited to short form content, but they have released a new feature in the past year that allows 3-minute-long videos. YouTube is still the second most active social media site, so use that for your longer content. Both Facebook and Instagram allow video posts and Reels, but note that Instagram has shifted their algorithm to promote Reels on the feed.
Invest in paid advertisement
As the reach of organic media continues to decline, advertisers are putting more of their budget and research behind paid advertisement with their social media. Depending on the business and which networks best fit their brand and goals, a business can most definitely find new audiences and build trust with them through their socials. To start out, pick two networks to focus on and put some money behind a campaign or boost. Try adjusting the post content and ad preferences throughout the experiment and take note of which ones do better. Using that information, you can start to use paid advertisement effectively so you’re getting the most out of your budget.
Focus on shopping features
Social commerce, after the overall rise of e-commerce due to contactless shopping, should be a priority for business that sell products. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest have become especially popular retail platforms for both small businesses and corporations alike. Although, data has found that too many clicks, or requiring the customer to go between your social feed and website, can discourage your audience from buying. To avoid that, link up your website and social shop to streamline the customer journey. Then, utilize all the network features available such as product stickers or tags in your social posts to promote your products and give them more visibility on the feed.
Expect to use social media as a prime customer service tool
The instant gratification of endless information at our fingertips expands into the need for quick customer service when dealing with a business online. Instead of emailing or phoning a company, many customers now expect prompt replies on social media whether that’s through comments or direct messages. As they connect with friends, influencers, and colleagues on their feeds, they also see your business as another account they can chat with when needed. Make sure you’re properly monitoring your social media for comments, DMs, and reviews. Whether it’s a question or review for your business, you want to be portrayed as a responsive, engaged entity that customers can trust.
Create dedicated online communities
More than ever, people are reaching out on digital channels to connect with others whether that’s in a personal or parasocial way. Additionally, they search for accounts related to their interests, which often means influencers, celebrities, and new brands they want to support. Try to create your own loyal community by encouraging comments on your posts, using Instagram story stickers for Q&A sessions, and creating a Facebook group focused around a related interest to your business. Then, you can really start to build trust and integrity around your brand and a strong reputation. When you’ve got a community behind you, your business can really flourish both online and locally.
Even with all of these tips, navigating the complexity of each social channel can be a daunting task for many small businesses. If you’re struggling to tap into the power of social media marketing in 2022, give the experts at That’s My Idea Marketing a call.