Mid-Year is a good time to evaluate and analyze the trends of the past six months and come up with innovative ways to incorporate improvements within social media strategies.
The chart above clearly shows that as the years pass by, the amount of time spent on social media platforms keeps increasing.
This phenomenon has opened new opportunities for marketers who are using social media for promoting their product/services. Social media is cheap, accessible and very effective. However, this media form is continuously evolving – and the behavior of its users is also changing with the changing trends.
These days, Social Media marketing is not just about devising and implementing a campaign. It is more about understanding your customers and creating content that satisfies their needs.
Keeping this idea in mind, we will discuss a few social media trends that should be followed in 2019:
Focus on Your Target Audience
There is a saying in business: Customer is the king!
In 2019, social media marketers should keep their focus on all those people who seem interested in your product/service.
It is not simply about selling things. Rather, it’s about creating and maintaining long-term relationships with your customers.
Be sincere with your customers, furnish quick responses, listen to their complaints, and solve their problems.
Social media has been around for many years — it is no more a new phenomenon. Many businesses – including small businesses – have come to understand that social media marketing is more about customer interaction and engagement. They use social media not just to direct traffic towards their landing pages, but also to interact with them, and analyze their specific needs and demands.
Social Media is shifting towards one-on-one engagement with customers, and catering to their specific needs. Customers, on the other hand, also expect more from businesses. They are less patient and more demanding. The main reason behind a business’s success is that they are able to engage their customers and create long-lasting loyalties with their brands.
The Year of Authentic Stories
The era of generic updates on social media is over.
2019 is the year of true, authentic, and intimate stories because only they create meaningful engagement between the business and customer.
Storytelling is an art, and it is time social media marketers understood its importance. People are generally more interested in stories that matter to them, and not the business. The latest social media trend is to find such content, and amplify its message by distributing it across different social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and various other websites.
Likewise, different posts across various channels can also be transformed into blogs or articles to be shared with users.
The reason behind sharing posts over several platforms is that their users are usually different. Your posts reach a wider audience, and more people are able to engage with your stories.
Make Use of Influencers
Social Media Marketing, with the help of influencers, is a trend that may help businesses in 2019. An influencer is roughly described as a person who has a digital presence which is followed by a lot of people — a vlogger or blogger. In fact, quite a few influencer agencies have also sprouted up over the past few years who work with brands in businesses.
Another emerging trend in 2019 is to work with micro-influencers. Engaging them is one of the key aspects of devising a successful campaign. Strategic business associations are being forged with influencers that are not competitors like entrepreneurs, university professors, and professionals.
The power of Videos
The chart above states that 48% of businesses prefer to market their products on YouTube— internet traffic will be directed towards videos. That is why videos are listed as one of the most important Social Media trends to be followed in 2019.
Take a look at your own social media account. You will notice that most of the content there comprises of videos. These videos may be of any type — advertisements, stories, entertainment, or even product reviews.
In most cases, these videos serve to engage customers through spreading out memorable messages which they associate with your business. It could be a story about your brand, employees or products. It could also be a demonstration of your product allowing prospective customers to understand how it can benefit them.
A video that shows satisfied customers can also be very useful when it comes to social media marketing.
Marketing through Mobile Devices
The chart above shows rapid growth in the use of mobile phones over the last four years and the proportionate increase in associated revenue. It is also obvious that, in the coming days, the majority of internet users will be using mobile devices rather than desktops and laptops. The bulk of social media is happening on mobile.
So many businesses haven’t still figured out that they need to create content that users can access through their mobile devices easily without delay.
Presently, social media and mobile devices have become the two most influential forces that are driving consumer marketing. Now, marketers have the opportunity to engage their customers 24/7. Businesses are increasingly creating content which is compatible with their websites as well as mobile applications. One of the most effective ways to reach customers is through mobile content.
Social media marketing through mobile devices is a rising social media trend in 2019. It has become so important that anything shared or posted on social media is accommodated for mobile devices. Businesses are devising campaigns specifically for mobile users.
The Final Word
It is not easy to guess what the most important social media trends are in 2019. However, it can be said that 2019 is a landmark year in terms of innovations and improvements in social media. As more and more people connect to the internet all over the globe, the social media landscape is bound to change with the ever-changing demands of its users.
This is the best thing about social media marketing: it never lets you get bored!