SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING TRENDS HEADING FOR 2019

With the start of the new year, it’s time to take a look at the emerging social trends that will influence the way brands market to their online audiences.

Consumers today have access to various different platforms. So, brands have to know how their audience utilise these platforms to keep in touch with the wants and needs of the consumer.

As online trends evolve, so does the marketing strategies. Meaning the way brands market to their audience is constantly updating itself, so the customer will keep their interest in the brand.

Here’s a few things to consider in your 2019 Social Media Marketing strategy: 

Creativity over quantity.

Marketers often have a knee-jerk reaction to trends by flooding platforms with mediocre and uninspired content in hopes of riding the trend wave. Would-be customers react by quickly scrolling past, as their attention hasn’t been gaged. The threshold for gaining customer attention and trust has grown exponentially. Marketers who hope to gain consumer consideration must be willing to go the extra mile in creating engaging content

Time in View.

Time-in-view is a means of evaluating ‘potential to influence’. In other words, establishing whether ads are in view for long enough to capture consumer interest and thereby achieve campaign outcomes. After all, in an environment such as social where windows to seize attention are short, advertisers must make sure every second counts — and this requires a clear idea of which ads are likely to stay in view.

Make it more personal.

Personal branding gives a business a human element that will naturally connect customers and make the brand seem more relatable. Businesses that learn to foster their human element will have a real advantage over those who hide behind a logo.

One popular trend in humanizing a business is to promote the personal brand of the business owner or a high-level leader. This can be done through guest blogging, podcasts and webinars. Giving the public an up-close view of the company’s leader can strengthen its brand reputation.

Selfie videos and branding.

The selfie culture continues at a high on social media, with the popularity of selfie photo evolving into the self-recorded video. These “selfie videos” are drawing high user interest on social media. The video format allows users to communicate in a deeper and more personal way than a photo ever could. Selfie videos tend to be short and feel more immediate than a written post with a photo.

Businesses need to know that viewers spend hours watching friends’ videos on Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Brands would be wise to look for ways to incorporate first-person “selfie video” content as part of their marketing strategy.

Younger audiences, who are more cautious about their purchases and want a more authentic experience with their brands. The selfie video can help a brand seem more relatable and trustworthy. 

New trends give brands the opportunity to engage with their audience in new ways and reach them across all channels.  

What social trends will you be following this year?