In this blog post, we will discuss some best social media trends that will help crank up a notch of marketing success.

What do you understand by social media marketing?

SMM is all about using social media platforms to connect with your target audience and realize definite goals for your business. It’s an instrument of great power that will let you do this:

• Brand Awareness: Build brand visibility by creating engaging, useful content and interacting with a lot of followers to get your brand out there and increase its recognition.
• Drive sales and traffic: Capture interest for your services or products using social media, and then redirect those people effectively to your website or landing page.
• Reconcile Relationships: Through social media, you are made to engage with your customers at a personal level—answer their questions and clear their doubts. This will help you in building trust and loyalty.

Also read:  How to Create an Effective Social Media Strategy For Your Business?

6 Social Media Trends That Can Transform Your Marketing

1.     
Video Power

• Video is what the people want, and it’s precisely what the platforms want. Social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and others are on the road to advocating video content; hence, in turn, making it very easy for the users to dive into or even get exposed to videos.
• This builds into a win-win for both creators and viewers. Creators get more reaches; viewers receive a far more engaging form of content.
• Video isn’t limited to any specific style. It can be short and snappy, giving entertainment in quick succulent pieces or as an informative snippet, or it can be long-form and detailed for in-depth explanation or storytelling.
• This very flexibility allows addressing styles with different preferences and attentions.
• Live streaming takes video engagement to the next level. It offers real-time interaction between the creator and viewer.
• Whether through live Q&A sessions, product demos, or general hangouts, streams facilitate a feeling of connection and community with the content.

2.    
User-Generated Content

• UGC is from actual customers not your marketing team. It’s an unbiased point of view, and audiences who don’t trust traditional advertising respond to it much better.
• UGC represents real life experiences with one’s brand. It explains how people use or communicate with a brand’s products or services daily.
• Sharing positive UGC is likely to work like a word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend. It gives wings to the trusted voice of the customers to spread brand awareness.
• UGC campaigns proclaim user engagement and share the sense of belonging. Customers are quite fond of the feeling when they find their own content scrolled up under a brand’s handle; hence, a stronger brand community thrives.
• UGC gives a continuous stream of fresh content for your brand. This keeps the social media pages engaging and tries to move away from same old marketing messages.
• UGC contains very valuable customer insights on products. You would know how people perceive your brand and how you can improve on these offerings.
• UGC campaigns are cost-effective means of building a brand. You are leveraging the creativity enmeshed in your audience, bringing down active expenditure on ad campaigns.

3.    
Influencer Marketing

• Partnering with the influencers helps in getting more target people than the original audience. This is owed to the fact that these influencers will already have their following that is targeted towards your target market
• People trust the influencers they follow. If you partner with relevant influencers, the credibility of the latter works to bring your brand in good light.
• Focus on those influencer collaborations that appear natural and relevant for the target audience. People within target audiences quickly recognize an advertisement that doesn’t fit well, so collaborate with those who will organically weave your brand into their content.
• When influencers create content that is authentic to themselves, it projects further to the audience, resulting in more organic and interactive interactions with the brand.

4.   
Building Communities

• Social media is not shouting out messages on your platform. Answer comments and questions, and you should make your audience feel that their voice really matters. Going two-ways helps grow relationships.
• Aim at creating a place where people connect between themselves and not really driving up follower counts. Host discussions, get interactive, and actually feel a part of it.
• Make them feel that their voice matters by responding and engaging. This builds a lot of loyalty with them and gives the impression that they are respected members of the community, not just viewers.

5.    
Ephemeral Content

• Businesses can therefore share glimpses of activities, products, or promo events that do not last long on platforms such as Instagram Stories and Snapchat. This taps into people’s FOMO, creating the feeling that viewers are getting privileged access to something special.
• The temporary nature of the content embeds a ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ feeling. Viewers know that they have a limited window to see the content before it goes away, which pushes them toward action.
• When platforms bring together factors such as exclusivity and urgency, it arouses FOMO. One is afraid that if they do not act promptly, they might miss out on an excellent deal or experience. This fear will keep them acting to follow the brand, make purchases, or simply stay tuned for more.

6.   
Social Commerce

• Effortless Shopping: No more hopping between apps! Social media allows you to window shop and buy products native within the platform you are using. No tab or website switching; just seamless shopping from your feed.
• Social media is no longer about following your BFFs. Brands can now shop their products through posts or live streams. Imagine coming across a smart outfit or gadget on Instagram and be able to click and shop right there. That’s the power enshrined in the social media shopping tool.
• Your followers will see your product demos and interactive content, which influences people directly to buy. The social commerce features make it easier to turn all those likes into actual sales.

Also, read: How to become a social media manager?

Conclusion

Social media is evolving, and thus, getting ahead of the curve is the name of the game. In fact, when integrated into your marketing plan, the following 6 trends will allow you to provide value to your audience, strike a deeper connection, and generate a raving legion of fans in order to ultimately realize your marketing objectives. So, do not fear, experiment and be creative; leverage the power of social media to transform your marketing.

Also, check: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBUiWRtzK1c

FAQs

1. How can user-generated content benefit my brand?

User-generated content (UGC) fosters trust and authenticity. By sharing positive experiences and creative content, your customers become brand advocates, attracting new audiences.

2. Are long-form videos worth the investment?

Absolutely! Long-form video content allows you to delve deeper into storytelling, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes glimpses, keeping viewers engaged and fostering brand connection.

3. How can I leverage live streams for marketing?

Live streams offer a unique opportunity for real-time interaction with your audience. Host Q&A sessions, product demonstrations, or live events to boost engagement and brand transparency.

4. What is a social media takeover, and how can it benefit me?

Partner with an influencer to temporarily take over your social media account. This taps into their audience reach while offering fresh content and perspectives to your existing followers.

5. Why should I consider using social media for customer service?

Social media allows for prompt and public responses to customer inquiries. Addressing concerns effectively builds trust and demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.