Social Media Marketing has never been so important for brands as it is now. In 2020, there was an increase of 21% in social media usage as countries implemented stay-at-home orders around the globe. Consumers are turning to social media, not just to be in touch with their friends and family, but also to be informed about the latest trends, inventions and news from around the world. They are seeking out cool and fun products to buy, fun DIY projects for the home and they want to be entertained while doing so. Brands, wanting to capture their audience’s attention and engage them, need to keep up with ever-changing social media trends and adapt their strategies according to those trends.
So, for brands looking to achieve success on social media in 2021, here are the six top trends we see emerging in the upcoming year:
‘Less is More’ approach
The ‘less is more’ approach was adopted by brands in 2020, and we see it continuing in 2021 as well. Brands are focusing on producing thoughtful and valuable content as opposed to churning out low-quality content frequently. They want to make an impact with every post by creating content that inspires strong emotions in their target audience and gets them to engage and feel connected with the brand message.
Focus on Video Content
Video content is known to be engaging and will be even more important in 2021, with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and TikTok increasing their video capabilities. Short video formats with entertaining content are highly engaging and popular. Video is highly shareable and can be pivotal in growing the reach of your content.
Authenticity Over Everything
Consumers want their brands to be authentic and have a human approach in the way they present themselves across various social media platforms. This will be essential for brands to build trust and to be relatable in order to connect with their target customers. Brands can display authenticity by being more transparent and boosting awareness as being a company that cares about various causes and people.
Brands that are transparent with their audience and have authentic content will have a higher chance of being successful on social media in 2021.
Social Media Platforms as Shopping Channels
With social media channels being used by consumers as search engines to research and find new brands and products, many platforms are looking to incorporating a shopping aspect. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are already testing a shopping function that lets you browse directly without even leaving their app.
Social media platforms have a vast existing user base that can be a great way to boost online sales even for small businesses. Brands and businesses that wish to use social media platforms to increase their online sales should definitely make use of these features on social media in order to succeed.
Content Over Production Quality
In 2021, the main emphasis will be on the value of content over production quality. Brands have realised that as long as they produce content that helps their target audience in some way and provides value to their life, their audience is bound to react and engage with it.
Conversational Marketing will Change its Tone
The tone of conversational marketing might get an uplift in 2021. In the past, brands used conversational marketing tactics to promote products and make sales as quickly as possible. This might change to a more user-focused tone with brands trying to be as helpful as possible to the user with a more thoughtful and empathetic tone.
Brands will also be more available to connect and answer queries by existing and potential customers via social media channels. They will do so using a mix of artificial intelligence and human interaction to solve their customer queries more effectively.
