Happy New Year! It’s crazy how fast 2019 went by, and how much changed in just one year. When it comes to marketing on social media, constant change is almost a norm at this point. If you’re not keeping up to date with the never-ending algorithm changes and social trends, you will be quickly left behind.
While the new year has literally just begun, based on the trends of last year we can gather a pretty good idea of where to start this year. Of course, these trends will change as the year goes on, and I will be sure to blog more when it does. But for now, here are the most important social media trends you should keep in mind for social media marketing in 2020!
Importance of Social Commerce
Buying things online isn’t new, but is definitely expanding. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have made a more streamlined process for users to buy and sell online, the latter even offering the option to book services and set up appointments all on your business page!
This trend is rivaling websites as it becomes more functional and user friendly. While it still does not replace a website, it’s something to keep your eye on, especially if your social media pages get more traffic than your website.
Video Content Will Outperform the Rest
Anyone using Facebook Creator Studio in 2019 noticed how strongly Facebook was pushing video content for both Facebook and Instagram. According to a recent study, in a little over 20 years over 80% of all online content will be in the form of videos.
Videos are extremely engaging, and can be used in posts and in stories, either pre-produced or by going live. If your business doesn’t have a strategy for producing video content, now is a good time to think about that moving forward!
Focus on Engagement
Instagram will be removing likes in 2020!!!
This is huge, because it will force users to actually comment on posts. If you are not already getting engagement on your posts, then you might need to change your content strategy on Instagram in 2020 to keep up your reach and to continue making successful posts.
Local Targeting
Geo-tagging is a great method for local targeting, and works in a similar way like local SEO. This can be done on Instagram by choosing a nearby location when you post, or posting the location you are in. On Facebook, when you boost a post you can choose a select, targeted local area around you for your ad to reach, and Facebook will show your post to people in that area.
Brands can use this to promote upcoming events or promotions, and it helps when you really want to focus on a small, local audience.
Branching out to New Channels
Who knew that TikTok marketing would be important in 2020! Or that having a Snapchat business account would be important? These two platforms are just some of the many that businesses are branching out into to reach a wider audience as they grow in popularity.
Some of these smaller but quickly growing apps, in addition to TikTok and Snapchat, are WeChat, Reddit, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn, the last one being especially important for B2B marketing!
Communities Will Become More Popular
Facebook groups is the biggest example of brands creating an online community in this category. In 2019 Facebook groups exploded in popularity and engagement. Groups were created by both brands, and people looking to relate to others in their niche or area of interest.
An example of this is one successful business owner I stumbled on who sold courses. She is a social media marketer who finds group members in other groups and invites them to join her private group. Once you join the group, you’re invited to sign up for her newsletters and like her business page. Her newsletters and posts in the private group drive users to sign up for free webinars, where she introduces herself and sells her courses to anyone interested in starting the same successful business she did. It’s a pretty solid strategy, and actually gets her results. It all starts with groups though!
There’s many more…
This is by no means a comprehensive list. There are many more trends that will pop up in 2020 I’m sure. Social media is always changing, and that’s what makes it challenging and exciting! What is your strategy for 2020? If you’re interested in a free consultation, click here to get a quote and get started!
Sources:
Influencer Marketing Hub
ClickZ
