6 Very Important Social Media Marketing Trends You Absolutely Need To Know
Social media is constantly changing so you need to be aware of all the trends that work right now so you can be as effective as possible as you service your clients. Make sure that you constantly review the social media marketing strategy you use so that proper results can be gained. The trends below are very effective at the moment.
Micro-Influencers Are More Important Than Ever
Influencer marketing was always really important since the influencers can easily boost sales. Choosing a very good influencer is always something that has to be done. The problem is that small companies out there do not have the finances needed to hire the really big influencers, those that can actually help brands reach their goals.
Micro-influencers do not have the outreach the celebrities have. However, they do have a huge influence on the followers they have. Something as small as an Instagram followership of 50,000 can lead to more sales than a followership of 500,000. Always choose influencers carefully and stay focused on results, not numbers of followers.
Software Development
The social media marketing needs of one company will always be different than that of another. This is why custom software development is nowadays used by firms to create the software that they need to manage and create highly advanced social media marketing campaigns. Hiring a software development company that builds the system needed helps increase marketing efficiency, engagement and so much more. Also, in the long run, expenses are reduced since companies get only the features they need from the software that is created for them.
The Importance Of Engagement
Engagement was always important in social media marketing but it is even more important right now. This is because organic reach is so much tougher to get. If you want to get the best possible results, it is vital that you promote content that is engaging, appealing and as interesting as possible. This is much easier said than done.
Social media algorithms get better and better as time passes. You need to also get better and create content that increases brand awareness. Focus on winning engagement, not likes or views.
Using Social Media For Direct Sales Generation
Social media even now helps customers discover products. Brands can promote products and it is so much easier for the customers to find the information they need to make a well-informed choice.
Modern social media is no longer just about engagement and awareness. It is also about sales enablement. For so many, Facebook is the very first channel that is used to discover a new product. Pinterest and Instagram are also really high on the list.
Customer Service And AI
Automated messaging and bots are nowadays very popular in customer service and marketing automation. It is so much easier for the customers to use social media to reach brands. This means that response time expectations are higher than they ever were.
The use of chatbots is quickly gaining popularity, especially through Facebook Messenger. Brands figured out that they need more customer support so AI is integrated into the mix. Every single brand out there needs to expect to have to respond to questions through social media. Those that do not adapt to this trend will offer a lower quality customer service than what is expected.
Stories
Last but not least, vertical format content is here to stay. Stories that just last one day are popular on Instagram, Snapchat and even on Facebook. Even LinkedIn implemented stories. Over 400 million Instagram users look at stories every single day. Smart brands adapted and now integrate stories in their social media marketing plans.