Introduction
Social Media is constantly changing & it is important to keep up with the ever changing online landscape. Every year we see the advent of a new concept or a technology which brings change in the Marketing Strategy of any company. Social Media being an important element of Marketing, the marketer adapts these technology changes in Social Media Marketing too. Sometimes, the ways of using technology becomes different which brings in a new trend. Even a change in Government policies can bring change in the trends of that particular country. And it becomes very important for any marketer to evolve & adapt around these changes. Even the experienced Digital Marketers need to keep learning & acquiring new skill sets to compete in this environment.
Let us now take a look at some of the trends that would be dominating in 2020.
Major Trends 2020
- Videos/ Video Marketing
Video Marketing is there in the market for quite some time & it is predicted to increase in the coming years. Videos are proven to be engaging, & retained for a longer period of time. Visual content like Live streaming videos and Video ads are excellent forms of storytelling that Social Media Marketers can tap and effectively connect their audiences with, for higher impact and brand retention. It is high time now, the companies who haven’t yet started with Videos as a means of communication should start with it, otherwise they will lag behind in the competition. Videos can be used for :-
- Building Brand Trust : Facebook offers ‘On this Day’ Feature to recollect whatever updates, posts, pics, videos were shared on that day in previous years. These videos can be shared further with the customers for Brand retention as well as to build Brand trust.
- Showcasing products & services : Videos can be posted on your Social Media page to showcase the products/ services. Detailed features of the product/service can be shared. Different users using the product can be shown.
- Inside the Company : You can build the trust by sharing Company Culture videos showing the employees performing the work, sharing their experiences working in the company. An inside view of the office or studio can be shown to give the feel to the customer.
- Customer Testimonials : Customer Testimonials are a great way to influence prospective customers. Testimonials take the spotlight away from the seller, and shine it on the customer. And when a buyer hears positive things from someone who was also in buyer’s shoes earlier, tends to get influenced & finds it genuine & to be relied on. So, the videos sharing the Customer experiences would act as an icing on the cake.
2. Ephemeral Content
Ephemeral Content is the content that is available for a short period of time. As a Marketing Strategy, it is a temporary content that takes advantage of the fear of missing out (FOMO). Snapchat first introduced this concept through its ‘Stories’ which would vanish after 24 hrs. Instagram & Whatsapp too offer this feature.
- Nowadays, the way the user consumes content is different than the way it was done earlier. With so much competition, Social Media is nowadays full of content. The user is spoilt for choices & his attention span has become short. This is why formats like Stories have become popular which are short, engaging & addictive. According to various studies, there is steady increase in the Instagram Stories users & viewers.
- Another way to use Ephemeral Content is embedding it with Social Shopping. Through stories you can engage the customer & offer them a limited period discount, promote a product launch, or a mid season sale.
3. Social Shopping
Social Shopping is a new way Ecommerce setups are selling their products online. This feature allows people to purchase products recommended by their friends or connections. Which means people who use Social Media platforms to discover new products & read customer reviews, can now buy goods in-app. This creates a seamless shopping experience for them.
4. Influencer Marketing
Influencers are the people on Social Media who have the power to influence their audience in their nische. They are not as popular as Celebrities but have influence on a limited audience. They offer honest reviews and are more enthusiastic in their efforts to promote the brand or product. Because of the genuinity they are now preferred by brands. The no of influencers the company hires depend on the volume they are operating.
Marketers are not just collaborating with 1-2 influencers now, but are working with a whole network of small, relevant, niche influencers. These kinds of influencers get much higher engagement and cost much less. Going forward, more and more marketers will use this strategy and work with multiple smaller influencers instead of one celebrity.
5. Nische Social Media Platforms
Facebook & Instagram are the most popular Social Media platforms. But in recent years several other niche Social Media platforms have not only emerged but have significantly risen to fame. Eg. Tik Tok, which started in 2016 & instantly gained popularity amongst youth. B2B companies prefer LinkedIn for their social media initiatives, while the gaming community flocks to Twitch. There are several such alternative Social Media platforms that are gaining popularity and will continue doing so in 2020 and beyond.
5. Niche Social Media Platforms
Facebook & Instagram are the most popular Social Media platforms. But in recent years several other niche Social Media platforms have not only emerged but have significantly risen to fame. Eg. Tik Tok, which started in 2016 & instantly gained popularity amongst youth. B2B companies prefer LinkedIn for their social media initiatives, while the gaming community flocks to Twitch. There are several such alternative Social Media platforms that are gaining popularity and will continue doing so in 2020 and beyond.
6. Rise of Technologies like AR (Augmented Reality) & VR (Virtual Reality)
Rise of Technologies like AR (Augmented Reality) & VR (Virtual Reality)
AR is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information. This technology is already being used on Instagram & Snapchat to enhance the visual content. There will be expected rise in this technology.
VR is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person. That person becomes part of this virtual world or is immersed within this environment and whilst there, is able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions. It is currently used in the gaming industry. Facebook is also working towards this technology which will provide the next level of social connection.
6. Rise of Technologies like AR (Augmented Reality) & VR (Virtual Reality)
AR is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information. This technology is already being used on Instagram & Snapchat to enhance the visual content. There will be expected rise in this technology.
VR is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person. That person becomes part of this virtual world or is immersed within this environment and whilst there, is able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions. It is currently used in the gaming industry. Facebook is also working towards this technology which will provide the next level of social connection.
Use of Social Media for Customer Service
Nowadays Brands have realised the importance of Social Media. They are using it for Customer Service as well. Brands concentrate on their ORM strategy through Social Media only, which is now considered very important to retain a Brand Image. Due to the increase in no of customers reaching out to Brands through Social Media, Brands are assuming these channels as part of their Customer Service.
10. User generated Content
Customers or Potential customers find the content posted by their peers far more influential than the Brand creates itself. So the Brands are now engaging the customers in the post. This is done in following ways :-
- Encouraging the audience to tag the brand when posting something about the brand so that the other customers can also see
- Running contests to engage audience
- Commenting & interacting with the audience regularly
These are some of the trends that are going to dominate in 2020. It is extremely important for marketers to pay attention to these upcoming trends to stay ahead of the curve. Doing so will ensure that you have the right tools at your disposal, an up-to-date strategy, and the required skills to make the most of Social Media.
The above said list is not exhaustive. If you can think of more such trends, do let us know in the comments below. We would be happy to hear from you!!
These are some of the trends that are going to dominate in 2020. It is extremely important for marketers to pay attention to these upcoming trends to stay ahead of the curve. Doing so will ensure that you have the right tools at your disposal, an up-to-date strategy, and the required skills to make the most of Social Media.
The above said list is not exhaustive. If you can think of more such trends, do let us know in the comments below. We would be happy to hear from you!!