Social media from the business perspective is definitely worth the effort. According to a new report from GlobalWebIndex, the average person now has 7 active social media accounts, with 98% of people having at least one!Platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or YouTube offer people alternative means of communication and to businesses – a free and invaluable way of engaging with and targeting their audience.Social media isn’t just changing how we communicate; it’s fundamentally changing the way we do business, govern, and interact with society. It’s not a fad, and it’s not going anywhere.As a business, it’s crucial for you to understand what social media platforms are best for your brand and where does your audience hang around. Once you establish that, you are halfway there.Bear in mind that starting a social media marketing campaign without a social strategy in mind is like wandering around a forest without a map—you might have fun, but you'll probably get lost!When working out your social media strategy for 2019, you need to consider which of the social media trends to include. Live streaming, even more video content, micro-influencers…Long gone are the days when your social media strategy was all about increasing the number of followers!Let’s take you through the main trends we think should be high on your agenda.
The rise of Live
Live video has been trending on YouTube for quite a while now but in 2019 it looks set to take over Facebook and Instagram. The interactivity of live video is a powerful tool for marketers to engage with the audience and strengthen the relationship between a brand and its followers. This is mainly because of the authenticity that going live brings – people love personal and genuine content! This trend provides consumers with the opportunity to experience a behind-the-scenes look at your brand and what it is that you do.
Video
More and more of us prefer to see visuals over text, and videos over images – and this will still be the case in 2019.Facebook is pushing video content high in line with their changed algorithm. The ideal video length is a minimum of 20 seconds and once uploaded, you will have access to analytics based on how your audience engaged with the video content. This will allow the retargeting as well!Make sure you create your video content and ads with mobile in mind as this is how it will be predominately accessed and viewed.
Influencers or micro-influencers?
Influencer marketing is becoming more transparent now with paid partnerships between brands and influencers out in the open. There is no need to go out of pocket trying to attract celebrities to your brand. The micro-influencers are more genuine and although smaller, they have more loyal and engaged audience! This shift comes from changing algorithms – it’s not about the number of followers anymore. People have more chance to connect with the everyday blogger and that fulfils their need of belonging to a community.
Growing privacy concerns and the need to build trust
With the Cambridge Analytica scandal and wide spreading fake news, many social media users are increasingly concerned about their privacy and how businesses use their data. Businesses need to be considerate to people’ concerns and those being able to address them, should be able to maintain good and trustworthy relationships with their followers.Here at Umbrella, we like to stay at the forefront of social media and digital marketing change. We equally appreciate traditional marketing methods. With many years of experience and variety of skills amongst our team, we are the go-to place for all your marketing needs! Get in touch now: 01244 515569 or email: hello@umbrellamt.com.
.png)
