Over the last decade, social media has become an integral part of our lives and daily routines. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok haven’t just changed the way we interact with each other – they’ve totally changed the way we consume content online, including content marketing.
Given its growth, social media has become a key channel for marketers to engage potential customers, but the high competition and saturation of content online means that it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd.
Social media has managed to become an integral part of our lives in a short time. What started as a medium to stay in touch with friends and family, soon become a channel for brands and businesses to connect with their target audience through well-crafted social media strategies.
With the rapid growth of this medium, numerous social media trends have emerged and evolved over the years. Adapting to these new and upcoming trends is what helps businesses keep abreast of the fierce competition.
List of Trends You must watch out in 2021
1.Live Streaming Video
Fast forward to 2021, not only is Facebook Live thriving, but other major platforms like Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn have embraced similar features too.
But, why do people love to watch live streams so much? Why is it a hot-shot social media trend?
Here’s why: Live-streaming has an immediacy that recorded videos can never, ever match. It allows people to engage with the content in ways they couldn’t have if it was a pre-recorded video.
Live streaming video offers a taste of “behind the scenes” – something that feels unscripted, transparent, and more reliable.
2.Chatbot Communication
When it comes to communicating with the customer service department of a brand, nobody wants to waste their time on generic computerized communications. This is the exact thought that might come to people’s minds when they hear about chatbots.
Luckily, chatbots in 2021 and beyond are not here to waste people’s time but to bring quicker resolutions to the table. AI-powered chatbots can precisely understand your queries and concerns and offer you the best solutions within seconds.
3.Stories as a content format
As highlighted earlier, more than 500 million users interact with Instagram stories every day. So although Instagram Stories were already dominant content format in the previous year, they’re not going away any time soon.
No wonder 51% of brands are already using videos in Stories, and the number will likely increase in 2021.
4.TikTok, Reels & Youtube Shorts
Creating short-form videos on TikTok, Reels & Youtube Shorts is the new norm and every business should get on the bandwagon ASAP.
Because there’s no better time than now for brands to produce bite-sized, snackable, digestible, and easy-to-consume videos.
Not only do these videos fit more easily into the average consumer’s schedule, but they also allow brands to produce videos that get to the point without the overhead of a huge production.Most big brands have now jumped on the TikTok trend – including Nike and Gucci – to make their brands more accessible and give a glimpse behind the scenes, and almost all the big names are now using Instagram Reels, with the likes of Chanel and McDonalds utilising the short-form video feature to promote their products.
5.Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is not a new trend, but it is one that is going to stay for a while. Social media today is dominated by influencers who are getting paid exorbitant amounts to promote brands.
Influencer marketing isn’t a new social media trend, but it is one that is going to stay for a long, long time.
By 2022, influencer marketing will become a $15 billion dollar industry and it shows zero signs of slowing down.
Investing in influencers is much cheaper than running paid ad campaigns, and yet it delivers good results. Moreover, influencers can help marketers achieve a variety of marketing goals and not just generate leads. These are the two main reasons why it has become so popular and is continuously getting stronger and bolder.
6.Good Content
When consumers still continued to engage with videos, live streams, and other social media content that was clearly made from home offices, marketers realized that content with lower production quality can still be engaging — if it provides value.
“COVID19 forced many brands to get scrappy when it came to producing content, especially video work,” Hendrickson explains. “Without a production studio or tons of equipment available, production value became a bit more lo-fi and in the end, but also a bit more human.”
To Conclude!
There are a number of social media trends that will rule the year 2021 and have a massive impact on the users, as well as, brands. If you haven’t adapted to these new trends year, it’s time you do so to leverage your brand on social media and stay ahead of the competition.
