1. Go Transparent
It’s no secret that social media as a whole is becoming more transparent. People have become more concerned about how long they spend on social channels, as well as how their data is collected (and used). Facebook in particular is pushing for more transparency but it’s becoming an expectation that businesses follow lead and become better in this space.
According to recent studies, almost 60% of 18-24 year olds are now seeking relief from social media. As a business, this means one thing. You need to make content that is interesting and inspiring AND that grabs people’s attention, fast. It’s always been important to keep content engaging and fresh, but now more than ever.
2. Grow with (real) Influencers
Influencers can be an awesome way to connect what you do with an engaged audience and there is a host of growing influencers across social media to choose from.
Last year, we talked about the rise of influencers and how they can help a business grow through user-generated content. As we come towards the end of 2018, the state of influencers has changed – for better and for worse.
As you likely know, this year has seen a bit of a backlash against influencers . A purge on fake-influencers has begun and is helping spread more awareness around the topic. However, just because there has been some unease around influencers, it doesn’t mean that every one of them is bad for business. It has been found that 92% of consumers trust organic user generated content and it’s no surprise that people prefer genuine advertising.
The volume of social media influencers is continually growing, allowing businesses to work with influencers of different sizes. When choosing careful and smart partnerships, they can be a valuable asset to your business, offering a hand into difficult target audiences.
3. Get Yourself Live
Have you ever done a live video on social media? If you haven’t, what are you doing!? It has been killing it for years. Don’t be late to catch onto this trend. It has been extremely popular throughout 2018 and will only grow bigger next year.
Instagram recently introduced IGTV, their new integrated video platform that will push the boundaries for video content – that’s something else you may be interested in trying.
Live video on channels like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can help you better understand your audience with real-time interaction. Asking questions and talking directly to those who are interested in what you do can be incredibly effective. It also shows you care about your audience, whatever industry you may be in.
4. Embrace Chat Bots
Chat bots are everywhere. They offer a quick and easy way to do something that can be time-consuming, without much hassle. At the moment, we see them as a sort-of gateway to speaking to a real human.
If built correctly they can drastically speed up a query from a customer service perspective. Next year, though, chat bots are predicted to really begin their social domination. And both small and large businesses can take advantage of these in different ways.
For large businesses: It isn’t feasible for you to keep on top of hundreds and thousands of messages across social media, so chat bots can help eliminate the quick questions people have.
For small businesses: Chat bots can help you manage messages from people and allow you to focus on growing your business, rather than spending hours on social media replying to people – even if you like a good chat!
5. Explore New Avenues
As a whole, social media marketing is more than just posting content and interacting with an audience. It can be used for:
- Identifying new customers
- Building a community through engagement
- Offering better customer service
- Showcasing your brand
What we’re trying to say going into the new year is make sure you are using social media to its full potential – don’t just sell stuff. Explore new avenues, opportunities and possibilities, and take some risks. If you need a little help, give us a shout.
2019 will be here in a flash. And if you’re reading this in 2019, just remember that years go fast in general, so trends need to be acted on. We’d love to hear what you’ll be doing to make your social presence better!
Have a chat with us on Twitter and if you’re trying to grow your Instagram account, you might want to read this next.
