There are many, many things the past 15 months have taught us. From becoming professional zoomers, mastering the art of working from home (and all of the distractions that come with it), to perfecting our baking skills and giving Mary Berry a run for her money. But one lesson we can’t ignore is just how important social media has been.
We’ve seen a huge shift in not only the way people are consuming digital content but also how companies market themselves across the various platforms available.
But how do you keep up with and take advantage of this ever-changing landscape?
Don’t fret, we have you covered. Below we’ve compiled a list of social media trends to keep an eye on and leverage throughout the second half of 2021.
The Rise of Gen-Z
It’s clear to see how socially conscious the current and future generations are, which means businesses need to tap into an entirely new market, not to mention an entirely new way of communication.
Your brand values are an important consideration for consumers, so make sure you’re engaging in important topics such as mental health, equality and inclusivity, and social justice.
Provide Valuable Content
One of the biggest mistakes made when it comes to social media is posting for the sake of posting. With many of these platforms already being so saturated, you need your content to stand out.
How? Identify your target audience and create content that responds to their needs – make content with a purpose. If it’s to sell, make it shareable. If it’s to educate, make it quality. If it’s to debate, create content that starts a conversation. You get the idea.
The Rapid Acceleration Of Video Content
If there’s another thing that lockdown has taught us it’s that it’s all too easy to fall down a TikTok hole. You know how it goes, you tell yourself you’ll watch a couple of videos whilst the kettle’s boiling, the next thing you know, three hours have passed…
Studies have shown that video content was the most commonly used digital marketing tool of 2020 and the second most engaging content type on social media. We’ve seen nearly every major app integrate some impressive video capabilities over the past year, so we can expect high video consumption to be a social media trend that is here to stay.
FOMO
The reason Snapchat was so popular when it launched back in 2011 was because of its ‘bitesize’ pieces of content, known for giving its consumers that FOMO feeling (Fear Of Missing Out). Since then nearly all social media platforms have bought out similar features that tap into the same feeling.
We’ve got Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories, Twitter Highlights…the list goes on. 2020 saw the rise of this ‘bitesize’ content and as people’s social media attention span continues to shrink, this trend isn’t going to lose steam any time soon.
A Little Conversation Goes A Long Way
Social media is no longer a one-way street. Brands can no longer just talk at their audience and hope for increased social media engagement. Instead, it’s all about that two-way conversation. Customers don’t want to open up Instagram and be met with a sales pitch, instead they want informative, valuable and engaging posts. So, it’s simple, engage with your audience, build relationships and find out what they want from you.
Nostalgia Marketing
How many of us are guilty of looking back on 2019 and thinking how much better it was than 2020? Remembering the days when we could leave the house and not be armed with face masks, gloves and the all-important hand sanitiser.
These positive emotions connected with sentimental memories and ‘the good old days’ will boost current emotions. Nostalgia marketing can help connect strong, positive emotions to your brand, giving it a sentimental boost during a time of uncertainty.
Keeping up to date with the latest social media trends today could help you build a stronger brand presence for tomorrow. Remember, social media enables you to show off your ideas, document your journey and solve problems in ways that we’ve never been able to before.
So are you ready to stay on top of trends and ace your social media?
Make sure you’re following us over on Instagram for more tips and tricks!
