Everything You Need to Know About Social Media Marketing Trends Today!
The
social media world has exploded with activity, and social media trends of 2021
have shifted since the COVID pandemic onslaught. Sure, it's exciting, but it
can also be overwhelming. You need to know how these shifts affect your
business-and how to capitalize on them to improve your marketing strategy.
So,
we're making a foray into the digital world to help you understand the social
media trends and opportunities for 2021. Let's get at it!
1.
Make a Connection with Live Streaming
Humans
need to stay connected for personal and business reasons. When they can't do
that face-to-face, technology is more than happy to step in and bridge the gap.
Luckily, social media new trends have come to the rescue during this pandemic.
Live streaming, a popular medium that only grew stronger in 2020, will continue
to play a significant role in 2021.
People
have become used to learning and exploring in live streams as they reach out to
satisfy their need for social contact and engagement. So, one of our top tips
based on social media trends for business in 2021... Go live on social media at
least once a week! And be sure to include a call to action that sells your
audience something valuable at the end.
2.
Give Away Something for Free
One
of the most valuable outcomes of maintaining a social media presence besides
nurturing relationships is list building. When you post on social media, you
can use your call to action to build your list. Free offers help facilitate
this process. Selling something valuable doesn't always mean a money exchange.
Your list is gold-your treasure chest of potential new customers and
sales.
People
will exchange their contact information to obtain something they value. For
instance, some folks don't have the time to read every word of your blog posts.
A good blog article summary, or access to a hidden page on your site that
provides summaries for your most significant blog posts, could appeal to some
of your prospects.
Other
free offers could include the following:
Access
to slides from a conference
In-depth
guides and tutorials
Behind-the-scenes
glimpses
Free
reports
And
more
3.
Showcase Your Brand Personality with Video
Good
news! There's still plenty of room to build your online presence, attract an
audience, and build loyalty with videos. And before you say, "Really?
Isn't the YouTube market saturated?", think again.
Yes,
it's true. YouTube has grown exponentially and remains the top channel for
video. But the doors are open for branding through personality-driven content.
Your unique personality-how you communicate with your audience-differentiates
you and helps you stand out. So, be authentic, be you, and have fun! Use videos
to find and grow your tribe!
And
don't stop with YouTube. Carve out your niche on other video channels. Here's a
list to get you started!
IGTV
Instagram
Reels
Twitter
Fleets - NEW in 2021!
Facebook
Pinterest
TikTok
Snapchat
4.
Stand Out on LinkedIn and Instagram with Carousels
Let's
continue to roll on into 2021 social media trends in marketing with engaging,
movement-focused content ideas! Why settle for static LinkedIn posts when you
can jazz things up with carousels? That's right! You can create and publish
entertaining slide shows! These allow you to stand out in the sea of text-based
LinkedIn posts and build awareness for your company page.
Not
to be confused with LinkedIn carousel ads, you publish carousel posts for free.
These posts draw attention and generate interest in eye-catching, dynamic
visual displays that take up more real estate in a feed. So be sure to include
a clear call to action at the end!
Plus,
Instagram users get a huge benefit by using carousels in their feed. If a user
doesn't like the lead image and scrolls past it, the second image displays on
their feed. That gives you a second chance to gain engagement.
Ideas
for Content to Share in LinkedIn Carousel Posts
Statistics,
infographics, and numbers
Frameworks
and step-by-step, how-to instructions
Actionable
business tips and lessons
Conference
slides and event content
Snippets
from your blog / listicle post
5.
Emails & E-news Are Still Tried and True Methods
Let
your audience know when you post something new: "This blog is going viral
right now!" Yes, emails and e-news are still some of the best ways to grab
attention for your articles and blog posts. So, keep growing that list! Then
use social media to highlight the content your audience craves.
To
gain permission-based subscriber list opt-ins, use creative calls to action
(CTAs) that encourage your prospect to trade their contact information for the
tips, how-to instructions, and entertainment they value.
With
so many new social media trends, it can be tricky figuring out how to maximize
their impact. Knowing that these social media trends for business exist and
knowing how to use them to augment your strategy are two distinct
concepts!
Let's
go over some of the ways you can use social media marketing for your
business!
6.
Using Links vs. Audio-Visual Content
Whenever
possible, use video, images, and audio to snag attention within social media
platforms rather than redirecting them to your published content. Social
channels want to keep people there where they can influence them with
advertisers' campaigns.
Of
course, you want them to get to your content, sign up for your free giveaways,
and more. Here's a simple social media trends 2021 strategy: Try using the
first comment under your post to post your link!
7.
Engage with Your Tribe through Social Media Comments
Respond
to comments on your social media content in a timely fashion. If people take
the time to engage with you on social media, doesn't it make sense to-well-keep
them engaged? That is the point, after all!
Don't
allow comments on your posts to sit unattended. When you leave your prospects
languishing, you risk losing their attention altogether. If you engage with
them, this encourages future engagements which lead to relationships, trust,
and sales!
8.
It's All About the Timing
Traffic
for your social media post depends on the first 10 minutes of the hour you post
the content. Tag people and get the word out to increase traffic flow,
especially if it's a live-streaming event. If you conduct a live stream every
week, do it on the same day at the same time every week. That way, your
audience can schedule it into their activities.
Are
you presenting a one-off live stream? Get the word out multiple times in
advance through various channels. Post your event details ahead of time via
emails, e-newsletters, and posts. If you have connections with people who
support your efforts, maximize those relationships and ask them to spread the
word.
9.
The Power of Social Media Comments & Bookmarks
One
of your responsibilities to your audience is to curate helpful content.
Whatever your industry, your audience looks to you for guidance, expertise, and
resources. You can't create it all, so you need to find reputable sources for
content to share. Social bookmarking sites provide the means to do just that!
And
as social media platforms toy with the idea of doing away with likes (e.g.,
Facebook, Instagram), people need to find other ways to indicate their approval
of the posts they enjoyed or found helpful.
Arguably,
Instagram is one of the most popular visual-centric social media trends for
business and has become increasingly influential in marketing. To build brand
awareness, encourage people to save your Instagram posts (instead of merely
"liking" them). Use a call to action in your image and text. A simple
"Bookmark this!" could be the ticket.
How
else can your business benefit from these saves?
7
Benefits of Social Media Bookmarks
Save
and organize resources you want to focus on at a later time.
Share
resources with your team or audience.
Tag
(label) content for easier referencing and searchability.
Build
backlinks from social media bookmarks to your website.
Drive
traffic to your website. (People find and click on content others have saved to
their bookmarking sites.)
Promote
mentions you receive from others (bookmark articles that mention you and your
content).
Take
advantage of SEO. (Search engines often bring up bookmarks in their search
results.)
10.
Ask Questions to Encourage Engagement on Social Media Posts
Want
to encourage discussions and engagement on social media? To open the door for
communication, remember the power of the question. Make it interesting. It
would help if you posed a provocative question that leads people to want to
share their thoughts. A vague "yes/no" question like
"Agree?" doesn't spark discussion.
Examples
of Discussion-Encouraging Questions
I'm
curious. Do you have a story to share about your experiences with _____? (Fill
in the blank.)
How
have you benefited from ________? (Fill in the blank.)
When
was the last time you _________? (Fill in the blank.)
What's
your favorite memory of ________? (Fill in the blank.)
Do
you think there's a chance that _______?
What
leads you to that conclusion? (Fill in the blank.)
11.
Ego Bait
I
know... that's a pretty loaded term. But think about it. Influencers and
industry leaders enjoy the spotlight. If they didn't, they wouldn't be
influencers. Tag one or more influencers in your post and ask them to
share.
12.
Social Media Commerce
Social
media has become increasingly more influential in consumer shopping choices.
And some platforms have capitalized on this new social media trend by
introducing shopping carts. Your customers can investigate and buy your
products and services without ever leaving the social media platform.
Again,
social media platforms want users to stay on them for as long as possible. Feel
free to take advantage of the tools they offer. It's a win-win for you and the
platform.
13.
Humanized Brands-The Power of Authenticity
And,
finally, you may have noticed this growing trend. People value transparency and
authenticity in their relationships-and that ideal is spreading to how they
feel about the brands they support.
The
social media marketing trends of 2021 predictions from the pros indicate that
your audience wants to know who you are and what you stand for. And businesses
that align themselves with socially-conscious themes are viewed more favorably
by their customers.
Lean
into yourself and let your light shine. Tell your stories. You are who you are,
and there's a tribe out there waiting to meet and support you and your
business!
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