ID3AS Blog
New Year, New Trends
What could be better, than starting off the new year with the greatest social media trends? Marketers across the globe have been brainstorming and looking ahead into the new year by exploring new ideas and tips to recognize what is on the rise for 2018.
Looking into the forecast of social media, here is what to expect for the year 2018.
Generation Z
Generation Z-ers love to interact with different social channels constantly. They are born to be very social from the start, compared to millennials who like to take one social channel at a time. However, this may cause a problem for many Generation Z-ers... are they becoming addicts when it comes to social channels? Statistics show they are “25% more likely than Millennials to say they are addicted to their digital devices. A full 40% of Gen Z are self-identified digital device addicts”, (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-beall/8-key-differences-between_b_12814200.html)
E-commerce is Accelerating
Major social channels such as Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter are all the new rage when it comes to viewing and making a purchase online. Not to mention, it is convenient. It is becoming the next best thing, shop while on social media because you are shopping without the hassle.
It looks like one popular store known as Victoria's Secret has the upper hand when it comes to making purchases. The company has shared everything on their Instagram feed, which can be purchased in just seconds(https://www.inc.com/bryan-adams/social-media-trends-to-watch-for-in-2018.html). Consumers want to be able to purchase items with just one click and they can do this on any social feed such as Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looks like it will make a huge impact on shoppers in 2018.
What is a Human Filter?
Human filters are on the rise for several social media channels. The purpose of a human filter is to dispose of any unwanted information on a social media site. For example, “Facebook has grown into one of the world’s most valuable companies by offering advertisers the ability to quickly and easily target its users based on a vast array of information, from the type of home they live into their favorite television shows”, (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/20/business/media/facebook-racist-ads.html). By providing this option, the social site is able to monitor what is being posted by targeting the audience, so posts can be removed if they are not wanted. This year it has become the new trend on various social channels.
Videos and Consumers
What does a video mean to a consumer in 2018? Videos are starting to flourish across social media channels this year and marketers are starting to focus more on videos than actual images. It seems several brands are able to interact with their audience because their video content is linked to their brand’s image.“Since viewers retain 95% of a message when they see it in a video and only 10% retain it when they see it in the text, you should seriously consider adding video content to your social media strategy.” (https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/3-social-media-marketing-trends-to-watch-in-2018/509839/)
Reach
Are you going to apply something if it doesn’t stick? The answer to the question is no! Reach tactics on social media channels are different from what they used to be. According to HootSuite (https://blog.hootsuite.com/top-social-media-trends-2018/), “being more selective when it comes to the networks you post content on, and investing more in social ads as well as an influencer and/or advocacy strategies”, is the way to go. The number one rule is to stick with spreading content to only a couple social channels, instead of multiple. This allows the brand to receive quick feedback.
Social Influencers
Think about being a positive influence on social media as a marketer, it sounds very rewarding, doesn’t it? The thought of posting videos, expanding the reach of brand messaging, or creating a social advertisement to be posted on any social media channel is the path to take when engaging with networks about “advice on buying decisions” (https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/3-social-media-marketing-trends-to-watch-in-2018/509839/). Consumers always want to know the best tips on making purchases, why not engage on social media channels to find the simplest way to be thrifty?
Live Stories
Engaging users with live stories on social media channels such as Instagram or Snapchat is the best way to lead marketers in the right direction.
By posting live stories, it enables the marketer a chance to build personality and affiliate emotion with the brand. It allows the consumer to gain the advantage by having that so-called, “relationship”.
When it comes to the social media realm...trends will constantly change, but for 2018, stick to your plan of action and you can accomplish anything.