Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Rule 2022
Social media marketing has been a popular way to promote brands and build a community. But with the rapid changes in social media, it is challenging to keep up with all the new trends. So, what are the current social web marketing trends?
As more people become aware of how much data they share on social media platforms, there is an increasing demand for privacy. This means that people will be cautious about what they post on their profiles and be more selective about which platforms they use.
Brands will have to focus on creating content tailored specifically for different age groups and demographics. In addition, they need to create content that resonates with various groups to get their message across effectively.
TikTok is becoming increasingly popular
TikTok is a social media app that has been gaining popularity. It was launched in September 2018, and it already has over 100 million users. TikTok is a mobile application that allows users to upload short videos and share them. It's available on the IOS and Android platforms and can be downloaded for free. TikTok allows its users to create videos that are 15 seconds long.
The app is designed for short videos, usually 15 seconds long, and it is based on the concept of “showing the best of yourself.” Therefore, the videos are made with filters mainly used to make people look prettier or funnier than they are.
TikTok has a proven track record of increasing in popularity quickly. In fact, they recently surpassed Facebook to become the 3rd most-downloaded app globally.
With the app's growing popularity, it's tempting to think that this is another fad that will quickly pass. However, companies have found new opportunities for advertising with TikTok, and major brands have also been investing funds in social media video content on the platform.
For example, a brain training app related to jigsaw puzzles launched a Tik Tok campaign showing users solve unique online jigsaw puzzles. One of their videos went viral, leading to over 10,000 new users.
TikTok has also inspired other social media platforms to introduce some of its features into their platform. For instance, Instagram has introduced a Reels feature based on TikTok's look & feel. In addition, Reddit just announced its own new short-form video posts called Deep Bits, which draws inspiration from TikTok.
We'll continue to see TikTok become increasingly popular among brands in the next few years. This is partly because it's a great way to reach new audiences and make people aware of your product or service. On the other side, we'll keep an eye on TikTok's ripple effect on social media as other platforms change their features to focus more on short-form videos.
Let's check TikTok’s advertising audience overview statistics from Oct 2021:
Reaching new audiences
Social media has become a significant part of the marketing strategy. By interacting with your customer's followers or followers of your competitors, you create a personal connection and a relationship that you can use to promote products and services strategically.
According to Forbes, social media is an excellent way to communicate with your customers. Companies that use social media effectively are most often the ones that are seen as most trustworthy. When using social media for marketing, it's essential to focus on what you want your customer to do after interacting with your post. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you're asking for something specific, like a like or comment.
You need to be proactive with social media to generate relationships with customers. Expanding your social media accounts will help you reach more customers for free. Your online presence should be like an extension of your brick-and-mortar store - it should provide the same information, products, or services you offer in person. You can also use social media to generate lead generation through contests and giveaways.
As we move into 2022, brands are starting to contemplate how to use social media to reach new audiences, nurture their relationships with current customers & provide them with the best customer service possible.
Augmented Reality and interaction with brands
Augmented Reality (AR) has been around for several years now. Brands are increasingly using this technology to allow consumers to try out products before purchasing. By incorporating AR in your marketing, you can increase click-through rates for purchases upwards of 33%. As a result, it is projected that the global AR market will grow from $6.12 billion in 2021 to reach $97.76 billion by 2028.
With the Covid-19 pandemic hitting record countries, there has been a rise in investment companies trying to deepen their customer relationships using digital channels. The key is to deliver customer service with immediate messaging and memorable content, achieved through targeted messaging and personalization.
Augmented reality is a rapidly growing and transformative technology that allows brands to offer unique and immersive digital experiences. It has the potential to redefine marketing as we know it—leading the way for brands to engage consumers in a more memorable, personalized, and effective way than ever before.
To a certain extent, augmented reality is unavoidable. It's been used for years in video games, and now it's being used in marketing as well. However, it's difficult to predict how AR will change the future of marketing because there are so many ways AR can be applied to the world of marketing.
B2B Social Media Marketing
Social media has transformed the way businesses interact with their customers. Therefore, B2B businesses must take advantage of this channel.
Social media provides an opportunity to interact with potential customers and answer any questions they might have about the product or service. B2B companies can also use social media to post job openings, events, and company updates.
As marketing evolves and new technologies are introduced, marketers must also change their strategies. One such evolution is the increased use of social media networks like Instagram and Twitter. These platforms allow marketers to connect with audiences differently and increase ROI through advertising on these platforms.
The number of users on Facebook is expected to increase by 20% until 2022. The number of users on Twitter is likely to decrease by 20%. The number of users on Instagram is expected to increase by 10%. The number of users on LinkedIn is likely to increase by 10%.
According to the graphic from Business2Community, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are the most popular social media platforms in 2022.
B2B content marketers usually have three main objectives:
- To create awareness of their brand
- To build credibility and trust
- To educate audiences
Marketers most successful at B2B lead generation are also focused on using content marketing. 73% use content marketing to nurture subscribers, audiences, or leads.
B2B lead generation isn't easy. When you're trying to find the right prospects, it feels like there are a million different steps to take. But if you want to make it work, focus on content marketing. Content marketing is one of the most effective tactics for B2B lead generation because it allows marketers to build relationships with potential customers.
Most social media networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, have changed the way businesses communicate with consumers. They don't have to pay anything to join and start promoting themselves. They only need time to post content. The only expense they'll come across is running paid ad campaigns which cost money.
After members have been made aware of a product or service, they can be referred to a landing page or other tools to nurture their relationships with their company.
According to statistics ( below image source Startupbonsai.com ), it is possible to make a lot of sales with a small time investment on social media, provided you have a solid strategy in place. One-third of people who spend just six hours a week generate leads.
Investing in video and audio content
One of the most popular forms of content these days is videos. With social channels like TikTok focusing heavily on video, it's no surprise that it is trendy across all social media (source: Statista).
Most people would watch a show or video on YouTube, but now more and more are watching videos on Facebook. Facebook users spend an average of 40 minutes a day watching videos. In addition, Video View Rate benchmarks are consistently above 40% on Facebook.
In 2016, Facebook made it possible to upload videos for up to 60 minutes. They also made it possible for users to post 360-degree videos and live streaming from apps like Periscope. In 2017, they announced they would start investing in original content.
Short form video content is one of the most popular Youtube, TikTok, and Facebook formats. As a result, it has become imperative for brands to invest in this type of content.
One of the reasons TikTok is popular with younger audiences is because it allows them to express themselves through short video clips. TikTok provides a way for brands to reach this demographic with its advertising service. To promote their brand on TikTok, all brands need to buy a package and start advertising their product or service.
If you haven't yet invested in either long or short form video, you should consider testing both early this year to see which option your audience prefers. The average consumer watches approximately 200 hours of video per month, and with the rise of social media, video-watching is only getting more common.
Social media's impact on sales is growing exponentially.
According to the Forbes article, social platforms have been steadily improving the in-site shopping experience by making it easy for people to buy products without navigating away from their websites. Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are all examples of social media sites that allow people to shop seamlessly while also browsing the various photos, articles, and videos that these platforms offer.
Instagram's newest feature, Shoppable Stories, lets you tap on any product sticker to purchase the product without exiting the app. It's handy for users who have trouble scrolling through Stories because it enables them to shop from anywhere in the app. Users can also easily share products from a given Story with their friends.
TikTok has initially created a brand new advertising format called 'Spark Ads.' Using AI, TikTok can analyze your profile and recommend ads tailored to your interests. To make this work, TikTok needs access to your data, which is why the app requests specific permissions when you first sign up for the service.
What trends are losing popularity?
1. Transient Content such as Instagram Stories
Transient ( ephemeral ) content allows the users to share the moments of their lives with their followers in a more personal way. This type of content is not meant to be saved and kept for later viewing. Instead, these posts are usually deleted after 24 hours or less, depending on the platform.
It's challenging to create engaging online content, so some marketers might find it's not worth the effort to create content that will disappear in 24 hours. However, if you find your ROI for ephemeral content isn't high enough, consider testing out long-form content or different formats.
2. Podcasts and similar content
Unlike traditional marketing, reaching an audience with interviews, podcasts, or expert discussions can be labor-intensive and difficult to track. However, these strategies are worth the effort because they effectively generate brand awareness and connect with new audiences. But, some businesses might not be interested in producing podcasts for various reasons, such as the costs associated with the production & the audience not being interested in listening to podcasts.
How to take advantage of social media marketing trends in 2022
Following these steps can help your social team to leverage recent trends and attract new audiences:
- Leverage video as much as you can. People love it the most right now, especially live videos that feel authentic. Try testing out live video channels like IGTV or Facebook Live to see how they're performing for you.
- Write content that your audience can connect with. For example, share a different side of your brand or company, share customer stories, talk about the goal your organization is striving for and demonstrate how it's possible with what you offer.
- Quality over quantity. Posting once a day is usually enough. Post insightful content regularly, but don't overpost. Use analytics to determine the optimal times to post your content.
- Be authentic and friendly. Companies can scale their brand image across platforms, but they cannot scale their authenticity. It was never enough. Today's successful brands can engage with their audiences on an intimate one-to-one level and create a personal connection with them through content strategies that show customers they understand them better than anyone else. They are looking for more transparency, more honesty, and, most importantly, something to connect with their customers personally. This is not just about marketing anymore. It's about making a connection that becomes lasting and meaningful.
So, in addition to the more common social media platforms, you might also want to try exploring sites to find new audiences. Get your followers to interact with your content by asking questions or offering prizes for participation.
When advertising on social media channels, use specific hashtags to create a trending topic so that the people who follow those hashtags will be notified of what you're doing.
