One of the common things that always thrills us about social media is that they keep adapting and evolving to the changing consumer trends. Over the past 20 years, we have seen a gradual shift from simple text-based updates to more visual and relevant content supported by app-based platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, while social commerce has evolved simultaneously. While new entrants such as Tiktok have taken the trend even further, there have also been innovations in one-to-one communications that have seen the development of messaging apps such as WeChat, WhatsApp, and Messenger (such as Facebook-owned) went:
Hootsuite is a social media management tool which recently released its fifth annual report on the latest global social media trends, Social Trends 2021. A detailed report shows where social media will move in 2021, especially given the changes in consumer behavior caused by the pandemic and other global unrest in 2020. Hootsuite research found that by focusing on “search, connection, and entertainment,” advertisers can expand their reach and grow as a brand by leveraging resources offered by social media platforms.
Essential Tips about social media that can help advertisers in 2021
As advertising dollars run more and more on digital and mobile platforms, advertisers need to maximize social media’s value. And as the epidemic continues to evolve, brands need to remain flexible and reliable to gain consumer loyalty. Social media plays a vital role in building and maintaining relationships with consumers in the coming year. There are seven quick takeaways from the Hootsuite Social Trends 2021 report (respondents include 11,189 marketers).
1. Digital advertisers rely on trusted social media platforms
Building on familiar favorites and platforms that have evolved despite a challenging year, 60% of marketing professionals plan “to increase their Instagram budgets, and nearly half plan to do so for Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.” Instagram added the largest number of users in the third quarter of 2020, and its “advertising reach grew 7.1%” over the same period. (Interestingly, despite its widespread popularity in 2020, TikTok is not a priority for advertisers.)
2. Customer acquisition is a top priority for social media advertising in 2021
The 2020 coup has slowed business growth for many brands and made customer acquisition an essential target for advertisers in the coming year. According to Hootsuite research, 73% of all marketers cited “new customer acquisition growth” as their top result for social media in 2021, up from 46% last year, a 58% increase from the previous year. Some insiders have warned that this narrow goal may negatively affect innovation in the consumer experience and that the depressed experience may have long-term effects on brand loyalty and engagement. Social media advertising can be very useful in increasing customer engagement. Still, digital advertisers need to keep in mind that long-term brand and customer value must be considered when creating a campaign.
3. Social media provides e-commerce sales and connections
In 2021, e-commerce will continue continuously. Live streams and short videos powered by social media platforms are set to grow rapidly in 2021, providing digital advertisers with more options to reach consumers directly. Multiple points of contact with consumers are essential for brand development and engagement. Also, by posting shopping links in social media campaigns that include live and virtual events, advertisers can reach more consumers across more channels.
4. User-generated content (UGC) and influential marketing will become a popular social media strategy in 2021.
Many young consumers prefer to receive referrals directly from peers and influencers rather than brands, making user-generated content and influencers a popular choice for advertisers trying to expand their social media presence. “If you no longer have impulsive checkout moments where people turn off something unintended, recommendations from trusted creators can become an inspiration,” said Jim Habig, Head of Business Marketing at Pinterest.
5. Consumers need brands that they listen to – social media is great for listening.
Many crises escalating in 2020 require advertisers to quickly calibrate the correct answers to avoid overly emotional, inattentive, tone-deaf, or ignore the many elephants in the room. For digital advertisers, when and where to understand more extensive conversations, social issues, or viral events, it is essential to gain consumer confidence and increase engagement. Take time to practice effective social listening so that knowing what consumers want can help them understand their desires and interests. According to a report by Hootsuite, “In 2021, the smartest brands will be able to understand where they are on their customers’ social media. And they will find creative ways to fit into the conversation instead of trying to drive it by creating content that breaks through a wall of apathy. “
6. Social media is not just for the youth.
Online changes for consumers in recent years have included baby boomers, many of whom have switched to e-commerce and are making another use of the Internet out of necessity in 2020 and now keep up with their new online habits. There is a possibility of keeping. Hootsuite notes, “In 2021, marketers cannot ignore the older generation on social media. Using smart segmentation and thoughtful presentation, marketers who incorporate baby boomers into their digital strategies can bypass those who still hold on to conservatism and capitalize on this growing technology’s excitement. “
7. Advertisers should more actively integrate consumer identity and social media use.
Social media advertising has become unavoidable for many brands, understanding who is reacting to social media ads troubles, digital advertisers. In a separate study on social change, Hootsuite found that “54% of 2,162 marketers and executives] are unsure if their social media followers are more valuable customers than the people they don’t interact with.” However, as social media platforms become more sophisticated and data integration becomes more common, advertisers become more aware of consumers who interact with their products and services. Hootsuite noted an association between “more mature social advertising practices such as leveraging similar audiences, creating custom audiences, and coordinating data to CRM, and trust in social ROI.”
8. Research your target audience.
The most dangerous game that a marketer can play these days is a game of guessing. Assuming that you know your target audience well, it will not only fail to deliver the desired results, but it will also lead to frustration and waste of resources. Think about it: How do you turn your audience into customers if you haven’t taken the time to find out what platforms they are most active in when they see their interests, desires, pain points, etc.?
Well, luckily, there are some tools you can add to your toolbox without any guesswork. First, check with your sales team to understand what their buyers look like. Second, Google Analytics provides you with demographic statistics, which can be broken down by traffic sources, conversion rates, and the like. With these real numbers, you will be able to determine who you should target in your strategy. And finally, a social media analytics tool. These tools can provide you with information about your audience: how they interact with your business, likes, dislikes, needs, thought processes, and more.
At the end of your research, you must have clear groups, each of which matches a different type of buyer based on age, interests, profession, or whatever. With it, you can create content that resonates with your audience and turns them into loyal customers.
Remember that the more information you have, the better you understand what will inspire your target audience, and the stronger your strategy.
9. Choose relevant social media channels.
If you have followed the last two sections carefully, then choosing social media platforms to work should not be too difficult. Of course, there is no right or wrong choice because each business will have different results, let alone strategies. But, if you get this, then you should choose the platform:
- What is your target audience currently using?
- It suits your goals.
- It suits what you are selling. For example, if your business sells beauty products, cars, and fashion, a visual platform like Instagram would be a great platform.
- What are your competitors doing – After all, if you are competing with them, you should do it in the same field.
Remember that each platform has its own distinct features, so some are more suitable for B2B (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube). In contrast, others are B2C (Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter) and naturally liked Can do some work. For both.
Finally, make sure you choose the platform based on your selling and who you are selling to.