Social media is in its teenage years, but what began life as a fun diversion is now all grown up. Platforms have come and gone like fickle friends, but the enduring players have one thing in common. They understand that social media is serious business. No longer is it enough to post random updates on the fly or photos of your company picnic. In today’s world, social media is a key component of any business’s successful marketing plan. Understanding current social media trends can give you an edge over the competition and increase your brand’s visibility.
Social Media Trend #1
Spontaneity is fun, but you’ve got to have a plan. It’s been said that meticulous planning can make anything appear spontaneous. This is certainly true when it comes to social media. Not to say that you can’t have fun. The fun just requires a little forethought and effort. Setting up Facebook and Twitter accounts and calling it a social media marketing strategy isn’t enough. Start getting serious.
- Clearly define your goals
- Target your audience
- Decide how much time and money you need to devote to your campaign
After you’ve taken care of business in these areas, the fun begins with content creation.
Social Media Trend #2
Pictures really are worth a thousand words. We are visual creatures by nature. Today, attention spans are short. Your followers are barraged by overwhelming amounts of competing information. The right image can engage interest in your brand more quickly and more effectively than text. The ubiquity of smart phones and other mobile devices combined with the emergence of visual social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, Vine, and Snapchat make visual content an even more important part of any social media marketing effort.
Social Media Trend #3
The ways in which people consume content are changing. Technological advances are a given when it comes to communications. People are leaving the desktop environment in droves and gathering around the small screens of smart phones and other mobile devices. Mobile optimization of content is a must. In a similar vein, expect personalized media to continue to gain prominence. This type of content is targeted, highly specific, and tailored to the interests of followers through algorithms and human filters. People have come to expect relevant, useful content to be hand-delivered via mobile devices. Businesses now have the ability to do just that.
Social media may not be all grown up just yet (and may never be), but being aware of current practices can help ensure that your marketing campaign stays focused, relevant, and, yes, fun.
More and more companies are outsourcing their social media so they can have consistent posting and build communities. Would you like a brief consultation with a strategist to see if outsourcing social media is right for you or your company? Contact Ghost Tweeting today and schedule a quick, 15-minute, no obligation chat today.
