Social media is ever-changing, and all marketers know that. A campaign that worked in 2013 is not going to have the same effects in 2019. To stay on top of things, you should become a trendsetter.
It is important to stay ahead of your competitors if you want your brand to remain in the spotlight. Because nowadays users have an attention span lower than a goldfish’s, you should think of something that will catch their eyes (and short attention).
In this article we are going to show you:
- What trends to follow in 2019
- How to use those trends in your favor
- What to avoid in social media in 2019
First of all, let’s start with the trends that are going to capture users’ attention in 2019:
1. Fighting fake news and consolidating trust
Losing trust was a significant problem in 2018. Statistics show that users lost their trust in social media platforms, Facebook becoming the least trusted one. During President Trump’s campaign, different fake news articles were distributed. Since then, people stopped believing everything they read on social media websites.
One of the most significant trends to look out for in 2019 is consolidating trust. While not all brands were accused of fake news distribution, users lost their trust in social media as a whole. You will see that both social media platforms and brands are trying to restore their users’ trust.
Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are even trying to develop a tool that will help them prohibit fake news from being distributed.
2. Even More Stories
Stories have taken over the Internet in 2018. Statistics show that only on Instagram Stories the number of Instagram active daily users is four times bigger than it was in 2016. Now you have Facebook Stories, Instagram Stories, and Snapchat Stories. Even WhatsApp has this feature, although it’s not that popular. So you should expect even more platforms to create their own Story section. Linkedin Stories? It might happen.
Keep an eye on this trend because it is expanding rapidly and it takes a lot of creativity to attract people towards your stories.
3. Social Media as Marketplace
Another trend to look out for in 2019 is the expansion of e-commerce. Selling your products directly on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms is the new way to go. More and more users are buying directly on social media instead of going to the website or store.
Facebook even has a Marketplace section where users can sell their products. However, you don’t need to shift the focus from your website because a lot of people tend to verify and read the whole product description before purchasing it.
4. Shifting focus towards messaging
In 2019, users are expecting social media platforms to communicate more with them via private messaging. A survey from Twilio showed that about 89% of responders want to be able to talk directly to businesses via private messages. First of all, it is easier to deal with an order, a complaint, or a problem in chat, instead of using the comments section.
Another critical aspect is the fact that users gain more trust in businesses that communicate freely on social media. Using AI to create a Messenger Bot is an excellent idea for companies that have thousands of followers. However, it is even more personal and easier to understand your users if you (or your customer support team) answer to private messages.
How to use these trends in your favor:
- Focus on important and accurate information. If you want to gain more followers, make sure to check and double-check every info you share.
- If you want to grow traffic on your website, make a combination of Stories and posts where you can include links. Also, if you own an e-commerce business, you can present new arrivals on Insta Stories.
- Sell your products directly on Social Media. Publish your products, with prices and descriptions, on Facebook Marketplace or on Instagram, with links to your website.
- Get personal with your users. Talk to your users via private messages, and you can even send them discounts or alerts about new arrivals in your store.
What to avoid in Social Media in 2019
Social media is forever changing. As we previously mentioned, something you posted 3 years ago, might be offensive in 2019. Now, we will show you three things to avoid in Social Media in 2019.
1. Don’t judge
If you want to keep your followers, you will need to pay attention to everything you post. Being politically correct is very important on Social Media platforms. If you create a post that has even the smallest homophobic, transphobic, or racist intention, your users will fill your comment section with negative replies.
At the end of 2017, there were a lot of image crises caused by politically incorrect posts. One example is the ad made by Dove where a black woman took her T-shirt off, and a white woman appeared. While Dove just wanted to show that their product is excellent for all types of skin, they got severe backlash.
2. Don’t make every post a promotion for your brand
Although everybody knows that a brand uses Social Media to sell its products, users don’t like it when brands promote themselves too much. A study made by Sprout showed that almost 50% of users tend to unfollow a brand if they only share promotions and discounts.
Try to create a balance between promoting your products and entertaining content. Also, add a bit more informative content for people who want to learn more about your products before purchasing them.
3. You don’t reply to private messages
When this happens, users lose their trust in the brand for good. There are some who try to send a message for the second time, but after that, they are gone. It’s best to respond to private messages in less than 60 minutes. But even if you respond in a day, it is better than never to respond at all.
“Social Media can provide a conversational extension to a B2B company’s nurturing programs. Social Media gives us the opportunity to humanize our communications and make our companies more approachable.” Ardath Albee, CEO of marketinginteractions.com
Since Social Media gives us this opportunity, it is us who have to learn to get closer to our followers, understand their needs, stop bombarding them with ads, and start giving them an experience, not a product. Learn that Social Media is ever-changing and it is natural not to follow and trend or to make a mistake. The real important thing is to offer your followers what they need and want.