Social media has revolutionised how people use the internet and has brought a wave of benefits with it, both for individuals and businesses. It is now easier than ever to connect with people all around the world because of these networks. For a business, this means higher levels of engagement are possible as long as they can find a way to tap into their target market and connect with people. This is a big challenge, made more challenging by the fact that technology is constantly changing. To prove the point, here are just a few ways that social media trends may change in the next ten years.
Evolution in usage
The way people use websites has changed a great deal within the last few years, let alone the decade and further back. Tactics that may have worked in the 00s are unlikely to be relevant today because markets and behaviours have moved on so drastically. Businesses need to adopt new and up to date customer engagement and relationship strategies and have flexibility in their approach if they want to be successful.
Financial call to arms
Social media has escaped monetisation for a number of years, but more and more businesses are starting to include financial calls to arms in their posts. Expect to see more companies sending out messages about the latest special offers and sales to encourage people to make a purchase.
Bitesize
Consumers are becoming increasingly impatient when it comes to content size. Long pieces are now more likely to be ignored in favour of shorter, snappier ones that are easier to digest. Smaller content is also easier to share. Businesses should look closely at the length of the content and ensure it won’t deter people.
Connectivity
Social networks are already more connected than ever before and this will only continue to improve. You can expect more and more applications to appear, including those that help societies connect with each other in a broader sense.
Filtered
Approximately 90% of the content currently on the internet was created within the last two years and there are more people adding to it every single day. A very likely trend is that people will start filtering it so they don’t have to look at things that don’t interest them. This could create issues for businesses; unless they can effectively capture the interest of consumers their posts could go unseen.
Empowerment
Social media has the potential to empower businesses and let them build brand value. They can earn fantastic goodwill from their audience by showing people what charities and causes they follow and align their corporate values with those of their target market. The opportunity is a good one and many businesses are expected to follow the lead of big companies like Nike in doing it.
Brands need to keep track of social media trends and ensure they update their strategies to suit them. If they don’t they can find they get left behind and fail to take advantage of new opportunities that arise. Let our North East social media team help you to maximise your opportunities to use social media marketing to the full.