Spring 2021 Social Media Marketing Trends
Social media platforms introduce new features and change their algorithms frequently throughout the year. As marketers, we have to keep up with the trends and continuously update our strategies to ensure they stay effective.
As we make our way into the spring and summer season, here are 5 trends to watch out for and to take into consideration as you evaluate your strategies.
1. Live Streams Stay Prominent
As we’re all aware, last year forced many businesses to turn to online meetings, conferences, etc. Naturally, there was a large uptick in the use of live streaming features on social media as well. While the situation continues to evolve throughout 2021, people have gotten used to interacting with their favorite celebrities, influencers and brands without even having to leave their houses. According to a recent report from Sprout Social, 40% of consumers want to actually see more live video from brands. Which is why live streaming will continue to stay prominent and should be a part of your overall social media marketing strategy this spring.
2. Augmented Reality Growing in Popularity
Augmented reality experiences are inherently interactive and highly effective for engagement on social media. Brands have started adopting this trend by creating AR filters to promote new products or encourage followers to interact. This keeps audience members engaged and entertained and could even help you attract new customers. As the Sprout Social Report also found that this is a content type that helps a brand’s social presence stand out.
3. Stories Remain a Key Content Type
500 million users interact with Instagram Stories daily. Stories have been a dominant form of content for some time now, but they’re definitely not going away anytime soon. In fact, this type of content may even start to outperform standard feed posts. A SocialInsider study found that images in Stories have a 5.65% higher tap-forward rate than videos. This is why it’s encouraged for brands to take a more organized approach and regularly plan stories into their content calendars.
4. Social Commerce Continues to Grow
Social media platforms are constantly adapting and upgrading features to enhance their user experience. Recently we’ve seen a growing number of tools to support quick and easy shopping right from the platform. For example, Instagram now allows you to add product tags and enable easy checkout without ever leaving the app. And on Facebook you can set up a Shop that allows users to browse and make purchases right from the platform.
If you have yet to capitalize on these tools, now is definitely the time. Why? 54% of social media users research products on social media and social media referrals can influence the purchase decision of 71% of users. You could be losing out on a whole range of prospective customers if you haven’t set up social media storefronts.
5. The Importance of Inclusivity, Authenticity and Transparency
Consumers are putting more pressure on brands than ever to make a meaningful effort to be inclusive, authentic and transparent in both their business operations and marketing. Audiences are aware that when it comes to making purchases, they have plenty of options. So they want to put their money behind companies that show investment in the communities and issues they are also passionate about.
Brands can no longer stay silent and passive on issues that are important to their target audiences. However, audiences are also increasingly aware of performative activism that looks more like a marketing play rather than meaningful initiatives. If you are joining in on a conversation, it’s essential that your content is well-informed, relevant, meaningful and has actionable initiatives behind it.
Similarly, consumers want brands to be completely authentic and transparent about their products and operation. A great way to do this is through social media. When mistakes are made and your audience is upset, social media is a great way to apologize, answer questions and connect with them.
Final Thoughts
Anticipating the latest social media trends is essential to building a stronger presence, making connections with users and growing your brand. One way to ensure your stay on top of the trends is by working with professionals. At Onimod Global, we’re experts in Social Media Marketing and knowing how to connect our clients with their consumers in the places they’re engaging. If you’re interested in becoming a client and helping your brand reach its full potential, contact us today.
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