Social media will continue to grow this 2021. It has proven to be a valuable platform among digital marketers. Social media channels boost brand awareness, conversion, and reach. With 4.33 billion social media users, it may be worth experimenting with new trends and updates. According to a social media agency Hong Kong, having an agile approach is the key to success in social media marketing. Many platforms continuously change their algorithms and analytics. Users always go for what’s in and viral. That is why marketers have to be flexible in their approach and strategy. Yet, the common question always being asked is, “What content is appropriate for today’s environment?” Below let’s check on what social media trends are working and not working this 2021. This is to answer the most asked question.
WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS ARE NOT WORKING THIS 2021?
Influencer Marketing
Since 2014, brands and businesses have been partnering with celebrities, creators, and famous personalities to promote their products and services. This strategy is called influencer marketing. Brands and businesses believe that product endorsements from influencers can boost awareness and discovery. They can also have a great influence on the buying decision of their large number of followers. Unfortunately, influencer marketing today has a negative connotation. The 2 most common mistakes that influencers make are:
- Failure to disclose a sponsored post. This made social media users believe that they are being tricked. It is also a violation of the FTC endorsement guidelines.
- Posting content irrelevant to the target audience. Most influencers today create content for the sake of monetization. They even use bots to inflate their number of engagements and followers.
A digital marketing speaker Hong Kong notes that 61% of marketers have difficulties finding the right influencer. Most of the time, partnering with the wrong influencer is a social media trend that is not working this 2021.
Social Content for Good
Modern consumers are very environmentally friendly and look for socially responsible brands. It’s one asset that makes businesses stand out among their competitors. In an effort to show their audiences that brands are socially responsible, marketers tend to focus on environmental, political, and social content. The problem is not all social media users have the same stand over an issue. So, the result is a clash of comments and reactions which sometimes go viral for such type of social content for good. Besides, most people visit social media websites for inspiration. Seeing posts with a defined opinion doesn’t inspire them. Instead, it annoys them. Thus, such a social media trend will not work this 2021.
WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS ARE WORKING THIS 2021?
People-First Social Media Strategy
Two-way communication is the key to boosting organic reach within social media platforms. Every social network wants to give the best user experience. A people-first social media strategy means posting content that is relevant to the audience. This can be an article bringing the user into a journey of solving common pain points. Or it may be a video showing how to use a product step by step. A people-first social media strategy also builds a community of loyal followers. By earning people’s trust, this social media trend will work this 2021. With Apple and Google’s privacy updates, brands don’t need to worry about data tracking because they already have a community of loyal followers.
Short-Form Video Content
Modern consumers have a short attention span. Because of their limited time in social media, brands and businesses have to grab their attention within the first10 seconds. A
A video marketing agency Hong Kong highlights that short-form videos are a social media trend that will work this 2021. Take TikTok, for example. This short-form music app peaked at 76 million downloads in March 2020. It has also been cloned by popular social media platforms. Instagram launched Reels, Snapchat featured Snaps, and YouTube highlighted Shorts. These short-form video content are a hit in different age groups.
User-Generated Content
Studies showed that 75% of social media users don’t accept paid ads as truthful. For them, consumer ratings and customer’s opinions are still number one. That is why a working social media trend today is investing in good relationships with clients, customers, prospects, and employees. Most businesses this 2021 will involve their employees in advocating for a brand. They will also be posting user-generated content for authenticity and to build trust. This highlighted the increasing importance of in-person and online word of mouth as a way to attract new customers and retain loyal ones.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
In general, social media marketing is keeping up with the trends. But brands and businesses have to find the relevant trend that could effectively relay their brand messaging. Social media marketing is all about change. Everything changes all the time. But what won’t change is the desire of social media communities to network with each other.
Reference: https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/social-media-trends-2021/