Image Provided by: Nik Jones
By: Mariana Cardenas
Social media has become an integral part of people’s daily lives, especially with the ever-heightened call for distractions in 2020.
To succeed with social media, there must be a clear understanding of the latest trends. Even the smallest of blunders can quickly translate to being ‘canceled,’ or worse–memed. Staying relevant and on top of the best practices can even help you reach key business goals and stand out from the crowd.
As we look towards goals and strategies for 2021, here’s a snapshot of some of the most important social media trends in 2020 for brands and businesses, starting with my top three:
Video-based Content
If a picture says a thousand words, how many words will a video say?
Video content served as one of the most engaging forms of content in 2020 and will continue to dominate all social media platforms throughout 2021. Whether on IGTV, Reels, Tiktok, or Triller, videos may be the future of social media content. This year, many brands have jumped on board by prioritizing video content over written content and images.
Benefits of using video based content: Video marketing can help the story you’re trying to tell become more entertaining, educational, and inspirational. Clips can easily grab the attention of the users and keep them hooked to the screen. Brands and companies currently using videos to engage with their audience are viewed as more relevant and understanding of current marketing trends.
Brands really can’t sleep on video anymore. With so many options between ads and organic video, the barrier to entry is lower than ever when all you need is a smartphone!
Brands Using their Voice
With 2020 bringing a lot of–ahem–challenges to the table, brands stood to add value by stepping up and leading the way for others. The smartest brands were able to understand that their audience wanted them to address topics head-on, without the cliché of “these unprecedented times.” Brands had the tendency to misinterpret current events and social media trends, rather than utilize their platform to advocate for change.
Successful brand campaigns in 2020 were able to create connections among people and provide much-needed reassurance of the uncertain future. Brands that have thrived were able to understand that people wanted them to be more communicative and selfless, showcasing how they were supporting others such as frontline workers and their own employees. Like never before, brands were extremely vocal and showed off their values and position on certain topics to create a positive change in society. Successful brands were continuously providing useful information to help their audience remain calm and handle uncertainty.
Benefits of brands using their voice: People respond to people. In today’s world, it is important for brands to focus on being relatable, interesting, and most importantly, human. It is vital for a brand to be transparent because transparency will eventually lead to likability and will give someone a reason to keep following and supporting your brand.
The smartest brands will continue to showcase their true ethos and figure out where they fit into their audiences lives on social media throughout 2021.
Ephemeral Content
Merriam-Webster defines ephemeral as “lasting a very short time.” When applied to digital marketing, ephemeral creations pertain to content that usually disappears after 24 hours. Ephemeral content can take many forms, such as photos, stories, and live-stream videos, which can all be published on a variety of platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. This type of content is engaging and quite addictive–so addictive that users can spend hours scrolling through stories and videos without even realizing it.
Benefits of ephemeral content: The reason why ephemeral content works so well when it comes to social media campaigns is because it creates a sense of urgency, fueled by the fear of missing out. With an ephemeral content strategy, you create an immediate response from your audience, whether you have them scroll up to see your most recent video, go like your latest photo, or sign up to your weekly newsletter. As people’s attention spans are continuing to grow shorter, ephemeral content will continue to grow throughout 2021.
Social media is always changing, which is inherently part of its allure. A number of social media trends have had a major impact on users and brands alike in 2020, and emerging trends and capabilities will continue to appear in 2021. Try to leverage some of these trends in your next social media campaign to stay ahead of your competitors; they can help you stand out amongst conversation and create meaningful dialogue with your consumers.
What were your favorite social media trends this year?