The social media landscape is changing at a rapid pace, and to make sure your business stays relevant, you will have to stay at the top of the trends. No time is too late to sit and review your social media marketing strategy, and finding out ways in which you can bring improvements.
2018 was a busy year for social media marketers with so many new changes and trends coming to the forefront, and 2019 is no different. Though many new trends came up that shaped the social media marketing strategies in recent years, the following are the ones that stand out from the rest.
Engagement is more important than ever
Facebook has announced early in 2018 the focus on meaningful interactions as part of their updated algorithm. This meant that their algorithm started favoring content that sparks a genuine conversation, which inspired many Page Managers to create more engaging content.
As organic reach becomes harder, the only way to survive is to aim for content that is:
- Interesting
- Appealing
- Engaging
Algorithms are becoming smarter so there’s no short route to genuine engagement. It’s not enough anymore to encourage people to like, comment, share on your post. Social platforms are trying to cut down on engagement bait techniques so you may risk losing your existing reach in the longer term with such techniques.
Thus, it’s time to stop ‘cheating’ to win engagement and start thinking of an improved engagement strategy for every channel to continue reaching your followers.
Influencer marketing and the rise of micro-influencers
Influencer marketing is becoming an established element of your marketing mix. Influencers can make thousands of dollars through paid sponsorships while brands are constantly seeking for the best influencers for their campaigns.
As influencer marketing grows, big influencers are becoming more expensive for small and medium-sized brands. That’s when micro-influencers came in to make up for the gap between being interested in influencer marketing and having the right budget to try it out.
Micro-influencers may not have the outreach of celebrities, but they may have an even bigger influence on their own followers.
TAG Heuer Carrera is a brand that frequently uses micro-influencers in their marketing. This is because the important part is taht you reach your target audience and do so in a captivating and cost-effective way.
For example, a food brand may see better results by working with a rising food blogger with 30k followers than a well-known chef who may ask for 20x of the budget.
Social media marketing is reaching a stage where the focus is more on increased returns on investments, newer technologies, and a trusting relation between the customers and the brands. The only way to thrive in this situation, where the threat of data breaches looms large and technologies are still emerging at a fast pace, is to make sure that you understand your target audience and continuously review your social media marketing strategies. Keep the focus on the things that work and make sure that there is a budget set aside for new technologies and tools.
