Social media is an ever-evolving marketing medium. If you want to keep up, it can be helpful to be aware of trends that may affect the coming months.
Most brands – well, 91.9% of them — Use social media to market their business. If you are one of them, you know how difficult it can be to master new platforms, features and metrics – especially in the first few years. The good news is that 2022 is expected to be more predictable as the industry continues to adapt to the disruptions in 2020 and 2021. There are also some exciting things about to happen.
Ready to go full speed ahead? The New Year is here, and with it comes a number of major changes in the way brands communicate effectively with online audiences.Here are four social media trends for 2022, as you deal with upcoming strategic changes and your social media calendar.
1. The rise of social commerce
We already know that consumers overwhelmingly want to shop online, but more and more people specifically want to make purchases through social channels.It is estimated that social media e-commerce (aka social commerce) will Jump 22% From 2021 to 2022, total spending is expected to be $45.74 billion, or 5.2% of total U.S. online retail sales. By 2025, that number should nearly double to $79.64 billion.
You may already be using social media to promote your products and services, and Drive potential customers to your website to make a purchase. Going forward, the goal should be to skip the middle steps entirely, allowing potential customers to shop without having to click through to your website.
First, start a social commerce store through platforms like Instagram Shop, Facebook Shop, and Pinterest Product Pins. Focus on getting your top sellers up first, then expand your inventory when it makes sense.
2. Make an impact through micro-positioning
Positioning is already the cornerstone of efficiency social media engagement For brands, but it will become more specific.
Microtargeting takes all the data you’ve collected over the years and combines it with AI-driven predictive analytics to help you get the right content to the right people.We’re starting to see it work in a variety of marketing campaigns, including email marketing and Paid advertising. Unsurprisingly, it’s also expected to be a hit on social media.
Brands are still limited by the targeting parameters set by each platform.Where micro-targeting can be used helps spread your social presence on a wider platform, maintaining logo unchanged, while also modifying your message for a more limited audience. Influencers will play a role Help you do this, especially when targeting smaller audiences within each channel.
3. Goodbye Instagram, hello TikTok?
Instagram is poised to lose its top spot as the No. 1 platform for brands. Instead: TikTok, a video-sharing platform that, despite common misconceptions, isn’t just for teens.
TikTok takes on billion users Global user base to grow in 2021 Over 1,000% In the past few years.In comparison, Instagram’s annual growth rate is estimated at 2021 only 3.7%, it’s easy to see how fast TikTok is on its way to winning the title.
The secret here lies in TikTok’s fast algorithms that allow brands to Target the right audience. There are also plenty of viral opportunities through branded and non-branded content. In 2020, Ocean Spray’s media exposure surged to 15 billion in a month, all because a video of someone drinking Ocean Spray went viral.
4. Use social listening to follow
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh? Many companies are working hard to improve their social listening skills and make sure they’re never the last company involved in an important conversation.
Social listening is not new, but it is becoming more and more important. In 2022, staying on the ground will be essential, both to stay ahead of potential PR issues and to create content optimized for your audience’s interests and optimized for your competitors.
Use social media automation tools to simplify social listening by not only paying attention to your brand name, but also hashtags, impressions, and mentions related to your industry and other brands you directly compete with.
Ready to take action?
You have information; get to work now. Start incorporating 2022 social media trends into your strategy as soon as possible, focusing on the actions that make the most sense for your brand and goals. Who knows, this might just be the year your social efforts pay off in ways you never imagined.
