Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Shape (2018)
Social media marketing trends should be a top priority for business owners.
Why?
Because they offer abundant opportunities for these business owners to reach out to their fans. Studies show that engaging with existing customers and reaching out to new ones can significantly enhance and promote their brand.
Most of these business owners cannot keep up with the ever-fluctuating digital trends nor with the do`s and dont`s of social media in general. Today we shall take a look at;
Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Shape (2018)
1. LinkedIn Trending Topics
This Microsoft owned social media platform is rolling out Trending Topics on mobile and desktop.
Trending topics makes it possible for users to see relevant and latest post from their followers. This feature is gradually rolling out and available to users in the US for now.
2. Linkedin Live Videos
Live videos on LinkedIn is now available for all of its members. This new social media trend is helping more people to gain exposure using videos to demonstrate their talents.
Also, you can see who is viewing your videos and their location and occupation too.
3. LinkedIn Active Messaging
Have ever tried to connect with someone on Linkedin, and send them a message? The next time just look at their profile; If you see a thick green circle beside their name, it means they are online.
If the circle has an inner white section, it means they are online using their mobile phone.
4. Chat Bots
From the Traffic and Conversion Summit to the Social Media Marketing World, this newest social media marketing trend is hot.
Lots of people making sales through it due to it
High open rate,
Ease to reach out to customers,
Ease to deliver content.
So what is a chatbot?
According to Chatbots Magazine:
“A chatbot is a service, powered by rules and sometimes artificial intelligence, which you interact with via a chat interface.
This service could be any number of things, ranging from functional to fun, and it could live in any major chat product (Facebook Messenger, Slack, Telegram, Text Messages, etc.)”
5. Messaging Apps
Another social media marketing trend is the rise of Messaging Apps. Some of these top Messaging Apps include:
- Facebook Messenger,
- WhatsApp and
These Apps have become critical for communication as compared to traditional messaging Apps.
And,
Most brands are leveraging it as a means to communicate with their fans and deliver content to them too.
Have you realized an increase in Facebook Messenger Ads these days?
6. Branded Content on Facebook
As one of the new social media marketing trends, branded content was available only to verified pages and profiles. This feature is now available on all Facebook Pages.
Facebook-branded content enables pages to share content from brands they promote. Pages that will have access to this will get a notification upon login and will be able to see the branded content handshake icon.
7. Facebook Life From Desktop
Yayyy! That’s the reaction many business owners had when Facebook made this announcement. They first opened their live API in 2016, and you could go live from your desktop and also through a variety of third-party tools.
Today, it is possible to go live both from your profile and pages.
Data shows that videos generate 1200% more shares than text and images. Are you using this feature already?
8. Facebook SnapChat-Like Features
This is one of the hottest social media marketing trends. Facebook is doing everything possible to take every last feature from Snapchat and build it into either Instagram and Facebook Messenger. The latest ones include adding many Snapchatlike features into Facebook Messenger like:
- New camera effects
- Facebook Direct
- Facebook Stories
These are all clear rip-offs of;
- Snapchat Filters,
- Snapchat Snaps and
- Snapchat Stories.
9. Facebook 360 Video
Facebook launched Live 360 on some pages last December 2016. They announced a few days ago that this feature is now available to all Pages and Profiles. The sister feature
The sister feature Audio 360 launched last October will soon be introduced to those with Cameras that support Live 360 I can not stress how many businesses are embracing these new social media marketing trends.
It gives you the opportunity to live stream with 360 degrees to your audience. Some of the cameras that support this option include Live 360-compatible cameras like the Samsung Gear 360 (2017), Giroptic IO, Insta360, Allie Camera, Z CAM S1 and Nokia Ozo.
10. Facebook A/B-test Ads
Facebook has made it possible for advertisers to A/ B test their Ads for better conversion rates. This feature is now available to all advertisers globally via Ads Manager and the Facebook Ads API (application programming interface).
11. Facebook Marketing Place Ad Placement
Facebook Marketplace is rolling out, allowing users to place ads that will appear for people looking to buy and sell stuff on Marketplace from their phone.
This new update is another social media marketing trend from Facebook which marketer can leverage and reach out to their fans.
12. Facebook Page Reminders
This new feature located under Settings helps you set your specific times and special Holidays to get reminders to publish posts.
It can also help you have content scheduled ahead of time, using Facebook’s scheduler or one of the great third-party tools out there to ensure your content goes out regularly. However, these additional reminders could prove helpful!
13. YouTube Ads Control
In response to a lot of backlash from advertisers, YouTube is introducing new security measures to reassure marketers.
This came as a result of brand Ads appearing on racist content. YouTune has now launched a hotline number for brands and a video verification process. They will also use machine-learning to screen suspicious videos which may have hidden content.
Also, Google has increased the cost of advertising on Youtube. Currently, all advertisers need to join the YouTube Partners Program, have 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months and at least 1,000 subscribers.
14. Mobile Advertising
Mobile advertising is on the rise with over 80% of Facebook Ads revenue from mobile!!
Wow! That is a lot! If you are following social media marketing trends to invest in your business, this should be one of those you should consider as more brands are spending on mobile advertising.
15. Snapchat New Search Feature
Snapchat recently launched a new search feature. This helps its users find photos and videos from sports games, events in their locality even if they are friends with the person who posted it.
16. Social Media eCommerce
Social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram still encourage its users to buy products directly from their platforms.
With the increase in the number of consumers searching for products of their favorite brands on social media, most top brands are now leveraging this to their advantage. Are you already selling products on your social media profiles?
17. Instagram Carousel Ads To Stories
Instagram Carousel ads format is a new form of Ads that have a high engagement, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This digital media trend In can have up to three different media on three separate slides plus videos too.
According to Kevin Systrom, CEO of Instagram:
“You no longer have to choose the single best photo or video from an experience you want to remember,” Instagram writes. This furthers Instagram’s quest to be more than where you “only get to see the highlights,”
To conclude, what are some of these social media marketing trends that are crucial to your and your business? Are they any you are currently using which are not on my list above? I am excited to read from you about it.
Originally published at blog.apollineadiju.com on April 5, 2017.
Apolline Adiju
Apolline is a Certified Digital Marketer / Social Media Manager based in Stockholm, Sweden. She specializes in the Inbound Marketing methodology, acquiring and nurturing new customers using the most cost-effective but efficient marketing funnels that convert. She works and assists business owners & companies (as a consultant) both in Sweden and the world (remote). She helps them build and establish strong social media / digital marketing strategies to increase their online marketing efforts & grow their business.
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