Social media marketing often needs to adapt frequently in
order to keep up with the latest trends in the social media landscape – but
this article is not just fleeting information.
Even with all of the changes that this year brought to the
social media; it also brought us some great insights that we can take with us
into 2019, regardless of the platform.
Here’s a closer look at the key trends of the year and how
they will affect your 2019 social media marketing tactics…
Messaging will keep
growing
Messaging apps have already passed social media apps in
usage and it seems to be a trend that will dominate 2019.
People are moving beyond public posts on social media to
private messaging, whether it’s sharing a post with their friends or even to communicate
with their favorite brands.
Source: Statista
There is a whole new world out there for businesses to try
out with messaging – from customer service to promoting offers. These messaging
apps offer ease-of-use and personalized experiences that just aren’t possible
through traditional channels.
More businesses will
narrow their social focus
With so many social media channels out there, it’s nearly
impossible to be on them all, while giving them the attention they need. Gone
are the days where you need to join a platform just because it’s populated.
In 2019, you shouldn’t be afraid to just focus on one or two
channels that are going to bring you the best ROI. Start by analyzing where
your audience is and which channels work better for your business goals.
By narrowing your focus, you can expand more where it counts
– awareness, engagement, and conversions.
Ad spend will
increase, but so will ad saturation
Social media advertising is still a very popular choice for
business looking to expand their reach and increase sales. For example,
Instagram’s level of engagement has intrigued more marketers to increase their
ad spend to the channel, both on the feed and the Stories.
However, as more and more advertisers take advantage of
advertising on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, the marketplace
becomes more saturated – meaning ads can become more expensive to run.
2019 will probably bring even more of an increase to social
ad spend, with Instagram growing in popularity. However, it’s good to remember
not to rely too much on one platform, either for organic or paid growth.
Video, podcasts and live
streaming are taking over content consumption
Long-form blog posts are still great for search engine
optimization, and still engage readers (provided that they are formatted for
facilitate reading on all devices).
However, content consumption has moved far beyond just text
in 2018, and by the looks of it, this trend is going to grow even larger in
2019.
With the introduction of Stories (on multiple platforms) and
IGTV (Instagram's newest video platform), it’s clear that social media is all about video right now. Facebook has
even adjusted their algorithm to ensure that video posts show up more
frequently on our feeds.
Video is more popular with consumers as well…
In 2019, we expect to see more brands utilizing:
- Short videos with captions – these appeal to
mobile users but are accessible to everyone
- Vertical videos – made popular on Snapchat and
Instagram Stories, they are best on mobile
- Longer videos with powerful stories – whether on
Facebook, YouTube or IGTV, this type of video captivates the viewer
- Live streaming – another big trend for 2019
which allows more interaction with the audience
In addition to video, podcasting has also exploded this
year.
What makes podcasts special is the fact that they focus on
the content rather than the promotion. People subscribe to a podcast because
they are interested in the content, whether it comes from a brand or another
person.
What do these trends
mean?
Social media marketing is starting to focus less on
aimlessly posting to ensure you’re active on a platform and more on ROI,
building relationships with your customers, and creating meaningful content.
The new year is the perfect opportunity to review your
current social media strategy and decide how to allocate your resources on what
will bring you the most success in 2019.
If you’re interested in learning more about social media
marketing, call us today at (407) 682-2222 for a free strategy session.