Social media seemed like a bizarre animal at first, but like all bizarre animals from prehistory, it has evolved and made itself more fit to survive in the modern world. So, for all the predictions that social media would die as a fad, it has shown its resilience over time.
But the social media of today is not the social media of yesterday, nor will social media management of tomorrow look like it does now. As part of this ever-changing nature, entrepreneurs should anticipate the changes that could be coming their way in 2017. If they do, they can reach the maximum audience possible while providing them with the experiences they crave.
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With that in mind, here are our top predicted social media trends for 2017:
Audiences Demand Immediacy, Authenticity
No one could have predicted the meteoric rise of Snapchat, a social media app that sends photos that are automatically deleted after just a few seconds. While people balked at this impermanence, it actually benefits people in terms of both communication and the excitement of digesting content.
These beneficial effects have lead to a surge in popularity for live and experience-based content, meaning that entrepreneurs wanting to boost themselves online will have to play ball. Try to engage your audience with more live Q&As and develop content that feels “in-the-moment” rather than a canned marketing pitch.
You can even pick up some Snapchat Spectacles for your crew to sit right on the cutting edge!
Immersive Experiences Reign
Part of the drive towards Snapchat-like content lies in the viewer feeling like they are part of an experience. You can capture this feeling by hosting 360° videos and images on your site. Just make sure that they can be compatible with smartphone VR headsets so that users can get the most immersive experience they desire.
Social Media Platforms Become More Stratified
Stories covering Twitter’s steady user decline may be somewhat alarmist, but they do show how social media platform participation is far from a permanent arrangement. A similar exodus from Facebook on the part of teens and millennials was coupled with a growth in older demographics.
In other words, these platforms may not be “dying” as much as changing. Your brands should research which ones have the most active users by target demographics and focus efforts accordingly.
Paid Ads Become a Necessity
Social media platforms like Facebook are showing less organic posts from brand pages, so brands should respond in turn by beefing up their paid ad programs. The good news is that paid ads can use features like Facebook’s Graph Search to fine-tune who gets to see them.
Emotion and Inspiration Reign Supreme
Many brands have gotten amazing at storytelling, but not everyone has the time, money or vision to pull such campaigns off. But, you can tap into emotions that everyone recognizes.
Pay attention to color in the stock photos or photo shoots you use, for instance, and try to capture a feeling that everyone can relate to. These distilled emotions can improve engagement without having to build up a deep meaning behind them.
Consider Investing in Professional Social Media Management Team to Keep up with Social Media Trends in 2017
Another significant trend is that more and more entrepreneurs are realizing that social media is too important to ignore but too complex to manage on their own. As a result, they have been hiring social media management firms to not only pick up the slack, but to strategize how to best use social media resources for maximum impact.
If you are looking to revamp your own social media activities, consider enlisting Success City Online’s social media team. You can learn more about our social media management services by visiting our corresponding page and then contacting us today.