Just about every business utilizes social media to try and increase brand awareness, but with more users joining different platforms every day, the competition can make it feel impossible to grow your audience. Getting creative and finding various ways to make your account stand out is key, but where do you start?
The Latest Social Media Trends
Before you and your team establish some social media marketing tactics, it is important to know what is trending and the best ways to catch a user’s attention.
- All Eyes Are on Videos
- Keep Followers Engaged with Ephemeral Content
- Stay Connected with Chatbots
- Geo-Tag Your Posts to Target Locals
- Establish Yourself on TikTok
- Find Ways to Be More Inclusive
All Eyes Are on Videos
TikTok has accelerated the video trend, and Instagram recently began boosting the popularity of reels, which are the short-form videos Instagram introduced in 2020 as a competitor to TikTok. Reels are more likely to get seen on Instagram, and TikTok is all about videos, so businesses who are only posting pictures are sure to get left behind in the dust.
If you are looking to go even further, the popularity of live videos has actually surpassed the demand for video content this year alone. Presently, live videos are being broadcast on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Tumblr because almost 82 percent of the audiences prefer live videos on social media.
Keep Followers Engaged with Ephemeral Content
Facebook and Instagram offer the capability for accounts to share stories, which only appear for 24 hours after they get posted. These short stories are fun, engaging, and keep your followers on their toes since they only stick around for a short while. Utilizing this feature is a great way to keep your customers updated on sales and discounts, any new products that just released, or just to say hi.
Stay Connected with Chatbots
Research shows that customers have already developed their preferences for chatbots. Consumers eagerly turn to them for handling minor issues or when they are in a hurry. They do not mind if they are served by a chatbot as long as the bot responds to their questions in real time and helps them quickly resolve their problem.
There are many affordable options to integrate chatbots into your social media accounts, such as MobileMonkey and ManyChat, offering pre-developed systems that are just a fraction of the cost compared to developing a whole new one. Chatbots can help businesses provide 24/7 service and answer questions without hiring additional staff to take on those duties.
Geo-Tag Your Posts to Target Locals
Geo-tagging your posts is a great way to let your followers know where you are and attract local retailers nearby. Especially with all of the supply chain delays and expenses adding up, shops will appreciate a local supplier.
Instagram already allows users to look for posts and stories in their vicinity, which in turn lets local businesses be more discoverable. Moreover, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram promotions enable businesses to target audiences from a specific locality through their IP addresses.
Establish Yourself on TikTok
TikTok is available in over 150 countries, has over one billion users, and has been downloaded over 200 million times in the United States alone. No matter what you sell, it is vital to have a presence on TikTok right now. While the platform was originally there for young consumers to show off their dance moves, it has moved way beyond that and many influencers even use TikTok to represent different brands.
Business owners can leverage TikTok to feature short and creative videos to engage their target audience and create brand awareness. Plus, these videos come in handy for companies to pitch their services really quick and crisp.
According to the Social Media Trends 2022 survey by Hootsuite, Facebook (62%) and Instagram (49%) were ranked as the most effective platforms for businesses to advertise on, but the biggest jumps in perceived effectiveness belong to TikTok, Pinterest, and Snapchat — which all went from single to double digits. TikTok, in particular, went from three percent last year to 24 percent this year, an increase of 700 percent.
Find Ways to Be More Inclusive
With news stories just a simple Google search away, social media users are becoming more aware of and reacting to social issues than ever before. It is important to show your followers that you are taking a stand, no matter what you support, because it can greatly increase your follower base.
Businesses that take steps to incorporate this trend will see more engagement on their social media posts and find more retailers who are passionate about the same issues. Just as consumers want to purchase from a business supporting a good cause, retailers also want to purchase from suppliers with whom they can make a personal connection.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media
Now that you have a better understanding of what is trending online and what will help get more eyeballs on your platforms, you need to know how to connect with your audience and keep them engaged. A simple follow does not necessarily mean a win — you need to keep reminding your audience why they followed you in the first place and why they should continue to stay in touch.
Here are some basic do’s and don’ts of social media:
Profiles
DO: Complete your social media profiles and add a photo, website, and short description of your company and what you do.
DON’T: Leave anything out that may make potential customers question who you are and make them need to stay on your profile page for longer than a few seconds. If they cannot figure out who you are right away, there is no reason for them to follow your profile.
Personalizing Your Account
DO: Give some sense of a company background and why you started the business, either with a friendly social media post or including a link to the about section on your website so your followers can learn more about you. A great way to make a personal connection with retailers is for them to get a better idea of who they will be purchasing from and if you share the same values.
DON’T: Over-personalize your profile with constant selfies or a picture of you and your family on vacation. Your audience chose to follow you for your products, not to be your friend.
Posting Content
DO: Post regular content either of your products, new merchandise, employees in action, or certain areas of your warehouse to stay relevant and at the top of your follower’s pages.
DON’T: Post any more than five times a day or less than two times a week. If you post too much, you can annoy your followers, and if you do not make enough content, they will forget you exist.
Interacting with Your Audience
DO: Answer any messages and reply to comments on your posts. Engaging with your followers will make them feel heard and build personal connections.
DON’T: Ignore questions or reviews or respond negatively. You may not need to respond right away, but if you do not answer an inquiry, your customers will not feel valued and may choose to do business elsewhere. Responding negatively to comments or questions can also agitate your followers.