Social media has increasingly become the go-to place for businesses looking to increase their market share. Every business worth its salt has a team dedicated exclusively to managing their social media presence to interact with the millions of potential customers frequenting the sites. Social media marketing, just like any other area involving fast-paced technology, is dynamic and evolves quickly. Here are some of the trends to watch out for in 2019 for a successful year in marketing.
Micro-influencer and nano-influencer marketing
Micro- and nano-influencer marketing is becoming a trend for small and medium-sized businesses looking to have someone give their brand a shout out on a budget. Micro-influencers are simply influencers with tens of thousands of social media followers, rather than full-blown celebrities with millions of them. Nano-influencers have even less than 10k followers, but still have an influence through a specific project or idea that they are passionate about.
Such influencers are better suited for growing brands as they charge less and have a more genuine following that their more famous counterparts.
Stories
The idea that involved posting content that was visible for only 24 hours started with Snapchat. Now, the fantastic idea jumped to Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, and YouTube. Instagram stories are currently at the top of the stories tier, with over 400 million users enjoying viewing them daily. Many brands are now using these stories to show their ads as they are more fun, engaging, and spontaneous.
The elimination of fake followers and accounts
Many social media users love to show off accounts that have thousands of followers, yet there are those who use rather dubious methods to obtain popularity. Instagram is the most affected by this trend, and they recently announced that they would get rid of fake accounts, likes, and followers from third-party apps. Removing artificial followers is crucial as it will help the social networks remain genuine and people can grow their fanbase through real engagements.
AI for customer support
Nowadays, brands are using automated messaging and chatbots to interact with customers who need customer support. Facebook Messenger is one such, where chatbots are used to implement customer service and answer FAQs. Many customers are still skeptical about the use of bots owing to their impersonality, but better programming is making bots more authentic. AI is a better option for businesses as they offer faster and more reliable support to clients.
Transparency
Many millennials are now demanding more transparency from major brands on social media. For instance, they want businesses to admit it when they are wrong, price their products clearly, and reply promptly to questions and concerns posted on their pages.
The impact of employees
Your company’s employees will also double up as your brand ambassadors, and it will be critical for them to say the right things. Encouraging your employees to talk about your brand on social media will bring even more positive attention to it as they are uniquely qualified to offer accurate insights.
Conclusion:
Consider these trends while laying your social media plan for 2019 to ensure that your marketing campaigns remain relevant and appeal to your brands’ followers.
