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Social Media Trends to Watch in 2022
Social media has evolved over the years and so have its users. It’s such an integral part of people’s lives and daily routines. We might have spent way too much time on social media than we would like to admit. In some cases, social media is the first thing people check after waking up in the morning! Plus, if you’re a mobile phone user, chances are you’re also a social media user since 85% of 5.27 billion mobile phone users are on social media.
Given the importance of social media in consumers’ lives and the overload of content we consume, marketers, and businesses need to have their finger on the pulse with the latest trends. While keeping up with the latest social media features and trends can feel never ending, the opportunities for connecting with your audience in new and various ways far outweigh the cons.Â
With the first half of 2022 done and dusted, here’s what we can look out for in the second half of the year.
Over the last decade, the creator economy has made its presence known in society. Thanks to social media, there are so many more opportunities for creators to make a living. In fact, the creator economy is now worth over $100 billion.
With platforms heavily investing in creator marketplaces, tools, and funds, it gives creators the incentive to create, connect, and collaborate with brands. What’s more–we are also seeing creators drive engagement in their posts, grow their communities, and push the bounds in product promotions. It only makes sense for brands to jump in and invest in the booming creator economy.
Social commerce is where users can browse, purchase, and receive after sales support all on social media. It’s integrated into the way we use social media, find inspiration, and shop from brands we support within a few clicks.
Brands like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook have been seeing more brands sell their products and reach their audiences through social commerce. In fact, the industry will only continue to grow. According to eMarketer’s report, the social commerce industry is forecasted to be worth $80 billion by 2025.
The brands that stand out prioritize the user experience and focus on creating a frictionless shopping experience for them. This is how the social media platforms helps businesses set up their stores:
If you’re a B2C brand, you should first set up a Facebook Shop, Instagram Shop, or test out Product Pins on Pinterest. Then, focus on curating items that you think your followers will like best. The best part about social commerce is creating shoppable posts for your followers! This way you can inspire them by showcasing your products and encouraging them to place an order in just a few taps.
Brands and marketers will continue to leverage these and incorporate social commerce into their sales strategies in 2022.
Thanks to TikTok and Instagram Reels, short-form vertical videos aren’t going anywhere for a long while.Â
These short-videos are everyone’s favorite for several reasons:
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In this past year alone, we’ve seen brands and creators leverage video as an engaging form of storytelling to better connect with their audience on a deeper level. We expect to see more creative videos, bite sized tutorials, and fun community trends the remaining half of 2022.
The beauty of short-form videos is that they’re more accessible to brands than longer videos. The authentic and lower production nature of Stories, TikTok videos, and Instagram Reels is part of the bigger appeal to consumers.
Pro tip: While it can be overwhelming to follow the latest trends and features, it doesn’t have to be! Be sure to follow our biweekly updates for the latest Instagram Reels trends to be up to date with the latest vertical video trends.
Who doesn’t love a good meme? Good memes transcend across all platforms. They’re easy to create, establish your brand personality, and generate instant feedback.
You’ll see memes taken from pop cultural references and blow up in the engagement insights. That’s because recreating memes helps to build a connection with your audience, grow your brand relevance, and help you stay current! That’s why 38% of Gen Z use Twitter to see what the latest memes and viral trends are.Â
The best part of creating memes is that there’s one for any niche. My personal favorites are memes about working in social media, rock climbing woes, and subtle asian traits content. Of course, due to its short shelf-life it’s best to jump on these memes when they’re hot and trending!
If you’re not convinced, here’s why pop culture references are good for your marketing strategy.
With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok is the place for brands to tap into the fun, bold, and less filtered content (compared to Instagram). With 60% of TikTok users being Gen Zers–the ultimate trendsetters, we’ll be seeing more brands join the platform to tap into that market.
Take Duolingo for example. Their TikTok content strategy is casual, yet on brand, and always on trend.
@duolingo every time you open Google Translate, I lose a feather. #duolingo #swiftok #enchanted #languagelearning #trend #brandtok #comedy ♬ Enchanted Taylor Swift - Kaylen
The beauty of this platform is that you can experiment with the latest trends to see what works best for your brand and audience! While you do need to be consistent in your overall brand voice to ensure your social media strategies align with your brand, you can ultimately have freedom to post different content on TikTok compared to your other platforms.
We’re excited to see how brands will incorporate their brand’s take to TikTok’s ever-changing landscape.
Pro tip: the secret to success on TikTok is in the editing of your videos. You can read our guide on how to edit your TikTok videos with 15 easy steps here!
While influencer marketing has been around for awhile, it still dominates social media today. There’s been a growing number of influencers as well as an increase in budget spend for influencer marketing by businesses.
Here are some Influencer marketing stats:
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Nowadays, brands are working more closely with a network of micro-influencers. The challenge moving forward will be identifying which influencers will align best with your brand.
Social media has evolved to become a content discovery platform, shopping platform, and even a customer service channel! A lot of brands have started to leverage social media for delivering customer service.Why is that? People want brands to offer social media customer support.
Today’s consumers want a quick and reliable way to communicate with businesses that feels natural. Social media gives consumers the flexibility and convenience to reach out to businesses in real time. Statistics show that 64% of people would rather message than call a business. Plus, when users buy directly on social media, it’s not intuitive to seek customer care elsewhere.
Besides looking back at how the first half of 2022 went for social, it’s also important to examine upcoming trends for the remaining half. Although we can’t predict the next viral social media challenge, these trends are definitely ones you should watch.Â
Are you looking to level up your social media marketing strategy? We’re here to help. Get in touch with us at hello@medianetic.me, or drop us a message via our chatbot below! We look forward to partnering with you.
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