It’s no secret that the world of digital marketing, and particularly social media, is constantly changing (so much so, even we struggle to keep up!).
This has been the year of augmented reality and influencer marketing. With only three months left of the 2018, you might find yourself asking: “what does the future have in store for social media?”
With the rise of advanced technology, new software and some pretty mind blowing apps, we’re expecting some big changes in the world of social media in the coming years.
As a business owner, you’ll want to get familiar with the changes in order to effectively manage and amplify your social media presence in the coming year. It’s not sufficient keep the same social strategy year in, year out. After all, something that evolves so quickly cannot be expected to keep ticking over by itself.
To stay one step ahead of your competitors, it’s important to know what’s being developed and what’s coming, so that you never miss a trick.
Use our predictions to future-proof your business against the ever-changing social media landscape.
Table Of Contents:
- Social media will become more integrated
- Live video will keep growing
- Mobile will become the predominant device
Social media will become more integrated
The big boys in the world of social media – the likes of Facebook. Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat – will further integrate their services into third-party applications.
Keep an eye out for new technology that your brand can integrate with and utilise to enhance user experience ahead of the competition.
Live video will keep growing
Video is quickly becoming the most dominant form of visual content in social media.
It’s versatile and interactive, and offers clients and customers an opportunity to view a behind-the-scenes perspective of your business. It gives a chance to see the people behind the brand and an insight into what goes on day-to-day. Great if you’re as nosey as us!
However as it increases in popularity, it will become more difficult for your business to get noticed amongst the noise.
Make video a priority: research what your competitors are doing, make time to curate your content, and work with us to create engaging, shareable content.
Does your business utilise Instagram Stories? If so, keep going at it. According to Entrepreneur, 200 million Instagram users use Instagram Stories each month. This makes Instagram a vital focus in your marketing efforts, and one you should give maximum effort.
It’s also worth considering whether your business will benefit from creating a YouTube channel. Will people be interested in hearing about or seeing your goods, products or services in action? If so, try your hand at making a video – take it from us, you definitely don’t have to be a pro.
Mobile will become the predominant device
By 2020, Facebook predicts that more people will have access to have mobile phones than running water or electricity at home.
We predict that the use of desktop will fall drastically as smartphones become bigger, better and more powerful. To ensure your business will not suffer, ensure your content, branding and website is fully optimised for mobile use.
To adapt, begin with the basics. Reduce your checkout process as much as possible – people are more likely to leave a site with a checkout process longer than three pages. Begin using Instagram’s shopping feature to attract a wider audience.
Allow customers to access info, browse and shop your products directly from their phone to maximise your reach.
What are your predicted social media trends for the year ahead? Tweet us @madhousemediauk – we’d love to know your thoughts.
