There have been many social media trends throughout the year of 2018 and we are here to explain the social media trend predictions for 2019.
It’s the return of the real. With the ongoing spread of ‘fake news’ and data manipulation throughout 2018 consumers have now lost a lot of trust in social media. This trust has converted back to family and friends where they speak honestly about their opinions, no matter the size of their following.
For companies going into 2019, there should be less of a focus on reach and more concentration on creating meaningful and engaging content. More transparency in companies is shown by brands such as Adidas and The New York Times with their respectable ethos. People are joining together more online, creating communities and sharing insights. Brands should take this into account when developing relevant content for their consumers.
Gone are the days of an update post on Facebook and here comes the age of stories. Stories are short slideshow snippets that can only be seen for 24 hours. They are seen to be growing 15 times faster than feed-based sharing with more than a billion users across the main platforms of Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Snapchat.
This means companies should rethink their idea of posting a static block of text on social media and instead look into the less polished, multimedia insight into the brand. With proof that more raw and realistic stories generate highest engagement, there shouldn’t be a reason not to utilise this avenue.
Many social media platforms have had their rise and fall in the past with social media marketing, however, 2019 is the year of LinkedIn. With over 500 million members as of 2018, LinkedIn is a content powerhouse. The pace of growth is accelerating so rapidly for this platform and it could be down to the no-nonsense professionalism, get-away from the long rants and viral memes of the rest of the internet. Companies are now using LinkedIn to merge professional and personal aspects of their business and for stages of recruitment.
Facebook member-only groups have increased by 40% in the past year. For companies in 2019 to succeed in targeting these people they need to tap into their group interests. However this type of marketing can be challenging, these groups are safe spaces for people with common interests, interrupting that with sales pitches can be damaging to the brand. Using changing algorithms and user taste will help companies see big revenue in this area next year.
For any assistance with your Marketing requirements, Brighter Directions are always on hand to provide outsourced services covering PR, Social Media, Content and more. Call our office today on 01246 586 330 to discuss your requirements.
