4 trends happening right now in social media
There are always trends in social media that can be predicted with a certain degree of confidence, and the best marketers have already mapped out their destination.
4 trends happening right now in social media
“If you don’t know where you are going, you might not get there”
-Yogi Berra
Predicting the future is not an exact science. We made it through 2012 without facing the Mayan Apocalypse, and now we are up to on what might happen in 2013.
In social media terms, the future is rarely predictable. The explosive growth of Pinterest for instance, on the social media scene last year came to many as a surprise.
But what if you had a glimpse into the future?
There are always trends in social media that can be predicted with a certain degree of confidence, and the best marketers have already mapped out their destination.
MOBILE FIRST. More people are using smartphones and tablets to access social media.
Nielsen’s Social Media Report 2012 found that 43 percent of U.S. users said they now use smartphones to access social media, with 16 percent connecting via a tablet.
For marketers this means that mobile has to be your top content priority this year.
A PICTURE IS WORTH 1000 WORDS. Image-based social networking is on the rise. Sites as Instagram and Pinterest prove that visual content is worth 1000 words, or in Instagram’s case, $1 billion.
A few days ago Facebook also announced that they’re changing the News Feed to a more visual-focused style.
Prepare for this trend by creating content that is visually compelling. If you post links and text-based statuses, you can think about how those ideas can be converted into visuals.
Infographics, photos, video, and other forms of reach media will increase over the coming years as people look to digest more information faster than ever.
SOCIAL LISTENING A KEY CONSUMER ACTIVITY. Social media is transforming the way consumers around the globe make purchasing decisions. Consumers are using social media to listen and learn about other consumers’ experiences (70%); find more information about brands, and compliment brands (53%).
This is an opportunity for you to educate consumers through compelling content, improve customer experiences and maintain strong customer relationships.
MULTIMEDIA ENGAGEMENT. Are you interacting with social media while watching TV?
According to the newest study by Nielsen having a mobile device on-hand while watching TV has become an integral part of consumer routines – 41% of tablet owners and 38% of smartphone owners use their device daily while in front of their TV screen.
In the following year, businesses will experience growing complexity in managing the emergence of multiple channels and technologies. To adapt marketing will become more integrated, real-time and inbound.
A lot can change in the following year.
Share your thoughts and opinions? What other trends do you anticipate to emerge this year?