What Does the Future Hold for Social Media?

In the marketing field, we need social media. The modern age of connectivity allows new opportunities to connect to audiences daily. We even have the power to generate sales leads without crafting long-form content. What other outlet allows for that sort of open potential?

Social media, though, is hardly static. New policies are implemented constantly in response to consumer demands for increased privacy and improved user experiences.

Why does that matter?

Facebook generates 19.2 billion visits a month, and platforms such as Twitter and Instagram aren’t far behind.

Want your marketing campaigns to succeed? You need to stay on top of the changes the platforms are undergoing. Keep your content current is one way to ensure your business stays relevant.

So, what does the future of social media look like?

1. All the Video Content

Studies show that videos generate more long-term interest than text-based content does. Social media, as a result, is focusing in on video content.

The launch of video-centric updates like Instagram Stories and Facebook Live made this all the more clear. Even Twitter encourages its users to integrate video into their tweets.

If you want to attract and hold user attention in the future, you’ll need to take a leaf from the social networks and invest in your video strategies.

2. Huge Focus on Privacy

Facebook has had more than a few scandals in the past few years, many concerning data privacy. After pressure from users, Facebook recently released an update designed to erase users’ history as they log on to the platform.

While it’s unlikely that your marketing team will entirely lose access to consumer data in the future, you should still take precautions. Make sure your team is equipped to work with new security features, and make sure your marketing strategy will survive if some of your data access is cut off.

3. Clicking for Cliques

Segmentation is on the rise, and not only with the marketing crowd. Much like kids in a high school cafeteria, users on these social platforms are incorporating segmentation into their social experience. These groups (explicitly named so on Facebook) create private spaces for cliques of individuals to come together. Instagram’s “Close Friends” feature allows for much the same kind of grouping, allowing users to share content amongst a limited crowd of viewers.

This pre-grouping of like-minded individuals on social media is likely to both ease and transform the way you examine your social media ad engagement.

4. Influencer Impact

Ah, influencer advertising. Influencer advertising can be a great way to cheat the system and reach your targets.

Influencers on any social media platform generate user trust. They also use a more natural approach to advertising, reaching out to your segmented audiences with handcrafted messages. If social media is looking more data-private in the future, an influencer strategy might be a great way to locate and reach your ideal audiences.

The best part? You won’t have to worry about ad blockers or locked data.

5. Utmost Transparency

Influencers are part of a larger social media trend: transparency. The future of social media encourages brands like yours to be upfront about developments, delays, and the daily goings-on of business operations.

Why? Because honesty sells. A consumer audience that trusts your business is more likely to purchase your products.

Nowadays, only 55 percent of consumers feel that brands are transparent on social media or in business. If you want to build consumer loyalty and keep a long-term audience, consider a more open approach to your engagement.

6. Necessary Mobility

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are already widespread on mobile platforms and have been for years. However, as social media continues to explode, you’re likely to see more platforms and features appear that are specifically, if not solely, designed to improve the mobile user experience.

Have you gone mobile? If not, now’s the time. Users aren’t only finding you on desktop anymore. In fact, half of your audience probably comes from mobile devices.

Your website needs to be accessible to reach your full potential audience. And, as social media engagement changes, mobile compatibility may be the difference between a thriving company and an extinct one.

Conclusion

Is your company in need of help with social media? MV3 Marketing Agency has numerous Marketing experts ready to assist you. Contact MV3 Marketing to jump-start your business.

image attribution: tostphoto – stock.adobe.com