Five Social Media Trends to Watch out for in 2021
Hootsuite released its social trends report for 2021. It surveyed 11,000 marketers to find out what’s important to businesses and organizations this year.
Below are five social media trends Hootsuite says companies should watch out for in 2021.
1. Get more customers coming back by providing new social experiences.
Hootsuite’s report found that 73% of marketers’ goal was to gain new customers, but what it found interesting was that only 23% felt that improving customer experience is important. The two go hand-in-hand. Businesses and organizations need to improve on creating content that will build relationships and brand loyalty. You can do this by:
Adding different types of content to your channel like using Instagram Live, instead of just posting an image.
Engage with your customers by asking them what they like or don’t like, what they want to see more of, etc.
Work with influencers to create more content and create more engagement through other users on social platforms.
2. Pay attention to social media trends.
The report notes the brand Ocean Spray as one example.
Do you remember this video?
Many people got in on it and re-created the video - even the CEO of Ocean Spray.
Experts at Hootsuite say, “Ocean Spray […] let a viral social moment unfold organically instead of jumping in with a marketing message.” Hootsuite notes that the best thing brands can do this year is to find ways to fit into the conversation.
Check out this video as well:
3. Your audience is not just the “younger generation.”
Hootsuite’s report notes that 70% of internet users between the ages of 55-64 have bought something online and 37% plan to do that more.
So for this year, brands should be thinking about how they can incorporate marketing messages for baby boomers as well by:
Focusing on targeting their interest or hobbies without creating campaigns that are stereotypical.
Using online reviews as a tool to get baby boomers to trust you (as reviews influence their purchasing decisions more).
4. Are you really engaging with your customer base?
Creating engaging content for your followers is one thing, but what are their actual behaviours? Are they actually clicking on the links in your post? Are they actually purchasing something? Are the same customers coming back? You can find this out through data integration.
Hootsuite references the brand Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs Group as an example. They integrated its social and CRM teams, so they can engage “more effectively with customers before, during, and after their stay.”
A smaller way of starting off without using data integration is to introduce paid ads into your business to ensure the right people are interacting with your content.
5. Are you a purpose-driven company?
Hootsuite references the survey by Deloitte, where it found that 60% of millennials and Gen Z plan to buy more from businesses that are concerned with what’s going on socially in the world and if they respond consciously to it.
Hootsuite says, “Consumers are smart. They don’t care much about brands posting statements. They are much more concerned about whether a brand really works to make the world a better place.” You can do this by:
Revising your internal social media policy – how are your employees expected to post?
Set up crisis communication – how are you going to respond on social media when there is a crisis?
Download the full report here.
References: Hootsuite
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