Many of our daily habits were altered in 2020 and the worlds of social media and web marketing were no exception.
You want to know what to watch for in the following months to stay on top of social media trends? Here are the five key trends for 2021.
1. Video content and live videos
Video content, always more video content! If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth double. For a few years now, we have noted rising interest for video content, which will keep growing into 2021.
Video content is an efficient way of expanding posts’ reach, while allowing businesses to connect with their usual clientele as well as find new ones. You have probably noticed that Instagram added Reels to its platform, allowing the video content to reach a broader audience than just the followers of an account. Reels are creative videos made in a single sequence or in a few clips, and they can integrate soundtracks and visual effects.
Since the video content can be reused from one platform to another, there is no need to rack your brains any further.
2. Corporate social responsibility
Taking a stance is not only up to citizens. More and more, web surfers demand that companies have fair and just social views.
In 2020, many small and big brands drew attention to themselves by adopting clear positions regarding social issues. For example, some companies decided to go green by becoming carbon neutral, and others decided to focus on inclusion because of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Basically, companies that prove that they are socially engaged and that they understand important common issues are favoured by present and future clients. As a business, using your voice wisely pays off. Gen Z, our current teenagers and young adults, has a tendency to make decisions (and purchases!) based in a large part on a company’s social stance.
3. Stories on all platforms
Introduced to the Instagram app in 2016, Stories rapidly became a vital feature of social media. They are very popular with audiences because they give the impression of having access to additional or exclusive content for a 24-hour period. Instead of flooding the Instagram feed with posts, Stories offer the possibility to maintain a conversation with your target audience.
These temporary posts (in static or video form) can be re-shared on all your networks. Today, the majority of big social media platforms have a similar feature; even LinkedIn launched its own “Stories” in 2020.
4. Educational posts
Already frequent in 2020, educational posts will continue their rise in 2021. These posts are an excellent way to stimulate web surfer engagement, and they go beyond simple visual content.
We have seen a lot of posts in “Carousel” format, especially on Instagram. Say goodbye to single-image sharing, and hello to sharing tricks, advice, lists and any other information that the public could benefit from.
Show that you have mastered your topic and that you want to develop a stronger bond with your clients by communicating with them in a clear and transparent manner. To create eye-catching text visuals, tools like Canva and Over can make the task much easier.
5. Memes and TikTok
They are an integral part of online culture: memes, an endless source of laughter, or even reflecting.
Used for comforting and humorous purposes in 2020, memes are here to stay. More and more companies have realized that they are a way of getting audiences to engage by using fun visuals to send a message. By feeling concerned and involved, web surfers will be more inclined to share these memes and will remember the company that created them more easily.
It has to be said that in 2020 the countless memes about the pandemic and American politics made us laugh rather than cry, so they basically became an essential service!
When it comes to the app TikTok, its number of users grew greatly in the past year. Do you remember the Ocean Spray cranberry juice drinker riding his skateboard to the sound of Fleetwood Mac’s song Dreams? This 22-second clip went so viral that Mick Fleetwood, the band’s 74-year-old drummer, decided to recreate this meme himself. Click here to see his response on TikTok.
TikTok is taking over for Instagram when it comes to micro-influencer marketing. Not exclusively reserved for younger audiences, TikTok changes the relationship between the public and brands with its short-form videos that are sometimes spontaneous, sometimes viral. Businesses have everything to gain from creating a TikTok micro-influencer list in order to find new brand ambassadors.
We are here to help you follow trends in 2021
In 2021, more than ever, we will be there to help you navigate the fascinating world of social media, and to help you position your company on these networks.
Contact us to find out how our dynamic team of professionals can guide you.