When you think of the pace at which social media is changing, the realization is a bit mind boggling. For example, more than one decade ago, in 2004, only students at Harvard University were able to create Facebook accounts. Today more than one billion users across the globe use Facebook–making it an incredibly valuable marketing platform for many brands and businesses. The way we use and think about social media is constantly shifting and changing. So what trends are emerging for 2016?
Trend: Being in the moment. Some of the most successful and popular social media occurs in real-time. Live social broadcasts are becoming increasingly popular. Facebook Live, which was launched by Facebook last August and is still being rolled out to select users, allows you to broadcast a live discussion through your Facebook profile, with your followers tuning in and commenting in real-time. Channels like Instagram and Snapchat are designed to capture moments as they happen.
Takeaway: How will your organization engage in this increasingly “on the go” social media culture?
Trend: Realizing the rising popularity of video. We have long known that users love video, but there is more proof to back this up: For example, a report by Cisco states that by 2019, 80 percent of global internet traffic will be video. Video is some of the most sharable and engaging content that you can offer your audience.
Takeaway: How could digital video production, at whatever scale is manageable for your business, enhance your social media efforts?
Trend: Recognizing that organic visibility on Facebook and other channels is suffering. Even if you have a large audience on Facebook, the majority of your followers will never see your content unless it is promoted. The reality is you have to “pay to play.” From a Forbes article this last September, “Finally, as the ROI of social media marketing becomes more established and social marketing itself becomes more accessible for a wider range of businesses, there will be a greater level of competition for organic visibility. Already, Facebook is throttling organic visibility to force people to buy advertising, and as more businesses emerge in the market, that throttle will only increase, and among more social media channels.”
Takeaway: If the channel is deemed a valuable audience for your product or service, are you willing to invest in paid social media?
Struggling to determine your company’s social media marketing strategy for 2016? Let Company 119 help. Give us a call today to start the conversation.
