Today, the dependence on social media is unbelievable as almost every individual globally, starts and ends their day with social media updates. Whether it be uploading their daily life updates on Instagram, engaging in a conversation on Twitter, or interacting with a community on Facebook, social media is a must. Additionally, according to data from 2021, the active users interacting on different social media handles today are over 3.6 billion globally.
Future Of Social Media
According to current predictions, by 2025, approximately 4.41 billion people will be active on various social media handles. But what is the main reason behind the rising activity on social media handles today? Research suggests that the major contributing factor behind the rise of social media is the increasing availability of mobile phones.
On average, an individual spends at least 144 minutes every day just surfing through multiple social media platforms and messaging apps. Uniquely, experts believe the key reason behind this is directly related to the third level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The current generation is on the constant lookout for validation. Thus, they use social media to meet their need for love and belonging from society, including their friends and family.
Social Media From Business Perspective
Given the current importance of social media in our everyday lives, it is fair to assume that along with the personal benefits, it also helps maximize business profitability. However, even though the awareness around social media marketing for business is increasing, the execution of an appropriate social media plan as per market analysis is not being practiced.
To succeed with social media marketing for your business, you require a clear marketing strategy that includes a clear understanding and implementation of top social media trends. That coupled with clear communication to customers, a well-defined call to action, and an open mind to experiment is what will take your business to newer heights. The benefits of using correct social media strategies for your business include increased brand awareness, better customer relationships, improved user experience, and much more.
Best Social Media Platforms For Businesses
Before we jump into assessing the various social media trends for 2022, let us rank the top social media platforms you should target today for business profitability.
The reasons behind the above ranking include the number of active users on the platform, the customer interaction statistics, the conversion rate, etc. However, the ranking can be different for various business categories. The differentiating factors can be the target audience, nature of product or service, and business goals.
Top Social Media Trends For 2022
To witness the rapid growth of your business, there are many social media trends in 2022 that you can adopt. These will help you beat competition efficiently and become a customer’s top choice. Let us discuss each social media trend for 2022 below.
Transforming Content With Live Videos
There is a significant difference between using video content for promotions and participating in live videos to interact with customers. According to social media trend analysis, the biggest trend for 2022 will be live videos for promotions. Uniquely, approximately 82% of the current global population enjoy live videos. Therefore, the best way to get maximum interaction on your live videos is by inviting brands and famous personalities that your target audience connects with for quick live sessions.
Adopting Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is one of the most popular social media trends for 2022. Marketing experts predict this trend will change the way business promote their products and services today. Moreover, the collaboration between brands and influencers will change. Now, the medium of barter collab, as opposed to paid promotions, will be preferred by both parties. So, research and wisely choose the right influencers for collaboration.
Direct Selling On Social Media
Market research suggests that by the end of 2025, the social commerce industry will be worth $80 billion. Our next social media trend for 2022 is social commerce, which, in simple words means, selling directly on social media platforms. As much as social media promotions bring increased attention to your business, the need for hassle-free shopping by customers demands more attention.
Customers no longer want to switch between social media profiles and brand websites to make a purchase. On the contrary, they are looking for a quick shopping experience that directly lets them buy from a brand’s social media profile. You do not have to do it for all the products or services that you offer. Instead, carefully select the popular items and put them up for purchase on your social profiles as it can be a game-changer.
Increasing Focus On User Generated Content
Even though user-generated content is not a recent discovery, the demand from customers today is inclusivity and personalization. User-generated content is designed and implemented from the reviews collected from the users alone, allowing users to be indirect brand promoters. Moreover, the benefits of increased focus on creating UGC include lower marketing costs and increased customer loyalty, as the promotion comes directly from the customers.
Prioritizing Community-Based Promotion
The need for confirmation bias from customers coupled with the herd mentality of the population brought about the next popular social media trend for 2022. It is a need for community-based promotions. Despite the lack of active communities on different social media platforms, the demand for a close-knit community is high. Communities with honest customer suggestions and feedback are the key requirement today. Additionally, future trends suggest the introduction of exclusive communities online for customers to debate over current and new products/services of a brand.
Choosing Video Content Over Static
Gone are the days when informative static content excited the target audience. Currently, as per marketing experts and social media trend analysis, promoting through video content over info-based static posts is in demand. Videos are considered to grab more attention. The main reason is they include stronger messaging along with precise product/service information as compared to a static post. In addition to the increased viewership of video content like Instagram reels, the engagement rate is also higher. But keep in mind the video length as shorter videos are more popular.
Wrapping Up!
As a conclusive overview, from the above-mentioned social media trends for 2022, some social trends have been around for a while but have only picked up pace recently. For some businesses, having an active social media presence alone can be a big advantage. However, given the rising number of active users on social media every day, making a stronger impact on your target audience is essential. You can do so by developing a social media marketing strategy around the current trends for 2022.
Users are becoming the key stakeholders for all businesses today. Thus, offering them inclusivity and personalization as part of the user experience will directly improve your brand identity. Additionally, it will increase business profitability in the long run.
