Trends and predictions about social media marketing in 2020 are plentiful. Only time will tell which prove true and which prove false. Here are a few of the latest, in alphabetical order.
A is for Authenticity. Instagram’s decision to hide vanity metrics means that marketers will have an increased need for authenticity, the cornerstone of influencer marketing, reports Mobile Marketer. Leah Logan, VP of media products at Inmar Collective Bias, predicts that “marketers will place a greater emphasis on authenticity in 2020 and creating deeper, brand-safe partnerships.” And Social Media Today predicts that influencer marketing will continue to grow. Why? Fifty-eight percent of marketers plan to increase their influencer budget this year.
B is for Benefits of Social Listening: The benefits are real. And because of that, marketers will increase their use of social listening to provide better customer service and connections. Social listening helps companies improve products or service, attract new customers, and provide better customer service. View this Social Media Today infographic to learn more.
C is for Cross-Stream Messaging: Look for Facebook to integrate the messaging functionalities of Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp into a single stream. The integration will likely take place this year. It will bring two additional functional options along with it: payment and bot connections, says Social Media Today.
D is for Design. Pay attention to the hottest trends in graphic and digital design. Among them are panoramic virtual reality designs, surreal product photos, realistic textures, yellow backgrounds and design elements to appeal to millennials, and multi-media portraits. Find out more via the Social Media Today infographic.
E is for Ear. Get in your audience’s ear by producing more podcasts. Jenay Rose, a business coach and social media professional, told Social Media Today that podcasts are a higher way to convert because you’re quite literally in someone’s ear. “Once, content only needed to be pretty,” Rose says. “Now, it needs to keep the viewer and listener’s attention for longer spans, as creators who get someone to stay on the platform longer are rewarded.” While you’re at it, check out HubSpot for advice on how to design a podcast for audio SEO.
F is for Fun. TikTok, the fourth most downloaded app, is fun. And because of the fun factor, its popularity will continue to increase, according to Mobile Marketer. Brands should use it to to build brand affinity and awareness, according to Brian Wulfe, CEO of digital agency Effective Spend.