Social media has become a part of our lives. Most people especially youngsters are addicted to social media applications. It’s hard to find a person who does not have a profile on social media or doesn’t follow the latest trends shared on such platforms.
Businesses can’t overlook the immense opportunity social media presents to promote their venture and boost their sales. No matter what businesses feel about various social media platforms, they still have to rely on them to stay connected to their customers. Social media is the in thing and no business can survive the competition without making a social media presence.
So, what do businesses need to do to stay ahead of their competitors by using social media? All they need to do is to follow the new trends and play along to win customers. Here we are sharing 9 social media trends in 2022 that businesses can’t afford to ignore.
1. High investment in social commerce by brands
Social media has proven to be a fruitful medium to enhance customer reach and increase sales by brands. Many brands are now using social commerce tactics to promote their products and reach a wider market. Social commerce refers to the use of social media platforms to elevate brand promotion and sales volume. Businesses have employed social media experts, bloggers, and influencers to endorse their products online and create a virtual customer base from them to elevate sales volume.
Many brands have employed housewives, students, and other such people who love to earn extra income from the comfort of their homes. All they have to do is to promote a certain brand’s products and make a sale while getting their commission as per sales. Such people have made their business pages and are doing live sessions on various media platforms to enhance customer engagement and grab a large chunk of the virtual market.
Research done by Harris Polls shows that around 73% of brands are making investments in social commerce and these investments are expected to grow to 79% in three years.
2. Reliance on user-generated content
User-generated content is the latest marketing tactic used by brands to elevate their customer engagement and reach. Many brands are asking customers to review their products and get a chance to feature in the brands’ ads or online campaigns. Brands also ask the customers to participate in many contests where they are required to share their post with a cool captain or leave a comment which gets more like. This way customers create content for brands that brands use for their self-promotion.
Some clothing brands even asked their customers to share the various styles they have got their clothes stitched to show their innovation. When customers participate in such contests then they unintentionally create content for the brand. By sharing their content on social media platforms they are promoting the brand and its’ products on their social circle without even being paid.
Many big brands are using this marketing strategy. The user-generated content not only enhances customer reach but also increases customer engagement. Customers want to stand out in the crowd and love to participate in such contests. This trend has increased in the time of Covid when people were stuck in their houses and craved such innovative ideas to get busy and productive.
3. Increasing trend of voice search
A new social media trend in 2022 among users is using voice search instead of typing what they are looking for. Customers are relying on AI and look forward to the help of Siri or Alexa to find what they intend to look for. This trend of voice searching has changed the entire virtual arena as businesses have to focus on AEO (answer engine optimization) rather than SEO (search engine optimization).
The feature of voice search brings challenges for brands. Brands have to now focus on the breath of keywords to get on top of search by customers because conversational keywords are somewhat different. This is so because speaking is different than typing and people tend to speak a long-tailed keyword while they tend to write to the point keyword while typing. Also, brands have to make sure to account for misunderstood words as AI cannot comprehend the said word because of changes in accent and speaking fluency.
4. Short-form videos are a big yes
In 2022, people are relying more on short-form videos. Life has become fast and people rely more on smartly produced small videos. They are a better way to interact with others because they don’t require much time and smartly share the message. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok mastered short-form videos and have gained their fame owing to such video interaction. The focus of other social media platforms on short-form video features like Facebook reels further proves the growing appeal of such videos.
Short-form videos are easier to produce and focus on the core content due to which they appeal to customers. That’s why they’re such a popular social media trend in 2022.
5. Livestreaming
Gone are the days when customers only rely on the pictures and descriptions of products. Now they prefer to see products on live streams to get a closer look. The online shopping trend has moved drastically towards live streaming. Especially Covid-19 has elevated this trend as customers were confined to their houses due to lookdown so they depended on live streams to choose and order the products they like.
Live streaming has changed the whole shopping experience for customers. Customers can now virtually move into the outlet through live stream and interact with the brand at the same time (through the social media specialist who conducts the live stream). This way they get to see all features and details of the product and can communicate in real-time to get more information if they desire. This saves time for both the customers and the brand.
Brands need to ensure that they administer such live sessions with customers to stay ahead of their competitors. This is especially essential to capture the customers who prefer to do only online shopping.
6. Dominance of Tiktok
Despite many controversies and occasional bans in many countries on TikTok, it is still growing at an exponential rate. People are getting famous due to this application and many youngsters find it to be their only resort to showcase their talent and connect to others –fans of course. Tiktok has got its’ fame from the controversies it faced. It has become one of the highest searched social media platforms especially during the lockdown period due to Covid.
Owing to its popularity many businesses are promoting their products on this platform. Brands have identified that to reach the masses they have to exploit this platform. Some brands have even hired TikTok stars for collaborations to promote their brand. Many businesses are still hesitant to use TikTok but it’s only a matter of time before they will realize its’ game-changing role in online sales because it is going to be a top social media trend in 2022.
7. Increase in the number of social media influencers
2022 has witnessed a whopping rise in the number of social media influencers. Every social media platform is flooded with influencers. You can find influencers relating to every single field and genre of life ranging from homemaker mothers to vloggers.
Businesses have to embrace this trend with open arms and employ these influencers to reach the masses. One mutually beneficial way is to collaborate with them. Brands also cut deals with influencers like they will give a special discount to customers who use the assigned code of the influencer. This way they regard the followers-influencer relation and increase their sales which is the ultimate goal.
8. Focus on mental health awareness
Recently, the focus on mental health issues and awareness campaigns have elevated. Covid-19 has especially boosted this trend because many people undergo anxiety and depression owing to quarantine and lockdowns. There have been many such discussions and campaigns on social media which highlighted this issue. Brands need to realize that they are likely to win more customers if they design their offerings around this issue. Brands can run various awareness campaigns to connect with customers and win their hearts.
9. Reliable and User-friendly transactions over social media
Customers rely on social media platforms to learn about new products, product reviews, suggestions, and even purchases. Customers also prefer to purchase from brands that offer them to buy the product from their social media handle without involving a lot of clicks and moving them around towards different links.
While making a purchase the most crucial issue customers face is doing transactions because some brands have very complicated systems that customers cannot understand. Brands need to ensure that they offer a reliable and user-friendly transaction system to their customers. Offering an online assistant is also a good idea to follow the trend. It is a shame to lose a customer over system complications. It is essential to offer customers what they prefer to win their hearts and ensure repetitive purchases.
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