It is no exaggeration to say that
many people’s lives are directly tied to social media. Many people check their
social media accounts immediately after waking up. Therefore, businesses are
losing out on traction and customers if they do not have a social media
presence. Organizations must constantly keep up with the latest social media
trends in order to reach their target audiences and increase their brand
awareness. Some trends that companies and marketers should look out for in 2022
and beyond include TikTok, audio, influencer marketing, customer service,
social listening, social commerce, and local targeting. Companies can either
leave these services to the marketing department or employ the services of a
digital marketing company in the USA.
1. TikTok
TikTok has over 1 billion monthly
users and is now considered the most popular social media platform among
Generation Z. Therefore, utilizing TikTok is one of the most significant trends
in social media marketing. Companies can market their products and services on
TikTok by creating authentic, relatable content such as using trending songs in
videos showcasing products, having informative videos explaining their
industry, or showing behind-the-scenes looks at the office or product
development. Marketing on TikTok will continue to be important as the
algorithms on Facebook and Instagram change, causing posts to decrease in visibility.
Using TikTok is ideal if the company markets itself to younger generations.
2. Audio
While audio is a major part of
TikTok, it can be used in other aspects of social media marketing. Examples of
how digital marketers can use audio include ads on platforms like Spotify or
Pandora and official company podcasts. Companies can create ads for streaming
platforms so consumers will hear them during podcast breaks or in between
songs. Companies can target their ads to different types of podcast listeners.
Companies can also create their
own podcasts to explain more about their products, interview industry leaders,
or give tips. By having a podcast, an organization can further engage potential
customers. The podcast can then be promoted on the company’s social media page,
encouraging more customers to listen to it.
3. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is another
digital marketing trend that should be used by companies targeted toward
Millennials and Generation Z. Influencers are people that have dedicated social
followings and post about specific interests such as cooking, fashion, or
gaming. Businesses can pay influencers to promote their products on Instagram
and TikTok posts. Recently, influencers in the B2B space have also started to
post on LinkedIn. Influencer marketing is a great way to promote products due
to the concept of social proof – the occurrence of people deciding to purchase
something based on the opinions of those they view as trustworthy.
To decide if influencer marketing
is right for them, companies should perform research and then reach out to
influencers in their industry. However, some companies and industries may not
find it necessary to implement influencer marketing.
4. Customer Service
More businesses and brands than
ever are using their social media accounts as a way to perform customer
service. In our fast-paced world, people need an instant answers to their
questions and problems. Therefore, directly Tweeting or messaging a company for
assistance will often bring faster results than contacting the helpdesk.
Companies can handle customer service by responding directly to the customer’s
concerns. Companies can also perform social media-based customer service by
replying to customers that praise them in comments or leave positive reviews on
Facebook. Social media managers should always remain polite and civil when
dealing with customers, even when the customer becomes hostile.
When companies have efficient
customer service, customers are more likely to purchase from them again. Through
social media-based customer service, businesses can also help resolve a
negative experience a customer may have had. Furthermore, customers that had a
positive experience with customer service on social media are three times more
likely to recommend the business to others.
5. Social Listening
If companies want to understand
their customers better, they should utilize social listening. Social listening
is a digital marketing trend involving the organization monitoring what people
say about them on social media sites. Social listening can be achieved by
looking through mentions on Twitter or using third-party tools. By using the
data gathered from social listening, companies can develop marketing strategies
to identify their ideal target audience and how to secure these customers.
Companies can also use social listening to see how customers respond to their
competitors on social media.
6. Social Commerce
Another digital marketing trend
that has shown rapid growth is social commerce. Social commerce is the
showcasing and sale of products through social media platforms. Many stores now
allow customers to purchase products via Facebook and Instagram posts. Stores
can also utilize Pinterest and TikTok to encourage customers to buy products
without interrupting their scrolling. While online shopping has been on the
rise for years, social commerce encourages customers to buy products from their
favorite brands and stores directly from their social media accounts instead of
being redirected to the company’s website. Therefore, it is beneficial for
businesses to use social commerce to streamline the buying process.
Furthermore, social commerce is another way for companies to generate social
proof.
7. Local Targeting
Local targeting is the practice
of selecting specific locations for an ad to be shown. An example of local
targeting is when Google or another search engine uses a user’s IP address when
they search for something such as “ice cream shops near me.”
Businesses can also use
geo-fencing to create boundaries within specific regions. When target audiences
enter these boundaries, they are targeted by the marketing strategy when
searching for specific terms. Since geo-fencing is based on real-time location
data, businesses can engage directly with potential customers. Another example
of local targeting is radius targeting. Radius targeting is a specific type of
local targeting used when companies want to target customers in a specific
location. Companies can use services such as Google My Business and adjust
their bids to increase when potential customers are within a certain distance
from the business’s physical location. Organizations should use local targeting
methods since they drive potential customers to their products or services
while steering them away from the competition.
Conclusion
Social media is more important to
our lives than ever before. Therefore, businesses must be aware of new social
media marketing trends. Some of the trends that companies should be aware of
include TikTok, audio, influencer marketing, customer service, social
listening, social commerce, and local targeting. To help them work on and
implement these trends, companies can use the services of a digital marketing
company in the USA.
Zorbis is a digital marketing
agency that serves businesses of all sizes and industries Zorbis has provided
digital marketing services across the USA. For more information on how Zorbis
can help companies utilize social media marketing strategies, visit Zorbis to
speak with a team of experts.
