3.96 billion people used social media in total as of January 2022 across all platforms. Every month, the typical person switches between seven distinct social networks. Adults now spend 95 minutes a day using social media on all platforms, which is more than ever before.
There’s no denying it. Social media has radically transformed the way we communicate, interact with brands, and buy products. The next decade will bear witness to many more changes to how we use social media as a marketing tool. To ensure your company is ready for success in 2022, you must be vigilant about where the industry is headed and prepare accordingly.
This post will discuss some of the trends driving the future of social media marketing and provide tips on how you can use them to your advantage today.
What is a social media marketing strategy?
A social media marketing strategy is a plan to use social media as your main advertising channel. Your plan should include the following steps:
- Locate social channels that will be most helpful in your marketing goals.
- Target your audience, which is an individual or group of people who are likely to be interested in your product or service.
- Establish and share content specific to your audience.
- Ensure all content you generate for social media is relevant & timely as it can attract thousands of followers. To succeed, you need a dedicated team skilled in content creation, analysis, and distribution across multiple social platforms.
- Try to guide your audience using compelling calls to action and choose the best platforms for them.
- Measure the return on your social media marketing strategy and make improvements accordingly.
- While some of these steps may seem basic, you’d be surprised at how many companies fail to put a well-thought-out social media marketing strategy into action.
- Ironically, Instagram has benefited from the scrutiny that Facebook has seen in recent years. As of 2022, the network had quietly passed the 2 billion user threshold, but businesses are still vying for additional Instagram followers. In terms of interaction, Instagram outpaces other social streaming platforms (hint: 81% engagement compared to Facebook’s 8%).
- Instagram has an engagement rate that is around six times greater than Facebook’s (0.83% to 0.13%). Influencers still choose Instagram Stories (83%) and grid posts (93%) over other content formats. Instagram Likes has previously been used as a social media marketing indicator to assess the effectiveness of Instagram content. Brands may still use this for their posts as every Instagram user will have access to the precise number of likes received by each of their posts
Here are 5 social media marketing strategies for 2022
1. High-speed mobile internet access
Today, many brands have taken to video as a way to engage and connect with fans. Marketers have also made larger strides in live video, and companies are already implementing facial recognition and augmented reality on social platforms. But marketers are still not leveraging these technologies to the fullest potential, which is evident from YouTube’s recent introduction of its new HQ feature. HQ allows people who stream videos on the platform to earn money for their efforts. YouTube is using its AI smarts to identify people on the platform who are creating quality content. These users will earn money from the ads that their videos are shown in.
2. The consumer has more choice
As a result of some recent changes, brands now have more options to reach out to customers and gain their attention. Though there may be a lot of noise on social media, it can be difficult for companies to stand out amidst all the competition. But consider this: when it comes to social media marketing, many experts feel that autoplay works better than clickbait or pre-roll ads. To engage audiences, brands should embrace the interactive aspect that social media allows. You can buy Instagram likes
3. Content marketing will continue to grow
There’s no denying that content is one of the most powerful tools marketers have at their disposal. Stories are compelling and serve as a great way for brands to bring their customers closer. The interesting fact is that 60% of the consumers who watch a piece of content on social media take some action after viewing it, according to Forbes. Creating original content is an effective way for companies to gain visibility and grow their businesses on social media platforms, with some 84% of audiences saying they are more likely to purchase products they discover while watching videos on social media because they find them informative and entertaining.
4. Built-in audience detection
As more and more consumers use mobile devices to consume media, marketers need to be aware of which social networks they are using. In the past, it was difficult for marketers to determine the audience size of individual users. But now, with built-in audience detection tools, brands can find out which blogs and channels people visit regularly and how frequently they share content on these platforms. With this information at hand, companies can refine their ad campaigns accordingly.
5. Brands will work with influencers to connect with customers
In today’s connected world, people don’t just look around to see if they can purchase what they are looking for. Instead, they scan the web for additional information. Many marketers now believe that people are more likely to purchase if they trust the influencer sharing content about the brand in question.
Brands can create stronger connections with their consumers by engaging them on social media. They can be part of conversations or run ads and sponsorships that garner lots of attention from consumers. To determine which content is most engaging, brands should check their social listening platform and verify their efforts on various social media networks based on how engaged people are with them.
Conclusion:
Even though social media marketing has changed over the years, it will continue to change the way we interact with each other. It is up to you to decide how to use these changes for the benefit of your business. By following the trends we’ve outlined above, you can build a strong online presence today that will be a great asset in 2022.
