Social media is constantly evolving and especially in the last two years during the pandemic. As we went into lockdown and people were furloughed, and even now, as we head into a more hybrid form of work, our online habits have changed dramatically. With people spending more time online and on social media (10% global growth in the last year), businesses that usually enjoyed a physical presence are having to up their social media efforts to reach their digital audiences.
We’ve all been through quite a traumatic two years, and it’s safe to say that nothing is going to be the same again, and social media is no exception. As we head into 2022, it’s clear that social media audiences are looking for more authenticity and a streamlined experience when interacting with brands and businesses online. So, let’s look at the top 6 social media trends that we think you should look out for in 2022.
1. TikTok is not going anywhere
If you’ve been ignoring TikTok, now might be the time for you to give it some attention. Quite often, new social apps will arrive with lots of fanfare only to slowly fizzle out and never be heard of again. But that doesn’t seem to be the case with TikTok. In 2020, TikTok was the world’s most downloaded app, and since then, it has rapidly grown and now has around 885 million users worldwide and even unbelievably, has an average of eight new users sign up to the app every second!
TikTok users also spend an average of 19.6 hours on the app every month – coming in joint second place (behind YouTube) with Facebook, which has been around much longer. It’s no longer an app just for young teens (although this is still the bulk of their audience) with 17.6% of male users and 13.6% of female users sitting in the 25-34 age range. More and more brands are creating accounts on TikTok and looking for new and creative ways to engage with their audience.
This is a platform where you can afford to be more casual and experimental – so why not give it a try?
2. The rise of the creator economy
In simple terms, a social media creator is someone who creates content about something they are passionate about, usually in exchange for money. It’s estimated that there are now around 50 million creators on social media as people look to the internet and more so social media as a way to make a little extra money or even just a way to stave off boredom.
These content creators usually have an extensive platform with highly engaged audiences, which today is invaluable to a brand looking to get their name or product seen by as many people as possible. Various social platforms, such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and even LinkedIn, have launched features to make it easier for brands and creators to connect and collaborate on content together.
With this community of creators currently estimated to be worth around $20 billion globally, it’s worth taking a look into
3. Social advertising will evolve
Spending on social media advertising was up by 17% in 2021, making up roughly a third of the total digital advertising spend worldwide. This doesn’t look to be slowing down in 2022, and marketers are even looking to advertise on platforms they’ve never considered before, such as TikTok, Pinterest and Snapchat, as they are finding that they are more effective at helping them reach their business goals.
However, it’s important to note that audiences are more acutely aware of social media advertising than ever before. With the rollout of iOS 14 in 2021, which requires apps to receive consent from users to access their phones unique advertising identifier (e.g. an app can track when you’ve clicked a link on Instagram and then purchased something from that site), users are taking control of their data more than ever before. This has had some impact on the Facebook ad network, which is comprised of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.
What’s great about advertising on these newer platforms is that not only are they less saturated than Facebook or Instagram, but you’re also encouraged to create content that fits organically into the nature of the platforms. It provides a much more subtle advertising experience for users meaning they may be more receptive to it than ads that interrupt their funny cat video on Facebook.
4. Audiences will crave more snackable, short-form content
With the rise of Snapchat and TikTok (champions of the 10-second video), the more well-established platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram all experimented with short-form content such as Reels and Stories, with varying levels of success. What’s clear going into 2022 is that our attention spans are waning, and short-form video and snackable content are here to stay.
Of course, the effectiveness of this will vary depending on your audience and the type of content you’re looking to share on social media. There is always a place for longer form content, but it’s all about balance. Why not experiment by adding some snackable content into your marketing plans and measuring the results? It’s not just short-form video (although these always tend to perform very well), but also things like GIFs, infographics, quotes and memes.
5. 2022, meet the ‘LinkedInfluencer’
Since lockdown and the changes to our working habits, we’ve inevitably spent less time face-to-face and more time on Zoom. This has meant we’ve had to become quite creative in our approach to networking and keeping in touch with what’s going on in our respective industries. In 2021, to combat this, LinkedIn rolled out ‘creator mode’ to make it easier for people to grow their networks through sharing content they care about.
Switching your profile to creator mode allows you to display the hashtags of topics that you’re interested in and frequently talk about directly under your job title. It then features articles or posts you have shared at the top of your profile to shift the focus onto conversations, rather than just listing your job history. Other users can then ‘follow’ you rather than connect, which seems to be a more powerful action as they are following because they are interested in what you have to say.
It's a great way to grow your own personal brand and position yourself as a thought-leader in your industry.
6. Customer service on social media is more valuable than ever
Another trend that seems to have emerged as a result of the pandemic is the importance of good customer service on social media. With staff shortages and supply chain issues, social media became the first port of call when people needed to contact a business. Nobody likes waiting on hold, so social media is a convenient and immediate way to get a response from a business or brand.
If you don’t have an effective strategy to deal with incoming enquiries on social, then now might be the time to implement one. Customers expect a swift and polite response, so make sure you have the resources in place to achieve this.
Pick a trend, make it your focus
As ever, social media is a baffling and ever-changing world, and it can be quite overwhelming to keep up with. With any emerging trend, it’s important to put them in perspective. Think about one or two trends that might be relevant and the most important to you and commit to just those. You’ll find incorporating one new trend into your social media plans for 2022 is a lot easier than trying to do them all.
If you can’t commit the time or are confused about all the changes – then fear not! Our friendly team at Conscious are here to help! Get in touch on 0117 332 5719 or drop us a line at sales@conscious.co.uk.