Social media, in 2021 has become the biggest platform to reach consumers and it continues to rise. With the ever-dynamic industry and a pandemic that still prevails, it is very important for any brand to tap into social media marketing in order to maximize its reach to the market.
For any brand to build its profile on social media and maximize its gains, it is crucial to engage in influencer-based marketing wherein product mentioning and endorsement takes place through other users or influencers with a dedicated social following, creating content to market your brand.
Here are some trends to look out for in 2021, to stay on top of the game.
Choose The Right Creator For Your Brand
One should always choose influencers that people can relate the brand to and can create engaging content. It would be better if they have a large following as well so you’ll be sure that more people would be able to see your brand.
Many times, brands interact with influencers purely on the basis of the creativity of the content even if they don’t have a large following. You must get to know the influencer you’re trying to reach out to see if they’d be a good fit for your brand or not. Also, you need to know where your customer spends most of their time, a brand should not just target a single online platform but has their presence on all the available platforms.
If you’re new to influencer marketing, opting to work with digital marketing providers is a wise move. Working with experts will save you from the hassle of evaluating influencers to know which one best fits your brand and this can also save you from making the mistake of choosing the wrong influencer.
Videos Continue to Rule
Instagram released a new feature in 2020 called ‘Reels’ which became an instant hit. Reels are not restricted to one’s followers but can be seen by any person using the platform which makes it the perfect tool for posting tutorials and product mentions by other influencers to drive traffic through their own accounts. New video sharing formats like TikTok and clubhouse have become very popular amongst users as video-based content is easier for people to digest and understand. People could create short videos of 15 seconds or less and share them online through their profiles.
Managing Macro And Micro-Influencers
Brands tend to primarily engage with influencers who have a large number of followers but it is also important to note the engagement rate for each post. It has been found that influencers with a few thousand followers tend to have a higher engagement rate of about 6%.
A brand to successfully market themselves on social media should manage how and which influencer should be engaged with the brand, and not only participate with celebrity influencers but also engage with nano influencers to cover a wider range of audience.
Authenticity Remains The Key Influencer
With Gen Z and millennials driving the social market, it is very important that the content is captivating and original. Most of the gen Z have grown up with mobile phones and social media and have seen a transition in technology take place which puts them on top of the social ladder. Their purchases are highly influenced by the influencers they follow and are estimated to grow to a massive $100 billion.
Brands need to pay close attention to their likings and interests which are constantly shifting and evolving making it even harder for most companies to please them. As they tend to focus more on the quality of the content, it is crucial to constantly evolve and come up with newer ideas and trends.
Be Woke About The Issues In The Society
Earlier brands would not engage in social or political issues affecting the lives of people, or would simply pass on a comment regarding the same. With millennials and Gen Z driving the force, it has become important for the brands to not only support what is right but also take assertive actions. It has been found that the younger generations tend to focus on brands that are more woke about social, environmental, and political issues.
Social Commerce Innovation Will Boost Brand Interaction
With the increasing popularity of social media and constant innovation in how the application interacts with the users, with one click on the ads, videos, and posts, a user can now reach the brand’s website and buy the products showcasing real-time purchases. This makes it very user-friendly and easy for the consumer to shop for any product that they see at the moment.
With Instagram Reels and Facebook Marketspace, brands are gaining huge returns and also changing the way a user interacts and shops. There is no doubt that with more time, these campaigns, and social consumerism on the rise, each and every business will need to move online. Constant innovation in social commerce will not only boost brand interactions but also be the biggest motivator for changes in consumer behavior.
