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Social media has become an integral part of our lives, significantly influencing the way brands market their products and services, much like the rise of television once did. Social media trends are powerful tools brands can leverage to engage with their audiences, and the interactive nature of social platforms means there are always a plethora of emerging trends for brands to consider incorporating into their marketing and advertising strategies.
Because social media trends ebb and flow in terms of viral popularity, it’s important for brands to stay up to date on the latest trends to create the most relevant, engaging content. Below, 10 Forbes Agency Council members share social media trends they believe brands should consider incorporating into their campaigns to boost their effectiveness and reach.
1. Social Commerce
Social commerce is the perfect way to collapse the funnel. Social is a unique channel where discovery, engagement and purchase can occur at the same moment, on the same platform. With a set of easy-to-use options for payment and fulfillment, marketers only need to adopt the mindset shift toward seeing social as a commerce channel. - Ray Lansigan, Publicis Groupe
2. Paid Amplification And Platform Features
Social media is becoming more and more of a pay-to-play effort. There’s the growing importance of digital paid media amplification that brands and content creators alike can apply to boost social brilliance to reach target audiences above and beyond organic boosts. And now platforms are requiring monthly payments for certain (exclusive and basic) features such as verification, data and security. - Rachel Winer, ROKK Solutions
3. Supporting Honest Creator Moments
The honest moment never gets old. Brands collaborating with creators need to consider how they can support—not promote—the content creator in that pure, talk-to-your-audience moment. “Real talk” content itself is authentic, often unprompted and doesn’t need a sponsor message. The creator needs to feel supported by the brand in a way where commerce isn’t a factor. - David Racine, Punch PR
4. Partnerships With Micro-Influencers
Brands should consider partnering with micro-influencers, who have smaller but more engaged and loyal followings than macro-influencers. Brands can identify those micro-influencers who align with the brand’s values, and offer free products or payment for sponsored posts, resulting in targeted and meaningful exposure. This approach can lead to more targeted, meaningful brand exposure and a higher ROI. - Fernando Beltran, Identika LLC
Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
5. Personalized, Interactive Content
Brands should consider partnering with creators to develop personalized and interactive content—examples include virtual try-ons and personalized videos. These trends allow brands to connect with consumers in an authentic way, driving engagement and sales. - Kenny Tripura, Edkent Media
6. Livestreaming
Brands should use livestreaming to connect authentically with their audience. They can collaborate with influencers or create in-house content such as Q&A sessions, demos and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Livestreaming offers a chance to show the human side of the business, build strong relationships and generate excitement around products and services. - Dmitrii Kustov, Regex SEO
7. Offering Compensation To Try Your Products
Asking strangers to try your products and give unsolicited reviews or paying them X number of dollars to try Y is a great new trend that is going viral. But at the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all trend. Brands should try to be authentic, relatable and entertaining. The key is to be consistent rather than aiming for viral content, because consistency is what gets you raving fans and lifelong buyers. - Mohamed Elhawary, BeUniqueness
8. Collaboration Posts On Instagram
The collaboration post feature on Instagram is a huge opportunity to get seen by new people that businesses and brands should take advantage of. This feature enables you to collaborate on a post with one other account on Instagram, and the platform shares that one post on both accounts’ profiles, to both audiences. Using this feature can get a brand in front of new eyes, depending on who you collaborate with. - Tony Pec, Y Not You Media
9. UGC From Creator Partners’ Audiences
Brands should consider partnering with creators who leverage user-generated content and collaborate with their audience. With the rise of remote work and online shopping, audiences are seeking more authentic, relatable content. UGC helps foster this connection by allowing users to participate in creating content. Collaborations can drive engagement and expand reach while increasing brand authenticity. - Drew Urquhart, Banch Marketing
10. Remixing Trends To Fit Your Brand
Creativity is an import/export business. What I mean is that the best ideas tend to be remixes of separate, unique trends. If we take the trend of authenticity in ads via founder videos, behind-the-scenes exclusives and user-generated reviews, for example, then the goal is to build remixes of these efforts that are unique to your brand’s voice and goals. - Nate Lorenzen, Dysrupt
