Social media is like a human: it’s constantly growing and evolving.
And as the door of 2019 closes, a new, shinier (and slightly intimidating) door is ajar, ready for us to open and walk into 2020. So, what does this next decade have in store for us, in terms of social media?
Let’s dive right in. Here are 5 key social media trends to watch for in 2020:
1. Influencer marketing will continue to grow
Influencer marketing is no new trend, but it is one that’s going to stick around, whether you like it or not.
In 2020, social media will continue to be dominated by influencers being paid extortionate amounts of money to promote their ‘favourite’ brands. But it’s not just the Kim Kardashians of the world that are going to benefit from this trend.
Recently, we have seen the rise of ‘micro-influencers’, people who have a smaller network of followers on social media, but are seen as more relevant and niche to the brand. And due to the significantly lower price tag of a micro-influencer, marketers aren’t tied down to just collaborating with 1-2 influencers. Instead, they are able to work with a whole host of influencers.
The result? Brands get more meaningful engagement and the influencers get valuable exposure and money. It’s a win-win situation and you can expect to see more of it going forward.
2. Shopping on social media will soar
Let’s face it, brick-and-mortar retail has been on the rocks for a while. And in 2020, the challenge to keep people in-store will only grow, as the rise of e-commerce shopping options on social media platforms continues to increase.
Back in March, we saw the introduction of Instagram ‘Checkout’, giving users the ability to click on the products shown in an image and buy them directly, without even having to leave the app. Pretty cool, right?
Well this is just the beginning. Facebook has started to roll out a similar purchase feature on the platform and there is already talk of TikTok becoming a major platform for e-commerce shopping in the future. This is great news for businesses and in particular, online-only business. Offering the buy button right on the app can eliminate the need for a website or app download all-together. Meaning less hassle for the purchaser and less overheads for the business.
3. TikTok will become part of your marketing strategy
Yep, that’s right. We are still talking about TikTok. And you know why? Because in 2020, it will start to affect your business, even if you’re avoiding it.
If the way social media is changing is any indication, people are no longer looking for large communities, but the smaller, more relevant ones. Less noise, more genuine engagement and happiness.
This year, we saw Instagram hit 1 billion monthly active users, making it the 5th largest social media channel. Yet, what took Instagram years to generate took TikTok only a matter of months, with them surpassing 1.5 billion monthly active users and 700 million daily active users in July 2019. So, it’s safe to say that this gen-z focused platform is one to watch.
Granted, marketing on new social media platforms can be scary. You are stepping into the world of the unknown. But fortune favours the bold. And some global brands like Pepsi have already dived head-first into building a community on TikTok, working with young influencers to create genuine connections, without having to spend a dime.
In 2020, we will start to see more businesses taking risks and jumping on the TikTok bandwagon. So, maybe it’s time you start to think about it.
4. AR & VR can’t be ignored
From Snapchat and Instagram filters to Facebook’s Oculus Rift that transports you into a virtual reality of your own, 2019 saw the start of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality being integrated into our daily lives on social media.
Augmented reality enhances our reality by adding digital elements to it and changing the way things actually look, which can often be quite comical. Remember the face-swap trend? Hilarious (and also pretty scarring).
In 2020, you can expect to see more and more social media platforms leveraging AR+VR technology to create more engagement on their platforms. And thinking about how you could potentially use these tools to enhance your marketing strategy is a good idea.
5. Video will dominate
Video content has changed the game for social media over the past decade. A great example of this is on Facebook. What was once a social feed full of strange statuses’ and funny wall-to-wall chats with friends, is now completely flooded with video. In fact, Facebook is the #1 platform where marketers plan to invest in video in the next 12 months.
And whether it’s a TV show, movie, or content from your favourite YouTuber or Instagram influencer, users will continue to see an increase of videos popping up on their social feeds. In particular, video ads.
In the last year, 96% of marketers have placed ad spend on video, with 93% getting a new customer because of it. Pretty impressive. As a result, we will see a lot of businesses putting their bets on video marketing in 2020 as a tool to generate more ROI on social media.
In summary, we think it’s safe to say that 2020 is going to be a big year. As a business you will be responsible to keep up to date with trends, be flexible and willing to experiment with new social media platforms and technologies.
Looking to take your social media to the next level in 2020? Get in touch to see how we can help.
