The fast-paced online world is constantly creating new developments, including in social media. This year there will again be many innovations and trends that companies should consider to reach their target group. We have put together what will be particularly relevant on social media in 2022.
User-Generated Content is Becoming Increasingly Important
User-generated content (UGC) describes almost every interaction on social media. It includes comments under your posts and posts, stories, or videos from followers. Reviews in the form of short videos, in particular, are an absolute trend and are increasingly important in social media marketing. It is because users trust other customers more than advertising promises from companies. Authentic, approachable product reviews are therefore better received by users.
Recommendations in moving image format have prevailed in recent years, and this development is still ongoing. It is, therefore, a good idea for companies to send products free of charge to specific followers who are already well-disposed to the brand so that they can promote them via their social media channels.
What are the Advantages of User-Generated Content?
UGC Offers Various Advantages for Companies:
- Community content is more credible than self-produced advertising material.
- Potential customers are more likely to be persuaded to make a purchase by UGC.
- Since users post or share their videos themselves, the range automatically increases.
- If you specifically address existing customers and send them free products, you bind them even more closely to your brand.
Trend of Buying Instagram Followers
There are many benefits to having Instagram followers. One of the biggest benefits is that it helps increase your visibility on the platform. When you have more followers, more people will see your posts and Stories. This can lead to more engagement, which can help you grow your account even further.
Additionally, buying followers can help build social proof and make you look more popular and credible. If you’re looking to buy Instagram followers, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, make sure you buy from a reputable source. There are a lot of scams out there, so it’s important to do your research. Second, think about how many followers you want to buy. You don’t want to go overboard and end up with an unnatural-looking account. Start with a small number and then increase it over time if you want to.
E-Commerce Becomes Social Commerce
Social media is becoming the driving force behind e-commerce. The younger generation has long been getting information mainly via social media and buying products online. Social commerce in the form of product placement and integration of the online shop has become standard on Instagram and Facebook. The next step, also on TikTok, will be in-app shopping to make the shopping experience as easy as possible for customers. It would probably lead to a better conversion rate since users no longer have to leave the app.
Influencer Commerce – Taking Social Shopping a Step Further
A subspecies of social commerce will also grow in importance as a trend: influencer commerce. In the future, influencers should be able to sell the products on social media. You will then receive a commission for every purchase. Instagram affiliate marketing opens up new opportunities for influencers to enter into lucrative partnerships with companies. And it also offers companies new opportunities: followers trust the recommendations of the influencers, so the probability of a purchase increases. The easier the buying process is, the better for the company.
In-App Journey: Simplified Purchase Process
With social commerce comes an improvement in the in-app journey. As far as possible, the purchasing process should take place within the app and – if it cannot be completed directly there – only lead to the conclusion on a website or an online shop. It is vital to track data. Since Apple’s App Tracking Transparency was introduced, significantly fewer sales have been recorded. These continue to take place but are no longer tracked. If the in-app journey leads directly to the purchase or only the purchase is completed on the website, customer data can be tracked more effectively, and conclusions can be drawn.
This Results in Advantages for Both Parties:
- Online shopping is smoother and easier for consumers.
- Businesses can better track and evaluate sales.
Short Videos Conquer Instagram & CO.
Short video clips were the big social media trend in the past year, and that will not change in 2022 or even in 2023 – on the contrary. Short video platform TikTok has seen the fastest growth of any social media app over the past two years. Companies like BuyFollowersSingapore has introduced several services for buying likes and views for short videos. Videos that are seconds long are becoming more and more popular. There are a few reasons for this because the short clips are:
- entertaining and concise
- informative
- entertaining
- less expensive to produce
- quick and easy to share
Competitors like Instagram, which introduced several innovations in the video format in 2021 that were already available on TikTok, are also based on this. In the future, Instagram will focus more on video content – officials have confirmed several times that Instagram wants to be more and more turned into a video platform.
What is Important in Short Videos?
Presenting strong content in a few seconds is the art of attractive short videos. Companies are increasingly faced with this challenge. If you don’t convince at first glance, you’ve already lost because users keep scrolling if they’re not interested.
In the course of this, it is imperative to publish high-quality but, at the same time, authentic videos that live up to modern standards. Portrait short videos are a must. Appropriately, Instagram has been using Instagram Reels Ads since last year. It means that users or potential customers are presented with advertising clips in portrait format. It works via the Reels tab and reels in the feed, stories, and Explore. The Reels Ads run – like Story Ads – in full-screen mode between other reels. The ads are offered via an auction-based model, but performance metrics are not currently provided.
Customer Support Via Social Media
The community comes first in social media. Users expect quick feedback on questions or problems, especially on social media. Companies should therefore make sure they can be reached on social media and react as quickly as possible. It can help to use social listening tools. It lets you know when your brand is mentioned, even if users don’t tag it in the posts.
Conclusion
Authenticity is an essential keyword regarding social media trends for the New Year. No matter what you post – make sure that the content is credible. From a technical point of view, it can be said that those who continue to ignore videos in portrait format or consider this category a short-term phenomenon will find it difficult to reach their target group on social media in the future. The same applies to integrating the online shop in all relevant apps.
