I’m sure everyone feels a little uncertain about what 2021 will bring us, as 2020 really threw a spanner in the works and social media proved an invaluable channel for marketers to talk to and convert consumers. In a Dataportals July 2020 Digital snapshot, they stated that nearly half of the respondents had spent more time on social media due to Covid.
Amongst the opportunities, there are also a number of questions around keeping my audience engaged and breaking through the clutter with effective messaging and creative.
The authentic trusted relationship
With the rise in fake news and many issues over privacy, creating a relationship with a consumer where they feel like they can trust what you say is the truth is going to be harder than ever. 75% of people don’t accept advertisements as truth.
To cut through the clutter and be seen as authentic, brands need to utilize, employees, customers, and influencers to assist in delivering brand messaging in a truthful and engaging way.
People First
We know that algorithms favor content that is being engaged with through likes and shares. Growing an engaged community is important If you want your content to be at the top of your audience's feed.
"The social media algorithms will always favor people. It's time to wake up to this fact and be the first in your industry to craft a radically different people-first social media strategy that is driven by the voice of your employees, customers, and influencers.”
Neal Schaffer, President, PDCA Social
It’s time to Diversify
Things really have been shaken up this year with TikTok taking over short, engaging content snippets. This trend has got every body being content creators. In March of 2020, TikTok had close to 76 million downloads.
41% of TikTokers are between 16 and 24 years old, sharing everything from cooking to dance and fashion content as well as makeup makeovers.
With Instagram rolling out reels this year which offers everyone the chance to create short, edited videos, the desire to share shorter and more easily consumed videos is on the rise.
Covid has impacted everyone's lives in ways that will be felt for a very long time. Without being able to physically connect with people as easily, marketers will be pressurised to use social media in new and innovative ways in order to stay top of mind and stand out from the crowd. Connecting with your consumers virtually is now more important than ever.
Live social media takeover
Social media live has soared in popularity and this has coincided with the pandemic. People feel like connecting with people live may help fill the void between the lack of physical connection. How can brands learn from and use this?
Live is a great way to announce new product launches, do Q&A’s with employees and collaborate with other brands. Consumers love to see and experience what goes on behind the scenes as this brings authenticity and relatability to the brand.
Community
Loneliness is something people are experiencing in ways they never imagined before Covid. Some of our basic human needs are to belong, to be part of a community that makes you feel understood. Building a community around your brand, sharing knowledge and assisting others will become vitally important. Things like webinars and valuable content will become crucial as we navigate working from home.
A digital-first mindset is what is going to help keep your brand top of mind and your consumers engaged and supportive of your brand moving forward.