A lot can happen in a year, and that’s a major understatement when it comes to social media. Although it’s impossible to predict how the social media marketing world will evolve over the course of a year, there are five solid social trends you can expect to see in 2017.
1. Video
In 2016 we saw a huge surge in the popularity of video on social media. 78% of people watch videos online every week, 55% watch online #erday. From 360-degree videos to Facebook and Instagram Live, entertaining and interactive video content reigns supreme. The internet is becoming over-saturated with content, and consumers’ attention spans are diminishing, making it crucial for marketers to hone in on the power of video. It’s downright silly not to incorporate video into your marketing strategy – within your website, social media and paid efforts.
2. Realism
Like the artists in the 18th century, consumers in 2017 are over the romanticized drama and will revolt against click-bait and exaggerated content. We’re going to see a lot more virtual reality in social media as well as other avenues like real estate and education. The popularity of live video can also be chalked up to consumers hunger for authentic and real-time social media interaction. Users want to engage with live, unfiltered, and real content. Consider holding a Facebook Live Q & A in addition to your typical monthly Newsletter, or revealing a promotion on Instagram Live to create urgency and authenticity.
3. Influencer Marketing
People trust people – especially on social media where phony content is spamming consumers left and right. Influencer Marketing is going to be HUGE not only in 2017 but moving forward. The future of Instagram and many outlets will be newsfeeds filled with sponsored posts – whether through ads manager or an influencer account. If we’ve lost you on this point, no sweat. We’re launching an Influencer Program at Serendipit that can help you get started.
4. Bots
B’s Buzz 1.7 warned you of this one. Can we accurately predict the future? We’re not not saying we can. The conversation around “chatbots” has been buzzing, and people have been squirming at the thought of a bot taking their job. However, don’t fear the boom of the bots because they’re here to help. Conversation bots can help companies with smaller staffs handle mass quantities of inquiries. More companies with experiment with integrating bots into their CRM.
5. AI Lenses
As in artificial intelligence lenses AKA the popular lense filters on Snapchat. Some real intense science and technology go into giving you that flower crown and bulging nose, and the impressive feature is starting to move across channels. Facebook already started incorporating their own facial lenses called Masks in 2016, and we’ll likely see them in Instagram Stories and other competitor outlets in 2017 as well. The lenses also started gaining interest from marketers 2016, and we saw sponsored lenses from Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Gatorade, X-MEN, and Vice Lipstick, to name a few. Expect to see many more marketers creating interactive and entertaining lense filters this year; consider creating one for your brand too.
If you feel unprepared for the top social trends of 2017, we’re here for you. Our team would be happy to get together and develop a strategy that best incorporates the trends into your brand and business objectives. Call 602-833-2744 or email info@serendipitconsulting.com and let’s get started!
