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5 Social Media Marketing Trends to Watch in 2019

Posted at Dec 11, 2018 10:00:00 AM by THAT Agency | Share

Gearing up for a full year of successful campaigns and initiatives? Great! Start by knowing which marketing trends to watch in 2019. There are some exciting possibilities on the horizon. Let’s check out the hottest five.

Social Media Marketing Trends

5 Social Media Marketing Trends In 2019

1. Social Listening

Do you hear that? They’re talking about you. Social listening is the strategy of monitoring digital conversations. What are people saying about your brand and industry?

Here’s why it matters so much: 96% of people who discuss brands do not follow those brands on social media. That means there’s a whole lot of talk you’re not hearing by using @mentions. It also means that you’re not responding to consumers when they want/need you - and this can turn them towards the competition.

In 2019: Listen! There are a variety of social listening tools (e.g. Hootsuite Insights, Reputology, BrandWatch, etc.) at your disposal. Put them into action.

 

2. User-Generated Content

This is not new. In fact, if you choose to, you could say that user-generated content is the oldest form of marketing in the world. It’s essentially word of mouth. In the digital age, it means customers talking up your brand, writing reviews, uploading images and videos, sharing personal stories, etc.

The reality is that consumers trust their peers more than they trust brands - at least until they establish a relationship. They tend to see brand-generated content as sales-oriented and “inauthentic.” (Not being authentic is a cardinal marketing sin these days!)

Brand engagement rises by 28% when consumers interact with a mix of pro marketing material and UGC, according to ComScore. This is potent. This is “can’t miss out on” territory. Leverage your community; offer a reward or incentive for sharing; respond when people share stories or reviews; create a campaign around UGC.

GoPro nails it with their #GoPro hashtag campaigns. Customers post their most inspirational photos and videos to YouTube and Instagram using this hashtag. Content creators have a chance to enter challenges and win cash prizes. GoPro also features a “Photo of the Day” on Instagram to recognize, encourage, and thank, their brand advocates.

In 2019: Encourage your customers to spread the word about you! Whether you host a photo/video contest or a “Share Your Story Saturday” feature, you can leverage UGC for exceptional results.

 

3. Ephemeral Content

Sounds pretty, doesn’t it! This term refers to visual content that is non-permanent. No, no, listen! We know you want to create content that lasts, that beautiful evergreen content that you can leverage across platforms, refresh at appropriate times, repost, share. We love it too!

So why create content with a shelf life of a few hours?

Ask Snapchat.

The “ephemeral” quality of this content is alluring. It plays on FOMO, and people will feel excluded if this miss it. They’re also incented to respond/react quickly. They’re in the club. They’re exclusive. They’re engaged.

In 2019: Play around with ephemeral content (but don’t neglect long-lasting, ROI-producing content). Use Snapchat, for example, to give a behind-the-scenes of your brand or highlight a hot upcoming product/service. People will feel “in the know.” And guess what? We all like that feeling!

 

4. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is not Steph Curry selling Under Armour or Jennifer Garner asking, “What’s in your wallet?” for Capital One. Those are celebrity endorsements. Influencer marketing, and increasingly micro influencer marketing, is different. It’s “real” people (sorry, Steph and Jennifer) who use and love your product/service. They have tremendous sway within their networks.

  • Nearly half of consumers rely on influencers to make purchase decisions.

  • 74% trust social networks to help them make purchase decisions.

  • 67% of marketers promote content with help from influencers.

  • For every $1 brands spend on influencer marketing, they make $6.50.

That bears repeating: For every $1 brands spend on influencer marketing, they make $6.50. Can you afford to let this opportunity pass?

Influencers are the conversation-starters, the trend-makers, the brand-builders.

In 2019: Find them! Use your social listening tool to identify influencers. Then establish a relationship with them. Win them over, and then extend an offer to collaborate. What do they get? Maybe free products, yet-to-be-released items, a fee. What do you get? Incredible buzz, reach, and results.

 

5. Messenger Marketing

Did you know messaging apps have open rates, read rates, and click-through rates that are 10 times as much as SMS and email? Probably! You’ve opened a few yourself, haven’t you?

Message marketing is voluntary; you have permission, so the recipient is much more likely to open, read, and respond to a CTA. It’s easy for consumers to opt in, to opt out, to take action. Messages are also short and sweet, a must with today’s media-saturated customers. They can also respond, which is another must in this climate that prioritizes relationship-building.

In 2019: Create a message list. Integrate links into your existing assets (e.g. websites, ads, social media pages, and even print) and run a campaign to bring attention to this new feature. Write, respond, converse, have fun. Chatbots can help, but the human touch is invaluable.

These are the marketing trends to watch in 2019. Need help making key changes so you’re ready to engage customers where, how, and when they want? Let us know.

 

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