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There are more than 3 billion social media users around the world today, and that number will only continue to increase in the coming years. As social media grows, so too does the need for social media marketing. Social media marketing trends in 2022 will shift just as quickly as they have in 2021. Every year, those of us in the business try to find the right way to get those who merely view your social media posts to actually become your customers.

The upcoming year is no different in that regard, but staying on top of the trends is essential if you want to realize your investment in this form of marketing. What social media marketing trends in 2022 should you consider as the new year dawns? Take a look at a few of the most important. 

Offer Customers a Way to Shop on Social Media

Before the pandemic, social media was simply a way to interact with a customer’s favorite brands. Today, though, social media is actually a way to make purchases. One study found that social media buyers have increased by more than 25% over the past two years, and that number is only expected to go up. What can you do to take advantage of this trend? 

Answer: Include a “buy” button in your posts. 

Compose more shoppable social media stories. Use platforms like Instagram that are making it easier for customers to shop and use social media at the same time. Platforms are increasingly adopting product links and social media shopping spaces, so pay attention to where your customers are likely to be if you’re going to take advantage of this trend. 

Video Content Still Matters

Video posts are still outranking static photo posts or text-based posts in every category. Some studies have shown twice the engagement on video posts as compared to photo posts, so when you can, be sure you’re including video content in all of your posts. Not convinced? Look at the story of Tik Tok for proof. Dedicated to short-form videos, this platform experienced 315 million downloads in the first three months of 2020. Short video content has now become the clear winner on almost every platform, so consider adding it as much as possible to your posts. 

The Right Platform is Still Variable

There’s a long-running debate about which platform is best for which brand, and that debate isn’t disappearing anytime soon. The reality is that the right platform for your brand depends extensively on your demographics. Facebook is still the most used platform in the world today, but YouTube is catching up fast. And yet other social media platforms are set to launch in the coming year. Pay attention to your audience. If they’re young, they’re on Tik Tok looking for short-form videos. If they’re older, you’ll probably catch them on Facebook. If you’re looking for some solid B2B marketing opportunities, LinkedIn is still your best option. Know your audience, know the platforms that are available today, and know the background for each of them to better select the platform or platforms that deserve the most attention from your team. 

Attention Spans Are Shorter

People spend lots of time on social media today. They’re not spending much time with each post, though. In fact, studies have found that the attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to just 8 seconds in the last twenty years. Depending on whether your target audience is using a computer or a mobile device, you have somewhere between one and two seconds per piece of content to engage with them. Make sure your content is available in little bites so they’ll engage. Short videos and disappearing content is really the best way to go if you want to keep them engaged. 

AR is Coming

AR isn’t fully prevalent in the marketing world just yet, but by the end of 2022, AR and VR are expected to become far more mainstream. Incorporating those into your content on social media platforms is about to become essential. AR is already available on some Instagram filters, and it’s been shown to engage users for far longer than the average post. Learn how to use AR and VR and add it to your posts. Perhaps users can try on your products or go on a guided treasure hunt reminiscent of Pokemon Go. Whatever it is, you’ll want to try to catch the trend early. 

Use Your Users!

User generated content should be a part of your social media marketing strategy as well. It’s incredibly authentic, and users tend to relate to it more than they do anything else. More than that, though, it may be cheaper than your other social media advertising campaigns. Consider adding micro-influencers to your content strategy. You’ll get a higher interaction rate than you might with larger, broader, influencers. 

Interactive Content Offers Real Benefits

People want to interact with your social media account. Be sure you’re giving them the chance to do so. Consider incorporating games, quizzes, interactive videos, and contests into everything you do. It’s called agile marketing, and it’s a great way to get more data and more engagement with your users. Moreover, it’s easy to do on almost any social media platform available today. 

Timeless Advice

No matter what the trends may be, the need for a few things remains static. First, have a solid social media marketing plan in place. Create written documentation of that plan as the year begins. It will not only help you stay on track throughout the year to better execute your overall plan, but it’s also likely to help you build the data you need so you can evaluate what worked and what didn’t. 

Maybe just as important, though, is to continually look at what might work for your customers. A/B testing for social media is probably the best way to do this. This technique is sometimes called split testing, and it has applications throughout the marketing world. In social media marketing, you can actually do this in real-time so you can refine your overall strategy as you begin to implement an upcoming campaign. To perform A/B testing, you simply separate your audience into two random groups. Show a different variation of your post to each one, then compare the response to decide which is the most effective form of your post based on your pre-selected metrics. For example, if you’re looking at the number of retweets you get on a given tweet, the one that achieves the higher number is likely the winner. Keep in mind, though, that you want to look at a single element - like the inclusion of a video or post length - to get the best idea of what’s working for you. Make sure to account for other factors that may be skewing your little study.

Ready to begin building your 2022 social media marketing plan? We can help. With the knowledge and experience necessary to develop stronger social media marketing options, we’re here to meet your needs. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us today.