Since the middle of the last century, most products and services have been marketed to an age demographic of 18-34, which today comprises 75.5 million people. The consumers in that age group set trends, and effective marketing and advertising strategies have to anticipate those trends, many of which are taking place on social media.
Social media has been popular for over a decade, and businesses should already have an active presence on several social networking sites. However, if companies want to stay current, they’ll need to incorporate the following four social media trends into their marketing strategy.
Live Streaming
As video becomes a more pervasive marketing tool in general, live streaming video will continue to expand on social media, and it’s a useful tool for businesses. Companies can hold customer service Q&A sessions, give product demonstrations, roll out new products, or give a behind-the-scenes look at how the company operates. It’s all authentically live, unlike over-produced commercials. Plus, social media gives the illusion of intimacy, so customers feel as if they’re part of events as they happen. Live streaming video gives customers a platform to provide immediate feedback. Businesses should make streaming video a regularly scheduled part of their marketing plan.
Chatbots
Now that Facebook has chatbots on its Messenger app, companies can provide customer service using bots with artificial intelligence. These bots are difficult to distinguish from humans, except they don’t get sick or ask for a raise. Chatbots can answer questions, provide information, take orders, and do it in a conversational way. If you still doubt the benefits, several major companies are using social media bots to provide customers with a variety of services, and customers love the immediate response they receive. For businesses, the best part is that chatbots can be created easily and inexpensively.
Expiring Content
Hurry! Time’s Running Out! The psychology of urgency has always been an effective marketing tool. With 3 billion Snaps per day, Snapchat has been using urgency to drive usage since 2011. Businesses can use Snapchat or Instagram Stories to post disappearing content which could offer promo codes, give exclusive previews of new products, hold contests, stage live events, or announce secret sales. The transient nature of a disappearing post makes it intriguing, and creating branded filters makes them personal.
Business Tools
As more companies participate in social media, the response has been an increased availability of tools for businesses. Instagram, seeing that users were looking to connect with their favorite brands, worked with companies to understand their needs, and introduced Business Tools. Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and LinkedIn all have tools designed to help businesses connect with social media users.
An aggressive social media marketing strategy is necessary to reach customers who spend a majority of their online time on social networks. We can help businesses promote their brand and engage with social media users. Whatever impact you envision, McFadden/Gavender can help you achieve your goals.
