Three major social media trends we're tracking
It’s no secret that social media trends emerge quickly. And almost as quickly as they come, they go. This may be due to the nature of those who rule social media: Gen Z, who now make up 32% of the population, just edging out millennials, according to a recent Bloomberg article. Knowing this, it is important that companies are in touch with how the youngest generation is using social media and how to most effectively use the technology that this generation grew up on. So, let’s take a look at some of the most recent emerging social media trends.
1. Tik Tok Is booming
Whether you’ve realized it or not, you have probably watched a video from Tik Tok. With over 800 million monthly active users (60% from Gen Z), Tik Tok’s presence is hard to ignore. The influence it is having over those millions of users may be even harder to ignore. To start, Tik Tok is a video-sharing social network where users create short lip-syncing, comedy, and talent videos. A common video topic is for users to share “products that have changed their life.” Many of these videos have gone “viral,” with millions of views and thousands of comments to back up the praise for the different products featured in the video. These types of videos are well-received because of the authenticity of them. Younger people typically prefer genuine reviews from others who they feel are similar to them versus direct marketing.
It can be difficult to figure out how a brand should use Tik Tok as a marketing tool as its capabilities are still being realized. Below is a list of different companies who have done a great job of using Tik Tok by creating relatable and creative content:
Chipotle creates funny and current videos to promote its marketing campaigns, such as “Free Guac,” that has received a positive response from Gen Z users. Gymsharks uses Tik Tok to create workout tutorials as well as comedy skits about fitness with the actors adorned in Gymshark gear, allowing to keep the brand voice and appeal to its audience. The Washington Post does Tik Tok in a fun way. It doesn’t use the platform to sell its newspaper but creates relatable videos about everyday life, thus getting its name out there without pressing its product onto anyone. ESPN does what it does on other social media platforms, posts highlights of amazing sports moments, which is great because it uses its name and reputation to have its presence on another site. These four companies provide great examples of how to use Tik Tok for marketing.
2. The rise of Micro-Influencers
First things first, let’s define micro-influencers: those who have between 1,000 to 10,000 social media followers who have placed themselves in a particular market, such as food or skincare, and receive high engagement. This rise in popularity of micro-influencers comes from the need to bring authenticity back to influencer marketing. As mentioned before, young people do not enjoy being directly marketed to. It is no secret that many big influencers get paid thousands of dollars to promote products on social media. This causes people to question whether the influencer truly believes in what they are promoting and may turn a person off to influencers if paid advertisements are the only thing they are being shown.
This all changes with micro-influencers. Micro-influencers speak specifically about their real interests which bring back the ingenuity that many find missing in the influencer community. Additionally, as rumors continue to spread of Instagram taking away likes, the engagement rate will become even more important than followers. These micro-influencers are able to provide those high engagement rates because their followers are those who care about whatever niche the influencer posts about.
3. E-commerce sophistication on Instagram
Ease: the goal for companies to provide to their customers. You may have noticed how many bigger companies are incorporating the ability to shop directly on their Instagram posts. Being able to see the name of the product, price, as well as different images directly on the Instagram app allows for greater ease of shopping as well as an increased chance of consumers purchasing right then. Though it does involve a few more steps, smaller companies should involve themselves in this new way of doing e-commerce. According to Hootsuite, 200 million Instagram users visit a business profile daily, with 130 million people clicking on shopping posts every month. While only 11% of people shop on Instagram (though keep in mind the capability is still fairly new), 81% use the platform to research products. Having shopping tags on products will help ease the research process and allow potential customers to do it all in one place.
With social media being as fast-paced as it is, it can be difficult to keep up. Social media users today look for creativity, authenticity, and ease as a part of their social media experience. So, now that you’ve read a little about the latest social media trends, we encourage you to do your own research and implement them into your own business if it makes sense! Contact us to learn more about working with FACTEUR PR on your social media strategy.