Top Social Media Trends To Watch In 2018

  ONTARIO, CANADA - 01/16/2018 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

Social Media is about communication.  People are heading to “Social” for all their important decisions, especially their purchasing journey.  Peers are now as credible as experts & more relevant as sources of information. More than academic experts.

With Social Media constantly evolving, there are 3 tactics that you need to stand out from the crowd and stay ahead of the curve.

2018 will reward businesses that put their people (customers, communities, and influencers) at the center of their social strategy.  Build a community and put people first.  

Digital media strategist and monthly contributor to EmpiHER™ magazine (http://empiher.co ), Stacy Maynard (http://stacymaynard.com ) predicts that there are three key areas that all brands must engage within 2018  if they want to stay socially relevant. (Full article here https://empiher.press/2018socialtrends)

1. Video.  Maynard claims, “Live streaming and stories will continue to make waves by breaking through the algorithmic challenge while making its way into the newsfeeds of viewers. Facebook Live video is watched 3x longer than regular videos and shows up higher in search results. Bonus: Go Unscripted and be authentic!”

2. Messenger Services. Maynard predicts that messenger services will surpass email marketing in 2018. She claims, “Private messages will surpass email marketing as a direct communication strategy for brands.  With private messages comes Chatbots.  Chatbots give brands the opportunity to interact quickly with their followers in a way that feels personal. Bots are becoming smarter and more human-like as you can customize your brand voice and send personalized messages directly to users”

3. FB Groups. The Facebook group will take on a new purpose in 2018. Maynard states, “This community approach for brands will merge the lines between peer influence and product selling.  With social dominating time spent online, people want content that is relevant to them.  Customized content is more likely to be shared.  Knowing your target market and building a private community around them will make them feel like you are creating it just for them.”

If brands want to stay relevant to their markets in 2018, they will have to up their engagement game online.