Social media is ever evolving! Perhaps, there is something new getting rolled out just as we speak. And as business owners and people of the 21st century, we have to keep up with the social media trends. Here is what you could do differently to help your company stand out and to grow your customer base in 2021:-
Personalised Communication – With the pandemic pushing people into a literal 'virtual reality', the audience on social platforms now expect a more personified communication system. A human touch through technology, so as to say. Something that is becoming a growing demand steadily but surely. Automated messages no longer do the trick. Two-way communication is the ticket to boosting your organic posts to the top of your audiences' social feeds. The more you engage with your audience the higher are your chances of getting shares, likes and comments. Your online audience are more inclined to becoming loyal to your brand if you keep a personal touch to your company's social presence. This can be anything from replying to DMs to sending wishes on holidays and pinning comments. Remembering that an engaged online community can help you out by amplifying your content, is what will help you boost marketing and reach out to a larger audience.
Fill Up the Physical Void - Notice the rise in Live Streaming from companies on social media platforms in the past months. The major reason behind it is that it gives your audience the chance to feel more connected to your brand even if they are doing it through the screen. Like mentioned above, it adds that personal touch to your company's working and marketing overall. Using live streaming or any other form of interaction is an effective way to show the customers exactly what they can expect and gives them more of a reason to trust your brand. It makes them excited about your company and future projects that you would put out. Having an active social media presence will give your marketing a boost. Taking customers behind the scenes on work days, having Q and A sessions, Interviews, Collaborations, Takeovers and Experimental content are some interesting ways to fill the physical void while keeping your customers and target audience in the loop.
Honesty is the Best Policy - Who do your customers trust the most? With rising concerns over privacy and fake news, forming a trust relationship with your customers in 2021 is going to be harder than ever. Studies show that 75% of the audience do not believe ads. The major reason: advertising what cannot be sold. So, when you put out ads, make sure that you are being sincere about what you can offer your audience. These stats can help to better understand what your audience is actually looking at:
63% of social media users feel consumer ratings are #1 when it comes to believing in a product, so bad reviews are a huge turn off for potential customers.
70% of consumers believe customer opinions, this means that if your existing customer base is loyal it is most likely to 'pull in bigger fish' aka larger audience. Keeping your existing customers happy with honest and creative marketing ads, focusing on personalized experiences etc. is the right way to go for future marketing and targeting plans.
Share what you Mean - There is nothing worse than when a company shares content on an important topic that needs support or attention but does nothing in terms of acting towards it. Posting content that clearly needs action and then not doing anything about it portrays a negative image of the company on a social platform. What needs to be held in mind while creating or sharing content and maintaining a social presence is that the company is part of the society. Your content influences your audience. Your audience expects actions and not just words. So hopping on a bandwagon because everyone else is, makes your company fall into a stereo type, diminishing it's unique identity. In the year that is fast approaching, plan, create and share parts of your brand or topics that are meaningful, that can make a difference and that will add something to society as a whole.
All that we can say about the future of social media and marketing in 2021 is that, it is unpredictable.
But some things stand clear as day, first, the fact that consumers will be looking for more meaningful content that they can share to educate others, along with a human touch in the virtual experience that is offered. Second, if you only share content that is important but do not put in action or effort, you are putting your company into a stereo typical box that is more likely to drive away the audience than reel them in. And third, that being honest in your ads, campaigns and marketing techniques while displaying transparency in your working, will go a long way in making your business successful.
WRITTEN BY
Ruth Pereira
Ruth is the Content Writer & Media Executive at Social Donut 101 based in India.
She is a writing, design and pizza enthusiast and has a hard time resisting cake.
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