Launch by Jeff Walker

5 Social Media Trends to Expect in 2018

Before you finalize your social media strategy for the year, it’s important to look at what’s ahead to ensure that you're allocating your time and efforts appropriately.

In this post, we’ll dive into what we think social media managers should expect in 2018, and how to plan for these changes.

1. Live video content will only continue to grow.

According to Facebook, live videos receive 6X the engagement as non-live ones, which bodes well for their sharability and potential for such engagement as comments and Likes.

On top of that -- perhaps to help boost this engagement -- Facebook's VP of Product, Fidji Simo, announced last week that the channel would be introducing a Watch Party feature, in which a group of Facebook users can all watch the same video at the same time. However, it's worth noting that Watch Parties can take place even if the video isn't streaming live.

So, does this indicate a decline in live video? Not quite. The only real shift that we expect to see is a potential rise in engagement with live videos after they've already ended -- that is, a group of users who missed the broadcast who all missed it can watch it together later on.

where should you be planning to focus your live streaming efforts in 2018? Well, if Facebook is an important part of your overall social media strategy and you're looking for ways to adapt to the latest algorithm changes, live video is a great place to start (if you haven't already).

As for what to broadcast, there are a lot of brands out there that are nailing this strategy across several use cases. For example, many brands are using Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to live stream events. This approach aims to keep your followers engaged with your brand by bringing an event they otherwise might not be able to attend directly to their screens.

2. Messaging apps will become a critical communication method.

If you’re only thinking about messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and WeChat as alternatives to traditional text messaging, think again -- messaging apps are used by 4 billion users worldwide, and there’s a tremendous opportunity for brands to leverage this presence.

More specifically, many brands are using messaging apps to communicate one-on-one with customers which is completely changing the way customer service gets done. These apps provide a faster and easier way for customers to get the assistance they need, rather than being placed on hold or waiting for a returned email. Deploying messaging for customer service is more scalable and cost-effective for businesses, and by providing a better experience for the customer, brands

For example, Hyatt uses Facebook Messenger for 24-hour customer service, where guests can make reservations, ask questions, and get recommendations for their trips:

In 2018 and beyond, marketers should anticipate less social networking -- especially when considering Facebook's recent changes -- and more messaging for instant, real-time connection with audiences.

3. Virtual reality will find its way into more and more marketing experiences.

Virtual reality is still somewhat new to the marketing scene, and in 2018, we predict the market will get even more popular.

According to the Consumer Technology Association's 2018 Tech Trends to Watch, virtual reality is expected to see an 18% increase in revenue, and a 25% increase in units sold.

What's unique about virtual reality is that it encourages engagement by offering an immersive, memorable experience unlike any other medium -- and brands are quickly recognizing that value.

For example, TOMS uses virtual reality to shed light on the mission and impact customers are having. Its mission, “One for One,” refers to its pledge to match with each pair of shoes purchased a new pair for a child in need around the world.

If you're already allocating resources to developing more live video this year, continue experimenting with different formats -- including virtual reality -- to see which audiences respond best to.

4. More channels will make it difficult to monetize (and therefore, weaponize) content.

When Facebook announced the aforementioned changes to its News Feed, we predicted that it was largely the scrutiny it's received since it was discovered that the network was weaponized to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. And with Pages expected to receive less engagement, that also means it will become more difficult for brands to monetize any Facebook content -- especially since it could require a greater spend on Ads to help that content reach the right audience.

In other words, as social channels are under more and more pressure to make their networks safer to use -- that seems to be translating to it becoming more difficult for brands to gain visibility on them.

We don't anticipate this scrutiny diminishing anytime soon, which means that this trend is something marketers should keep in mind for 2018. But in the face of these higher barriers, the best way to be discovered on social media continues to be by creating high-quality, personalized content that's relevant to the audience you're trying to reach.

5. Voice search and AI will change the way users discover brands and content.

Voice-controlled personal assistants are being built into everything, from smart speakers, to TVs, to mobile devices.

All the while, these voice-powered devices that respond and fulfill our verbal commands are learning more about us. They're learning to differentiate our preferences and tones in households with multiple people, and they're beginning to proactively know what information we might request.

As this type of technology continues to evolve and is adapted by more users, marketers can prepare in a number of ways. To start, begin thinking about what type of social media content can be optimized for consumption via a smart speaker, for instance. Creating a solution to a need that the user might not know it has is core to marketing -- what type of information or content might your target audience seek on social media that's easier when delivered in this manner?

Social media is constantly changing, and one prediction we didn’t include above is to prepare for anything.

You can read more at the HubSpot Blog.