The world, as we know, is ever-changing and ever-adapting; you come across a new trend almost every other day. With the chaos and uncertainty around the 2020 pandemic, eCommerce was one such industry that went through the roof. The lockdowns on a global scale shifted the dynamics considerably towards a digital future, with people spending most of their time on social media and video conferencing.   

Given our digital preferences, it led to a significant shift in how brands connect with their consumers. The latest reports suggest that companies are more likely to say that 80% of their customer interactions are from digital sources only.   

This sudden surge in social media traffic is a fair chance for companies and startups to understand the recent marketing trends for the year ahead. 

Let’s walk through some of these trends that will make a change in 2021. 

What are the changes in the Social Media World in 2021?

Given the change of scenario from on-premise to cloud-based office, schools and almost every other sector is working from their homes with the help of their laptops and mobile phones, thanks to the web app development companies that have made this possible. Phone calls or video calls have replaced physical meetings, and food delivery apps have replaced restaurant visits. 

Social media forms the last resort on which people rely to get entertained and know what is happening. Celebrities and influencers are also utilizing the spot for going live and connecting with their fans. 

With the changing world, the people are changing, and so are their habits. It is doubtful that the habits made during the past months will go anywhere, as 23% of such individuals say that they will remain dependent on social media even if the pandemic goes away. And social media has also reduced the loneliness of 61% of Millenials, this pandemic period. 

So, for marketers, it has become a new struggle to predict how the market will perform and how the dependency on social media will affect different marketing trends.

Top Trends for Social Media Marketing in 2021:

Following are some different social media marketing trends that we think will be trending in 2021. 

• Social Commerce Focused Marketing: People nowadays are spending a lot of time on social media platforms. For that reason, it is a very efficient way to reach your target customers through these social platforms. Famous social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are the best ways to target people interested in your products or similar products and services. 

Therefore, it won’t be wrong if we estimate that most organizations will be putting a hefty amount of their budget to run ads on such platforms. Moreover, when compared to traditional forms of marketing, the Social Commerce focused market is comparatively cheaper. 

• Live Streaming: The world prefers visual media more than anything. In this current condition, people spend most of their days being on video calls, watching educational videos, or watching movies. On platforms like Facebook and Instagram, people are posting more videos in live sessions or recorded forms. It has been noticed that the number of videos shared doubled at the start of the pandemic and is increasing ever since. 

So, for companies, it is a channel of direct connection to their audience. The effect of live streaming has never been so profound as it is now, and companies are making use of live streaming to show their products to the entire world.

• Personalized and Targeted Marketing using AI: Artificial Intelligence is considered the future of digital marketing by many, and it is also playing several vital roles currently. AI can differentiate each individual based on their details and their signature way of using social media platforms. 

Based on these data, the mood, mindset, or even the person’s nature can be determined. And based on that, the companies can group individuals with similar likings and be targeted with customized ads and offers that will help improve customer acquisition. 

• Conversational Marketing using Chatbots: Several companies are removing the need for any middleman to reach out to their target customers; chatbots powered by NLP (Natural Language Processing) and Machine Learning are used to provide a human-like conversation the customer. 

And this chatbot is not only limited to the company’s website but can also be implemented in Facebook messenger or other chatting platforms as well. The chatbot will help in carefully placing offers and product details to make the customer make a purchase. 

Mastercard has developed a bot that works in the Facebook Messenger platform to understand the customer’s query by noticing keywords using NLP and providing human-like interactive replies in a tone that correlates to the customer’s tone.  

• Instagram-based AR Filters: Instagram filters are overlooked by many as just gimmicks as they fail to understand their true importance in brand placement and organic publicity. When a company develops an AR filter, they have a chance at becoming a trend. 

How?

The new era of mobile phone users is very much into trends, and the extensive use of such AR filters could help generate brand awareness. Further, if it becomes a trend, it might lead to the mass marketing of the company and its product. 

• Spreading positive messages on sensitive topics: These are challenging times for every individual, and every brand is working hard to support the general public in these times. Brands are trying to help people cope with this situation by spreading positive messages and saying inspirational verses with careful brand placement in those messages. 

One such example was set off by Nike when the fitness-centered brand made its club training subscription available to the masses for a limited time. This way, the brand successfully put up a positive impact while supporting the masses in these trying times.

Another similar example is from the toy manufacturer LEGO, direct marketing to its demographics while spreading positivity. Lego created an animated video urging kids to play the role of a superhero and stay safe inside their homes.  The campaign saw a connection of value with educational tips and resources for LEGOs’ real buyer personas. 

 This will help in marketing as people will share these positive messages with their dear ones and those they care for, leading to brand promotion. 

• Influencer Marketing: Influencers are very close to the common masses and can be considered stars born out of social media platforms. They have faithful followers who have been there since the beginning of their social media life, and as the name influencer stands for, these people influence various life choices of the people who follow them. It can be anything from lifestyle choices, relationship choices, or educational preferences. 

So brands and companies reach out to these individuals and convince them to promote their products on different social media platforms. This form of engagement provides businesses with a ready-to-consume market in the form of followers. Based on the type of engagement, influencers can be of great help for brands to establish a base for their products.  

Conclusion:

The trends mentioned above are some that the best companies follow to increase their digital footprint and make more and more people trust their products and services. As almost every service is going forward towards digital integration, this is the best time to start making your digital presence profound. That will define the company’s lifespan in the long run. 

All the best for taking over the market in 2021 & beyond!

Social Media Marketing Trends For The Year 2021

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