In 2021, a number of popular social media trends emerged, including the continued importance of search engine optimization (SEO). As more and more users join an ever-growing number of social media platforms, the ability to capture large audiences becomes increasingly challenging.
SEO techniques have always been integral to effective online marketing campaigns. Still, with Instagram introducing keyword searches in English-speaking territories, brands can now incorporate SEO strategies alongside the traditional Instagram marketing tactics of strategic hashtags. Similarly, Facebook has developed and maintained a unique SEO algorithm. Brands that use Facebook must engage the algorithm and optimize content with targeted keywords if they plan on securing a high rank on Facebook searches. Indeed, comprehensive keyword research is the cornerstone of any successful SEO initiative.
While there are several important aspects of SEO processes, social media brands should begin by incorporating major SEO keywords into both their social media handles and bios. That said, brands that want to reach and maintain an interested audience must make sure that they are applying keywords to relevant content. Keywords are a great way to drive discoverability, but if audiences discover low-quality and irrelevant content, they will not return to the brand.
Live streaming is another growing trend on various social media platforms. Video communications have become especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of the state of the pandemic, video communications will continue to expand through the social media landscape. While live streams may be more beneficial to companies in regards to convenient meetings, some brands have hosted public events via live streams. Research indicates that users are six times more likely to engage with a livestream than a normal online video, especially on Facebook.
Once again, brands must strive for quality content when it comes to streaming live content, as opposed to simply relying on the trend itself. For instance, low video resolutions and technical difficulties may result in users developing a negative view of a brand, rather than driving brand engagement. Companies should run various technical tests prior to launching their first livestream. In most cases, brands are best served by short streams that focus on a single topic.
Omnichannel marketing has been on the rise for some time, but 2021 showed that this social media trend is here to stay. Gone are the days when a successful brand could limit itself to a single social media channel, particularly with so many platforms filling unique niches. The audience for TikToks, for example, may overlap with Facebook users to some degree, but they are not one and the same.
Omnichannel marketing is part of a larger branding trend: personalization. Marketing campaigns should be tailored to take advantage of the strengths of the platform they are on. Similarly, these campaigns should not be developed in a vacuum, but should instead speak to the specific stage of the user’s experience. The more an individual feels like a generic consumer rather than a person in the eyes of a brand, the less likely they are to form a lasting connection.
SEO techniques have always been integral to effective online marketing campaigns. Still, with Instagram introducing keyword searches in English-speaking territories, brands can now incorporate SEO strategies alongside the traditional Instagram marketing tactics of strategic hashtags. Similarly, Facebook has developed and maintained a unique SEO algorithm. Brands that use Facebook must engage the algorithm and optimize content with targeted keywords if they plan on securing a high rank on Facebook searches. Indeed, comprehensive keyword research is the cornerstone of any successful SEO initiative.
While there are several important aspects of SEO processes, social media brands should begin by incorporating major SEO keywords into both their social media handles and bios. That said, brands that want to reach and maintain an interested audience must make sure that they are applying keywords to relevant content. Keywords are a great way to drive discoverability, but if audiences discover low-quality and irrelevant content, they will not return to the brand.
Live streaming is another growing trend on various social media platforms. Video communications have become especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of the state of the pandemic, video communications will continue to expand through the social media landscape. While live streams may be more beneficial to companies in regards to convenient meetings, some brands have hosted public events via live streams. Research indicates that users are six times more likely to engage with a livestream than a normal online video, especially on Facebook.
Once again, brands must strive for quality content when it comes to streaming live content, as opposed to simply relying on the trend itself. For instance, low video resolutions and technical difficulties may result in users developing a negative view of a brand, rather than driving brand engagement. Companies should run various technical tests prior to launching their first livestream. In most cases, brands are best served by short streams that focus on a single topic.
Omnichannel marketing has been on the rise for some time, but 2021 showed that this social media trend is here to stay. Gone are the days when a successful brand could limit itself to a single social media channel, particularly with so many platforms filling unique niches. The audience for TikToks, for example, may overlap with Facebook users to some degree, but they are not one and the same.
Omnichannel marketing is part of a larger branding trend: personalization. Marketing campaigns should be tailored to take advantage of the strengths of the platform they are on. Similarly, these campaigns should not be developed in a vacuum, but should instead speak to the specific stage of the user’s experience. The more an individual feels like a generic consumer rather than a person in the eyes of a brand, the less likely they are to form a lasting connection.
