2020 was chaotic. With everybody stuck inside, people turned to social media like never before. Considering 3 billion people are on social media, the shift was evident and powerful.
Now, as we've entered a much anticipated new year and are into the second month of 2021, vaccines are rolling out, we're inching towards positive change, gearing up about climate action, and much more, social media is only becoming even more important.
Social media is known for rapid change. It often boggles the minds of social media marketers and businesses alike. More so after such an unpredictable year.
After much research and survey, the leading social media marketing agencies in Delhi NCR and the world have predicted a few social media marketing trends for 2021. Here we'll discuss just that.
These trends can make or break your brand this year, trust us, any social media marketing agency will agree.
Social media marketing trends of 2021
Social commerce will get a new lease
According to a Hootsuite survey, about 73% of respondents indicated that their most important social media goal for 2021 is increasing new customers. Ask any social media marketing agency worth it's salt and they'll say that this year is all about the ROI of social media marketing. With more people on social media, skeptical brands will experience tangible ROI from social media. There will be a broader set of social media ads and new purchase methods within posts, stories, & live streams with the "buy now" option will automatically increase ease of sale.
Live streams and influencer content will rise
Live streams have been an integral part of 2020. The cancellation of in-person events stopped people from participating in any. This led to an uptick in the number of people tuning into live-streams. People tuned in to many types of live streams, from branded live streams to live streams of their favourite celebrities, from online workshops to online seminars.
AR will come alive
Immersive experiences through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in platforms such as Snapchat and Tiktok have become extremely popular in 2020. As the world steps into pandemic recovery and people find the confidence to indulge in more than basic necessities, brands will find the opportunities to connect virtual experiences to customer experience. Slowly AR will become integrated within how brands do business.
Purpose-driven marketing will take precedence
The smartest brands will realize that the best way to sell anything is to showcase how their product/service will either fit into the desired customers' life or how it will improve their life.
It is important to be transparent. Mystery doesn't work anymore. People will only buy your product/service if they feel connected. To connect, they must understand themselves and their potential customers. A report from Deloitte states that, to do this, brands need to “be deeply attuned to why they exist and who they are built to serve”.
Goodwill & sustainability will be the message
2020 really tried us all, and brands often came to the forefront to show their goodwill towards the communities they serve. While brands doing good things is not uncommon, it wasn't as prevalent as it has become today. In fact, consumers are starting to hold brands who do good things and do good things right in high regard.
According to a survey, 81% of consumers strongly feel that companies should help improve the environment. The feeling has only intensified in 2020 and trickled right into 2021. People want brands to keep sustainability in mind at all times. Any social media presence that can depict that has the potential of being praised by the lot.
Want to know how to do it right? Consult a specialist like MMBO and you’ll be good to go.
Be inclusive, that’s the right way
The cultural shift towards inclusivity is impacting purchase behavior, according to a study. People want to "see" the inclusivity as much as they want to experience the inclusivity. So, the visual aspect of your brand, i.e. social media presence, should showcase how inclusive you are.
There are many more exciting social media marketing trends, opportunities, and challenges are on the 2021 horizon. Things like snackable content and social media shopping will trend while maintaining authenticity through it all, and staying afloat through the cut-throat competition will pose challenges. To get a more in-depth understanding, click here.
2021 here we come
2020 has been an extremely difficult year, and its challenges have leached into 2021. However, social media marketing is one thing that has kept many brands afloat and helped many other brands reinvent themselves. Now, it's your turn. For a consultation or more information, you can consult an expert like MMBO, a top Digital marketing company in Delhi NCR.
