October 27, 2022
The ability to occupy the delight of decorating the apex position in the field in which they excel, and among the contests in which they partake, is the dream and desire of every brand and business across the world. While many of them try to perceive this dream, only a few of them are able to achieve it. And so, the question arises: What is it that makes some of them marvel at conquering the milestones while many of them fail in the quest? One reason for this can be summed up in a single word: marketing.
Yes, it is the art of thinking, researching, strategizing, and implementing proper and passionate marketing plans that allow entrepreneurs and brands to achieve the results they seek. The term “marketing” can be briefly defined as the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services.
One of the most important components of a successful marketing plan is the ability to keep up with market trends and changes. Those who adjust their marketing strategies in response to updates and changes will see results. For example, one of the most recent marketing strategies we have seen in recent times is social media marketing. Let’s have a look at the latest trends in social media marketing.
Social Media Marketing
Before that, we have to understand the concept of social media marketing first. As the name suggests, social media marketing is the marketing technique in which we use social media platforms and websites to promote a product or service. Many of our everyday applications, such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, are counted as social media platforms.
With an astonishing number of 4.26 billion users across the globe, the social media platforms around us act as excellent channels for marketing. With the influence and dominance occupied by social media in our daily lives, we could simply say that those brands and businesses who have the strength to harness the power of social media and utilize it for designing and implementing active and efficient advertising campaigns rule the realms of marketing and business.
Now let’s have a look at the emerging trends in the field of social media marketing,
1.Cooking the quick responses
The first strategy that we will discuss here is very simple but also salient, and that is none other than delivering the clients with quick responses.
We all know that, with the high-speed internet and advancement in technology, the world itself has turned into a big marketplace. Previously, many businesses had their customers limited to specific geometric locations or areas, but no more. With the technology we have at hand, anyone from India can purchase pottery delivered by a merchant in Mexico.
So basically, as the market expands, so do the options and choices; if I don’t get a product from a specific site or platform, it doesn’t matter because there are zillions of similar services available to me. So, as smart marketers and businesses, it is our duty to provide our clients with quick responses and comfortable client interactions to ensure that they pick our products and services over others.
According to HubSpot research, 46% of consumers in the marketing phase prefer to have an answer to their query in less than 10 minutes, while 62% of consumers in the sales phase expect an answer within the next 10 minutes. When it comes to support, 60% of consumers are willing to wait no more than 10 minutes for a resolution.
We can use many methods to achieve this. The implementation of a custom-made and automated chatbot (like WhatsApp Chabots or Instagram Chatbots) is an example of this.
2.Suiting up the sales with short videos
One of the most common things we come across while we are surfing through social media is short videos, right? We’ve recently noticed a trend on social media platforms where users prefer short videos to longer ones.
Almost every notable social media platform is providing their customers with an option to enable users to shoot and upload short videos. For instance, Instagram reels that were launched in the year 2020 and the YouTube Shorts options.
This short video content has higher viewing counts due to its higher entertainment value and engagement rates. We have also seen many celebrities and influencers often release short videos to interest viewers and then direct them to the actual full video, right?
When looking from a marketing perspective, the use of short videos can be used to build an effective marketing strategy. If you are able to produce a promotional video for your brand that contains itself within a short period of time and delivers the message effectively to the target audience, then it can have a huge impact on your business and boost its growth.
3.Using the UGC
The term “UGC,” in our context, stands for User Generated Content. Without a doubt, we can say that this is one of the main trends that is going to rule the realms of marketing.
As the name suggests, user-generated content is content created by consumers that promotes a business’s product or service.
This strategy is highly efficient because one of the main things that a potential customer searches for when they are planning to seek your service is the service and customer interactions you have delivered to your existing customers.
For example, before ordering shoes from Amazon, you will always go to the comments and reviews section to look at the customer reviews given by existing customers. These reviews and comments are a form of UGC.
If you are able to produce positive user-generated content from your clients, then you can develop your brand in an organic way for the market, and it also helps create trust between potential customers and your brand.
The question-and-answer sections describing frequently asked questions about your brand and products, customer reviews, the uploading of original product photos from the client, client ratings, comments, etc., are a major form of user-generated content.
4.Shaping the social media markets
We could say that with the pandemic hitting and affecting us in a huge way, our lives have changed in every aspect and we have turned to adjusting ourselves towards a new normal. Many of the trends have been newly introduced to our very own eyes, which we haven’t heard in our lifetime.
One such practice that flourished during the pandemic period was online shopping. Because of the on-going pandemic, people have preferred to purchase products online. We could say almost all of the businesses and brands in the world have scrambled to create processes and infrastructure to cater to the huge demands of virtual buying.
The effect of this online buying boom has changed the definitions of our social media platforms also. People used these platforms to search and seek products and services, and they changed the social media platforms into amazing market places and shopping outlets.
The number of buyers on social media platforms is expected to exceed 100 million in the year 2023.
It’s a golden opportunity for businesses across the world. You can simply create an official account for your business on these platforms and convert the immense number of social media users into your potential buyers.
This article would not have a proper conclusion without stating the fact that the dimensions and definitions of the scope and application of social media marketing are changing at a rapid pace. What was the trend yesterday may not make it into the top ten today, and to extract earnings and profits from it, you need to keep your eyes and ears sharp and your brains intact.
