The Top 7 Social Media Marketing Trends Going Into 2019
1. Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is already being implemented in small ways, but it’s leaving a significant impact that will last well into the future. In fact, it’s estimated that the augmented reality and virtual reality markets will surpass $298 billion by 2023. The most obvious example are Snapchat’s facial filters.
A handful of them have sponsors in the corner of the screen, and people can create their own geofilters as well. Social media marketing managers can and should, if they’re not already, take advantage of these features that will continue to become more prevalent on other platforms to further their reach while personalizing interactions.
2. Focus on Generation Z
Generation Z is starting to enter the workforce, meaning they have money to spend. Marketers are starting to target the new generation early, which is a smart move. Retail businesses, for example, are offering clothes that are higher end while offering a wider range of styles.
Retailers are also opening pop-up stores and hosting events that offer more intimate, personalized customer experiences, which will continue to be a major business trend for years to come. The reason pop-up stores and events are so popular is that they’re unique and are designed with the intention of being shared on social media. Generation Z was born surrounded by technology, which makes them and social media marketing a natural fit for each other.
3. Video
Video continues to be the dominant medium in social media. Instagram copied Snapchat by creating Instagram Stories, which work in exactly the same way. According to Entrepreneur, 200 million Instagram users use Instagram Stories each month. This makes Instagram a vital focus in your marketing efforts, and one you should give your best effort at. YouTube continues to grow in popularity due to the rise in YouTubers (we’ll get into that more a little later). Generation Z also uses social video platforms like Houseparty, where users can join group video chats and talk to each other online and on the go.
By making their presence known on all these video platforms, social media marketers will have a unique advantage in 2018 because video platforms, again, make it easier to offer personalized customer experiences, which is what customers — regardless of generation — want from businesses. People are visual learners by nature, and video goes beyond what pictures offer. Businesses are realizing this, realizing the popularity of video channels, and realizing the versatility of video.
4. Messenger Apps and Chatbots
Like video, messenger apps offer customers another channel to reach out to businesses and vice versa. We all know how popular Facebook Messenger is and how easy it is for people to reach out to each other without leaving Facebook. This is important because customers who are on Facebook aren’t always on it with the intention of buying a product.
If a customer does, however, land on a business page and see something they’re interested in, marketers can reach out to them via chatbot and initiate a conversation that could ultimately lead to a sale the customer never saw coming. This is a great way to increase engagement throughout the customer journey. Businesses can reach out on Messenger, WhatsApp, and Kik, which are all popular messaging apps Millennials and gen Z’ers are using regularly.
