The beginning of the new year is the perfect time to reflect on your business’ brand and plan for fresh strategies moving forward. As social media and digital marketing are constantly evolving, the best way to strengthen your overall marketing plan is to be aware of the new year’s groundbreaking trends.
Trends help generate new and innovative ideas which in turn can give your company a competitive advantage. Check out our list of popular trends your brand should be familiar with in 2020:
TikTok
Industry experts are predicting that TikTok’s rise as a leading social media platform won’t stop in 2020. TikTok was the third most downloaded app in the first quarter of 2019, with 188 million new users and grew 70 percent from 2018. TikTok is a video sharing app that allows users to create and share 15 to 60 second videos. It was put on the map when users began lip syncing to music. Now, it has evolved into a much broader social media platform with the addition of filters, background effects and advertisements
The app is especially popular among Gen Z audiences; but, even the nation’s biggest brands, influencers and celebrities are using it. For example, the dating-app Bumble does an excellent job of integrating their ads to the platform, making them appear like native content. If your brand’s goals align with the platform’s target audience, TikTok could be incorporated into your next marketing campaign.
Vertical video
Prior to smartphones, video footage was captured and viewed in horizontal dimensions. With the consistent rise of smartphone usage, the demand for vertical video is increasing faster than ever. Users now prefer the ability to record and view video vertically. In fact, studies show we hold our mobile phones vertically 94 percent of the time. So, is it time for creators to make the transition?
This trend has even expanded to television when Samsung saw an opportunity to improve viewability and created the Sero TV, a television that pivots between vertical and horizontal orientations, letting you watch Instagram, Snapchat and other social media videos in their natural vertical configurations. As video content continues to dominate, it’s imperative that your video efforts adapt to this trend.
End of “likes”
Now that Instagram, and even Facebook, have continued to test the removal of their “like” option, there is pressure for content to be better than ever. It’s been said that removing likes could potentially create a safer, mentally healthier environment for users. However, its removal will likely have a large effect on marketers’ ability to measure the success of influencer marketing.
Without likes, influencers and brands will have to rely on the quality of content over the quantity of likes. Rather than quantifying engagements, success will be measured through the actions consumers take, such as completing a purchase. Regardless, if the test is implemented permanently, it’s recommended to keep your efforts focused on the quality of your content.
Take advantage of new opportunities by keeping up with the latest social media and marketing trends.
This article originally appeared on the Noisy Trumpet blog; reprinted with permission.
