A Digital Marketer’s Guide to Google Posts
As digital marketers, we actively welcome new opportunities to communicate with our customers. Google’s social
The social media world saw tons of new developments in 2016. From new apps to revamped features, online users were exposed to more changes than perhaps they bargained for. With such a surge in developments, it begs the question: what features will actually flourish in the new year? Learn about these new strategies and how to capitalize on the biggest 2017 social media trends.
The best indicator for expected social media trends in 2017 is looking at what worked in 2016. Overall, the most successful developments in the social world aimed to make users as happy as possible. Consumers are in the spotlight more than ever before, and these 2017 social media trends cater to the most important part of any business plan—the people.
With the ever-growing need of immediate gratification, it’s no surprise that live video is taking the social media universe by storm. Facebook rolled out its live video feature, Facebook Live, in April of 2016. Soon after, Instagram followed Facebook’s lead releasing its own live video feature, too. Real-time content is genius in how fast it reaches an audience. In seconds, followers are notified that a live video has started and are encouraged to join in.
Live video goes beyond content projection. Most interfaces also encourage engagement and interaction from viewers. This engagement is also displayed in real-time. Apps like Periscope have built their brand around this trend, letting users comment live on the content. Live video features made great strides in improving B2C communication and indicate even better results in the future.
Though almost the complete opposite of live video, disappearing content will continue to make huge waves in 2017, too. The best example of this trend is the Discover feature on Snapchat. This feature is a great place for brands and companies to produce fast and mobile-friendly content for users to view. There are currently an estimated 100 million daily Snapchat users, and as of January 2017, these users generate 7 billion video views daily. Companies such as Cosmopolitan and BuzzFeed are two of the 19 business channels on Discover mode who see some of the most significant results from Discover video views. These views generate more web traffic, and Snapchat users who share the content to their friends through the app add to the number of hits on each site. These stats point to the notion that businesses have found a way to capitalize on this trend, and the growing numbers indicate that it’s proving to be successful.
If you’re selling a product or a service, your ads now need to go beyond the average promotion. Enlist the assistance of a “buy it now” advertisement. Design your posts with a clickable purchase link to make the buying process fast and convenient for your audience. Websites such as Pinterest and Instagram have already begun experimenting with this feature, and don’t seem to be anywhere near running out of steam. Clickable advertisements are successful because they eliminate the extra burden of convincing users to visit your store or website. In short, the reduction of steps involved in making a purchase is a win-win situation for both the buyer and the seller.
Customer service is taking place online more than in-person. When responding to a complaint, or even a compliment, aim to personify your brand. Using the customer’s name, signing responses with employee’s names, and simply reaching out to people first are all simple ways to come off as more personable. It’s also worth mentioning that responding to your audience in a public forum is essentially free advertising for your business. If done right, this can be a great strategy to increase brand loyalty and following.
If you’d like help maximizing your social media presence and results, contact Front Porch Solutions. We’ll design a social media strategy made specifically for you and help you develop a successful online presence.
Fill out the form and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.