8 Trends In Social Marketing Affecting Us This Summer [Infographic]

Bob Hutchins — April 11, 2017 Follow @Bobhutchins

The social media landscape changes quickly. A new infographic from CJG Digital Marketing provides some context for the changes and challenges we can expect to see this summer. From the improvement of chat bots to continued growth in influencer marketing, here are the eight trends many BuzzPlant clients will be affected by in the months ahead…

#1 Live Streaming Video

YouTube is still top dog when it comes to housing video content. However, a slew of live video products from Facebook, Twitter (Periscope), and Instagram are changing the entire nature of video creation and sharing. Brands can now connect with their audiences in real time – from any location. If you aren’t using Facebook Live, consider jumping in with these best practices.

#2 Rise of Chatbots

Bots allow brands to hold conversations with their customers… without a human, that is. While chatbots weren’t quite there when Facebook first launched them, the tech is getting better and becoming more widely adopted. We expect many high-traffic Facebook Pages to start using these.

#3 Expiring Social Content

This one is big – especially after Facebook just launched Facebook Stories, a new product that allows photos and videos to disappear after 24 hours à-la-Snapchat-and-Instagram. It’s only a matter of time until the feature rolls out to Facebook Pages, too.

#4 Social Media Mergers

Facebook bought WhatsApp, Instagram and Oculus Rift. Twitter acquired Periscope. Microsoft spent $ 27 billion on LinkedIn. What’s next? And how will mergers affect the platforms we use?

#5 Harder Acquisition of Organic Social Traffic

It’s getting harder and harder to win organic traffic on social. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all use algorithms to determine what audiences see. This means two things are necessary for success. One, your content has to be excellent to get exposure. Two, you will almost certainly have to pay-to-play.

#6 Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality

Facebook Live is quick on Snapchat’s heels, experimenting with lenses, masks and other AR components. It’s time to start thinking of your phone’s camera more as a “sensory input device” than a “photo camera,” as AR (which relies on the camera) is built into an increasingly large number of products.

#7 More Personalized Content

As Facebook’s ad targeting options become more sophisticated, users expect content that speaks more directly to their needs and interests. Content will become more personalized in the months ahead. Learn about the different types of data that can help you with this.

#8 Increased Usage of Social Influencers

84% of marketers say they’re looking forward to using at least one influencer marketing campaign within the next year. Why? Content creators already have audiences and trust. Partnering with them can be an affordable and effective way for a brand to reach its audience.

8 Trends in Social Media Marketing

For more, check out the full infographic below.

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