Divahound — building a social media presence for your small business

Divahound — building a social media presence for your small business

Social Strategy: 5 Trends To Look For In 2016

Mobile Content Is BIG

More and more social users are accessing their social pages via their smartphones. While this one change your entire social strategy, having this knowledge may change the types of images and length of text you post. If you have a big announcement to make, in-the-moment updates will be important for your customers to keep your company top of mind in a world that keeps moving faster and faster! Chances are those updates are coming to their smartphones, so keeping the content short, information-packed and engaging will be key.

Audiences Are Aging and Changing

While aging audiences don’t mean that platforms like Facebook are losing relevance, it’s important to know where YOUR target audience is online. Facebook is still the king of social media platforms, and will offer the best bang for your buck when it comes to one-stop social media interaction. That being said, the changing audience for social platforms is all the more reason you should be staying on top of new and emerging social platforms. If your audience isn’t utilizing them, however, your energies are best spent elsewhere.

User Expectations Increase

Social media sites are not the “look at the sandwich I had for lunch” platforms they once were (ok, just a little). Users are getting more news from social media, as well as product information and service recommendations from friends and connections. Their expectation is that your business not only has a presence on social media sites, but that it is up to date and offers content that offers value to their lives. Simply put, if your social media page hasn’t been updated in six months, you look out of touch and out of date.

Rise of Live Social Broadcasts

Because everyone wants their information NOW, the rise of live broadcasting on social platforms will continue into the new year. Apps like Periscope and Meerkat offer a unique way to engage with customers in a very real-time way. Facebook is also getting into the live broadcasting game, so watch for brands jumping on the bandwagon. Your small business can consider broadcasting something as big as a product launch or as simple as having your staff give everyone a Happy New Year greeting.

Continued Transparency

With the rise of live broadcasts, customers appreciate “real” interactions with brands online. Social media is not a one-sided way of marketing, and your fans and followers expect to see you being as real as possible. This transparency offers credibility in the customer service realm, and people will appreciate your efforts to interact with other humans in a way that reflects your company values.