People love to socialize physically but with the rise of social media platforms, communication has gone virtual and added so many interesting features to how we communicate. According to the numbers, there are as many as 3.78 billion social media users, almost half the human population. With the growing affordability and accessibility of the internet, this number is bound to continue growing. Additionally, with the Covid-19 pandemic, people are being forced to stay at home increasing their use of social media.
Events like the Covid-19 pandemic helps determine the influence of social media across the globe, as several others continue to influence social media and how it is used to create a more engaging user experience and provide more benefits to new users, like businesses. Some of the platforms affected include Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and many others. What are these social media trends? Read on.
Influencer marketing
Influencers are the cool kids of social media. They are the people that many others want to be like, which means that they have many people who admire and follow them. They often have several followers and are a great way to get the word out there about a brand. Brands use influencers to promote their products or services by using them in challenges or creating content around their products or services, rather than building a large following of your own which will take a lot of time, influencers will save you the time and money that you will use drawing in all those followers. There are also many growth services available, like TokUpgrade, which is used to organically grow followers using targeted engagement. Additionally, there are influencers for specific niches which makes it easier to find one that suits your business needs.
Social commerce
When you thought of buying some groceries or doing some shopping, the first thing that came to mind was taking a walk or driving to a store. This was when things were a little simpler but with the Covid-19 pandemic, several retailers are moving to the online world where they can still sell without too much human contact. Some have opened up an online section for their stores but others have capitalized on social media to get the word out about their products and even sell some. Considering a lot of people are spending time on social media, there is more opportunity for them to come across products or services they are interested in or by using the search features of the platforms. Additionally, businesses can advertise and push adverts to different consumers through targeted advertising.
Stories
If you have come across Snapchat before, you may have heard of this feature. Snapchat popularised this feature that allows images or video to which you can add filters or effects to be shared on it. These stories can only be viewed within 24 hours of being uploaded and thereafter, they vanish into thin air. As other platforms took notice, they created versions of this including Stories on Instagram. Fleets on Twitter and WhatsApp Statuses. They are so popular because they give people a real-time view of what is going on in their favorite content creators, friends, and family’s lives. With their attractive filters, effects, and music, they draw in more people and drive engagement.
A new reality
Augmented reality and virtual reality are changing the way social media works. People are more interested in more immersive experiences which AR and VR can provide. The number of accessories, such as VR glasses, allows people to experience travel, nature, and events through social media without having to be at the actual location. Some platforms using this include Facebook and YouTube.
Live video
Live streaming has been around for a while now but is getting more popular on social media. With restrictions on the number of people that gather in public places, streaming on social media has become a great tool to still get information out while allowing engagement. It also allows more attendees than a venue will be able to take. Users can attend events and seminars while engaging through comments and like to gain more followers. These are popular on YouTube and Instagram.
Conclusion
Social media is always on the move with new social media trends over the years. Some of the popular ones currently include Stories, influencer marketing, VR and AR, and live videos. With more on the way, social media is bound to provide more user value.
