04 Nov 3 Social Media Trends to Consider in 2020 Planning
As 2019 draws to a close, many of you may be putting the finishing touches on your social media strategy plans for the next calendar year. Buttoning up your 2020 strategy can get tricky, however, when the social media platforms and their users are perpetually changing, so we’ve boiled down the three trends you should focus on. Read on for our key social trends for 2020 planning.
1. Consumers are turning towards private sharing
According to a recent study by GlobalWebIndex, 42% of social media users’ first instinct when sharing content is to share it via direct message. Let that statistic sink in for just a moment. Essentially, nearly half of social users prefer to share content in a private space, rather than publicly on their profile, which is a huge behavioral shift from the traditional sharing habits we’ve seen for years on social media.
However, this isn’t necessarily a negative shift. While consumers may be sharing content in a different way, the bottom line is that they are still sharing content. For brands, this may require adjustments to how engagement is measured on social by looking
2. Social media continues to play a vital role in brand and product discovery
When it comes to discovering new brands (28%) and researching products (42%), users continue to turn to social media as a key channel, according to the same GlobalWebIndex study. This puts social media just behind search engines in terms of top research channels for new brands and products.
This is great news for brands looking to capture consumers at multiple stages of the customer journey on social. With users turning to these channels to familiarize themselves with new products and companies, brands have a tremendous opportunity to engage and activate those users. When mapping out your 2020 plans, consider implementing content types that will help users discover your brand and make it easy for them to convert. For example, short, impactful video content can help raise awareness around your brand, and traffic-optimized posts will add an extra degree of ease for users looking to explore more or make a purchase.
3. Gen Z users are more likely to engage on Instagram
When it comes to engaging an audience on Instagram, activating Generation Z may be your brand’s best bet. A recent study found that this generation is 10% more likely than the average user to follow or like a brand on a social media. Moreover, Generation Z Instagram users are equally inclined to click on a promoted/sponsored post on a social network.
Knowing this information, it may be time to hone in on your brand’s Instagram strategy if you are looking to reach and engage this demographic (which you definitely should be).
As you look to build upon your 2019 social media presence, keep these trends in mind. And as always, we’re here to help turn ideas into action. Let’s chat.
