12 trends in social networks for this year
Do you know the main trends in social networks for 2019? Open your marketing calendar for 2019. March has arrived, and you have not yet implemented any changes to your content marketing strategy. It’s time for you to observe the trends in social networks by 2019 and keep up to date, be updated, and be innovative. How if you did not think to impact your audience?
The world of social media marketing is continually evolving. In fact, who would have thought a decade ago that traditional marketing methods would be left behind to make way for the Internet and digital campaigns? Social media is the order of the day and is part of all marketing plans.
In fact, every day, more funds are allocated to campaigns with influencers, personalities that gain strength in these spaces. However, what worked in 2018 and in recent years does not have to have the same impact now. Hence the importance of reviewing trends in social networks for 2019.
Discover trends in social networks for 2019
Given that the landscape of social networks is changing at an accelerated pace, it is the perfect time to review your current strategy and see what works and what can be improved. To make that change, the most advisable thing is to know the trends in social networks for 2019. This way, you will know how to direct your strategy.
1.- The engagement is more critical than ever
Facebook announced in early 2018, the changes in its algorithm, which was fully updated and focused on giving importance to publications with more significant interactions. Which means that the content that triggers organic conversations, is shared many times and generates interaction, is favored.
The same happens with the new Instagram algorithm, where the contents that generate the most engagement, that is, the ones with the most interactions, will be the ones that are most displayed in the users’ feed. Therefore, as the organic reach becomes more challenging to achieve, the only way to survive is to target content that is:
- Interesting.
- Attractive.
- Generate commitment
And taking into account that the algorithms are increasingly smart, the trends in social networks for 2019 are focused on creating all types of content that meet these three characteristics. It is no longer enough to encourage people to share, comment, or like your post. The networks are trying to reduce these “bait” techniques. And you could lose your reach if you used terrible practices.
It’s time to stop “cheating” and work to create engaging, useful, and entertaining content so that the commitment you generate is achieved organically. For this, you must also take into account that each social network has a star format. Not all types of content are valid on all platforms. Nor is the frequency of publication the same.
2.- Attentive to the rise of micro-influencers
Influencer marketing is becoming a substantial part of your marketing strategy. And the data endorses its potential. However, the micro-influencers are becoming the protagonists of the trends in social networks for 2019.
Users trust the advice and recommendations of the people they know. And in those who believe. For example, Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising study suggests that the most credible way to advertise is through other people. About 80% of people who responded to the survey said they trusted the opinions or recommendations of family and friends.
Also, two-thirds of respondents said they trusted the information found in online opinions and comments. That’s why the testimonials and reviews on your website are required. But in social networks, micro-influencers are gaining ground. And they also have greater credibility. In fact, a study by Experticity wanted to highlight some strengths of working with micro-influencers:
- It is “very likely” that 82% of users follow the recommendations of a micro-influencers.
- These profiles generate 22% more conversions than any other user.
- Those micro-influencers who have between 1,000 and 4,000 followers receive 4.5% more participation in their publications.
3.- Live videos
Live videos are one of the most engaging content types on social networks. And today, brands use them to humanize their content, launch interviews with workers or share scenes behind-the-scenes. All this to build loyalty to the audience. Such is its importance that Neil Patel assures that the live videos will become part of “industry of 70.5 billion dollars in 2021“.
Users of social networks want access to content in real time. They want to see the activities of the day. In fact, in the last year, platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube have adopted this live feature, which Snapchat originally created.
4.- Instant messaging will grow even more
The messaging boom is one of the biggest trends in social networks for 2019. People want to go further than the typical publications in networks. Now they also wish to private interactions, either to communicate with their friends or even to keep in touch with their favorite brands.
What makes the messages interesting is that brands can find the engagement they have been looking for for some time. They simply need to understand what users expect from private conversations.
WhatsApp, Messenger, Viber, or WeChat have a large percentage of the messaging market and already introduced additional functions to go further. From stories and updates to automated bots to improve customer service.
5.- The potential of chatbots
Closely related to the previous point, comes another trend in social networks for 2019, the chatbots. In fact, they are one of the most essential resources to deal with the personalization of messages on social networks. Ideal for improving the consumer experience.
6.- Trust is more important than ever
Messaging applications are becoming one of the trends in social networks for 2019 due to the lack of trust that users give social networks. And the most evident example is Facebook, which has bothered many users by sharing their data with third parties.
Concerns about privacy increase and make all social platforms realize that trust is crucial. Therefore, one of the main trends in social networks for 2019 is to be transparent with audiences. Either to admit your errors or to launch updates. All this will help your customers to trust you.
7.- Augmented reality will grow in networks
Here is another trend in social networks for 2019. Augmented reality is here to stay. And it will give much more of itself in social networks in the coming years. Augmented reality will also allow users to try products, direct users to the site to buy it and other features.
8.- Stories and more stories
Stories are everywhere. Visual content in a vertical format that generally lasts 24 hours became popular on Snapchat and soon copied on Instagram to become a global trend. But the stories are not only famous on Instagram, but WhatsApp, Facebook, and even LinkedIn are also working with this type of content.
But what is it that makes stories one of the biggest trends in social networks for 2019?
- They are easy to create.
- They invite the user to participate and interact with them.
- They do not require the previous edition.
- They transmit authenticity.
- They are fun and humanize the brand.
9.- The end of the “fake-followers.”
Instagram is currently one of the most popular applications in the social media landscape. That is why trends in social networks for 2019 are also focused on guaranteeing the quality and security of accounts. And this is because more and more influencers have benefited from apps to “inflate” their number of followers. So the brands that have collaborated with them have obtained disastrous results.
Recently, Instagram has announced that they have begun to eliminate likes, dislikes, and non-authentic comments from those accounts that used third-party applications to increase their popularity. In fact, they have built Machine Learning tools to identify such activities and prevent this from happening in the future.
This is a great step for Instagram to maintain its reputation as a popular social network where people and brands can coexist, create an active community, and earn income. And taking into account that the change has just been implemented, 2019 will show that the number of followers will no longer be as relevant compared to the actual engagement of each community.
10.- Reduction of the focus to specific channels
One of the trends in social networks for 2019 that you should keep in mind is that knowing that social marketing is becoming increasingly competitive, you, as a brand, need to focus your efforts on specific channels.
The days when you had to join Facebook simply because “everyone was there” are over. Nowadays, it is more important to go after a niche audience that is relevant to your business. And therefore, it is not necessary to transmit the same message on all platforms that exist.
Do not be afraid to limit your work to two channels. And less if you notice that those two channels provide you with the best return on investment. The more distractions you have, the higher the chances of losing your focus. Start by analyzing where your audience is and which channels work best for your business objectives.
11.- Content focused on Generation Z
The new generation is looking for small and short content. With so little free time, they want to spend time watching a video or reading a well-created publication. Therefore, in 2019, focus on creating short and powerful clips for social networks.
A great example of this is the Adidas campaign. In 40 seconds, the brand has managed to encourage women to explain what makes them continue to practice sports and create the change that the world wants to see.
12.- The content generated by the user becomes important
The content created by the followers of a brand generates an attractive and robust interaction between the community and the company. Therefore, in addition to asking for testimonials from your clients, you can ask them to help your network strategy through content generated by them (User-generated content or UGC). You can do it through a specific hashtag. In fact, some examples of UGC are:
- A public comment from a follower.
- Images or videos created by users. Although on many occasions, these contents are created from contests of brands.
- A post, paid or not, of any blogger.
- Digital reviews of services or products of a brand.
With everything, now that you know the trends in social networks for 2019, you just need to adapt. There are many ways to do it, but you can start by gaining presence in them through Social Ads. In Antevenio, we can help you get your best conversion rates through segmented ads.
