Important Social Media Trends To Know (Part 2)
Source: sproutsocial.com
Picking up from our previous article, here’s Part 2 of important social media trends that you should know to keep adapting and growing with the times.
Trend #4: Virtual reality will become more popular on social media
Amid the Stay-Home orders and the need for social distancing, consumers are seeking more meaningful interactions virtually. One of the current technological trends is Virtual Reality (VR). VR can provide them with those interactions.
Interacting with people through VR gives users a sense of actually being together even if they’re actually apart. This is the exact kind of experience that people need at a time when they have to socially distance themselves.
With the current COVID situation, VR is gaining more popularity on social media as platforms push forward to incorporate this technology.
Trend #5: Augmented reality as a media trend
Similar to VR, recent events have accelerated the adoption of Augmented Reality (AR) experiences, including in social spaces. AR doesn’t require additional hardware beyond a smartphone, making it even more readily accessible and convenient to consumers than VR. It’s also familiar from experiences like dynamic photo filters that have been on multiple social platforms for years.
AR experiences are inherently interactive and highly effective for engagement. Some brands are quick to buy into this social media trend by creating AR filters to promote new products or encourage fan interaction. This keeps your audience engaged and entertained, and could even help you attract new customers with the right promotion.
Creatively implementing AR into your social media marketing strategy can potentially help your brand stand out. The 2020 Sprout Social Index even found that creative and entertaining content are some of the top factors that make a brand’s social presence stand out.
Trend #6: Purpose-driven campaigns to take centre stage
While social media has always driven engagement with causes, the global pandemic has shined an even brighter spotlight on these causes. People want to help, now more than ever, and they expect brands to pitch in.
In fact, according to a Twitter survey, 74% of respondents want brands to showcase acts of kindness. 77% feel more positively about brands that try to support society during this crisis.
In other words, we’re likely to see brands helping out however they can through purpose-driven social media campaigns. 86% of respondents in the survey want brands to support vulnerable members of the community, while 82% of respondents expect more support for frontline health staff.
As brands have navigated multiple crises, it has also highlighted the importance of authenticity and backing up their marketing actions. Knowing when to and not to engage with a sensitive issue that may not be perceived as relevant to your brand is essential. Audiences expect brands to show leadership and meaningful action on social issues, rather than exploit them for marketing opportunities.