Think a Ferrari is fast? Social media moves faster.
Just as I have managed to wrap my head around one social media platform, a new one appears with new features to understand and therefore new marketing strategies for me to create.
As a communications professional, social media is an extension of myself. I stay, almost obsessively, up-to-date with the state of social and how it can be leveraged in the real estate industry.
With that said, I’ve decided to look into the crystal ball and share with you my four social media (SM) predictions for this coming year:
1. Expect big things from LinkedIn
Earlier this year Microsoft purchased the SM platform for $26.2 billion. The tech giant clearly sees great potential from the platforms abundant wealth of data and it is going to be interesting to see where they take it. I’m expecting a complete redesign of the platform and improvements on its messaging service.
I’ve been a fan of LinkedIn for years but for businesses in particular, its ability to target the exact audience of your business is what I love about it. Haven’t created an account yet? Get on it. I could rant and rave for days about the power of this platform, if used appropriately.
2. Companies will see the value of social media/communications
This one is a hope AND a prediction! According to the CMO Survey, SM marketing budgets are projected to more than double by 2020.
Over time, social media platforms have changed their algorithms to decrease the number of individuals that are able to see organic posts, so advertising is necessary to ensure your content is seen by your online community. When setting aside a budget for this though, it is important to create a SM strategy that outlines your specific goals so that you can monitor and measure performance – and make any necessary adjustments to ensure success along the way.
3. If it doesn’t work on your mobile, it doesn’t work
Internet access through a mobile has surpassed access by a desktop and it has only seen an increase since then. According to Pew Research, 90% of adults own a smartphone and of those, 63% use it to browse the Internet. There’s no doubt in my mind that mobile usage will continue to grow and the amount of people accessing your online content (website, blog, social media accounts) on a traditional computer will fall. What does this mean? Your website NEEDS to be responsive (and optimized)!
4. Video is no longer optional
How long is our attention span? According to a recent Microsoft study, the human attention span is now only eight seconds. Wait, what?
In order to grab your audience’s attention and keep it, you will have to look at creating video content as a powerful storytelling medium, infused with humour, emotion and a strong narrative that will make your audience take action.
What else can you foresee? Let me know what you predict in the comment section below.
Wishing you a wonderful new year! I look forward to connecting with you.