This article was written by:
The corona pandemic has forced many areas of life to slow down, and in other areas it has acted as a catalyst - particularly when it comes to digitization and the use of social networks. More is being posted, commented on and shared across all ages. The “Social Media Trends 2021” study shows that more than half of the world's population now uses social media — that's around 4.41 billion active users. During the corona pandemic, the number rose by 453 million. It is therefore all the more important to position yourself well as a company/marketer for the coming year.
These social media trends will dominate in the coming year:
Let's start with a simple but unpleasant truth for marketers: 68 percent of all social media users find content from companies and brands uninteresting. This is particularly because many ignore the original purpose of social media platforms: personal relationships, relevant content, and entertainment. Time and again, we see brands that use social media channels as a traditional advertising channel and are thus simply met with indifference from their customers.
In 2021, smart companies listen to their target group and develop content that appeals to them and their needs. The trick is not to lead the dialogue on social media, but to be part of it and to interact on equal footing with the right balance of creativity and personality.
With the introduction of shoppable posts on Instagram, it has become much easier for retailers to reach their customers and simplify their buying decision and buying process. In any case, 71 percent of consumers are already using social media platforms to be inspired by goods and products. For this reason alone, it makes sense for retailers to expand shop options and integrate them on Instagram or Pinterest. instagram offers a good opportunity to link professional images of the online shop with reposts from customers, which underlines the diversity and authenticity of a brand. Currently holds pinterest With its catalog function, excellent conversion analysis and dynamic bidding strategies for advertisers, the most promising features are available for the German market.
Brands that stand by their mistakes, are transparent and place social responsibility above profit will be the pioneers in 2021. Because no trend is as clear as that topics such as Inclusion, sustainability and social justice are becoming increasingly decisive for customers and their purchasing decisions. For brands, this means not only peddling simple lip service, but also integrating these topics honestly and in the long term into their corporate mission statement.
You can find out more about this topic in our article “The role of social responsibility and sustainability in mackerel communication”
Due to the flood of social media content and the ability to scroll endlessly, the attention span of users is steadily declining. With the increasing popularity of Instagram Stories, Snapchat, and TikTok or the introduction of Reels on Instagram, a new (on-the-go) generation has been conditioned to be entertained within a very short period of time or to receive information on a specific topic. 90 percent watch content without sound on Facebook. The figure for Instagram stories is at least 40 percent. A trend that brands should also (must) react to and rethink content, storytelling or ads. Even the B2B platform linkedin has launched the story function for German users. This opens up new opportunities for business networking. It is probably only a matter of time before XING also introduces the story format.
Since the pandemic, a generation has made particularly strong gains on the Internet and social networks. According to a Hootsuite data study from 2020, 70 percent of Internet users between 55 and 64 percent plan to do so again regularly, even after the pandemic. As far as social platforms are concerned, this generation spends a lot of time on Facebook and is particularly active there. But you can also find them much more strongly on Instagram than before — and they are thus catching up with the other three age cohorts: The photo app increased by almost 60 percent among older people within a year.
In 2021, marketers can't afford to overlook older generations on social media. Through intelligent segmentation and thoughtful presentation, marketers who include Baby Boomers in their digital strategies can overtake those who are still stuck in stereotypes and capitalize on their growing enthusiasm for technology.
Uhura develops social media strategies and tactics for its clients that work and are supported by data and factual analyses. In doing so, we not only achieve excellent efficiency gains in brand and product communication via social media, but have also received several awards for our campaigns and work. What are your experiences? Why don't you give me a call, follow us on linkedin or write us a email.
