Social Media Marketing Trends That Are Relevant In 2022 And Beyond

 

What’s the first thing you usually do when you wake up or the last thing you do before you go to bed? Probably check your phone, right? You’re not the only one doing that. According to one study, at least 71 percent of people are on their phones first thing in the morning, and they’re obviously not checking the weather; they’re looking at notifications from—wait for it—social media platforms!

 

From Facebook to Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, 4.62 billion people—that’s more than half of the world’s population—use social media. And the average time they spend on these platforms is about 2 hours and 27 minutes. So, as a digital marketer, if you’re not setting aside time, budget and effort for social media marketing— you’re missing out.

 

But one thing about social media is that it’s always evolving. So, it’s important to be savvy which your marketing strategies and keep a close eye on everything that’s trending.

 

We’ve made your job slightly easier by rounding up these top social media marketing trends for this year and maybe the next few.

1. TikTok Is Creating Some Buzz

 

TikTok is leading the social media sphere right now, and it’s obvious to anyone keeping track. The app’s user base has grown tremendously in the past 2-3 years—it now has more than 1 billion active users. Most of these users log in every single day and, on average, spend more than an hour in the app (of course, most users spend a lot more than just an hour using TikTok).

 

Also, according to TikTok, about 47% of its users have purchased something they saw on TikTok. Given these numbers, it makes sense for all businesses, especially those targeting younger audiences, to curate a following on TikTok and make it a central part of their marketing strategy.

 

2. It’s The Era Of Content Creators And Influencers

 

Recently, we heard someone say that our world now belongs to influencers and content creators, and we’re just living in it, and we can’t help but agree. Content creators have really made it—big time—and they’re having their moment.

 

And given the kind of popularity they enjoy and the power they hold over the masses, it would be a shame if digital marketers couldn’t leverage it for their marketing goals. Influencer marketing should be at the top of every business’s marketing plan.   

3. Short-Form Videos Are Everything

 

If you’re going to market on social media, you have to use short-form videos for maximum success. If TikTok’s success tells us anything at all, it is the masses' love for short videos. Why are they popular, one may wonder? Well, it might be because humans are visual creatures with increasingly shorter attention spans.

 

Also, almost all social media platforms allow users to create short videos—Instagram’s got reels, YouTube has shorts, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram all have stories. Use these short-form videos to tell your brand’s story! And, don’t forget they’re much more affordable to shoot and share than mainstream commercials! 

 

4. Social Commerce Is Still Growing

 

Did you know that now you can use social media to directly sell products? If you weren’t doing that till now, now is the time to start since this is a developing trend and is likely here to stay.

 

In the past two years, the percentage of social commerce buyers has significantly risen, and it’s expected to grow further. The modern buyer prefers as few clicks as possible during their shopping experience, which is why directly shopping on social media platforms is a great option for them.

 

5. Social Audio Has Become A Whole Thing

 

It may have started with Clubhouse, but even as the buzz created by Clubhouse has died, the concept of social audio has definitely survived and thrived. This could be because other platforms followed suit and launched features like Facebook’s Live Audio Rooms, Soundbites and Podcasts, or Twitter’s Twitter Spaces. And also, because many people love the subtlety of social audios.

 

Moreover, as a digital marketer, we’d also recommend that you’d look into Discord since it’s definitely one of the most well-known audio platforms and has a large user base.

6. Marketers Are Discovering The Power Of Memes

 

According to Instagram, more than a million memes are shared on the platform every day. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good meme? And top-tier marketers have noticed the untapped potential in these humorous images.

 

As a result, you may have come across memes and gifs with subtle marketing hints. The primary purpose here isn’t to market but to share a moment with your audience and connect with them!

7. Brands Are Developing Social Media Crisis Plans

 

A crisis plan for their social media management is one of the most important social media marketing trends that every business needs to incorporate intoits strategy. We live in an age where the smallest mistakes by brands can blow up in mere seconds and ruin everything you’ve worked for. The cancel culture is real, and you don’t want to be caught up in it.

 

This is why, for starters, as a brand, you have to always be on the right side of any argument and avoid controversies at all costs. Also, remember that “even negative publicity is still publicity” is an outdated statement—don’t fall for it. And in the worst-case scenario, always own up to your mistakes and have a social media crisis plan ready!

 

If this sounds slightly scary, we suggest you reel in the help of some digital marketing experts like the ones at X Times More. They’re one of the best SEO Service Providers and can also help you with web design and social media marketing services.

 

Reach out to them for more information.