14 Social Media Trends to Watch Out for in the Future

Social media is an ever-evolving landscape of trends and technology that can be difficult to keep up with. 

To be successful on social media, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and know what’s trending in the industry.

Here are 14 recent social media trends you should know about.

1. User-Generated Content

Consumers increasingly prefer content generated by real people over more traditional marketing messages from brands. This has given rise to a variety of platforms for user-generated content, such as Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, where users can share their experiences through pictures, videos, and stories. 

Brands can tap into this trend by encouraging customers to create content related to their products or services, giving them a more authentic voice when promoting their brand.

2. Contests And Giveaways

Contests and giveaways are a great way for businesses to increase engagement, build brand awareness and reward their customers. They can be used to generate leads, build loyalty, introduce new products or services, and acknowledge customer feedback.

From small local businesses to global brands, more companies are taking advantage of the low-cost promotional benefits that social media contests and giveaways offer. Social media provides an accessible platform for companies to launch creative campaigns that reach a broad audience quickly. 

Thanks to the global network connecting the world, you can also make the giveaway available to international audiences. For instance, if you decide to give away custom merchandise, t-shirts, hoodies, or jerseys with worldwide delivery make it easy.

It is also worth mentioning that these campaigns also provide valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences.

When planning a contest or giveaway on social media, it’s important to establish clear rules and eligibility criteria at the beginning of the campaign in order to avoid potential legal issues down the line. 

Additionally, business owners should consider whether they want their contest or giveaway open only to residents of certain countries or regions, as well as what age limit applies (if any). The more specific the criteria, the better it will be for both parties involved – maximum transparency is key!

3. Live Streaming Platforms

Facebook Live and Periscope have popularized live-streaming videos across social media networks in recent years. With these platforms, users are able to broadcast live events directly from their phones or computers as they happen, offering an unprecedented level of immediacy and intimacy between viewers and broadcasters. 

Marketers also now have the opportunity to use these platforms for product launches, Q&A sessions with influencers or customers, or even simple pieces of branded content like behind-the-scenes tours.

4. Influencer Marketing

As the popularity of influencer marketing continues to grow, marketers are increasingly turning towards social media personalities who have large followings for promotional campaigns instead of traditional celebrities or ads alone. 

By collaborating with well-known influencers on content creation projects such as videos and blog posts that feature their products or services, brands can leverage the influence of these online celebrities to reach larger audiences than ever before.

5. Mobile Advertising

Over half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets – making mobile advertising one of the most important aspects of any social media strategy today. 

The ability for advertisers to target consumers based on location data from GPS-enabled phones makes this type of advertising particularly effective – allowing them to deliver ads tailored specifically for audiences in specific areas at certain times with maximum efficiency and accuracy.

6. Social Messaging Apps

Popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and WeChat provide another medium for businesses to connect with their customers on a personal level.

By allowing users to send messages directly through the app rather than relying solely on emails or other forms of communication channels like phone calls or text messages, they open up new opportunities for customer service teams in particular, as well as direct brand interactions via chatbot technology too!

7. Video Content

With increasing numbers of users consuming video content both through traditional television channels and online streaming sites like YouTube and Netflix – there has been a huge surge in demand for video content amongst marketers too! 

As little as ten seconds is enough time for an advertiser to capture someone’s attention, so creating engaging short clips for platforms such as Instagram Stories is becoming increasingly popular amongst brands looking for a more visually stimulating way to advertise their products/services compared with static images or text-based posts alone!

8. Augmented Reality (AR)

With virtual reality gaining traction in mainstream gaming circles, there has also been a recent increase in interest in augmented reality (AR). 

This technology allows users to interact with digital elements within physical environments using cameras built into devices such as smartphones & tablets – thus enabling marketers to create an immersive real-life experience around their products & services which would otherwise not be possible without AR capabilities!

9. Chatbots

Chatbots are computer programs designed specifically for conducting conversations between humans & machines – usually over internet messaging applications such as Facebook Messenger & Slack.

These programs allow companies to automate responses & tasks which would normally require human intervention, thus significantly improving customer service response times whilst reducing costs associated with staffing levels too!

10. Ephemeral Content

Ephemeral content is often referred to as ‘disappearing’ media – typically only visible within 24 hours before being deleted automatically after that period expires, e.g., Snapchat stories.

This format encourages quick, digestible snippets that often get shared multiple times during its life cycle due to its ‘in-moment’ nature – which generates heightened levels of engagement compared to other formats that remain published permanently!

11. Geofencing Technology

Geofencing technology uses geographical boundaries set via GPS coordinates & radio frequencies (RFID), allowing companies to target precise locations with highly relevant advertisements – increasing relevance without having to exclude potential customers outside the targeted area(s).

Leveraging this capability also allows businesses to control exactly where ads appear, further enhancing custom targeting measures when used correctly!

12. Memes / Gifs / Emojis

Using meme-based visuals is becoming ever more popular amongst brands looking to stand out from the competition whilst making light-hearted fun out of their posts too.

This is especially the case when combined alongside witty captions/messages, effectively connecting the core message the intended audience will find amusing, if not relatable altogether!

13. Niche Social Networks

There has been rapid growth usage of niche social networks over the past few years – platforms that tailor their content around specific topics such as food, fashion, sports & travel.

Marketers are beginning to discover value in developing deeper connections with consumers through these channels as they can identify passionate influencers & advocates willing to share stories/experiences relating to their own interests. This creates opportunities for companies to engage with customers on a much more personal level!

14. Social Commerce

Social commerce is a rapidly growing trend in the realm of social media. It refers to the use of social networks and other online platforms to facilitate the buying, selling, or exchanging of goods or services.

This type of commerce has become increasingly popular over the past few years, largely due to its convenience and cost-effectiveness for both buyers and sellers. For businesses, social commerce provides an effective way to reach a wider audience and increase sales without having to invest heavily in traditional marketing efforts.

In addition, it allows customers to easily compare prices, find deals, and purchase items directly from their favorite brands or retailers with just a few clicks.

As social commerce continues to evolve and expand in popularity, businesses of all sizes should consider taking advantage of this trend so they can stay ahead of their competitors.

Bonus: Cross-Platform Optimization

Cross-platform optimization is also becoming increasingly important too – ensuring that content is optimized across multiple channels in such a way that it can be used on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (or other platforms) at the same time. 

This helps leverage resources more efficiently while making sure that users are not inundated with the same messages repeatedly. When done right, this can be an excellent way to ensure consistent messaging and maximum reach across different social media networks simultaneously – helping to boost engagement levels even further! 

So make sure you consider this when planning your marketing campaigns going forward. It could prove invaluable in terms of achieving great results!

Closing Thoughts

With the array of different and creative options available in terms of social media trends, there’s something out there for every type and style of marketing campaign. 

When used correctly, they can be a powerful tool to help build relationships and gain traction with customers. From ephemeral content to user-generated content, leveraging the right trends allows businesses to increase engagement and provide a better customer experience overall!

By utilizing these techniques alongside personalization strategies, marketers can create more meaningful experiences that will resonate with their target audiences in an effective and efficient manner – making human intervention less necessary and boosting customer support results significantly while reducing associated costs at the same time!

Overall, social media trends offer limitless potential for developing robust marketing campaigns that will set brands apart from competitors – allowing them to reach wider audiences whilst establishing themselves as industry leaders too. So why not explore what’s out there today and get creative? You never know what you might achieve!

Author bio:
Laura Alexander is a freelance digital content manager and copywriter. She specializes in tech, e-commerce, and educational content.