Like, follow, share… Social media will continue its hold over the world. Find out what trends are taking over and if you are on these trends already.
Instagram Stories
Story telling has never been as effective as with Instagram. Although Instagram Stories is just one year old, it has already got over 200 million people using it every month. Social media observers believe that nearly half of all Instagram users will be using Stories by the end of 2018. Instagram will also witness a shopping frenzy, with users having the option of shopping the feed. As a part of its integration with Shopify, Instagram will allow users to browse and shop. It will also be a platform for 360 video and VR content.
Facebook Spaces
Facebook Spaces (a virtual reality app developed by Facebook that lets you invite and interact with up to 3 Facebook friends using a VR device) is set to go mainstream. As Facebook owns Oculus, the virtual reality hardware and software company, it has more options to develop a platform to make use of this new technology. Alongside Facebook Spaces will be Facebook Watch, which will lead to video marketing content in long format. Content could be live or pre-recorded and brands will be able to build huge communities via Facebook Watch.
Snapchat
2018 is expected to see Snapchat opening up more for personal branding. Vloggers and content creators might see the introduction of an incentivised feature that is similar to what is seen on YouTube. Also, the option of Lens Studio will make it easier to build lenses from scratch; developers and advertisers will be able to create their own augmented reality lenses.
Live Streaming
According to media observers, over 75 percent of people would opt to watch a video from a brand than read a blog. There is something about videos that are attention grabbing, in comparison to written social media posts/updates, which explains the popularity of live streaming that is expected to explode in 2018.
Generation Next
Organisations are shifting allegiance from millennials to Generation Z as studies reveal that the Generation Z is more valuable with increased buying power. Brands will target Generation Z in their social media strategies to add value to their products.
Social Media Influencers
With companies realising the immediate benefits of using influencers, they are set to invest further in employing social media influencers to further their marketing plans. Many large corporate houses are using social media–based influencer marketing strategies to connect with new audiences and improve engagement with existing audiences. More are expected to join the clan to gain mileage.
Check out the Food Trends of 2018.
