The Social Media experts at Riley & You have been scouring the internet and attending workshops and webinars in order to stay up to date on the ever-changing landscape of online marketing. We want to use our expertise to help you in the new year. We know you have a Facebook page and an Instagram account for your company, but do you know how to get the most bang for your buck on these platforms in 2019? Social media is becoming more personal, and we want to use that to help you connect with your current and potential clients. Here are some of the biggest trends that you should be thinking about for your business in 2019.
Stories
This is a trend started by Snapchat that has also been adopted by Instagram and Facebook and by almost a billion social media users. It allows users to quickly swipe through content that comes at the top of their pages. In 2019, it’s predicted that the traffic on stories will surpass the traffic on news feeds because story-sharing is growing 15 times faster than newsfeed-based sharing. Social media is pivoting from text-based platforms that were originally designed for desktop computers to a more mobile-friendly format that favors images and allows people to capture in-the-moment experiences. It’s time to start experimenting with story features to see what works for you. You can capitalize on this trend by creating story-specific content, using stories to highlight the best features of your product, and experimenting with augmented reality (AR) content and custom GIFs.
Messaging
Because people are spending more time on messaging apps, direct messages are a great way to customize your message to clients and provide personal interaction. In this shift away from public content that goes to everyone, consumers are moving to private spaces. If you have not enabled Facebook messenger on your pages, you will be missing valuable interaction you can have with your consumers. You also need to have unified inboxes so you don’t miss the opportunity to interact with customers in a more personal way. You can use messaging apps and bots to streamline customer service queries. New ad campaigns can incorporate messaging apps so that you can reach your audience more effectively and efficiently.
Shopping
All retail businesses have seen a shift toward online purchases, and this trend will only continue to increase in the coming year. However, improved social shopping technologies are bridging the gap between social media and online stores, especially with younger buyers who are more comfortable with online shopping. Instagram now has “shoppable” posts that allow consumers to buy by clicking on the post and never leaving the app. Mobile video and live streaming are also changing the way people shop online. Companies are also starting to experiment with augmented reality (AR) technology that allows customers to experience the product in a whole new way.
The year 2019 promises to bring many new elements to online marketing and social media. Is your company ready? Let the experts at Riley & You help you navigate the new trends and figure out what works best for your company and your marketing approach. Let us be your social media and online marketing team! We are already working on helping our clients capitalize on these cutting-edge trends for 2019. Contact us today to find out how we can help you!
