We all know that wearing white pants after Labour Day is a faux pas and animal print has made a comeback in a major way, but when it comes to trends in the digital marketing world, things aren’t always as clear.
Are you wondering which social networks are outdated, peaking or on-the-rise for your target audience? Questioning the importance of video and virtual experiences in your business? Looking for new and exciting ways to create content?
Learn all about these digital marketing trends and must-haves to introduce to your strategy this season.
WHERE TO FOCUS YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ENERGY
As one of the most commonly used platforms in the world of social media, Facebook is no stranger to most businesses. This internet tycoon has just over 2.3 billion Monthly Active Users (MAUs) - but has Facebook reached its peak of popularity? According to Forbes, 41% of monthly Facebook users are over 65 years of age, with the platform quickly losing market share among young users.
So what does this mean for businesses with a younger customer demographic?
This doesn’t mean that it’s time to remove Facebook from your roster completely, but this does call for an audit of your target audience, and assessment of your current social campaigns. It’s important to ensure that all of your social media channels are being used effectively to ensure that you’re not wasting your time and budget on under-utilized social media platforms.
Which social media platforms are hot right now?
As we move into Q4, Instagram still remains a hit with the kids. As one of the most rapidly growing social media platforms of all time, Instagram is flooded with brands, influencers and content that the younger demographic cares about. This means that if your target audience is under the age of 30, it’s time to start launching social PPC ad campaigns on this platform! Learn more about kick-starting your social PPC campaigns in our recent blog, Marketing in a post-pandemic world.
In addition to Instagram, when it comes to hot social marketing trends, nothing is hotter than TikTok. This incredibly powerful social media platform has over 800 million MAUs, and is an outstanding tool for advertising to the under 30s. Check out Hootsuite’s latest blog post to learn the ins and outs of advertising on this up-and-coming social network.
DELIVERING EFFECTIVE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES
It’s official - video is no longer an option in 2020, it's a need. This means that if your business isn’t already using video marketing, it’s time to get on board!
Video marketing and virtual reality experiences are highly-engaging for all generations! Check out these recent stats from ImpactBND:
- 70% of consumers have shared a brand’s video.
- 52% of consumers claim that watching product videos increases their confidence when making a purchase decision.
- 72% of businesses believe that video content has improved conversion rates.
Are you interested in delivering an effective video marketing experience to your customers? You have options!
What’s new in social media and video marketing
In our online world, most video content is being consumed from a mobile device. Whether it’s TikTok’s 15 second clips, Instagram’s 60 second in-feed videos and IGTV previews, or Facebook’s “Continue on Watch” prompts… this content is being consumed in large volumes and FAST.
If your goal is to get in front of more eyes on Instagram, we recommend exploring Instagram’s newest update, Instagram Reels. Unfamiliar with Instagram’s latest addition? Reels are basically Instagram’s answer to TikTok. Via clever captions and hashtags, Reels provide an outlet for your video content to be viewed on the Explore page by people who don’t follow you. This can ultimately increase your chance of conversion.
H&C Pro Tip: When deciding what style of videos to post for your business, keep in mind that with all of this amazing technology at our fingertips, attention spans are low. Try to keep your Facebook and YouTube videos less than 2 minutes, to avoid a dramatic drop in viewership.
WHY CREATING AMAZING CONTENT STILL MATTERS
As always, content is still king.
Content continues to be an essential part of your digital marketing strategy, and quality is more important than ever. As Google continues to brush up on their algorithm and sophisticated understanding of online content, marketers must continue to tailor content more precisely as we move into Q4.
Out of Google’s 200+ (yes, 200!) ranking factors, the most essential are related to unique content. That’s why it’s important to provide dynamic, engaging content that communicates and resonates with your target audience - all the while improving your chances of being ranked higher than your competitors through organic search. Unique content can include videos, blogs, social media posts, emails, reports, e-books, and even apps!
If you’re looking to create game changing content, we’re here to help. Our team is positioned for success when it comes to content marketing. We’re equipped with a team of skilled content creators, who are experts in crafting dynamic stories that are technically positioned to generate ROI.
Content marketing isn’t going anywhere!