If you’re jumping into 2022 with no social media or digital marketing strategy, you might be in a bad situation. With the way consumer behavior is changing rapidly, your business needs to adapt to these changes.
Even if you have been using social media as part of your marketing strategy for years, you need to be aware of the new trends in social media so that your efforts are not wasted.
Although there is no way to tell what will happen with social media in the future, we have five trends that can help you in 2022.
5 New Social Media Trends For 2022
We have compiled a list of the five most impactful trends in social media for 2022.
1. Influencers Must Mature
2. You Have To Be On TikTok
3. Don't Overlook Linkedin
4. Focus On Mental Health
5. Advertising Will Become More Difficult
These are the top 5 trends that we believe can have the biggest impact on your business and set your social media strategy up for success in 2022.
Influencers Must Mature
Although influencer marketing is not new, influencers must mature to match the current consumer needs. The days of just being a pretty face with no real value are coming to an end.
There are two reasons for this:
1. The number of influencers out there has increased drastically, meaning consumers have more choices than ever before.
2. The quality of influencers is getting better. This means that the people making the most significant impact on social media now are not just pretty faces but also have something to offer with their influence.
If your business is working with an influencer or you are an influencer, you must gain trust by building long-term relationships.
It is also good to make sure your brand aligns with the influencers you collaborate with. Random product promotions will become obsolete over time because they hurt the influencer's credibility and are becoming less effective.
If you are currently an influencer or want to be an influencer, you need to focus on quality and reputation rather than just quantity. Focus on building trust with your followers and the people who influence them and forget about one-off promotions.
Consider building value in every post and have a reason for using a specific product. You can still focus on promotions, but you need to make sure that they are an integral part of the post and not just stuck in there for no reason.
You Have To Be On TikTok
TikTok has already become one of the biggest social media platforms consumers are on. Many influencers have already started using TikTok as part of their business strategy, and you should consider doing the same.
TikTok's video creation process is simple enough that almost anyone can do it, which means there’s no shortage of influencers on the platform. Consumers love to share their videos, which can help you build brand recognition and trust among your target audience.
The number of people on TikTok has exploded in a short amount of time, which means that your business needs to start using TikTok or risk becoming irrelevant in 2022.
Many influencers choose a specific type of video that is unique to them to stand out. Mixing humor and value is the best way to attract viewers. Focus on creating fun and entertaining videos rather than just overly promotional.
Keep it natural, and don't come off as if you're trying too hard. A natural approach with a dash of skill is the best way to attract new viewers and stay relevant in 2022.
Don't Overlook LinkedIn
People have been using LinkedIn for years, but many people simply see it as a place where you can find jobs and maybe connect with potential recruiters. Linkedin influencers are becoming more popular on the platform.
Don't underestimate LinkedIn because there are many ways to promote your business without coming off as spammy. Your LinkedIn profile page is a prime place for influencer marketing because you can share content that has worked for other people and showcase your own success.
You just need to be strategic and create value with your posts that people will appreciate and share instead of just selling something every time they visit your profile page.
Be sure to add a link back to your website in each post so people know what you're promoting and where they can find more of your content.
Focus On Mental Health
There is no shortage of uncertainty in the world. If it's politics, Covid, the economy, or the weather, there is always something to worry (or potentially lose sleep) about. Marketing campaigns that focus on mental health and the wellbeing of their audience are becoming more and more successful.
One way could be to prepare your business to help people cope with stress or simply worry less. Focus on providing value and information that will help your business stand out because you’re doing something for the greater good of society. You can achieve this by being positive and proactive.
Create opportunities for people to come together. Products that bring people together (both online and offline) are effective at helping people cope with stress. This means they can also boost your brand's image as a business that promotes positivity.
If people want to talk about it, make sure you're there for them and build a rapport with your audience. Eventually, you can use this as a way to cross-promote your products or brand.
Don't be afraid of using humor because it effectively reduces stress levels and creates bonds.
Advertising Will Become More Difficult
Ad blockers are becoming more popular on all platforms, which means that your business will need to switch up its marketing strategy to connect with consumers. This can be difficult because ad blocking technology is also advancing quickly.
Ads are being put under a microscope for being offensive, intrusive, or simply annoying. In the future, consumers will have a lot more control over advertising online.
It will be difficult for small businesses and startups because larger companies can afford to advertise through different channels. This means you need to make a good impression with your content to stand out from competitors who may have larger budgets.
Ensure your ads provide value and don't violate any of the policies listed by the ad platform you're using.
It's essential to get feedback from your customers and test out different advertisements (and marketing strategies) until it fits in with what people want or expect. Don't be afraid to fail because trial and error are the only ways to learn.
However, you also need to know when it's time to cut your losses and try something else.
Conquering Social Media in 2022
When it comes to social media, people are overwhelmed by the number of platforms they need to be active on. This means that you should focus on the platforms where your target demographic is active and expand from there.
It's also important to look up competitors in your industry and see what consumers engage with.
Paid advertisements are becoming more complex, which means you need to be strategic about what platforms you advertise on and what ads you try to use.
You need to stay on top of the latest trends in social media because it's changing fast, but also know when your efforts aren't paying off. If you're spending a lot of money on ads that aren't converting, then it's time to change your approach.
Every marketing campaign should have a goal and be as targeted as possible. If you're unsure where to start, focus on building a bond with your audience before trying anything else.
Social media is all about connections between people and brands, so always keep that in mind.