There are so many fascinating stories and innovations when it comes to social media in 2019—and by “stories” we don’t just mean the mixed media, disappearing content that is sweeping the digital landscape. In 2018, artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) began to take off and major catastrophes caused online hesitation—think: data breaches by Facebook, interference in American elections, and world leader dialogues on Twitter. 2019 is a year that might just be a response to all of that.
From small businesses to major corporations, every brand needs to have a social media marketing plan in 2019. Sometimes, it might even feel like every company should have their own photography staff and video production studio to keep up with the latest social trends. Yes, these things could help, but keeping your finger on the pulse concerning where your audience is and what they are now responding to is the first step.
As always, it’s a matter of what you have time to do and to do well. Brand professionalism, voice, authenticity, and trustworthiness matter more than ever.
Trends to watch for 2019
- “Going live” has been huge for a couple of years now, but the authenticity and vulnerability of live video is really speaking to audiences skeptical of sales pitches and manipulation. There have been more than 3,500,000,000 live videos on Facebook since “going live” was first introduced to the platform. Over 2 billion people have watched live videos. This is a trend just getting started.
- “Stories” are potentially the next stage of social media as we know it. FOMO (fear of missing out) is real with audiences online, and the mixed media presentation of Stories enables creators to craft deeper content and audiences to feel more connected with a brand. Facebook has said the Stories format “will soon replace the newsfeed as we know it.” And as reported by Entrepreneur, 200 million Instagram users use Instagram Stories each month. Stories aren’t just for Snapchat anymore. Savvy marketers need to be on top of this one.
- Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram have emerged as the top platforms for video marketing, and audiences are responding more than ever. With the launch of long-form, vertical videos on IGTV from Instagram and continued new options for YouTube Creators, video is evolving fast.
- Goodbye, Google+. Hello, Google My Business.
Social Media Stats for 2019
While YouTube and Facebook are the clear leaders in the social media usage battle, Instagram has jumped ahead of the pack to be the third most popular platform with a continually expanding lead over Pinterest, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
The latest survey from the Pew Research Center shows that:
- 73% of U.S. adults use YouTube
- 68% use Facebook
- 35% use Instagram
- 29% use Pinterest
- 27% use Snapchat
- 25% use LinkedIn
- 24% use Twitter
Social media is at once awe-inspiring and intimidating, and staying on top of it is a job unto itself. However, your business will be left behind if you’re sticking with the digital marketing plan you built for yourself a few years ago.
There’s so much for your company to think about online. There’s compliance and security, podcasts and chatbots, SEO and so much more. And in the midst of it all, social media should act as a billboard driving potential customers and clients to your business’s website.
Is it time for a new plan considering 2019 social media trends? It’s definitely worth a look.
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