As you prepare for 2019, here are five social media marketing trends that you must consider while creating your social campaigns.

Social media is always evolving, and so are the content consumption habits of users. Marketers must keep themselves abreast of the latest trends so that they can equip themselves to better plan and devise their social marketing strategy.

As a marketer, do keep the following top five social media marketing trends in mind for 2019:

1. The Rise of User-Generated Content

Today a customer conducts thorough research before she decides to buy what she needs. The buying process is no longer as simple as going to the brick-and-mortar store and picking up a product. People compare prices, search for deals, check with friends, and a lot more, before they hit the buy button.

Word-of-mouth publicity, referrals, and the story behind the product play a significant role in the customer’s purchase decision. Many businesses have started embracing user-generated content (UGC) to promote their brands and products. Incorporating UGC about how your product is being used in real life will add a personal touch to your promotions.

You can leverage UGC by creating contests like ‘share your click’, ‘your favorite memory with our product’, or simply through hashtags. You can also reward the best entries or mention your customers for sharing their stories with you. This creates brand awareness, engages your audience, and leads to better customer experience with minimal investment.

2. Live Videos Gain Popularity

Videos offer what pictures and text cannot. And the upsurge of live videos corroborates the fact that humans love visual experiences, especially if they feel like ‘a part of the moment’. We predict that marketers will leverage the growing popularity of live videos and live streams because:

• Live videos are more engaging and interactive.
• They add a new dimension to content personalization.
• It is one of the most authentic ways to connect with your audience, and it helps build trust in your brand.
• You can reach a broad audience base with a single click.

3. Messaging Apps and Chatbots Gain Ground

Businesses are providing multiple channels for customers to reach out to them. The popularity of messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, Kik, WhatsApp, and WhatsApp for Business, etc. has made it simpler to connect to the customer. Also, chatbots are increasingly becoming a marketer’s favorite tool to have one-to-one personalized conversations with their customers.

We predict messaging apps and chatbots will continue to evolve and maintain its run on the list of hottest social media marketing trends as:

• They offer more personalized interactions.
• They have an easy-to-use interface, are quicker to use, and convenient (not many people are a fan of picking up the phone and calling).
• Messengers and chatbots provide platforms to provide instant customer service, thereby improving the customer experience.
• Chatbots can be programmed to service and answer basic customer queries.

4. Augmented Reality Is Starting to Make an Appearance

Augmented Reality (AR) is taking baby steps in the social media domain in the form of facial filters, geo-filters, etc. Marketers should devise creative ways to take advantage of existing and upcoming AR features. As AR becomes more prevalent, it will provide a more engaging, interactive, and personalized experience to all your customers. Learn why AR is a game changer for marketers.

5. Trust and Transparency for Social Data Gains Importance

The Cambridge Analytica data breach shattered the faith of layman in social media, and everyone began questioning how their data was being used by enterprises like Facebook. The enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union did help in establishing transparent data policies, encouraging honest communication between audiences and brands. However, building trust has become an imperative for brands. Marketers will be looking for ways to strike a balance between personalization and privacy, and in the process give their customers more control over their shopping experiences. Being transparent about data collections and data use methods will help marketers be upfront about what customers can expect. It will also help marketers gain customers’ trust, which will go a long way in strengthening the customer-brand relationship.

Conclusion

All the above social media marketing trends have one thing in common – they focus on improving the customer experience. All features and trends that add value to the customer and engages them will be adopted and embraced. 2019 will essentially be the year of instant gratification for a customer.

Source: https://www.martechadvisor.com/articles/social-media-marketing-2/top-social-media-trends-2019/