Social Media is now our main source of information. We scroll day by day, infinitely and thirsty for new ways of information. And of course the people behind the social media networks do serve us good, updating their services constantly so that our thirst never gets fed. So what will be new for Social Media Marketing, specifically in 2021?
Of all the things that this pandemic has proven, it is the fact that the way people do marketing has changed big time. It is no longer very much needed to invest in huge ads and billboards around the city, to get costumer’s attention. What’s needed now is to catch their eye while they scroll down, and make them purchase an item just by seeing what you’re offering through your ads using social media marketing.
No wonder business people are investing heavily in this field, as they see us buying uncontrollably, especially now as we have the time to stay inside our houses.
So except that we have witnessed an entire world fighting with Covid-19, we have also been witnessing some significant changes in the world of the, as e-commerce and online sales have reached the highest success tops.
As much as for some of us, 2020 would be a great garbage basket that we could throw away, for major social media platforms it was quite the opposite. They have been growing and evolving rapidly, with an unpredictable pace only so they can meet the demands of us as users during the pandemic. The following are the 10 most important predictions for social media marketing in 2021.
The notorious, good old Facebook. In fact, it is not getting old at all it seems! Despite facing a tough year with plenty of challenges and critiques, Facebook has once again thrived coming through all of them with even a stronger position than the one it had.
According to professionals of this field, 2021 looks promising as Facebook is expected to hit the next stage of The Social Network with major developments.
The New Storefront
One of main objectives for Facebook in the upcoming year it’s expected to be eCommerce.
We’ve already seen the first stages of Shops on Facebook and Instagram, all of which aim to ease shopping procedures for costumers, and make them as simple as possible.
Word on the street (and on Social Media Today) is that markets like India and Indonesia will be probably the big focus in the next year because of the rapid user growth and where the digital shift is beginning.
Facebook Pay
Alongside the new storefront, Facebook is also developing Facebook Pay, with the aim to make things even simpler, such as inserting one-click purchasing options and new opportunities for advertising products for purchases within posts.
With all these developments planning to take place during 2021, experts advise all retail providers to keep an eye on Facebook Shops and invest in them.
Twitter’s reputation is highly prestigious, especially from politicians, policy makers and celebrities. This popularity of Twitter has remained the same, that’s why they probably didn’t think it was necessary to conduct more innovative options or updates to it.
We know that earlier Twitter tried out live-streaming and Moments and audio tweets, among with some other various options that did not really work out, as Twitter for the most part has the same initial features.
As for this network, it’s predicted that many major changes will happen. For those of you who hate changes, I guess this is good news isn’t it?
Fleets Updates
‘Fleets’ are Twitter’s own versions of stories. They are now available to all of its users, and for sure you can expect Twitter to roll out new updates over the next year for this option as it looks like this feature tapped into the rising popularity of its current format.
Audio Spaces
Social Media Networkers conclude that Audio Spaces will be a clubhouse-like audio meet-up feature, giving users another and different way to interact with each other.
Remember how simple Instagram used to be? We would only have the options of posting photography and seeing other people’s pictures too.
Now, Instagram has updated it’s engagement options of users, by integrating the IGTV, Reels and new e-commerce tools that seem to be very promising in taking Instagram’s earning potential to a whole new level.
In-stream Shopping
In 2021, Instagram will continue the development of its already successful shopping tools.
The App is expected to add advanced one-click purchasing, new AR try-on tools, video tags for products providing more ways for businesses and creators to direct buying.
Variable Home Feeds
We are all pretty addictive to the stories on Instagram. Rumour has it that for the upcoming year, Instagram will try out a new approach to user home feeds, similar to the one we see now on TikTok’s home video stream, with some users set to open to a Stories feed.
Snapchat
Despite having a more limited budget than the big previously mentioned players: Facebook or Instagram , Snap has remained a key innovator in the AR space- which is expected to hit big in one specific way in the year ahead. Snapchat has continued to establish its own style and features in 2020, being especially appealing and entertaining among younger audiences.
New Approach
Seems like the Snapchat has been experiencing this steady growth and continuous success because of these specific features: Snap Original programming, and short, vertically aligned Tv-style shows. These ones seem to be responsible for maintain the appeal that Snap has towards younger viewers and their evergreen consumption patterns.
Snap is expected to put more focus on Snap Originals in 2021,and it’s expected to see more publishers as studios invest more into aligning with the format, also by focusing on building new ways to stay connected to younger audiences.
eCommerce Focus
As Instagram and Facebook look to incorporate more eCommerce tools, it is expected that Snapchat will also blend in with the shift and join the trend. People of this field believe that in the upcoming year, Snap will probably look to provide its creators with more opportunity to sell products direct in-stream.
And if not now when? As these isolation measures are turning us into consumption freaks.
Apple/Snap Partnership
What’s currently being speculated is that Snapchat and Apple are working on the next stage of Apple’s AR glasses, which could potentially lead to the next phase of its own Spectacles device.
At this point, this idea remains only speculative, but Apple-powered AR Spectacles could be the next big move in the world of social media, and it could also help Snapchat to increase its virtual presence and extend its audience.
Bottom line is that with the Covid-19 still going on, nothing is for certain, in any field or sector. But these are only some predictions for the world of social media marketing, and it’s left to witness whether these ones become true!
Photos: Shutterstock
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