Nearly 2,000 marketers of businesses of all sizes responded to create Buffer's Social Status report and Social Chain . The report itself well worth a read, but I'm most interested in the graphs shared at the end – the Buffer data points are not analysis. There are 4 social media trends worth revisiting, plus some context to understand what they mean for you to consider 2019.
Social Media Trend #1: More businesses use Twitter than all other social channels that don't have a Facebook name.
Let's paraphrase this answer through the lens of a marketer:
The social media channels executives know about (and therefore want to see business accounts for) are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The second channel level is the special platforms, which are LinkedIn & YouTube (possibly Pinterest). These aren't helpful for everyone, but can have an impact if taken with the right approach.
You may have an account, or think it's worthwhile to have one, on IGTV, Snapchat and WhatsApp (if you have any idea what content works or what audience to reach).
And then there's Twitch and TikTok, which you've been keeping an eye on, mostly because your teens follow them nonstop.
Old habits are hard to die for, which can be used to explain why businesses are still ubiquitous on Facebook and Twitter. These are the legacy foundations of social media marketing. Claims of Twitter's demise began to ring out as Instagram's popularity grew, but the last part of the tweet wasn't in our sights.
That's not to say Twitter hasn't had a hard time in the process. However, underneath the trolls and bots, there is still an active, vibrant community. Twitter users in the US are more likely to be urban, have higher education and income .
Twitter users in the US are more likely to be urban, have a higher education and income. #socialmedia Click To Tweet
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S4mgN2kkyY[/embed]
We hit Twitter when something is happening – breaking news, live sports, events, TV premieres and political debates. This is top online source for real-time content. We also take to Twitter to share our experiences with a brand or service – often to complain or ask for support from the brand or service itself.
Twitter works especially well for these personalized interactions, so I try to understand how most of our Twitter feeds are still RSS feeds in disguise. Marketers can – and should – use Twitter to connect directly with key audiences.
Marketers can – and should – use Twitter to connect directly with key audiences Click to Tweet
Social Media Trend #2: Half of business marketers are still creating social media plans in progress.
More than half of marketers admit they do not have a documented social dia strategy. Click to post
More than half of marketers admit they have no documentation social media strategy . They get caught up in the cycle of publishing and praying. Reactionary social media marketing is not a strategy. Don't create an editorial schedule two weeks in advance and repeat the same content across every branded account, regardless of the audience there.
Worse: 100% of businesses that are using social media online are in danger of losing any prominence in their plans, not to mention their institutional knowledge and outliers. their decision if important social contributors leave the company or are unable to work.
In our opinion is Consulting for the world's coolest brands , more and more companies are coming to us asking for a written social media strategy with a roadmap they can take. While these companies have established social accounts with the right audience size and share and promote content regularly, they are still embarking on their first strategic plan to use use social media marketing.
The changes that can happen when you start thinking about social media with the intended purpose and results are well worth it. Not sure how to get started? Try check your recent social media posts and of 2-3 competitors.
Social Media Trend #3: The most meaningful engagement metrics for content performance .
Do not take this chart at face value. The question is worded in such a way that marketers can't pinpoint the preferences for which engagements make the most sense. Case in point: 2/3 of marketers say likes, comments, and shares are the engagement metrics they value most.
These answers are not only vague, but also meaningless. Not all social media interactions are created equal. Pizza eaters will understand – pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping, but it also appears on the list of least favorite toppings. We all assign different values to things, even as we share our appreciation for them. A comment on Facebook can be more (or less) valuable to a marketer than a share on LinkedIn. It depends on the goals attached to a social media strategy and what results are being worked towards.
What marketers define as meaningful engagement in this response seems to underline meaningless metrics (i.e.: likes, shares, comments) that appear on social media reports weekly or monthly. But you can't use pledges to fund payroll. Social media has to do more than make your reports look good.
The second most common answer, “engage with the brand”, is meaningful. Bingo. Get your audience interested, engaging, or inspired enough to have an interaction – this can turn into a conversation if your brand is also active and ready to engage.
Social Media Trend #4: More than half of marketers don't plan to increase their use of social features to drive direct purchases.
Marketers must get better at social commerce.
Social media has a tremendous influence on the research and engagement stages of any customer journey. We discover new products because the people we follow are posting about them. My local Facebook group is full of posts asking for introductions to landscapers and hard workers. 30% of consumers say they will make a purchase via Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat.
However, more than half of marketers said they are not plans to increase its use of social features to drive direct purchases this year.
See why a plan for social commerce is important. Please consider that Younger generations tend to shop more impulsively . Buy buttons and purchasable cards reduce customer friction. Visible posts increase a marketer's ability to identify social touchpoints in the customer journey.
Forget swiping left and right; Audiences are in the habit of swiping up to make a purchase in Snapchat and Instagram. In Messenger, WhatsApp, and WeChat, brands are turning to chatbots to personalize the automated payment experience for customers. Multi-level channels are being reduced to two steps: discovery and purchase. It's time to understand the options each social network offers to drive sales and to Start experimenting with features like buyable cards and AI-powered payments.
Here are four charts that caught my attention while reading the State of Social 2019 report. Be sure to read Buffer's analysis of the key trends they've identified. Take a look here .
Are you looking for social media trends for 2020? See our latest post, Social media trends for 2020 .
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