We, along with most of the world, are so ready to kiss 2020 goodbye! From the unpredictability and widespread need for businesses to ‘pivot’, 2020 has been an interesting and challenging time for many individuals and businesses. So with all of this in mind, what social media trends can we expect in 2021 and how can you incorporate these into your future marketing plans? Let’s dive in.
Reels are Really Here To Stay
You guessed it! As time-consuming as it can be to create video content in a small or even medium-sized business, Instagram Reels are here to stay and they can do wonders for your business’s visibility across Instagram. Instagram Reels launched in the latter half of 2021 as a direct competitor to TikTok’s continuous vertical video feed. Instagram Reels have not had the same uptake as Tiktok, but producing a variety of content forms across your socials will be favoured by the Instagram algorithm and provide your profile with more reach. In 2021, businesses will need to consider ways they can capture original video for Reels and stay in tune with the quick-moving trends of the platform. Reels may not suit every style of business but first, try looking at the big players in your industry to get some inspiration on how you might be able to make your own, original Reels for Instagram.
Declutter Your Socials
Time has felt warped this year. From new working from home arrangements and shaken-up routines, businesses have needed to streamline their socials to only the most effective and important platforms to reach their audience. This allows businesses to reduce the time spent on low-performing platforms and can allow for the remaining channels to be less overwhelming. Forget having a low-quality presence across four or five platforms and think about one or two that will work best for you. In our experience, Instagram and Facebook are the most common for B2C businesses who want brand awareness and reach. LinkedIn is best used for B2B business and running ads across these platforms can significantly improve the reach of your profiles.
Memes, Memes and More Memes
Ahh, one of our favourite ways to get lost on social media… scrolling through mountains of memes, especially if they’re topical. Memes are sharable images or videos that parody aspects of popular culture and events. Meme content has been a front-running trend in 2020 and continues to get good reach on social media by people sharing things they find entertaining. This will continue in 2021 and beyond so if memes are suitable for your business, working these into your content plan may work wonders for your brand.
Socially Conscious Audiences
On a more serious note, 2020 was the year that businesses really had to think about what they represent and how this is reflected across social their media. Understanding the social justice causes that are important to your audience and delving into the nuances of how to conduct your business on social media will make sure you don’t let down your followers. Think about how you can make your brand completely inclusive and educate your audience on how you’re doing this.
The social media trends of 2021 combine to make social media a more engaging and less overwhelming space for both individuals and businesses. As the year begins, brainstorm some ways you can level up your socials or get in touch with us for more social media management help.
