Most of us have noticed changes in our engagement on social media. Most of this has to do with the ever changing algorithms that each social media platform has. Instagram has even started releasing articles which give you advice on how to best use the algorithm to benefit you. This is why it is important to stay on top of the social media trends, new tools and algorithm updates. This is especially important on high traffic social media platforms like Instagram. According to TechQuarters, these are some of the most important social media trends and updates to stay up to date with.
Stories
Since Snapchat brought us stories, other social media platforms have hopped on this train too. They’re becoming more and more popular since they allow people to engage on a more personal level. Stories are generally the first thing you see when opening social media and this is why it is important for businesses and influencers to make use of them. With stories you can respond to your followers in real time and give them the opportunity to engage with you throughout the day and give them the opportunity to ask questions that can be shared anonymously.
Live streaming
Live streams have become more popular as they are an even more personal way to interact with your followers than stories. Live streams on platforms like Twitch and Tiktok are able to be monetized which makes social media more viable as a career option. Instagram has noticed the increasing popularity and is aiming to make their live streaming component monetizable too. For your live stream to be successful, it is important to announce the dates and time of your streams, to ensure that your followers know when to tune in. A great way to maintain engagement during your live stream is to provide quality content like giving behind-the-scenes access, answering questions from your followers or giving a live tutorial if you offer services.
Social media commerce
Social media platforms are moving to incorporate ecommerce into their platform since social media has become such a major part of marketing. Instagram and Facebook have both incorporated shopping features into their website. This allows you to open and manage a full ecommerce store on their platform and also allows customers to purchase directly on their platforms. Users will no longer have to search the internet to try to find a product that they’ve seen in a social media ad, they can simply click on the ad and it can be purchased in app. These platforms have also made it possible to search the shopping tab for products. When using the online stores
Algorithm changes
One of the most important parts of staying relevant on social media is keeping up the algorithm changes for each platform. Instagram specifically has things that it will prioritise when it comes to getting your page recognized on the platform. Some of the basics include making sure your handle and profile name are relevant to your niche and describe what your page has to offer. Use your location and keywords in your bio, this will help make your page easier to search and is especially important for small businesses. An important part that many people tend to forget is to make use of keywords and hashtags in your captions. This is important to ensure that you show up when people search for keywords or hashtags, which will give you more exposure.
Instagram has also recently changed its platform from a photo based platform, to focuses on reels which are similar to TikTok. The change in the algorithm has been obvious, with people who have embraced reels seeing their account grow drastically within a short period. These short videos have become the most popular form of media and Instagram has clearly embraced this. They are also in the process of introducing a new search feature that will allow users to search for a topic and will bring up all content related to the keyword, hashtag or user that you’ve searched. Whereas previously you were only able to search hashtags or specific users. This is great as it opens up the possibility for users to get more exposure and there is more potential for your content to get viewed.
Be Inclusive
Media was mostly known for its problem with diversity. Social media has been the public’s way to break this barrier and create a more diverse and inclusive environment. Brands have noticed this and are embracing it as well. We’ve officially moved past the days of only seeing one demographic and we now see bodies of all shapes and sizes, different races and sexualities. It is important to promote inclusivity and to be inclusive on your social media. This creates a much larger platform and spreads a meaningful message of acceptance. If you are a product based business, it is also important to ensure that your products are inclusive and to cater to as large of a population as possible, this could be a size range in a clothing brand or a shade range in a makeup company.
Bring customer service to social media
When we think of customer service, the first thing that comes to mind is making a call and being put on hold for what feels like forever or sending an email and waiting days or weeks for a response. No one has time to spend waiting for service in this fast paced society. This may sound like it would take a lot more work to manage but Facebook has made sure that this is not the case. Facebook has implemented bots into Messenger that will send an automated response 24/7. Messenger can also be connected to your regular response if the query needs further attention, all these additions make customer service extremely efficient. Allowing customers to contact you via social media allows you to provide a much faster response and can improve your brand image if used correctly.
These tools are important to use when growing and managing a social media account. But the most important factor to remember is that your target audience is the most important part of social media.If users are able to connect with your content, your account will always continue to grow as you can see at IGInstant..
