Social media marketing has evolved in recent years.
One major change is that consumers are now much warier with ads and sponsored posts than before.
Marketers have been adapting to these changes by creating organic content that resonates with people and generates more engagement.
Social Media Influencers
Another major change is the increase in influencer marketing, which some see as a way to circumvent consumers’ distrust of ads.
Aspiring social media stars can easily use sites like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok platforms for free promotion by creating sponsored posts that their followers trust.
Making these connections also has benefits for brands.
Brands can find influencers to help them promote and share their content with the influencer’s audience, which may be much larger than their follower count.
This results in higher engagement rates for posts from both parties involved in this marketing technique.
Social Media Marketing Bots
Another significant change that social media marketing has seen is an increase in bots on sites like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
Some brands have begun to use bots to reach a wider audience, but with the increase of people noticing this trick, it’s become less effective than before.
The best way for marketers is to create organic posts that are shareable and genuinely interesting so they don’t need fake followers or higher engagement rates from bots.
Meme Marketing
As people increasingly grow wary of online advertising and sponsored posts.
Memes have become a popular way for brands to create content that resonates with people and generate more engagement.
Companies such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Chanel, and Starbucks have all used this technique successfully in recent years.
These companies post memes on their social media channels that resonate with the company’s brand identity or values and get shared with other people.
Memes are also a good way to create content for those who don’t have as many followers on social media channels because it’s not an ad or sponsored post and is simply an image with the company message in the text underneath it.
By using this technique, companies can reach more potential customers than they would by just running a sponsored post or ad.
The rise of TikTok
TikTok is a social media platform that has risen as one of the top social media platforms in recent years.
It’s gained popularity for its short videos and audiovisual content, which makes it appealing to teens who may not have much time but want to create shareable content quickly.
The app has been downloaded more than 3 billion times around the world so far, with a large majority of its users being young adults aged 18-24 years old.
Suggested Reading: Will the YouTube Shorts Monetization Put TikTok Under Pressure?
Social Media Stories
The newest trend seen on social media channels is the increased use of Stories.
Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter all offer this feature to their users for free and it has been getting a lot of attention from marketers because they are easy to share with followers and friends in an instant.
This new content type will also bring more engagement rates from followers because it gives them a behind-the-scenes look into what the influencer is doing.
It’s also another way for brands to show their personality and values, which we know people are attracted to these days in marketing strategies.
Changes in Cookies, Tracking, and Privacy Policy
With increased security and privacy concerns, cookies are becoming less available on social media channels.
YouTube has removed more than half of its data-tracking capabilities, with Instagram following suit and removing a lot of its data-tracking features as well.
This will make it harder for brands to track the effectiveness of ads because they won’t be able to see how many people have seen the ad or if it led to any conversions.
Social Media Marketing in 2021 is a constantly changing field, which requires marketers and social media influencers alike to be on their toes and consistently adapt to new changes that crop up every year.
Conclusion:
As social media marketing continues to change, marketers are looking for the best way to reach and communicate with people.
The success of these marketing techniques will continue to depend on how well they resonate with consumers’ distrust of ads or sponsored posts.
Did I miss any significant changes in social media marketing? Please leave them in the comments below.
Ali is a digital marketing blogger and author who uses the power of words to inspire and impact others. He has written for leading publications like Business2Community, Inc. Magazine, and Marketing Profs. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his family.