2016 will harbor a new year of changes to Google's search algorithms, as well as your social media strategy. Social media has been a popular outlet for businesses and consumers alike to communicate and express themselves. As technology advances, new trends arise and these trends open doors to grow and enhance your business. So what are the top social media trends taking over 2016? Check out this article to find out and stay on top of the ever-changing social media universe.
Faster Responses
If people comment on your post, more than likely they are seeking a response. Responding to people's questions and comments reassures them that you care about your customers and take the time to give them the information they need. According to Search Engine Watch, more than 70 percent of users expect to hear back from the brand they’re interacting with on Twitter, and 53 percent want a response within the hour. This has only enhanced throughout the years and now for 2016, people not only want you to respond, they expect it. Furthermore, the faster you respond, the more you can improve your social media marketing efforts. This is especially true with customer complaints or negative feedback. It's important not to avoid or inappropriately respond to negative feedback. 72 percent of social media goers say that responding to an individual's complaint or issue within an hour is a reasonable time period to hear back. So, to improve your social media efforts, you should be responding as quickly as you can to as many comments as you can.
Mobile Necessity
A responsive design is nothing new but has been advancing quickly over the years, making a mobile presence a necessity for 2016. With a new smart phone coming out almost every month, people use them more to check their social media sites than any other source for the web. If you're not utilizing mobile experience, your company can be missing the element it needs to grow and generate more traffic to your website. According to Sprout Social, mobile social media marketing is crucial especially if you’re targeting millennials, of which 87% admitted to never being without their smartphone. More importantly, 14% wouldn’t do business with a company that doesn’t have a mobile site or app. What once was an extra perk for businesses is now a necessity to stay relevant in the ever-growing online world.
Improving SEO
Social media alone isn't enough to achieve successful search engine rankings but the advancements in the different platforms have allowed for business ti improve their SEO efforts. Social media opens doors to communicating to a larger audience. The more people who like and see your posts will help to drive traffic to your website and hopefully increase sales. According to Acronym, the biggest SEO benefit is the large increase in indirect links. The social media sites themselves don’t provide much link value, but many publishers and webmasters look to social media sites for references, which results in valuable editorial links that help improve rankings.
Additionally, Google has been working with several social media platforms to improve your rankings when people search. For 2016, you should optimize your posts. This wll help further communication on sites to not only benefit the user but to also benefit the business by greatly improving traffic with social media posts. Before, business used social media as a portal for communication but more to promote their content. However, with new strategies arising you can better directly communicate with consumers while also boosting traffic at the same time.
Live Streaming Video
According to Sprout Social, faster response times aren’t the only thing you’ll want to focus on. Consumers also want faster access to real-time, offline events. Live streaming video is considered to be the next big thing in social media marketing thanks to apps like Periscope and Meerkat, which took the Internet by storm in 2015. Video has been away for business to show visual instructions on how to use certain products and services but live streaming takes video a step further. Live streaming can be highly beneficial for several brands, letting people see what a brand is all about live. This ensures customers that the video they are watching isn't just and edited advertisement but actually a live show or demonstration.
Purchasing Through Social Media
For so long business have used social media to drive traffic to their site, to increases sales. Now, as technology advances, social media platforms such as Pinterest have revolutionized purchasing directly on the site. According to CNBC, recently, several online platforms unveiled shoppable ad links in order to facilitate the purchasing process. With one simple click, consumers can go from viewing a product to an ad to having it shipped to their homes. Social media site Pinterest released "buyable pins" in early June, a way for users to securely purchase sponsored items they "pin" on their pages. Meanwhile, Instagram announced that they will begin testing direct-response options that will let users buy products, sign up for emails or download apps straight from the social network.
It's important for businesses to grow as social media does. Research ways you can get your products and services available for direct buying. Trends come and go but it's important for businesses to utilize the opportunities to develop and grow.
Knowing the top social media trends taking over 2016 is just one element to improve your online marketing efforts. Download the marketing grader below, to see if your inbound methods are working to bring new customers to your organization.
