10 Social Media Trends on the Rise in 2021!

Wanting to create an unstoppable social media account for your business?

Below are some ‘must-have’ hot tips to help grow your business, brand and audience.

1.     The rise of the meme’s

Memes, Memes, Meme’s! The hilarious content of memes is exactly what people are craving, especially with the hard year everyone had in 2020 and even still now. Memes usage and mentions increased 26% from August 2019 to July 2020 and are expected to rise again in 2021.

Not only are memes comic relief, but it can also show your brand’s personality, increases engagement, creates a sense of community, and potentially make your brand viral. However, it is essential for your memes to be relevant to your audience and your brand.  

2.     But first, let me take a video.

Video content is everywhere at the moment!  And why? Because it is so engaging. According to Insivia, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text.

Uploading videos on your social media platforms is a great way for your customers to learn more about your company whether that is through: live videos, Q&A, How-to video, product explanations, meet the staff introductions, product reviews, ‘our story’ videos etc.

It is important for new and existing customers to learn, not only about the products or services you provide, but the brand itself and video content is a very engaging, useful way to do this.

3.     Tik Tok is on the clock

Have you heard of Tik Tok? If you haven’t, where have you been? Tik Tok is a content app where almost any video can be uploaded- from dancing, singing, comedy, cooking recipes, how to’s, vlogs etc. The time spent on the app grew by 210% in 2019 and they now have more than 800 million active users worldwide. 

Tik Tok can also be a great form of marketing. It has a huge audience so your brand’s message can be broadcasted to a wide range of people. It is another way for your brand to express its personality and connect with your audience in an easy way.

In order to be a show stopping account on Tik Tok, it is important to keep your content original and engaging in order to stand out from other accounts or brands. However, it’s imperative to establish if you’re target audience uses the app otherwise it is an unhelpful channel for your intended market.

4.     Insta-stories for the win

When you open Instagram what is the first thing you click on? Instagram stories? Me too!

It is the short, video, never ending story content that keeps people so engaged. Nearly 1.7 billion accounts use the stories format daily, making it a great way for companies to grab the attention of their target audience. This could be with content including a sale, product information, opening hours, delicious food content, behind the scenes footage and much more. The story lasts 24hours for your followers and then you have the options to keep it as a highlight on your profile where users can see at any time. This is a very useful tool if you would like key information to be easily accessible for consumers.

5.     Keepin’ it real

With the world being very divided on several social issues at the moment, consumers are wanting a connection from brands and for an authentic brand to resonant with. It is very important as a brand to ‘keep it real’ and have a conversation with your audience to make them feel heard. This strategy can build your brand trust, reliability and reputation.

6.     “Hey Google….. never mind” (opens Instagram): Social Media, the new online shopping tool

People are putting away the search engines and shopping directly though social media platforms. Users are already on the app for social purposes so it’s not a far stretch for them to start shopping and browsing online retailers through the platforms too.

As a brand, you should make sure your products and services are linked through your social media platforms with almost every post and your profile itself so that with one click of a button, consumers are directed to your website to browse and hopefully purchase. This strategy can bridge consumers looking at your brand to buying from your brand.

7.     Social Media = Customer Service 24/7

Social Media is not only a platform for you to show your friends and family what you are doing but now it is a two-way conversation and social connection. Social Media is a great tool for your customers to ask questions, be a part of a conversation and enquire on any issues they are experiencing. This trend is becoming more popular as these platforms are always available and easily accessible.

It is important for a brand to create an inclusive and helpful community via social media to build brand confidence and dependability.

8.     Prime Time posting is a must!

Social Media prime time is a thing! There are specific times when a large number of users are operating certain apps. It is important to understand those times and posts accordingly to engage the largest audience.

According to Social Media Today, on Instagram, Wednesdays have the highest engagement, followed by Mondays and Thursdays. Consumers tend to look at Instagram via their phone so, are usually engaged in their lunch break 11am-1pm or after work 7pm-9pm. Sundays are the worst day for posting on Instagram so that is something to keep in mind. However, on Facebook the engagement is quite different. The best days for posting is Thursdays to Sundays during work hours of 1pm-4pm as consumers are more likely to visit Facebook via a web browser on a computer. Tuesday is the worst day for posting on Facebook.

As a brand it is important to understand when your audience is online and to engage them at those times for the most interaction and responsiveness.

9.     Live, Laugh and Live videos

With many events being cancelled in 2020, there was a rise in live videos online so brands could still keep a level of interaction between their audience. Live viewings spiked by 50% on Facebook and 70% on Instagram in 2020. Live streams help create a ‘in the moment’ opportunities with your consumers while also being a great tool for hearing what your audience has to say. Therefore, live streams are a very useful and important tool for customer engagement and trust.

10.  Go green… like now!

Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen a shift in brands moving towards a more sustainable future, whether it’s through the materials they use, the packaging, their systems etc. Not only are brands becoming more sustainable but so are consumers, seeking out brands that are conscious about the environment. As the environment is becoming an important factor to customers it is vital for brands to reiterate their sustainability.

These trends will ultimately enhance a brand’s engagement, audience and the brand itself. Some of these trends are new to social media platforms while others have been apparent for quite some time however, they both play an important role and bring different benefits to the brand. Incorporating a variety of these trends towards your social media platforms will help your brand excel!