4 Trends in Social Media You Can’t Ignore

Ever since social media platforms were introduced, they’ve been a boon for brands and businesses to spread the word and increase their visibility. A lot has changed since the early days of social, however, and it looks like those changes are coming at an ever-increasing pace. Here are four trends happening right now that businesses should be taking advantage of.

1) The Rise of Explainer Videos

According to research by Wyzowl, 95% of people have watched explainer videos to learn more about a product or service. For the uninitiated, an explainer video is just what it sounds like: a video that explains how a product or service works.

Video is a trend that appears to be here to stay, and it’s no surprise – we humans are wired to perceive images before words. The advent of explainer videos is fairly recent, but their value is becoming increasingly clear: companies like Dropbox have been able to increase their conversion rates by as much as 10% simply by adding explainer videos to their media mix.

SiteGround experts not only develop various solutions for WordPress sites but also create unique designs that you could download for free. SiteGround WordPress themes are easy to customize for the particular use of the webmaster.

2) Real-Time Content will Reign

Forget that over-produced, long-form video you’ve been thinking about; according to research from Go-Globe, live streaming is expected to account for 82% of all internet traffic by the end of next year. Four out of five members of a brand audience indicated they would rather watch live video from a brand than read a blog post!

3) AI-Driven Personalisation

We’ve already seen the power of AI to drive chatbot conversations, but we still have a long way to go in how we utilise artificial intelligence. Brands are beginning to branch out in how they use it; however, some of the most powerful applications of AI today are to offer personalised, individual product recommendations to an audience.

Airbnb does this by recommending customised trip and activity ideas to its subscribers, and Amazon highlights products it thinks you might like, based on previous purchases you’ve made.

4) Vertical Video is Now Bigger Than Traditional Video

A recent Statista report shows that over 50% of all online videos are now viewed on mobile, in a vertical format. If you’re a brand or a business, you need to be thinking about how you can create video that is optimised for mobile. Creating vertical videos allows you to present an optimal foot forward in channels like Instagram Stories and Snapchat. Plus, with Instagram having launched IGTV and other companies likely to follow suit, vertical video is a format you can’t afford to ignore.

Conclusion

Businesses that use social media effectively see an undeniable return on investment to their business by way of increased sales, greater engagement and reduced attrition. The rules of the game are changing rapidly though, and the businesses that will be most successful going forward are the ones that are willing to adapt to market behaviours. Those that don’t ignore market trends at their own peril.