Social Media in 2021

As our world changed dramatically in 2020 due to COVID-19, social media changed right along with it. We found that although we felt connected before the pandemic, social media quickly became our lifeline to our world in many other
ways. For many, it was THE only way to be close to friends and family during the lockdowns. For others, it became the vehicle that kept their business alive through uncertain times. Did you know that studies show that social media usage increased by 10% last year? That is a shift that certainly commands attention! And many of these coronavirus-inspired
changes will be a permanent shift in the way we use and consume social media moving forward.

But let’s talk about how this seismic shift helped change the landscape for how we conduct business. First and foremost, social media was THE way companies could conduct business and connect with customers. It allowed for the faster pivots that the world was demanding in 2020. As we pull away from COVID-19, we have realized that with great struggle comes great insight.

When social media came into the marketplace in the early 2000s, it was more about what you ate for dinner or how your cat chased a laser beam around the room. It wasn’t about how we could monetize our Myspace or Facebook profile. But that all changed when Facebook rolled out its signature platform Facebook Pages in 2008. When this feature came into play, the face of social media changed forever. And with this change, we learned how to repurpose and reinvent our company’s content in a way that would continually pique interest and encourage calls to action to learn more or even purchase products or services.

Quality Over Quantity

As social media grew and changed, we learned what worked and what didn’t and each year we fine-tuned our content calendar to our customers’ wants and platform algorithms. One of the biggest social media lessons we learned from the pandemic is that followers, regardless of the platform, value QUALITY over quantity; however, quantity is still important due to various algorithms. In years past, many up-and-coming trends promoted posting content for the sake of posting content, while giving little emphasis on how relevant the post was for one’s ideal client.

But in 2021, there has been a dramatic shift. Now ideal followers want only to see a post that is relevant to their pain point. They are looking to “cut through the noise” from the internet. They want to consume content that directly educates, entertains, connects, or inspires them. It must solve their problem or answer their questions. For example, posting cute dog images for the sake of posting may not be relevant to someone who follows a horse-related page. Creating an in-depth post about how to groom a horse or sharing a horse-inspired quote or quick how-to video is sure to speak to them on a deeper level and make them feel much more connected to your company page created for the horse lover.

By keeping this in mind, you are sure to gain traction in 2021. Be sure to speak to your audience along with sharing current trends.

Videos

Videos continue to be a popular trend for 2021! How many times have you heard someone say to you “Search YouTube”? Video consumption is at an alltime high. Even in offi ces, one can watch a video and follow along using the
closed-caption feature and not disturb anyone. There are so many different types of videos that are getting lots of views at the moment, and each social media platform has its video content spin.

For example, Instagram is experiencing tremendous growth with short, quick 15- second videos like Stories or Reels. Followers love seeing behind-the-scenes or quick tip videos. It’s always fun to pull the curtain back and show how the magic happens!

And while we are talking video content, we also see “Live” videos dominating in 2021. Subscribers are looking for genuine connections, not something that is photoshopped or heavily edited. Lives are the perfect way to let your customer know, like, and trust you. The social onboarding process is a very vital part of the overall customer experience. Live videos also have filled the online virtual events industry. By hosting webinars, summits, and online conferences, virtual events kept all of us connected since face-to-face events were too risky. Expect this industry to continue to grow exponentially in 2021 and beyond.

Social Shopping

In the 90s, if you would have told me that I could buy a vehicle without ever stepping into the dealership, I would have thought you were joking. But fast forward to 2021, and that is what we are doing! Social shopping has been brought into a whole new realm due to the coronavirus pandemic.

By creating a shoppable post on Instagram or tapping into Facebook Shops, you can open your business to the world and connect with customers you never thought were possible to reach. And if you are a local type business, these shopping features can be put on steroids by adding a location tag. By geotagging your post, you bring the content to local viewers.

If you would like to talk to us about your business goals and how social media can fi t those goals, please reach out to us!