It’s already 2022, and the landscape of social media marketing is changing just as fast as the world around us seems to be!

 

In 2021 we all experienced the ups, downs, and fatigue of the Covid-19 pandemic. We also all experienced the boredom of a lockdown and turned to our smartphones for both the news and entertainment. At Panta Marketing we always forecasted the rapid growth of social media marketing, but the pandemic influenced a boom in social media that no one could have predicted. 

 

That’s why in this blog post, we will be covering 5 Social Media trends of 2022, that you can implement into your marketing strategy to grow your business.

 

 

Using Your Voice to Speak on Social Issues & Global Events

Just as more and more individuals are becoming educated on the impact of modern social issues and global events, they are also coming to expect that businesses and corporations do the same. Consumers have continuously gotten more savvy and critical of the businesses they purchase products and services from, and the intense spotlight on issues such as racial equality, sustainability, and mental health over the past couple of years, has resulted in consumers becoming more educated and aware of the ethical stances and procedures businesses have put in place. 

 

To take advantage of this trend, you should use your social media accounts to speak on local and world events. Using your voice to speak on these issues is a great way to connect with your customers and boost your reputation, however, it needs to come from an educated and genuine place. By participating in these conversations, your customers can see what your business values, therefore making it easier for them to form a relationship with you. 

 

 

 

 

Making Your Social Media Profiles a Source of Info & Customer Service

On a related note, your customers, especially if you have a younger audience, are beginning to look to social media before google when researching businesses. As social media is now the first step in researching new products and services for many individuals, you need to utilize this opportunity to display the quality of your products or services. This also plays into the importance of speaking on current events, as today’s customers value the ethics of the businesses they choose to support. Take the time to get high-quality photos and videos of your products, services, and business, and use your captions to communicate selling points and features. 

 

Furthermore, consumers are also turning to social media first to get customer support. Rather than being put on hold for a customer service rep, consumers are now expecting immediate responses to their customer service complaints on social media. Taking advantage of this trend to win over customers is quite easy, just make sure you check your direct messages and mentions several times a day, and respond to any questions or inquiries timely!

 

 

 

 

Using Creators to Truly Communicate with Your Audience

With nothing to do in lockdown, people kept themselves busy with social media, but at the same time, content creators and influencers were busier than ever. As everyone was glued to their smartphones with literally nothing else to do, content creators and influencers became the direct link between businesses and their target audience. Furthermore, niche online communities grew substantially as people forced indoors found and built virtual communities around their interests. 

 

Not only has social media exploded as a general platform, but users also segmented themselves into easy to target audiences that businesses can more intimately communicate with through influencer and content creator marketing. To take advantage of this trend, you can implement an influencer marketing strategy, or research content creators within your niche to learn more about your customers.

 

 

 

 

Using What Your Customer’s Say as Content

One of the biggest challenges of social media marketing is constantly having to churn out new content. One way you can make creating content easier, and another social media marketing trend of 2022 you can take advantage of, is repurposing what your customers say about your business, products, or services as your own content. This is known as UGC or user-generated content. 

 

In addition to making it easier to create content, UGC is also more trustworthy and authentic. For example, when you tell your customers how great your business is, there will always be an inherent bias, unlike a testimonial from a real customer. If you want to take advantage of this trend, keep an eye on your reviews and mentions, and use the positive ones as content.

 

 

 

 

Making Memes and Having Fun

Memes are extremely difficult to define, but they are essentially content that points out the humour of a current event. In the past, meme-ing was reserved for brands and corporations that were hip or rebellious, but humour is really for everyone. It may sound like memes are just jokes, but with how the internet has evolved, memes spread like wildfire, and simple jokes that go viral can give your businesses a TON of exposure. However, taking advantage of this trend can be a little more tricky, as the first step to creating a funny meme is understanding internet culture which is a unique challenge within itself. However, once you think you have a feel for how humour works on the internet, all you need to do is wait for a poignant event in your industry that you can create humorous content out of. 

 

 

 

 

Keeping up with the always evolving and fast-paced nature of social media marketing takes constant effort and attention, but by taking advantage of these trends you already have a head start on implementing an effective social media marketing strategy. But if you need help, contact us today! We can take the marketing off your hands so you can focus on the parts of your business you’re more passionate about!