It’s been quite a year on social media! There were some ups and plug DOWNS. Remember when Instagram went down for a whole 6 hours!? Yeah, how could we forget? Or what about when Mark Zuckerburg decided to completely rebrand Facebook into Meta! We are still trying to catch our breath from the whiplash. But the end of the year is finally here (thank goodness!) and we are ready to close this chapter and see what experts forecast for social media marketing in 2022!

But first, how did we do with our 2021 predictions? Back in time we go!

For Instagram and Facebook, we predicted that both platforms would transform into a complete storefront and in-app shopping was here to stay. Yup! Say bye-bye to brick and mortar and hello to the digital space. We predicted that Instagram Reels were the reel-deal. Well, it most definitely was! The feature was even added to Facebook officially in October. For Linkedin, they did add more data-matching insights to guide users to their ideal career paths and interests – a useful tool for our B2B strategist. Now, something we didn’t quite get was that IGTV was going to take center stage. We were NOT ready for Instagram to pull the plug on that, but we were definitely ready for a big movement in the video department.

Okay, now the time you’ve been waiting for (drum roll please!). We are rounding up 7 of the most talked-about predictions for the new year!

Customer Relations Will Deepen
When previous goals were oriented toward boosting sales and selling products, our social media goals have shifted to cater to our customers and grow a relationship with our community. Despite heading to the digital age, we will see channels fostering deeper customer relationships.

Video Content is SO Hot Right Now
It’s no surprise that our attention span as a society is shortening by the minute. So along with video content continuing to dominate social media platforms, bite-sized content will also be the preferred medium to reach new audiences and earn premium engagement. According to a Cisco study, 82% of all online content will be video content by 2022. We think it’s time to include them in your content strategy.

Organic Growth Will Be a Hard Feat (But Not Impossible)
Before you break out the spreadsheets for your marketing budget next year, note that although the average organic reach for a Facebook post is just over 5%, it is not impossible to reach new audiences and gain brand awareness. However, the methodology on how we do that will have to evolve with the times.

Influencer Marketing
Paid strategist, you’ll love this one! Investing in influencers is much cheaper than running paid ad campaigns and it delivers quality results. Additionally, influencers can help with different marketing goals and not just generate sales. The challenge here will be identifying which influencers will align the best with your brand – we’ve outlined some Become Pro Tips here!

The Metaverse & more AR Options
Augmented reality (AR) is no longer silly photo filters, Zuckerberg says that the Metaverse will be a virtual world where your digital avatars will connect through work, travel, or entertainment using VR headsets. AR will also provide better shopping experiences where customers can try out products beforehand. We are SO down for that!

Growth of UGC
It came and it’s here to stay! User-generated content (UGC) is a phenomenal way to build your brand’s authenticity while growing your community outreach. Who doesn’t want a personal shout-out on their favorite brand’s account – it’s a win-win outcome for both the brand and customer!

Social Audio
Are we reverting back to the radio? Sort of! Social audio platforms like Clubhouse give the audience a direct line of communication between themselves and the show host on topics they find interesting. However, it’s not catching the attention of smaller businesses yet as it’s not the most affordable form of content marketing, but we’ll see where it leads!

Phew.. we made it through. These are just a handful of trends we’ve gathered that we think will dominate the social media space in 2022 and beyond! By taking advantage of these trends, you can stay ahead of your competitors.

Pro Tip: Remember that social media is a dynamic and competitive space. Follow our Instagram to get updated on the latest developments and stay ahead of trends!

xoxo,

The Ladies of Become Intertwined
Keeping the ‘Social’ in Social Media!
www.BecomeIntertwined.com
@BIntertwined