Social media is keeping its stronghold in the digital marketing arena. In fact, we’re pretty sure that social media marketing is getting a bigger budget this year in your marketing plan. To help execute your strategy better, we’re giving you a heads up on what to expect from the social media world this 2015. These trends will guide you in aligning your efforts on the next big thing and help you in veering away from what is losing ground. Let’s get started!
Mobile will soon become the first screen.
Mobile has been referred to as the second screen but it will soon become the first screen for social media access. Facebook reported a 15% increase in daily active mobile users and 34% increase for mobile-ONLY daily active users in 2014. Robert Katz of marketing site Clickz.com said that carriers’ shelf-space for mobile devices with 4.7-inch or larger displays have increased from a mere 4% to a third last year coupled with a spike in sales for large-screen handsets, which now accounts for one quarter of overall sales. That being said, marketers should shift their mindsets from being mobile-aware to mobile-first. Focus on mobile experience when it comes to social posts, emails, websites, and every digital channel you use.
Ello will make it big
Ello is a new social networking site that is forever ad-free. It’s currently by invite only but its growth in number of users has been unprecedented. Known as the “hipster social network,” it promises never to sell user data to other parties. Without naming names, their website boldly states, “Collecting and selling your personal data, reading your posts to your friends, and mapping your social connections for profit is both creepy and unethical. Under the guise of offering a “free” service, users pay a high price in intrusive advertising and lack of privacy.” There are a lot of Facebook-haters that would easily jump to the next big social network that will try to take Facebook down. A lot of people are trying to get an invite but you have to wait in line because it’s currently on a first-come, first-served basis. Whether Ello can overtake Facebook still remains to be seen.
Paid advertising will rise
Marketers should stop thinking that social media is free media. Facebook’s growing Filtered Feed Problem results in the decline in organic posts’ reach and engagement. Forrester reported that organic Facebook post engagement is now a meager 0.07%. If you want to make it big in social media then you need to start paying. It’s time that you invest in audience segmentation and targeted advertising. Everybody follows what Facebook does so expect the decrease in organic reach to continue across all social networking sites and the increase in paid ads to dominate.
Google+ will soon be obsolete
We couldn’t believe it either but Google+ seems to be doing all the wrong things. For one, there’s the failed Google authorship and then the widely-publicized resignation of Google+ SVP for Social and “chief evangelist” Vic Gundotra. The article by Tech Crunch officially declaring the social networking site as The Walking Dead did not help either. Add them all together and you have the makings of a failed social media network. As of today, there’s nothing unique that Google+ has to offer that Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn cannot provide. So it’s best not to waste your time on a zombie site and instead invest your resources in other lucrative social networks.
Content marketing will continue to gain traction
There’s no doubt content marketing is vital to any marketing plan but what marketers need to know is that users are being fed with millions of content across different platforms. What they’re looking for are content that MATTERS TO THEM. Quality and relevance are the keys to winning in the content marketing world. Try investing in expensive content, which involves extensive research and survey. You can distribute and repurpose it in multiple ways. You can have a white paper, a newsletter series, infographics and charts in social media, videos, and more. The Content Marketing Institute recently released its 2015 Trends, Budgets, and Benchmarks report, showing the increasing importance of investing in content marketing. It’s a trend that will never go away so it’s best not to get left behind.
Video will increase in dominance
This is primarily because YouTube is not the only video channel anymore. You have Vine and Instagram (now owned by Facebook) leading the micro-video scene. More importantly, Facebook has been challenging YouTube in the video arena, reporting a 50% growth in video views from May to July of 2014. Since Facebook rolled out the video on mobile first (another great thing they did), more than 65% of their video views are on mobile. And then there’s rampant vlogging, which is growing in demand because of its unpolished, personal, and consumer-centered nature. It’s also an easy way to communicate an otherwise lengthy, text-heavy content. Every marketer should definitely start exploring videos in social media this year. It’s inexpensive and easy to produce, too.
There you have it! The trends that will dictate the growth and movement of social media this 2015. Take a look again at your marketing plan and see if you need to make some tweaks in your strategy. We’re still in the first month of the year and it’s never too late to make any changes. Keep in mind that the social media world is an ever-evolving one and it will continue to adapt to its users’ preference, behavior, and lifestyle. Leave room for adjustments and for trends that can come up anytime within the year. Sometimes, a slight diversion from what is set in stone can make a difference in your projected results and overall marketing plan.
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Looking forward to Ello. Just entered my email address to be invited in, but I don’t think it will be strong enough to bring Facebook down. Unless, of course, they do something… I don’t know – big or revolutionary. Or probably widen their target audience? Great read, by the way!
Seeing trends like this is cool so here’s my two cents worth:
On point, I have an argument against Google+ becoming obsolete. Yes, nobody’s using it according to Business Insider [http://www.businessinsider.com/google-active-users-2015-1] that’s why perhaps you’re saying it’s a zombie network, indeed but that depends on how is it being used: https://flipboard.com/section/google%2B-plus-power-bvDt6o [for some tips]. I believe that’s what’s up with social media, no matter how famous it is, if it’s not being utilized properly, it’s of no use.
Its new head David Besbris said in a Q&A that they’re in it for the long haul [http://recode.net/2014/10/07/new-google-head-david-besbris-were-here-for-the-long-haul-qa/] So I believe they’re here to stay.
CopyBlogger also made a substantive article about G+’ future here: http://www.copyblogger.com/future-of-google-plus/ which sums up its good and bad points. They believed G+ is also in it for the long run.
And as I also believe in its potential [its Hangouts and Communities are the best in the fray, literally no other social network has something as robust], I don’t believe this network is going the way of the dodo soon.
Great insights, Philip! Thank you for sharing these sources, too! Google will surely find a way to make things engaging for Google+ but I think they need to do it fast before people lose interest. 🙂
It’s really no surprise that social media is still going strong and is predicted to stay strong. Really, I don’t see it slowing down any time soon. Social media is the easiest and most inexpensive way to get your name, business, and product out there. It’s instant and readily available for anyone with an internet connection. Nearly every place you go to has WiFi and with a capable mobile phone, anyone can log on. It’s accessible for all and quite simple. The threat of misguided information is higher though, so everyone needs to be careful not to believe everything and discern very well the things they see, especially on social media.
I agree that video will be huge. A lot of youtube personalities are breaking into other traditional medial like books, television, music, and movies in the last year and there’s nothing but up from here! Gone are the days of youtube being this secret shame of jokes no one can get away with on TV. Youtube is becoming a place that more and more people tune in. I’ve been on the receiving end of many advertisements before and during a youtube video and though I have nothing to say to those commercials before the video, when a youtuber does a sponsored video, people go NUTS. Plus, the internet reaches more people than traditional media because it’s always there. Does anyone else have an opinion on the matter? Feel free to reply!
Reading this has got me thinking, the latest trend on social media has been on images, most marketers have realized that better looking pictures attract more people and so it goes with branding.
I definitely agree that social media will continually expand and increase in our era. Imagine not only the teens but also the young in heart are having the passion of getting involved in web-communication. I have many friends who are their grandfathers and grandmothers are active especially in Facebook.
By social media, we can express our emotion and thoughts to a particular thing where we can find some friends that may sympathized with. We can also learn from it like some tutorials in youtube or any websites. So, social media is a new way of learning and making more friends.
The article’s very informative. It never really occurred to me how powerful and big social media is and will continue to be. It has shaped not just the culture of the present generation but it’s also taking over the business industry. But though it is quite helpful to be engage in these avenues, I wonder how’s social media shaping the lives of the growing population psychologically and emotionally? Just a thought…
We think it’s changing the way we communicate. The downside is it lessens human interaction as people prefer to just use social media. Despite the great opportunity social media gives, we should still be smart and strategic in using it. Thanks for your input, Kristina! 🙂
Wow! This article shows what really is happening in the different social websites. It shows details as to what possibilities may happen in social networking sites. A lot of people really do Social Media Marketing nowadays and this would be a great thing for businesses since they can market their company more to the people who uses social networking sites like Facebook and would give them more leads and clients in their company.
I totally agree, Darryl! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🙂
I totally agree with what this article tries to tell its readers. Social media has been very helpful for businesses since it offers them a chance to market their companies to a wider scope of people. I am able to buy brands that are not available in my location through online stores and ads on Facebook and other websites. See? Just a click and you can buy what you want. It is also very easy and convenient. If I would market something, I prefer marketing it in social media. Just be careful though, social media also has disadvantages with it.
I totally agree with what this articles tries to tell its readers. Social media has been a very helpful tool for marketers and businesses since it offers them a chance to market their companies in a wider scope of people. I was able to buy brands that are not available in my location through online stores and ads from Facebook and other websites. See? With just one click, you can buy what you want. Easy and convenient, right? Just be careful though, social media has disadvantages with it, too.
Marketing and Advertising gone virtual! Great thing the article provides us with statistical data that by using social media we are are able to bring the message across to a wider audience. Social Media can now make or break you. Great read, thanks! 🙂
It is not surprising if mobile phones would soon become the first screen. Since everyone of us can’t live without our mobile phones, it has been our buddy for checking up on our family and friends.
Great article! Social media is truly powerful in its way of communicating and creating content in an inexpensive and easily accessible way.
Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have rapidly turned into a part of a person’s daily life. They’re used for a countless number of ways from socializing to a form of entertainment.
Along with the rise of specially designed smartphones, it’s no surprise that mobile will be the first screen in terms of social media access. You don’t have bring anything bulky to open your emails! Just get a smartphone!
Social media is influential in a lot of ways but you have to be certain that what you post online will never be something you’ll regret.
Social media is a part of everyday routine of an individual. It is now much powerful than any other forms of media! Easy access, all you need is to have a smart phone! Whether this thing called Ello kill Facebook, it does not count anyways! As long as they hold their credibility towards their advertisement!
Social media, in the future will dictate the trends on different platforms. We are now currently seeing a rise of active users from a more younger demographic now dictating style and trends. This creates an opportunity for companies to do research on how society actively moves and changes. Everything is now more transparent and diverse.
Well, mobile is one of the top necessities of people nowadays. And most people are engaged with social media. For me, it would be a helpful way to make the mobiles as the first screen of social media, not as a second screen anymore. Because majority of the population are busy with their own careers or businesses, and most of them have a car. And most probably, we cannot operate a PC or even a laptop while driving, right? We usually use mobile on communicating and even opening our social media accounts. Furthermore, not everyone can afford to have their own PC or laptop but only a mobile phone and it can also be beneficial to them, so that they may not be deprived from social media trends.
I really like this post and it awakens my interest regarding social media. Nice article!
The spur of social media has become the thread that connects us all. Almost everything are made known through online posts and reactions. Even the ones who are not used to expressing themselves verbally such as introverts can now resort to social media for them to be able to expose a little of their ‘extrovert’ self. However, this trend has undeniably made our lives easier with regards to communication and works of progress such as in many forms of business and online jobs.
This is a good read! Social Media is the future of marketing. Most of the companies are now buying ad space and is much more direct to consumers. It’s cheaper and much more faster to gain audience. Even micro-businesses rely on social media ads and services because it effectively grows their profit. Social media sites will grow bigger when this kind of targeting is going to the right direction. Not only that, when partnered with mobile applications and other mobile developers this could be the new “traditional” marketing.
I know facebook have already have a popular this day, its like every where I turn, when I am on the public vehicle, on the malls or even on the street. I have seen alot of people using there device and accessing facebook. Now about the challenge made with facebook to youtube. Challenging about the “video arena” facebook have a slight advantage of that part because, on my experience everything now is on facebook. you can watch videos on facebook without having too many comments or ads or something like that. It is like facebook is a website where everybody who is everybody is there using facebook and accessing it. And also facebook is a good place to market your own business, products or any other services you have currently or planning to do in the future. Social media now a days is really growing faster than ever. Great job on posting this article and I was amaze that I did not notice this in the first place thinking that you could do more on facebook.