Didn’t we just get done talking about 2016’s biggest social media trends?! It’s hard to believe that 2017 is just around the horizon. But the social media landscape changes just as quickly as the calendar. So going forward, we’ll be talking about all the new features, acquisitions and changes for social media in the new year. First, we’re starting with some of the new changes were seeing on Facebook, the king and originator of social media.
Let’s talk about how Facebook has changed in the past year, because that’s a big indicator of where they’re going. We saw the addition of reactions. Now, instead of just hitting “like” on a post, you can give a truer reflection of your emotional reaction to something. (And let’s face it, 2016 was the YEAR of emotional reactions, if you know what I mean!) Not only has reactions been great for personal communication, it has also helped brands get a better gauge of their customers’ emotions as well.
Other new features include marketplace, where members can buy and sell goods, Instant Articles, which is Facebook’s publishing platform, and Facebook Live. We’ve really enjoyed using Facebook live for a few of our clients.
Facebook has recently acquired an app called Masquerade (MSQRD), so expect to see a lot more Snapchat-like features such as filters, in the future.
Like we’ve said before, video is king right now, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down in 2017. And a lot of marketers (30%) say that they’re looking forward to concentrating most of their video efforts on Facebook in the coming year.
Augmented Reality (AR) is also a trend worth noting. If you’re not sure what that means, think Pokemon Go. Think those filters on Snapchat that make you look like a cat or something. It may seem silly, but users are loving the fun filters! We see this trend as a great way to add some personality to your brand.
Where are you focusing your social marketing efforts in 2017? Not sure where to go from here? Contact us today, we’d love to help rock your marketing plan!