Social trends for 2020

What does the future hold for social media? As we enter a brand-new decade, there will continue to be great shifts in the social media patterns. Digital and social trends are expected to continuously change as social networks evolve at full speed. To maximise the effectiveness of your social media activity, you will need to keep a close eye on these new trends. 

So let’s look at the trends that we believe will shape social media in 2020:

Tik Tok, the newbie who continues to grow

Looking back at 2019, the Tik Tok phenomenon took the world by storm. While Facebook and Instagram have both dominated the social media world for years, Tik Tok has managed to conquer the hearts of the younger audience. The creative platform allows users to create funny video clips with both visual and audio effects. Tik Tok takes a fresher approach to social, encouraging more spontaneous contributions than the likes of Instagram. If until now you had integrated Snapchat and/or Instagram into your marketing strategy, 2020 is the year to also consider how Tik Tok could fit into the mix! Particularly if you are targeting a younger audience!

Social media as an information source

Just as online streaming services are gradually replacing television, social networks are replacing traditional news platforms. For among young users, social networks have become privileged sources of information, as they dismiss television broadcasts and newspapers as obsolete platforms. This trend is expected to continue with Facebook and Twitter becoming primary sources of information for millions of people. As this change occurs the social media networks must enhance their efforts to prevent fake news, in order to reinforce their overall credibility. We have already seen Facebook ban deepfakes, so watch this space as further regulations come into play to stop the spread of disinformation!

Are podcasts going to overtake videos?

In 2019, the consumption of podcasts reached new records! Could 2020 be the year in which podcasts become viral on social networks? It is a particularly popular information medium, easy to find, use, and they fit perfectly in our busy modern lives as they can be consumed whilst doing something else, unlike videos. Marketing experts have grasped the full potential of this type of content, investing more money in ads on podcast platforms than ever before. Google also recently made them directly accessible via its search results. And even if podcasts don’t actually overtake videos as the content of choice on these platforms, it remains a great tool to increase your traffic generation and build strong relationships with your audience.

A new way to advertise products and services with AR and VR

As the first social platform to implement augmented reality, Snapchat paved the way for other social networks. However, this technology doesn’t only offer animal filters, 3D animated Bitmoji or other simple animations. Augmented reality has become an opportunity for brands that want to give more dimension and realism to their products in the digital world. Consumers can now try on clothes, make-up or hair, as well as holding products in 3D, simply using their camera on social platforms. The main objective of these new tools is to improve the engagement of Internet users on social networks by ensuring an ever more pleasant user experience. What’s next is a big question but being ‘alive’ to the opportunities that AR/VR could bring will become more important for some.

Mental health awareness a new priority on social media platforms

User wellbeing is a notion that all companies should prioritise in 2020. In this day and age, users are increasingly aware of the harmful effects of excessive use of social networks. This greater awareness of the impact of social media on mental health has a consequent impact on its use and understanding. In 2019, Facebook and Instagram trialled hiding ‘like counts’ for users in many countries, and countless campaigns warned the general public about the mental health problems that social media platforms can cause… It has been widely observed that social media use and dependence could be the cause of mental health issues in younger people, so this 2020, companies should ensure that they are benevolent towards their users, and be ahead of the change in the social landscape, as user wellbeing is prioritised!

Our top tips for social this 2020

So how can you ensure your social activity is fit for purpose in this new decade? We advise you to stay on top of the trends. You need to be in the know so that you can keep your strategy alive. We are braced for lots more change this year, so it’s a case of staying vigilant and staying ahead of the game. To continue to create strong consumer engagement this year and instil trust with your audience – you must express your company’s ideas, show your intentions and your actions with more personalised content that your specific audience will recognise itself in. And above all, interact with your users. Show them that they are important to you and that their opinion matters! Social media is never boring and we appreciate that this ever-changing social landscape can be rather overwhelming, that’s why we’re here to help. Whether you’d like to focus on just one of these aspects or an overall social strategy, reach us on 01603 252555 or fill in a contact form.