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Social media trends for 2022

Business14-Dec-2021

In this article, Grace Bunk of Grace Consulting Company talks us through her top six predicted social strategy trends for 2022 in order to grow your brand and stand out from the crowd.

Social Media Trends for 2022

If you are rolling your eyes at the thought of another social media advice article, I get it. It seems the minute you read about the latest social media trends, they are already out of style and you haven’t even factored in the time to implement anything. It’s hard to keep up with the ever-changing algorithms and also run your business.

Here is the reality. If you look at the bigger picture and focus on an overall social media strategy, the small tweaks you have to make to keep up with the algorithm changes won’t have you spinning out of control. If you need help putting together a social media strategy, reach out to us: we would love to help you. Give our gen-z, social media guru, Meredith Hunt, a call on The Hotline and she will get you on the straight & narrow.

In the meantime, more trends for you. Regardless of what happens with the algorithm or what platform you spend most of your time on, these are our top 6 predicted trends for 2022 that you can consider when building your social strategy.

Be Specific

You know the saying, “if you’re speaking to everyone, you’re speaking to no one”? Gone are the days of trying to serve a large variety of styles and price points under one roof. It’s time to get specific. Every bit of your social media should connect with your target audience. From your profile picture to your bio, to the imagery & language used. It is about creating an entire attitude or “vibe” through social media for your bride to connect to. If you aren’t sick of the term “vibe” yet, then 2022 looks good for you.

I also recommend that you consider this. It’s not about what you want to share with everyone, it’s about what your customer wants from you. It’s easy to get excited about new websites, store updates, personal milestones, and more, but the reality is that your customer is selfish. It’s okay to share about your new website and personal milestones, but don’t expect the same level of engagement as something that is specifically designed to connect with your customer.

Collaboration is Key

This has been a trend at every level of business for quite some time. Collaborations are just becoming more and more ingrained in business strategies, and we don’t see this changing anytime soon.

Here are a few pros of collaborations:

You share “following’s”!
You share marketing resources & dollars.
You increase your reach & brand awareness.
You tap into new customer bases, which is a great opportunity to test new customer bases as well!
You can tap into new geographic markets.

Here are a few cons of collaborations:

You are not guaranteed to be equal in “following”, resources, dollars, or energy spent.
The collaborator’s brand is now tied to yours, indefinitely.
You don’t control all of the content.
Optics of collaborations are just that, optics. There is a lot out of your control.
You may tap into customer bases that aren’t a fit for you.

Focus on Clout

The 20’s. The decade of influencers, am I right? “Clout” by definition, is influence or power, especially in politics and business. It seems as though, even for small business, customers are seeking out your value and using clout as a measure of value.

The more recognition and influence you seem to have, the higher the perceived value is to your customer. If you don’t have a dedicated “press” highlight or something to that degree, as well as press content sprinkled into your content mix, it’s time to add it.

If you don’t believe me, I have a little test for you. Pick 5-10 of your favourite, big brands, in any category (beauty, fashion, home, etc.) and pull up their social media and website. Notice how many websites feature a press section and press featured throughout various pages. Also, take note of how many social media pages feature press mentions in their bios, highlights and sprinkled throughout the feed.

Video Content

Video content has been on the rise for years and it’s another trend that won’t be slowing down. It started with Snapchat and Youtube, and has since moved to Instagram Stories, Facebook Watch, TikTok, and Reels. Whether it’s long-form or short-form, the engagement rate on video content continues to crush the engagement rate of any other media type. This is not to say that the algorithm doesn’t affect your media type decisions, but we know that the consumer not only engages higher, but also trusts brands at least 60% more if the brand has video content.

Not all production needs to be high-quality, as sometimes it is important to not over produce something that isn’t worth the value: but you should always be looking to improve your content quality.

Combination of Scheduled & Spontaneous Content

Social media, just like a diet, is always about balance. Too much of any one thing and you’ll shoot yourself in the foot. We always recommend a combination of scheduled content and spontaneous content. The beautifully curated Instagram feeds aren’t going away, but neither is the consumer’s desire to see the imperfect behind-the-scenes footage of running your business.

We recommend scheduling the majority of your content and utilising tools like “Later” or “Planoly” to do so. You can also content batch to save time and money in your business. Scheduling your content will ensure that your brand is clear, consistent and connecting with your customers.

To help push you over the edge and create that true customer loyalty and “cult” brand experience, don’t be afraid to post outside of the scheduled content. Consumers still love to see behind-the-scenes that pertains to them.

Be Cohesive

A strong brand across every platform has never been more important. With so much business being done online and consumers researching more than ever, you need to make sure you have a clear brand on every platform. Regardless of where your customer is researching, you need to be connecting with them. If you don’t connect with them, you won’t convert and the time and money spent will be for nothing.

Check profile pictures, cover photos, bios, links, imagery, graphics, language, attitude and descriptions to ensure that you are saying what you actually want to say, across all platforms.

One last tip for you! If you don’t have a brand kit, brand board, or brand strategy, it’s worth the investment, especially in 2021. It’s never been more important to have a strong online presence and clear brand message.

Cheers to growing your brand and standing out from the crowd!