Social Media is constantly evolving. People are using it in different ways to the way they were in 2008, and we can expect trends to shape how we use it in 2019. After having a look at how social media was used in 2018 we have come up with a little list of trends you can expect to see in 2019.
1. Stories & Live
As Facebook and Instagram continue to prioritize friends and family over businesses and news, providing engaging live content as well as engaging stories will be the best way to get your followers attention. Not only do followers get a notification when you go live, there is a greater sense of authenticity to the content when the viewer knows that what they are seeing is happening live, without edits or cuts to make the video or company look better. They know they are getting an authentic (mostly) insight into the company.
Stories are also great for getting your customers attention. Companies can now link directly to their online store from an Instagram story, making purchasing items as simple as swiping up on a post.
2. Consumers Want Brands With Authentic Purpose
The massive success of Nike’s Colin Kaepernick campaign will see the growing trend of companies with a social purpose continue. Consumers are becoming more aware of company’s supply chains and operating practices, and it’s having an effect on their purchasing decisions. Surveys done by Deloitte show that 86% of millennials think business success should be judged on more than just financial success. Getting involved in fundraising campaigns and donating profits to charities can help customers feel like their purchasing decisions are actually helping the less fortunate and not just fulfilling their capitalist desires.
One aspect of businesses that we can expect to be put under the microscope in 2019 is their supply chain. New legislation introduced in 2018 puts the onus on companies to ensure there is no slavery happening at any level of their supply chain. This means companies can no longer turn a blind eye to the practices of their suppliers and must ensure all staff in the supply chain are being treated humanely.
3. Facebook Privacy Pressure Requires Flexibility
Facebook encountered scandal after scandal in 2018. Whether it be the Cambridge Analytica allegations or revelations about how private data is used and shared, there has been lots of public pressure on Facebook to change the way it handles our data. Changes in the last couple of years have seen Facebook prioritize content from friends and family over publishers, making it harder to get the organic growth that companies were achieving on Instagram and Facebook just a couple of years ago.
With all this pressure on Facebook it can be safe to assume that there will be some changes to how they operate in 2019. This could be changes to the algorithm or changes to targeting options.
This means that advertisers need to be flexible when and quick thinking when coming up with Facebook and Instagram advertising strategies. The thing that sets social media advertising apart from others is the highly targeted audience options based on users data. If Facebook comes under enough pressure they could remove some of these targeting options, making it a lot harder to get a return on your advertising spend.