Technology and social media have come a long way from the internet chat rooms of the 90s, the MySpace pages that dominated the early 2000s, and the “Facebook versus Twitter” debate later in that decade. The past five years have seen rapid developments. Dedicated websites and specialized forums catering to all age groups, genders, and interests now exist.
So what are the trends can be expected within the next year when it comes to the advancement of social media.
- Social media marketing
As businesses continue to establish a presence for themselves on online social platforms, the next few months can be expected to witness a boom in dedicated applications and programs that allow simple, informative, and yet impactful marketing on social media.
Software and applications such as Canva and Brandr are already set on this path, having conducted extensive research into the effects picture posts, and brand-embellished photos have on the customer’s psyche and retention abilities.
Advertisements on social forums are likely to see an upward trend in this manner as more and more information is shared simply with the click of a button.
- What does this button do?
Forums such as Facebook and Pinterest have recently begun incorporating purchases into the browsing experience with simple additions such as a “shop now” button or links to where a particular product, should it catch a user’s fancy, can be purchased.
Other media platforms such as Polyvore provide brands with a specialized channel through which products can be displayed and sold. Users now have unlimited options like creating a clothing “look” using various items and brands that they or other viewers are able to purchase through accompanying links.
- Strengthening ties
As smartphones become more and more common, especially among the youth, companies will likely be quick to take advantage of the options these devices offer for connecting with customers. Businesses, especially those that are already present on social media, such as Facebook-based businesses, are now popping up on chatting apps and software for instant access should users desire it.
Celebrities, brands, and internet personalities are progressively creating accounts on predominantly picture-based social media such as Instagram and Snapchat. This works to give customers and fans a visual look at the particular brand offered as well as quickly connect with it simultaneously.
- “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”
This was a prediction made by the enigmatic Andy Warhol, and rightly so, it would seem. Social media operates with the focused goals of exhibitionism, connectivity between users, and provision of real-time updates. Your childhood friend with whom you have no current contact just had a baby? Chances are you’ll probably find out in the next 5 minutes through a text, a status update, or a share.
The standards for fame have become blurred as the dividing lines between celebrities and internet personalities become fainter. Social media such as YouTube has allowed the “average” individual to showcase his/herself and consequently gain a following. Viral images (such as the notorious “memes”) and videos have made everyday individuals and incidents world-famous.
As time progresses, social media is increasingly being used as a platform on which to display and share information, updates, and even simple incidents such as a word spoken or an act performed. Interconnectivity, it appears, is the future.
The Marketing Precinct 