“Having food without posting a picture of the same on Instagram?

Going on a trip without sharing snaps on Facebook?”

-Are these at all feasible for a lion’s share of the population in 2020?

We think not!

Long before the imposed caging in the form of self-quarantine, thanks to our ‘perpetrator’ COVID-19, we were already knee-deep into our virtual reality. Especially with Millenials and Generation Z, social media platforms are a hit!

• Social Media In The Pandemic Times!

Come the pandemic, and the whole world went under strict to semi-strict lockdown modes. With all physical communities closed down, social media platforms became the last resort. What was first a choice, steadily became a compulsion. 

Virtual interactions increased, and while boomers and the Gen Z rejoiced at this, social media platform owners faced something absolutely new. This was a challenge to ensure that the created platforms catered to the requirements of an even wider range of clients and simultaneously with the rising trends in the social media platforms. 

A visible shift was noticed with trends in social media. Look into the popularity of platforms like Tiktok and you would know! This platform threw light on the mitigated attention span of viewers, spiked preference for videos, and many more of the like. 

While Tiktok got banned from India, owing to the rising political falling-out between the country and China, other platforms took a cue from this sudden-rise-to-fame app. Multiple social media marketing strategies were build up along the same lines and following the same, with apt customization as per the business requirements, ensures the success of the platform. 

• Social Marketing Strategies To Get Trending This 2020!

Social media platforms started growing since 2004, but with 2020, these platform marketing ideas are gaining ground as a crucial marketing strategy. Of the prime reasons for these are the statistics proving the popularity of the platforms –

1. Approximately 3.5 billion people worldwide use social media platforms that are 45% of the global population. (as per 2019). Imagine the reach for your marketing strategy!
2. 90.4% millennials, 48.5% baby boomers, and 77.5% Gen X population use social media platforms. 
3. 73% of marketers are of the opinion that social media marketing is ‘partially or completely effective’ for businesses. 
4. 54% of social media users utilize social browsers to research products. 
5. With 71% of clients who have a positive experience with brands over social media platforms, refer them to their family and friends. 

All of the aforementioned stats are as per surveys conducted in 2019, and the numbers have escalated over the next year. In lieu of this, it is essential that platform owners have a grasp over the marketing strategies that will get them trending and hence pull them into the newsfeed for their prospective clients. Here is a list of tips for the same –

Tip 1: Voice Strategy Is The Best Strategy For 2020!

2020 is definitely the year of Voice and social media platforms are no exception. As per some surveys, predictions had been made that 50% of all searches will be voice-oriented by 2020. Well, there is another half of the year left, let’s see where the year gets us into. 

As for now, know this, marketers who had optimized their platforms and its content for mobiles and Web 2.0, would now need to optimize the same for voice search as well. Your social media platform better respond to “Okay Google/Hi Alexa/ Hello Siri/Hi Cortana” at the earliest, or you will be going out of business soon! After all voice searches on tablets, smartphones, or voice assistants (like the Google Home devices or  Amazon Echo) are the new IN!

Tip 2: Get Your Strategy Aimed At Generation Z

You must know someone who belongs to Gen Z. Ask them their idea of product purchase and a 90% chance are that they will suggest you go for online options, especially ones referred to them by their friends over social media platforms. Gen Z is predicted to be taking over 40% of consumers by 2020. 

Their expression for interest on the topics of mental health, LGBTQ issues, and lifestyle positivity is driving them to live life Social Media wise. So, target them and make sure to imbibe the marketing strategy with the matters of interest (as mentioned earlier).

Tip 3: Video Content Is Here To Stay!

That video content is here for a long time is well established over the popularity of Tiktok. This is followed by the increased preference towards ‘stories’ as projected in multiple social media platforms. 

With stories come the capability to weave in the storytelling effect of brands. They are able to speak a million words and often connect the brand to the user on a much more personal level. So, get on board with the video marketing strategy at the earliest. That will loop in your prospective customers!

Tip 4: Alternate Platforms Are Steadily Grabbing The Front Row!

The core platforms of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter used to be the ‘apples of the eye’ for B2C brands, and LinkedIn for B2B enterprises. However, it seems users are getting fatigued over such old platforms. 

While Facebook still holds the number 1 spot among the platforms, multiple new platforms are emerging steadily. These newfangled platforms have their desired attention from clients. 

So, in case you are planning to launch a new platform, this just might be the time. With quarantine in place, they will be pushed towards gaining new experience and once they like it, well, you are in business!

Tip 5: Micro-Influencers Will Be Your ‘Check And CheckMate’!

The storm of micro-influencers couldn’t be swayed by Coronavirus. Their emergence can be attributed to the macro-influencers demanding high chargers and being out of reach in many cases, especially for small business owners.

Micro-influencers have enjoyed their spot for the last couple of years. They have reportedly brought in multiple clients and have been at the center of the reason for considerable client conversions. Thus, one of the best marketing strategies include hiring micro-influencers, one who –

1. Has few followers
2. Has a more engaged community 

This will be budget-efficient, offer stronger engagement, and get you access to multiple business vertices with niched clientele. 

• Conclusion

As per the pros in the field, social media platforms will be playing diverse roles from 2020 on. This includes – 

1. Customer Service
2. Storytelling
3. Word-Of-Mouth Marketing Platform
4. Community Building

This brings us to a very crucial conclusion – platform owners would need to revise and update their marketing strategies with cutting edge technologies to capture their clientele. In case this is not followed up with, they would soon be losing out on not just their potential clients, but their existing ones as well. This is a competitive realm after all! So, when are you taking up the aforementioned tips to launch your platform?