Trends That Will Continue to Dominate Social Media Marketing

As we move into the back end of 2022, it's important to reflect on the lessons we've learned. This year was a year like no other, and it taught us a lot about the role of social media in our lives. From the power of influencers to the importance of community building, we've seen firsthand how social media can shape the business world.

Looking ahead, it's clear that social media will only become more influential in the coming year. As its impact grows, so too will the need for creative and strategic thinkers who can navigate its ever-changing landscape. If there's anything the pandemic has taught us, it's that the future is always unfolding, and we need to be ready for whatever comes next.

In just a few short years, social media marketing has evolved from a niche practice to a mainstream marketing strategy. And as the industry continues to grow, so too does the need for experienced and innovative social media marketers. Here are just a few of the trends I predict for the future of social media marketing:

Social media experience will be a requirement for senior-level marketing roles. With social media continuing to rise in popularity, businesses are beginning to place a greater emphasis on hiring experienced social media managers.

Most businesses today have some presence on social media, and many are finding that they need to up their game in order to stay competitive. As a result, there is increasing demand for marketing practitioners with hands-on, real world social media experience.

This shift is being driven by the need to better engage with customers and build relationships with potential new customers. With the right social media strategy focused on education and delivering value, businesses can reach new heights and tap into new markets. The pandemic has accelerated this trend, and it is likely that the importance of social media will only continue to grow in the years to come.

With businesses placed under increasing pressure to maintain a strong online presence, which means day to day, hour to hour 24x7 engagement, it is becoming clear that experience in social media is essential for those looking to advance their career in marketing.

Transition from one-person to a team of social marketing experts

As the role of social media in marketing continues to grow, many companies are rewriting their social media strategy. One trend that is emerging is the move away from one-person social media teams. This shift is being driven by the realization that social media is too important to be left in the hands of one person on one or two platforms. A successful social media strategy now requires a team of dedicated professionals who can manage different aspects of the campaign unique to each social platform. Organizations that don’t staff their social team appropriately are missing out on valuable opportunities for connection and growth.

More companies will hire dedicated, experienced social media managers

Covid has accelerated the trend of businesses relying on social media as their primary external communications channel. And as more companies turn to social media to reach their customers, there will be an increasing demand for customer-centric roles such as social media support and community management. The days of assigning social media to the interns are over!

With the ability to connect with customers globally, social media offers a powerful tool for businesses to promote their products and services across geographies and nations. As such, it’s no surprise that we’ll continue to see a rise in the number of companies hiring for social media-related roles in the coming year.

Your target audience will be at the spotlight

User-generated organic content has been a growing trend in the social media landscape for a few years now, and it shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, many social media experts believe that user-generated content will play an even bigger role in marketing and advertising in the coming year.

One of the driving forces behind this trend is the popularity of platforms like TikTok. TikTok has made user-generated content more popular than ever, and has shown brands the power of featuring their customers in their marketing campaigns. Expect to see more and more brands incorporating user-generated content into their marketing mix. This trend provides an opportunity for brands to connect with their audience in a more authentic and meaningful way – so don’t be afraid to let your customers take center stage.

Your audience will also set new trends

In the past to start a trend, you had to be somebody famous. You had to be somebody who could influence a lot of people. But now, anybody can start a trend. Today you don't even need that many followers. All it takes is for a few people to see your fascinating post on Reddit, and then it can snowball from there. Brands need to understand this change if they want to stay relevant. They need to spend more time getting to know their target audience online. Because if they don't, their competition will. And the ones who are setting the trends will always be one step ahead.

Now that social media platforms have given everyday people a larger platform, they are the ones who are driving major trends in internet culture. As a result, brands need to keep up with these trends in order to remain relevant. This means spending more time getting to know their target audience, social listening and understanding their preferences and interests. Only by doing this will brands be able to stay ahead of the curve and ensure that they are providing their audience with what they want.

Content production from anywhere

It's clear that the way we work has changed forever. For many of us, that means more time working remotely than ever before. And while there are plenty of challenges that come along with that, there are also some distinct advantages – especially when it comes to content production.

One of the biggest benefits of remote work is that it gives us the opportunity to be much more creative and experimental with our content. With fewer restrictions on location and format and 5G, we can really let our imaginations run wild. Whether it's coming up with new ideas for social media posts or producing live video content without Zoom fatigue, there's a lot of potential for creativity in a remote work environment.

Of course, this doesn't mean that everything will be easy – after a year of acclimating to our new environments, many of us are still feeling a bit rusty when it comes to content creation.

Virality will be at the core of real-life marketing efforts

In-person marketing efforts and events are often more successful when they have a social component. You can just buy one good in-person activation and let social media do the rest. In-person marketing efforts that go viral on social media are often more successful because they reach a larger audience and generate word-of-mouth and community buzz.

Creators and influencers will find new ways to stand out

As social media platforms become increasingly saturated with users, content creators and influencers will need to work harder to differentiate themselves. Brands that want to effectively incorporate independent creators into their content strategy will need to be more selective in their partnerships. 

Instead of simply casting a wide net, they will need to carefully choose creators who align with their brand identity and can reach their target audience. By doing so, brands will be able to create more meaningful partnerships that result in better reach, engagement, and ROI.