Predictions For The Future Of Social Media Marketing
We are past the halfway mark of 2016 and already there have been many significant changes in the dynamic of social media. These changes vary from Instagram’s significant re-shuffling of its newsfeed algorithm to Snapchat ensuring that its vertical videos have now become a social norm in advertising. There is still plenty more of 2016 to come and many social media marketers and businesses are speculating what the rest of the year holds. It is always hard to accurately predict the future; however it is important to have at least some idea of what might happen so you are able to successfully prepare.
Listed below are six predictions of how social media marketing will most likely shape up by the end of 2016. These predictions will hopefully assist in your preparation for the future success of your business on various social media platforms.
1. Increase In The Options For Private Messaging
Social media users are becoming increasingly concerned about the privacy of their private messages. This concern allowed for a massive growth in Snapchat in its first years as the pictures and messages users send over this platform are deleted after a few seconds. The concerns for privacy will only increase throughout the remainder of 2016 and this will result in social media websites continuously ensuring its users that the information they send through private messages are being used correctly.
2. The Messenger App Will Have More Significance For Brands
The Facebook Messenger App has seen significant growth in 2015 and 2016. Many Facebook users now use both the actual Facebook App and the Messenger App on their smartphones. Due to this momentous growth, Facebook will most likely introduce more integration through the Messenger App for brands. This integration is already in the plans with Facebook Messenger working with an airline to provide tickets and other flight details through the App. This is only one example of how Facebook Messenger plans to integrate brands, and there is sure to be many more to come in the future.
3. Increased Platform Customisation Options
In social media the true power lays with the individual user. Therefore many social media sites are working towards ensuring that each individual user is happy. The key factor that will guarantee the happiness of social media users is an increase customisation of their newsfeeds and experiences. Social media websites understand this and they are continuously looking towards updating the algorithms of the newsfeeds. Through the latter half of 2016, there is likely to be more algorithm changes on many of the social media platforms to ensure each individuals newsfeed and experiences are customised.
4. Increase In The Amount Of Advertisements
Unfortunately this is something that we all may be seeing more of in the near future. Facebook has already introduced algorithms to reduce the reach of various posts and escalate the visibility of advertisements. It is also likely that Twitter will follow suit in the near future. This will result in fewer businesses being able to attain free reach on these social media platforms. Therefore, for the remainder of 2016 more businesses will be required to change their approach towards social media. Businesses should now look at these social media websites as more of a platform for advertising.
5. Visual Content Formats Will Become More Popular
The rapid rise in popularity of Instagram shows where social media user’s wishes and intents lie- visual content! Written content and messages are lacking in growth whereas videos and photographs have increased in popularity. Due to this increase in popularity all social media websites are now offering more visual content to their users. However, what is likely to be seen in the future is where digital marketing agencies will try to differentiate their distinctive visual content formats to ensure more users are on their platform.
6. Social Video Will Continue To Rise In Popularity
Social video is igniting in popularity and this is expected to continue to rise throughout the second half of 2016. A component of social video is live video streaming and Facebook has recently introduced this as one of its new features. Unlike social video, live video streaming hasn’t gained much traction. However, it is likely to see a slow build of interest for live video streaming in the second half of 2016 as more users become aware of the potential this relatively new feature.
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