The Most Impactful Trends for Social Media in 2019

Having a clear vision of what will be the social trends for 2019 is very important to develop a strategy suitable to consolidate the digital presence of a brand on the social channels.

In 2018, new functionalities and realities were established, such as stories, live videos and the increasingly central role of influencers. For 2019 it is natural to expect more news, social media are constantly evolving and giants such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn release almost daily updates.

Trend 1: Credibility and Trust

After the recent privacy scandals, see the case of Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, and the discovery of millions of bots and fake accounts that populate Twitter, the first goal for 2019 will be to work on the credibility of your brand and rebuild trust by creating more personalized and relevant offers and content.

The user tends to trust small thematic communities and other types of users who are perceived as "similar" so it will be appropriate to define strategies suitable for this purpose:

• Create a branded hashtag for Instagram that can combine your community values ​​and a common interest, rather than simply directing users towards a product and its offer;
• Create a Facebook Group linked to your Facebook Business Page where the most involved users can interact and exchange opinions. For some types of brands, do not underestimate the creation of secret groups to give a sense of "exclusivity", for example during the launch of a particular product;
• Make an investment in micro-influencers! They are easier to manage, cost less than the most famous influencers and have a very high engagement allowing you to reach active and involved niches. The micro-influencers also have habits similar to their followers and they are considered more reliable and credible.

Trend 2: Stories as a future of sharing

The Instagram Stories have revolutionized the lives of users and for 2019 each brand will have to consider them within their social media marketing strategy.

According to some statistics, the Stories published on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Snapchat are growing 15 times faster than traditional postings and will soon become the preferred user-sharing tool.

A viral phenomenon that opens the door to new marketing strategies based on real content and limited time duration.

Trend 3: Instant Messaging and Social Selling

Active users on the main messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat and Skype are at least 5 billion and over the last two years have surpassed users on social networks.

To consolidate their presence on social networks, it will be essential for each brand to use the Instant Messaging apps. Many users expect to be able to communicate directly with the brands but it is also clear that they are not looking for additional advertising channels. The "smart" brands will use these channels to provide assistance and information that can have a certain value for the user. In this regard, it would be appropriate to:

• Enable Facebook Messenger for your Facebook page and configure an immediate response for when users send a message;
• Implement plugins on your website that can direct users to Instant Messaging apps;
• Set up a bot or a digital assistant for frequently asked questions. They are very effective for answering simple questions and allowing you to focus on the most complex user needs.

Sales strategies must also adapt to this trend. Almost all platforms have implemented features designed for online sales, such as the Facebook Marketplace and the shoppable posts of Instagram, and will soon be possible to make direct purchases through Instagram Stories and Facebook Messenger. The Social Selling will therefore be a new sales channel but also a first point of contact between the company and the user/customer.

Trend 4: Increase of investments in Social Ads

In 2019 there will be an increase in investments in advertising campaigns on social media. Many marketers already feel the need to allocate higher budgets in paid ads, as a response to the decline in organic reach and the growing competitiveness of the market.

The challenge for marketers will therefore be to understand which will be the most significant KPIs and optimize their campaigns by creating quality content. Giants like Spotify and Netflix have already moved in the right direction, turning away from simple banner ads and working on creative social ads that are personalized and entertaining. The final goal is therefore to create discussion and engagement among users.

Are you ready to face the new social challenges of 2019? If you have not yet defined a social media marketing strategy contact our team, we will be happy to advise and help you.