Social media is always changing. Still, do you change with it? Your only option is embracing its rules and conquering the power of social media, or die alone. Here the top ten social media predictions so far:
1. Real-time marketing
When the Oreo Super Bowl ad went viral, it attracted marketers’ attention everywhere. With this brilliant ad, Oreo has set a new standard for extremely timely and relevant content. Sporting events, awards shows, and season finales became the source of inspiration for many brand’s posts throughout the year. Real-time marketers will help fans engage in an experience and the best brands will learn how to do it well.
2. Real time marketing’s speed delivery is not a big problem
Marketers will begin taking advantage of new capabilities that enable them to act on insights in the very moment they need to act. Speed of delivery will no longer be the problem. The real opportunity is whether an experience can be delivered when it counts for the business—and when it matters most for the consumer.
3. The power of “word-of-mouth” marketing will be greater
Consumers will continue their migration away from sponsored messages and banner ads. On the other hand, marketers are going to have to migrate to Snapchat, Path, Vine, and any other network that connects people but does not have an established business model. However, always be aware that you will only be there for a year or two before the ads emerge and consumers migrate again.
4. User-generated content will be the best content commodity
What many already know, most will start taking advantage of: user-generated content creates loyalty, puts the fan/customer in the driver’s seat, and generates sales. Every fan wears a marketing hat. Many experts called this as “embracing fandom” on entrepreneur.
5. Short form content will dominate
Short form of sound, sight, and motion contents will deliver greater viewership and higher engagement than the long ones. Brands will compete over who can tell the shortest stories with the biggest impact. Consumers will always be the winners.
6. Similar interest networks will increase in prominence and usage
Even though they will never significantly make a groove in the market share of the big channels, they will get more attention in 2014 as marketers who want to stay fresh look to engage the crowd that embraces innovation and change. It’s all about learning to ride the wave.
7. More visual, less text
Obviously. Images have changed the way we digest social. Photo albums, pictures, and video get 180, 120, and 100 percent more engagement respectively on Facebook. We will have to push ourselves to keep up with all the channel settings that will enhance visuals for maximum engagement. Also, note recent Twitter changes.
8. The need for erasable media
The desire for the ephemeral will give rise to new channels and move current mainstream social media networks to adopt a disappearing content function. Many experts attribute this to our increasing desire to personally share with one another. This means that you’ll have to be prepared to have the results of your hard work in content marketing literally vanish.
9. Social listening will become a primary requirement, not optional
Brands of all sizes will start to understand that they must invest in social listening strategies, tactics and technologies to truly understand, inspire and connect with their audiences. Managing and protecting brand reputation must start from the inside out.
10. Investment in social media will become a necessity, not a luxury
As the demands for good content and measurable results increase, brands will move from spreading social media duties across existing positions to hiring social media managers. The era of assigning social media duties to a “tech-savvy, passionate” staff members is over. When companies need outside help, they will be looking for agencies that know social media business, not just social media tools.