Top 4 Social Media Trends We are Tracking For 2018
Don Williams — October 6, 2017 — October 6, 2017
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And why these are important?
The hangover is still…hanging on. Our heads are still cloudy with a chance of dull aching in the forecast. Didn’t we just ring in 2017? Why are we already to toast to 2018? Because time and tide wait for no man, according to the poet Geoffrey Chaucer. So, it appears it is time to talk social media trends to ride on for the New Year. Then by all rights it’s time to break out the laptop and blog about the past, present, and future of social media and marketing.
The coming year promises to surpass the hype of 2017 as new innovation, technology and social media platforms are unveiled and improved upon. As social media advancements continue to reach mainstream end-users you will continue to see social standards related to social media evolve. Here are our top 4 social media trends to be aware of as we get ready to stay up all night and toast to 2018 – to hell with the hangover.
Influencer Marketing:
- Companies and their brands will continue to rely on influencer marketing – the word of mouth, or in many cases a carefully staged Instagram photo, of someone consumers identify with will continue to push brands over their competition. It’s almost harder to find a company who isn’t using social media nowadays then to list a company who is.
Instagram Stories:
- There doesn’t seem to be anything that will slow down the momentum of Instagram Stories. It’s been reported that more than 50% of all brands using Instagram posted at least one Instagram Story in August 2017. This will continue well into 2018.
Gen Z will Take Center Stage:
- Rightfully, marketers have pointed their focus on figuring out and reaching Millennials, but in recent years a new cast of characters have grabbed their attention, Gen Z (born after 1998). With close to 70 million in size and growing faster than a gremlin, Gen Z will soon outnumber their Millennial predecessors. Today, the oldest Gen Zers are in their early 20’s, earning wages and spending the fruits of their labor on goods and services. It’s up to companies to now embrace the social media tools embrace by the Zers – Snapchat and Instagram.
Augmented Reality is a Real Thing:
- Well, almost! In fact, helping to steer the augmented reality boat, Apple’s newly released iOS11 operating system purportedly supports all forms of AR. The company is seeking like-minded developers to get onboard and create applications that comply with the new OS. For those not in the know, AR technology allows the insertion of “digital objects” or other information that the wearer or user can see on the screen of their smartphone or through viewing on a headset.
These are the top social media trends we are tracking. With any list of top trends there are certain to be omissions and I am certain you have your list too. What are you keeping your eyes on for 2018?
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