Social media has become deeply ingrained in the lives of modern users. Today, an abundance of internet apps compels us to spend more time on them. It seems like 24 hours in a day isn't enough. If everyday users are pressed for time, what should companies do? In this article, we'll examine the key trends in social media promotion, including for organizations.
Not every business successfully promotes itself on social media. This depends on a number of factors: some topics are unsuitable for promotion due to the age of the audience. For example, Facebook has an audience of 35+, while Instagram is younger. Of course, success depends not only on the products and services offered, but also on the country in which the promotion takes place. It's important to understand that each social network requires an individual approach, strategy, a dedicated advertising budget, and a team of specialists. Not all factors are listed. However, without specifying the network on your website, it's also difficult. Many prefer to communicate with the service provider "somewhere" rather than through a website. Therefore, managing social media or video hosting sites is worthwhile. The main thing is to choose a platform and assemble a team.
How should businesses choose social media in 2023?
Everyone has known what SMM is. Social Media Marketing, globally, is growing every year. This expansion leads to app updates, algorithm improvements, and the offering of various content not even to subscribers, but to random users of a page. This is somewhat encouraging, as it allows you to expand your audience, gain new clients, and even attract new followers.
Testing allows you to understand where it's most convenient to communicate with customers and where they're most active. Ignoring media where the audience is underdeveloped isn't a good idea either. Yes, it's a waste of time and budget. However, there will be interested people there.
Let's recall which social networks are popular in the CIS market:
Facebook — the social network is popular in some CIS countries. Its audience is primarily adult. Therefore, text predominates over images, allowing users to obtain and provide more useful information. Customizable advertising attracts audiences of different ages;
InstagramMeta's popular photo platform is constantly evolving, changing its algorithms and growing its audience. It boasts a fairly vibrant audience. However, it's not suitable for every business. For example, generating leads for auto repair shops, equipment repair services, and similar businesses may be more challenging, as B2B promotion is more complex than B2C projects. Nevertheless, its presence will be beneficial, as Instagram often remains a work platform for many businesses.
Tik Tok The service is so successful that it has united audiences of all ages. Now, the platform offers not only videos of dancing teenagers, but also interesting popular science and educational videos. The audience is so diverse that it's difficult to pinpoint age.
YouTube – a video hosting site where you can find everything. It can partially replace a movie theater. YouTube has already reached a new level by adding Shorts – short videos similar to Tik Tok. So there's plenty to think about here, too;
VKontakte. Pavel Durov's project has a strong following and a well-established audience. Vkontakte now has a Reels equivalent, which has pleased many. Advertising can be purchased in public pages, groups, and from bloggers. In addition to bloggers, advertising campaigns can be created directly through the advertising account.
Two popular messengers stand out:
1. Telegram;
2. WhatsApp.
Telegram is so popular in Central Asia that every business has one. There's constant activity there. Many stores make sales by receiving orders.
WhatsApp is almost identical to Telegram. It also allows you to create groups and send private messages, but its success rate is slightly lower than its predecessor. Still, the messenger isn't worth overlooking.
To choose the right social network, you need to measure the audience size in the chosen region, identify the average age, and determine competitors. Such efforts won't guarantee success, as competition exists everywhere, but the most important factors are the niche, audience, and offerings. The best way to identify the most relevant development channel is to register on each platform. Next, develop content: images, text, videos, possibly games, and contests with or without prizes to attract an audience. Gradually increase your following and monitor their activity. Then, using internal analytics tools, compare which platforms generate the most engagement with potential customers. Based on the data obtained, prioritize promotional platforms.
Once the priority is set, we move on to the next step: setting up and launching the ads. The more people see the ads, the more leads and subscribers will come, and the more activity will increase (subject to engagement level). In some CIS markets, social media promotion takes precedence over other resources, such as a website or outdoor advertising (the impact is difficult to measure, and the budget is very high).
SMM trends 2023
Every year, social media forecasts are compiled. For the most part, the forecasts are identical. What's happening now carries over to next year. The difference is that they focus on general new trends that won't suit every business. Some businesses are advised to focus on Reels, others on Stories. Combined, focusing on Reels or Stories yields varying degrees of success. So what will be popular next year, and what should we prepare for?
Short videos
Popular short videos, 15 seconds and longer, originated from TikTok. TikTok is now more popular than Instagram. This rivalry led to the creation of Reels on Instagram and Shorts on YouTube.
Sometimes it seems like these short videos are a kind of "Tell a story in 15 seconds" challenge. They attract attention not only because of their length, but also because of the conciseness of the information they convey.
In fact, creating videos like these is a colossal amount of work. But what an impact it produces!
Short videos on Instagram and YouTube attract different audiences and reach different people. Interestingly, Instagram's algorithm automatically selects videos and shows them to the audience. The principle is similar to TikTok: if you want to get featured, choose popular melodies, sounds, and song excerpts. But that's not the only factor. The video's plot is also important. Many people enjoy watching life hacks and short, unknown facts. This format allows you to tell a story about yourself, convey your user experience, share product recommendations, and highlight its benefits. This is a great opportunity to gain free organic traffic and potential customers without any investment.y.
Target
We can't live without paid advertising on social media. Despite everything, campaigns continue to grow. Rumor has it that cost per click has become cheaper, but this is more myth than fact. Everything depends on the region being promoted, proper setup, and content. In any case, targeted social media advertising has been reigning supreme for years.
Game mechanics
Interactive stories and images are attracting increasing attention. This approach is especially noticeable in the fashion industry. For example, stories ask users to spot 10 differences or choose an outfit for a character or model. This creative approach is not going unnoticed and increases reach.
Augmented and virtual reality
AR and VR deserve special mention. Virtual reality is rapidly becoming a part of everyone's lives. Social media creators have capitalized on growing user interest and begun implementing AR (augmented reality). For example, during COVID-19 restrictions, many online stores added augmented reality to their social media pages, allowing users to try on clothes without leaving home. They also made it possible, for example, to measure their feet and determine their exact size.
Virtual reality is a great addition for business promotion. The downside is the cost of implementation. It's easier to start with an interactive game.
Live videos
Users enjoy the here and now. Online is a great opportunity to show off what's available immediately. Sometimes, it's missing life and real people. And the live video format is ideal for humanizing an account. This approach is suitable for many businesses. It's more suitable for offline stores. You can go there, film a live broadcast, chat with employees and customers, offer advice, and talk about a product or service. However, this mechanism can be applied to all industries. Let's take a car assembly plant as an example. It's fascinating to see how the factory operates from the inside, how cars are assembled, how raw materials are prepared, and so on. Behind the scenes is captivating. It's worth sharing. Live videos help build consumer trust.
Visual design
1. Glass textures are translucent. 3D effects are gaining popularity;
2. 3D models. Following glass, 3D models have long held a strong position in combination with 2D elements. This combination creates a sense of reality, as if the product could be touched through the image. This design inspires trust among users;
3. Art Deco elements. Here, the emphasis is on geometry and symmetry. This style fits perfectly into beauty spaces and interior design due to its combination of ornaments, straight lines, and various patterns.
4. Looks from the 90s and 00s. As they say, fashion is cyclical. Styles from the 90s and 00s are making a comeback. For some, it's nostalgia; for others, it's a design leap. This style is dominated by graininess and brightness, including neon colors.
The visual component must captivate the viewer. In a world of intense content consumption, competition for attention only intensifies. It's important to understand that you can combine design styles, periodically changing them, and then, over time, create something new that hasn't existed before.
Is it worth hiring an SMM specialist in 2023?
Definitely worth it! An SMM specialist is the ultimate guide to the world of content for social media consumers. They're constantly on trend, monitoring fashion trends, and developing various visual styles, components, engaging texts, and interactive elements.
It's best to entrust account promotion to a proven specialist with an excellent sense of style. To do this, first review their future colleague's portfolio of previous work. This will demonstrate how well the SMM specialist is suited to your business.
Today, there are many SMM specialists who have completed training but have little experience or don't keep up with all the latest trends. A potential client may notice a lack of confidence, which can lead to mistrust of the project and the quality of the work. To avoid awkward situations and wasted funds, turn to professionals with a sparkling eye, creativity, a compelling portfolio, and successful promotional case studies.
Conclusion
Social media and messaging apps are growing every year. If something breaks, the audience immediately switches to another channel. This means that you'll have to monitor audience migration using various methods. Of course, you'll need to adapt to your audience, offer something new, attract them to your page, and encourage them to buy. Promoting on social media isn't always difficult for a business with the right specialist.
