Social media is central to people’s everyday modern lives, and more so for businesses with a digital marketing strategy. However, as trends are apt to be, consumer behavior on social media constantly shift. As the year 2018 draws to a close, a new set of challenges and ways of engaging on social media await marketers.

Here are the top 5 social media marketing trends that will matter in 2019:

1. Generation Z

For years, Millennials (or those born between 1981 and 1996) have been the target of marketers. However, as the new generation of consumers, Generation Z, start entering the workforce in 2019, marketers should also begin targeting the younger consumers.

Generation Z, or those born from 1997 onwards, are surrounded by technology growing up, which makes them and social media (as well as digital marketing as a whole) a natural fit. To tailor a social media marketing strategy for Generation Z, it’s important to note that these consumers spend much more time exclusively on mobile compared to other generations. They are also more tech savvy and less cynical about digital marketing, which gives marketers more opportunities to effectively market to them.

2. Ephemeral content

Ephemeral and short-lived content in the form of live videos, Instagram Stories, and Facebook My Day continue to be relevant in 2019, and the trend is not likely to slow down soon.

Accessible only for a brief period of time, temporary content is an effective marketing strategy that appeals to consumers’ fear of missing out (FOMO) and aids in prompting immediate engagement from users. To put an edge in your social media marketing strategy, get creative with varied ephemeral content formats and see which ones work best for your target audience—still photos, 30-second video previews, Boomerang, or whatever works. What’s important is that you infuse brand storytelling techniques to add personality to your content.

3. User-generated content

In recent years, users have taken a more active role on social media from being previously passive audiences, and this has resulted in an increased interest in user-generated content (UGC).

At a time where social media algorithms have made it difficult for business accounts to gain organic reach, sharing content created by audiences themselves can not only boost your engagement, this also helps you connect with your followers and build a stronger relationship with them. In 2019, it’s predicted that algorithms will continue to focus on displaying more relevant posts with authentic and meaningful interactions; thus, marketers should bank well  on including UGC in your social media content strategy.

4. Customer service and chatbots

Social media has now become more than just a platform to connect with friends and family; it has also become a place to directly reach out and start a conversation with businesses, including raising concerns and seeking resolutions to issues.
This trend continues to be relevant in the coming years, and more so with the rise of chatbots. Chatbots make it easier for businesses to offer quick customer service without having to hire additional people to work round-the-clock, and in a way that feels personal. The key is to customize your chatbot responses and ensure that your brand voice resonates with each interaction.

5. Privacy and dark social

Privacy has been a great concern for most Internet users today, and more so after the infamous Facebook-Cambridge privacy scandal in 2018. This has led social media users to turn to more private means of sharing content, such as through messaging apps (e.g., Facebook Messenger, Instagram and Twitter Direct Message, WhatsApp, and emails) or by setting their sharing settings to private—a trend called “dark social.”

With the rise of dark social, it has become increasingly difficult for marketers to accurately measure digital marketing metrics, more particularly in tracking traffic source.  To make dark social work in your favor in 2019, center your efforts instead in creating highly shareable and relevant content for your audiences. Attracting dark social and focusing on reaping positive results (i.e., click-throughs, conversions, etc.) can definitely boost your social media marketing efforts in spite of the challenge.

In Conclusion

• Adapting to trends is key to every social media marketing strategy. A crucial point, however, is for marketers to determine what strategies work best for your target audience in order for your business to succeed in your marketing goals.
• If you want to know to know more about social media marketing, or if you need help with any of your digital marketing efforts, Ilfusion has the experience and expertise to aid your business in realizing your goals. Just give us a call at 888-420-5115, or send us an email to creative@ilfusion.com.