Social media continues to create disruptions. We see user bases continue to grow as older generations join different platforms, and new generations grow up documenting their life online.
Several new technological advancements have been under development and are soon to be fully implemented and leveraged through social media. From Augmented Reality (AR) ads to brands using Chatbots to offer a personalized shopping experience, a lot of disruptions are changing the environment.
1. Rise of Augmented Reality
At Sherpa, we’ve been developing AR solutions for clients for some time now, and it is about to go mainstream.
All the big players in the technology industry are on board with AR, and it will be affecting your social media experience soon. Facebook has been testing their AR ads, which are set to be released in full force for the holiday season this year.
Although the iPhone 8 and iPhone X have been out for some time now, both devices incorporate a new chip that allows the phones to provide users with extraordinary AR experiences. While AR will have its initial impact on mobile gaming, social media platforms will be leveraging this technology as well.
2. Continued Investment in Influencer Marketing
Recently, there has been news of digital influencers being blacklisted, though this has not stopped companies like North Face, Hubspot, and Rolex to use social media-based influencers to connect with new audiences and improve engagement with existing audiences.
Influencer-based marketing strategies are also shifting. We’ve seen brands begin to embrace influencers with smaller followings (1,000 – 20,000) who are believed to have a more genuine audience and connection to their following.
3. Focus on Generation Z
A recent study conducted by Goldman Sachs concluded that Generation Z was more valuable to most organizations than millennials. Today, the oldest Gen Z-ers are 20 years old. They are just beginning to enter the labor force and will have increased buying power for some time.
Brands are beginning to recognize this and will shift their social media strategies accordingly. Expect great investment in platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, which Gen Z-ers use the most.
4. Increasing Brand Participation in Messaging Platforms
Over 2.5 billion people use messaging platforms globally, and yet brands are still primarily focused on connecting with consumers on pure social networks. In 2018, expect brands to invest more time and money in connecting with consumers on messaging platforms.
Artificial intelligence, voice assistants, and chatbots will enable brands to offer personalized shopping experiences on messaging platforms like Messenger, WhatsApp, and Kik.
If you’re interested in checking out some more social media trends, head over to Entrepreneur to see their full list.
______________________________________________________________
Thanks for reading!
Enjoyed this article? Sign up for The Summit - our monthly Newsletter.
Say Hello On: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube