Qamar Zaman
2018 was a great year for social media marketing. Around 2.32 billion active users logged on to different platforms. With new marketing trends constantly immerging, we can assume that 2019 will be even better and more profitable for businesses.
There are more than 50 million small businesses operating on Facebook. This platform has always been number one in terms of online purchase. The following websites have been ranked according to their popularity (Statistics – Buffer):
- YouTube
- Messenger
- Tumblr
- Tik Tok
- Snapchat
In our previous blog titled “Latest Trends of Story Telling in Marketing,” we have already talked about how you can use these platforms for storytelling.
Have you ever had an “Aha” moment where you finally came up with an idea that could take your startup to new heights? The key to increase customer engagement and interest is to present your product in such a way that people will enjoy it.
Yes, blogging is still crucial, but today’s generation has become quite picky. They no longer have the time or patience to sit still and read the entire content. They skim, skip, and then go straight to the bullet points. So let’s say that you have written one of the best blogs ever. You have a medium in mind, but you are looking for the right way to get it to your audience. Since you are running a startup, you probably don’t have much of an audience.
Here’s what you need to do first: ditch all the old tactics and devise a new content strategy.
The keywords here are short and precise.
Engagement Is Important
Content that sparks conversation is something you should be aiming for. This has given businesses the idea to come up with more engaging content. Here are the three elements needed to create captivating content:
- The reader should be interested in the story or visuals
- The content should appeal to the viewer on an emotional level
- The content should be engaging so that the viewer doesn’t feel bored
Now, let’s have a look at the top social media marketing trends for startups:
The Power of Stories Has Everyone Hooked
Visual content is taking the lead in social media marketing. After Snapchat, you have Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp where you can share your brand’s stories. They last for 24 hours, which is great because that way, you will have to post new content daily.
There was a time when Snapchat was at the top of its game but when its interface changed, many celebrities stopped using it, which dropped its popularity. Not to worry because there are several other social media platforms. Over 400 million people share stories on a daily basis, which gives you a huge platform.
- A successful story has the following things:
- Engaging content
- Easy to create
- No editing required
- Uploaded without a second thought
- Fun
- Authentic
“But I used a funny story and even added in some bullets point. The heading was great and the blog had a killer ending.”
Yes, but reading it requires time and if you can deliver the same quality through a story, then why go through so much trouble?
Influencers over Micro-Influencers
Influencers are people who promote your brand by giving a shout out to your product. Think of it as paid sponsorship, through which your product will be featured on the influencer’s website. You are probably wondering where micro-influencers come in. Well, they do the same thing as influencers but the only difference is that they take less money. Their following might be more than an influencer or vice versa. For example:
Your product is a jalapeno sauce that goes well with tacos and burritos. You approach a chef (an influencer) to market your brand but the cost is too high so, you approach a food blogger (a micro-influencer). Both parties specialize in the field of food but the first one is a professional and the second one is an amateur. The good thing about micro-influencers is that they are trustworthy and down-to-earth.
Social Listening
Social listening is a tactic that requires you do thorough research. This social media marketing strategy is a bit tricky, so we will keep it short and simple. In this tactic, you find out the industry keywords that are being used on a product. Customers have shown a lot of interest in this product, which means that you can use it to bring your product in the spotlight. In order for this tactic to work, your post needs to be at the top and generate more leads, which you can do by running contests, share links, social selling, etc.
AI and Customer Service
What is the one thing that customers are annoyed about when they send a message?
Late reply!
This is where AI comes in… your personal customer assistance that will reply on your behalf when you are busy. You can program in a number of questions and answers, and when a customer clicks on one, they will get an automated reply. Prompt feedback helps keep the customers satisfied and builds trust.
Timeliness – Host a Watch Party
Your customers lie in wait for any nothing new that you are brining to the market. They want to know about the smallest of changes and the best way to do that is inform that about it in real time. Hosting a watch party will not only allows you to interact with a huge audience but you will also be able to answer their queries on the spot.
Personalization
If you have created a website for your business, then you can use the cookies to create content that resonates with your customers. Monitor their purchase history, along with any other data that might help you get into their minds. Then personalize the content and present it to them.
So there you have it… the top social media marketing trends for startups that will help you make your brand successful. To know which trend works best for you, try out all of them and then perfect the one that has the most impact on your audience.
Author’s Bio
Qamar Zaman is the Chief Officer of KissPR Storytelling which stands for Keep-It-Super-Simple & Promising-Results! The organization is a digital marketing agency which caters to small and medium business owners.
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