New Social Media Tactics for 2018
Social media trends and algorithms change in equal, fast-paced measure. Recently, the changes have led to some pretty dramatic shifts –pay to play is the new standard, and organic reach can no longer be relied upon. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Learn what social media tactics are going to keep your brand afloat in 2018.
Tactic 1: You’re Going to Need a Smarter Social Media Strategy
With paid advertising essentially replacing organic reach, your social media strategy is going to have to get smarter. (Photo credit: Andreas Klassen via Unsplash)
If any aspect of your social media strategy has incorporated a “throw it to the wall and see what sticks” approach, you’re going to need to rethink that and plan to be more strategic. Why? Because organic reach (that is, the people who see your post via unpaid distribution) is drying up. Social media platforms are increasingly expecting brands to “pay to play”.
Because you’re going to have to expend ad dollars to garner results, you’re going to need to be more thoughtful in what you put out there and where. This means:
- Be more selective about your platforms. Which platforms have performed the best for you? Stick with those and drop the rest. By focusing your energy, you’ll have better results.
- Create good content. Hopefully you already are creating good content, but create next-level good content that focuses on your niche audience and that really provides a service, information, or product that they need.
Tactic 2: Embrace New Technologies
Prepare for an altered reality experience in 2018. (Photo credit: Samuel Zeller via Unsplash)
Augmented reality, virtual reality, 360 video, etc. are going to proliferate social media platforms in 2018, so be prepared to incorporate these technologies into your content strategy. The reason 2018 is shaping up to be the year for these technologies you’ve been hearing about is because they’re more cost efficient than ever. They enable you to share immersive experiences with your audience. Social Media Examiner breaks the details of how these technologies work down, which will help you better understand and plan for using them.
Other technologies that allow for a more immersive experience are Instagram’s increasingly popular shop-able features backed by Shopify, which allows audience members to view an image and to—in a few short swipes and clicks—make a purchase. Companies taking advantage of this technology are already seeing favorable results.
Lastly, brands are going to rely increasingly on chatbots for interacting with their audience. Chatbots simulate human conversation and they’re getting better all of the time. This technology allows you to message your audience without actually needing to be engaged. This is great for personnel-strapped brands who simply cannot respond quickly enough to social media messages from their customers.
Tactic 3: Embrace the Influence of Influencers
Influencers are social media powerhouses who share your audience and who can help influence conversions for your brand. (Photo credit: Unsplash.com)
Influencer marketing had a big year in 2017, and it’s only going to bet bigger in 2018. Influencers are regular Joe and Joans who happen to have a lot of clout and big followings on social media. Influencers tend to have more pull with audiences than celebrity sponsors or direct marketing. Influencers earn commissions based on conversions, so whether you’re selling a product or a service, influencers can help your brand by reaching those target audience members who don’t respond to other forms of advertising, reach, etc. A tip for using influencers is to find someone who genuinely supports and uses your product or service, and who targets the same audience as you do.
In addition to these social media tactics, there are other changes that should be worked into your strategy that we discuss in our 2018 marketing resolutions piece like incorporating groups or digital hangouts in your approach. Keep an eye on the algorithm and be adaptable. It’s a new year, everyone. Time to get up and get going
As you get into the swing of 2018, take a page from Marty McFly and “watch me for the changes, and try to keep up.” Seriously, if algorithm changes, virtual reality, and all of the other new technology seem overwhelming, click here to contact us at The Storyteller Agency and let us lead you into a new year of social media marketing.
