Engage new audiences and build more action-driven communities in 2021 by heeding the lessons offered by a difficult year. 

2020 has been an odd year to say the least. But, in many ways it has also offered brand marketers and content creators opportunity and time to experiment with content and in ways not usually afforded to businesses operating ‘as usual’.

When Covid-19 and the resulting lockdowns threw a proverbial spanner in the works of most businesses, brands had to quickly adapt in order to maintain some semblance of normality. Traditional marketing tactics where immediately cancelled as events, product sampling and popups ceased and brands frantically pivoted towards social media ads to drive online sales instead.

Some businesses were better equipped than others when it came to the switch. Brands with robust social media teams and forward-thinking strategies with online and software offerings fared better than those whose businesses hinged on physical stores. Operations that drove sales through advice and service needed to drastically pivot to provide their expertise online in order to maintain that same strategy or else close altogether. Coffee meetings became Zoom calls, consultations became live chats, weekly supermarket shops became bi-weekly online shopping orders.

As a result of these, and many more fluctuations, social media has inextricably changed the way we talk, interact, sell and engage with customers and these will live on far beyond Covid-19’s societal reach. According to HubSpot the pandemic has resulted in more focus being put on areas such as:

• Diversification of sales channels

• Creating engaging digital to increase sales

• Create social engagement around digital sales

• Nurture customer loyalty

In order to meet these aims through content, brands are finding success in a variety of mediums but much of the interest remains with platform such as Instagram and TikTok. And, while big businesses continues to heavily invest in high production value TVCs, all brands are seemingly increasing the amount of user generated content they include in their marketing strategies. According to HubSpot, it’s the same old platforms continuing to draw our gaze.

So where to put your eggs in 2021? Well, according to Hootsuite, Hubspot, Social Media Examiner and many others, these are the things you should be thinking about over Christmas and well into the new year.

Instagram goes searchable

Instagram has announced that the platform is making itself more user friendly by enabling users to search for content more directly and without the use of hashtags. This means brands should be aware of how SEO is affecting their search ability. Social media managers should take note of this by ensuring their captions include key search terms to increase visibility and take advantage of a potential increase in organic reach.

Short Form Video Wins

Every year video becomes more prevalent in the social media space and ‘snackable’ or short format content continues to drive growth across platforms; especially when it comes to paid marketing. The success and onus being placed on Instagram’s new feature ‘Reels’ is resulting in a decrease in engagement across other areas of the platform. Brands are encouraged to strategise around these upgrades and include new additions like Reels in their content plans to take advantage of the plentiful eyeballs.

Shops to bolster online presence

2020 has encouraged brands to streamline and move their processes online. This means that even the smallest of companies are starting to take their business out of the physical and into the digital sphere. Not only does this help future proof SMEs against things like lockdown but it also takes advantage of new learned behaviour and an increased customer base now looking further afield for products and services.

Brands will be more empathetic

Business are an ebbing and flowing organism full of real people with real problems making real decisions. Brands in 2021 will be looking to show themselves as human in the face of a scary and sceptical world and actively seeking to show themselves and their products as empathetic towards their customers. Companies will be looking to make their dealings more transparent and authentic and not shy away from vulnerabilities. What better way to do that than through thoughtful video.

Paid advertising strategies will be able finding sweet spots

As social media platforms evolve, so too will social media strategies in order to keep up with them. Thanks to new products like Reels, Facebook marketers will be looking to create engaging and inventive short form videos as a result. Paid spend will be put behind real insights and customer data and amid sharp rises in CPC, marketers will be looking for sweet spots in order to convert as cheap as possible.

Charisma will continue to drive Youtube growth

Brands and businesses are seeing exponential growth on Youtube. Creatives and craftspeople are building audiences and customer bases through charismatic and personality-led video. Understanding what works and how sales convert is key to building a robust sales strategy through Youtube in 2021.

LinkedIn will get a kick in the arse

Linkedin has ranged in popularity over the years. Plagued with spammers and outreach marketeers, Linkedin is ripe for a rebuild and an overdue rebrand in 2021. The platform has rolled out a suite of new features including Live, Events, Polls and Stories all to leverage the increased number of people working from home but craving a business and professional community. The platform is also looking to increase the value of individual brand pages and has announced new features to help businesses build fanbases and promote conversation. Peer-to-peer relationships will be more valuable in 2021 as business leaders look to promote stronger interpersonal and business relationships online through video.

GOOD Social Content

Customers are responding to businesses and brands that are advocating for positive change, be it social or environmental. Social media marketeers will be looking for ways to align their business with doing good in 2021. This will extend to more information-led content as well as more meaningful content that seeks real impact in local communities.

 Contact a Snackable team member today to find out how we can help your brands create effective social video in 2021.