As 2018 approached, every digital marketer and their dog began flooding the internet with predictions about upcoming social media trends. Some of these trends (like the pressure to further localize content) seem likely to occur, while others (like the death of blogging) seem a little more far-fetched. Whether or not you believe these predictions, there are a few things every social media marketer can agree on. Here are some social media marketing resolutions for 2018.
1. Up your content game
Quality content is always important to a social media campaign, but in 2018 it will be essential. Sites like Facebook are taking steps to crack down on engagement bait. This means no more “tag a friend” or “react to vote” posts. Many businesses rely on these types of posts to get more organic reach and fan engagement, so if your company has been relying on these strategies you may no longer hit your goals on key Facebook marketing metrics. Trust me, 2018 is the year to invest in more relevant, genuinely engaging content. If you don’t, you’ll be shelling out a lot more money just to achieve a fraction of the reach and engagement you may have seen in years past.
2. Invest in video content
Just as photos killed text-only status updates, video content is forcing the still-photo off its social media throne. True, there are still places that photos thrive (Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr), but the big sites for marketers are increasingly trending in favor of videos. Even sites like Instagram are seeing more success with videos in recent months. And on Facebook, there’s been a noticeable drop in organic reach over the past year, with videos significantly outperforming every other type of content. If you want your content to be seen, video is your best bet in 2018.
3. Focus on relationships
Your work doesn’t stop once your customer engages with your content. In fact, you should be putting as much effort into moderating your pages as you do creating quality content. It’s easy to respond “thanks” to a couple of good reviews, but are you really having a conversation with your followers? Try to reach out to commenters even if they haven’t specifically addressed you or asked a question. Often, the small, unsolicited interactions you have with customers are the ones that turn them into powerful brand advocates. For you, 2018 should be dedicated to building lasting relationships wherever possible.
4. Clean up your social tools
No matter the size of your business, it can be tough to manage all the different social media and review sites that you need to be effective. Logging in, logging out, logging in, logging out. In 2018, try to clean up your process by finding a social marketing platform that works for your business. Lava Surf allows you to bring all of your social and review sites into one dashboard that saves you valuable time. You can even localize your content to ensure each region gets its own special touch. Check it out here.