7 Industry-Changing Trends in Social Media Marketing in 2018

It’s been well publicized how social media platforms are constantly evolving. In turn, social media marketing has been subject to major changes throughout the past year. As we look ahead to how to promote on social media, these social media marketing trends are set to re-define how we do business in 2018.

1. The growing platform of Pinterest

Pinterest is somewhat underdeveloped when it comes to social media marketing. As Pinterest continues to make itself more advertiser-friendly, expect better keyword search to take hold this year. The platform has already committed to delivering better ad targeting. The rise of Pinterest’s video feature is also expected to continue to gain acceptance among users.

2. Choosing YouTube for Lead Generation

Ad costs are rising across the board. In an effort to generate leads for free, YouTube may be your best bet. Though largely untapped, YouTube provides the opportunity to reach consumers with attractive, informative videos that provide real-time value. Think of all the times we type in something to search on YouTube, whether it be instructional videos, news reports, music, video games, or whatever the case. YouTube is a hotbed of qualified leads that are there for the picking.

3. LinkedIn Ads continue to gain traction

LinkedIn upped their game in 2017 and turned into one of the most exciting social media platforms going. The increasing sharing of videos, developments and updates in their messaging feature, and the growing monthly user base make LinkedIn the platform to watch in 2018. Furthermore, LinkedIn even has plans to roll out video ads in the upcoming year.

4.  Facebook Watch becoming a go-to Video Platform

Facebook Watch was rolled out in 2017 as a form of ‘Facebook TV’, for select pages. As Facebook Watch expands to all users, it will be interesting to see how video creators make use of this new opportunity. For any video creator out there, this is definitely something to look into.

5. Ad Costs are rising and will continue to Rise for the Foreseeable Future

Ad costs are not going down anytime soon so if you’re thinking about putting money here, now’s the time. Those that invest today can gain themselves a competitive advantage that they can sustain potentially for years down the line, as ad space continues to increase in value.

In the same way that organic reach used to be high and social media algorithms favored organic audience building, the landscape is changing. At some point, ad costs may be so high that some businesses won’t be able to afford it.

6. Pay attention to your Facebook Reviews

Reviews are highly effective traffic builders and on critical platforms such as Facebook, they are unmistakably valuable. By having users like, share, subscribe, and review on Facebook, a brand elevates not only themselves but their posts as well. Do your best to address any negative reviews and to highly positive reviews. In the same way you manage your business finances, ensure that you are looking after Facebook Reviews just as carefully.

7. Why Snapchat may move outside of Mobile

Snapchat has slowly fallen behind as platforms such as Instagram have begun to supersede it in popularity. As the platform looks to expand and attract advertisers, Snapchat may have to move outside of its mobile app.

Nevertheless, in 2018, expect something significant to happen with Snapchat, be it live video integration or the roll-out of another in-app feature. The one thing that is certain is that if it doesn’t do something soon, Snapchat may miss out on the next generation of social media users coming down the pike.