Let's cut to the chase, you want to stay ahead of the curve on your social channels and we want to help you. Here are our top four predictions for 2022.
Trend #1: Short-form video
With the rise in popularity of apps like TikTok and features like Instagram Reels, it was predicted that video—especially short-form video—will only get bigger in 2022.
This prediction was confirmed for Instagram at the end of December by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri in an Instagram post on his account.
To easily start creating your own Reels and TikToks, we have template collections to help. Here are some suggestions:
Trend #2: Paid advertising
Open any social media feed nowadays, and you’re bound to come across an ad within a few seconds of scrolling. We’ve noticed that social media channels tend to prioritize paid posts, and successful businesses are doing the same. According to a survey conducted by Hootsuite, 51.4% of respondents said that they’re planning to increase their paid social spend in 2022.
Want to start running Facebook and Instagram ads for your business? We recently went live on Facebook to show just how easy it is to run ads with Ripl.
Trend #3: Community engagement
When the world went into lockdown during the beginning of the pandemic, people felt isolated and scared, and as a result, turned to social media for a sense of connection. This trend continued in 2021 and is expected to ramp up in 2022.
In this example, you can see Versed created a fun and creative way to get their community engaged with their latest product launch by turning it into a game and further incentivizing them by turning it into a giveaway.
To use this trend to your advantage, put yourself in the mindset of your customers. When creating content ask yourself:
What can I teach my customers?
What is working for my competitors, and might work for me?
What new features can I try to use?
How can I start a conversation with my customers?
How can I get customers more involved with my products?
Trend #4: Social media shopping
Another trend that kicked off due to the pandemic was an increase in social commerce. When stay-at-home orders rolled out, nearly all shopping moved online. To keep up, many small businesses made shifts to the way they did business, and moved to e-commerce and social media.
Shopping will only be bigger for social media as it is a key part of the buying experience—from product research, communicating with brands, and to keeping up with sales.
Jump on this trend by creating content to answer questions that customers might have while shopping with you, and by learning how to create an Instagram shop for your business.
We believe the key takeaways from these trends emphasize a focus on putting your customers first, creating high-quality and engaging content, utilizing paid social, and integrating platform features, such as online shops, into your marketing.
Need more tips for 2022 planning? Check out our top 5 social media tips (according to our top blog posts of 2021).
