Social media is constantly evolving and it's important for entrepreneurs to keep up with the latest trends in order to remain relevant and reach a wider audience. The trends that are likely to shape social media marketing in the coming years (based on current patterns and advancements in technology) are people-focused. Despite our growing reliance on digital products and services, humanity’s urge for belonging and human connection is stronger than ever.

Here are 5 ways entrepreneurs can leverage social media marketing trends to grow their audience:

Micro-Marketing

Influencer marketing is becoming more sophisticated, with a focus on authenticity and measuring returns on investment (ROI). Brands are also using micro-influencers to reach smaller, more niche audiences and build stronger relationships with their customers. Embracing micro-influencer marketing, where smaller influencers are utilized instead of big names, is becoming more popular as audiences are looking for relatability and genuine recommendations. Entrepreneurs should work with micro-influencers who have a genuine interest in their products or services. 

Leveraging micro-moments in your marketing will also play a key role in bottomline conversions. “Micro-moments” refers to the high intent situations when a person turns to their device for information, inspiration, or a decision. Focusing on capturing these moments and providing real-time, relevant responses increased the necessity for good (brief, clear, impactful) copywriting in all of your marketing efforts. 

Video Content

Video content is expected to continue its rapid growth, with brands expected to invest heavily in video production and marketing to reach their target audiences. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are leading the way so entrepreneurs should consider creating and sharing videos that showcase their products or services in an engaging and creative way. 

Using live streaming is another way to leverage the popularity of video marketing. Live streaming can help build a relationship with your audience and provide real-time interaction and engagement. This creates faster, stronger, more human connections with your digital community and helps your prospective clients feel seen, heard & understood more readily. 

Personalization & Interactivity

Personalizing your social media marketing is twofold: 1. Showing up authentically so you will stand out and attract aligned clients and 2. Making each consumer's experience of your digital brand feel customized to their unique needs. For the sake of this article, we are going to focus on the latter. 

With the rise of big data and AI technology, entrepreneurs and marketing experts are now able to deliver highly personalized experiences to their customers, both online and offline. Social media platforms will continue to push for increased personalization, helping brands target specific demographics and build closer relationships with their customers.

Interactive content, such as quizzes, polls, gamification, and augmented reality filters will continue to grow in popularity, as they entertain audiences, engage consumers and drive brand loyalty. These trends also provide valuable insights into customer preferences which will help guide your future marketing efforts.

Additionally, people love to share content that they find interesting or entertaining. Entrepreneurs should create content that is shareable so that their audience feels inclined to spread the word by sharing it with their followers as well. One way to do this is through user-generated content. User-generated content can help build trust and credibility through shared client experiences and showcased content on their own social media channels.

Customer Care

The customer experience will become even more important, as businesses strive to create a seamless, omnichannel experience across all touchpoints. Social media is a great way to provide fast and efficient customer service. Having a strong presence on social media and being ready to respond to customer queries in a timely manner will take you leaps and bounds ahead of your less engaged competitors.

Following the guiding hand of the conscious consumer, entrepreneurs would do well to be transparent, honest and approachable throughout their social media marketing efforts. From sustainable marketing practices to prioritizing privacy and data security, business owners can provide next-level customer care. Brands will need to be increasingly mindful of privacy and data security, as consumers become more aware of the risks posed by social media and the advancement of technology.

Advanced Technology

Increased use of Artificial Intelligence will play an important role in social media marketing, helping brands to optimize their content and reach their target audiences more effectively. Search engine optimization (SEO) will need to evolve to include voice and visual search as well. Again, we see a focus on people and supporting an inclusive and engaging environment for every member of your audience, no matter how they engage with your content.

Another element of advancing technology is that social media platforms will increasingly become integrated with e-commerce, allowing brands to reach consumers directly and streamline their sales process. Along these lines, embracing augmented reality (AR) will be essential. AR is becoming more widely used on social media, especially on Instagram, which means that entrepreneurs can use AR to bring their products & services to life in a fun and interactive way.

These are just a few of the trends that are shaping the modern marketing landscape. 

It's important for businesses to stay up-to-date with these developments and adapt their strategies accordingly. In all things marketing, it is vital that you instill your personal touch on all that you create and share with your audience. This prevents you from blending in with the ever-growing digital world and will help you to attract the attention of your dream clients.