The rise in popularity of Snapchat’s facial filters (artificial intelligence lenses) makes the network interactive, engaging and unique compared to others. However, social media marketers shouldn’t have to wait long until competitors start to catch up with their own facial lenses.
In fact, Facebook already tested facial lenses for its mobile interface in 2016. This could be a major sign of budding social media trends. With the launch of Instagram Stories, expect the popular social media feature to move across channels.
According to TechCrunch, there were 100 million active users on Instagram Stories within two months after its release. Additionally, Instagram Stories are watched by 18% of the network’s 600 million active users each day.
This puts all the pressure on Snapchat to maintain in the social media space. The competition is only likely to increase with Snapchat possibly going public as early as March 2017. Snapchat certainly has their own slice of the pie with 150 million active users in 2016 and 41% of US adults between the ages 18-34 use the network daily.
Younger generations continue to spend large amounts of time on these features and the battle for facial lenses could heat up in 2017.
Customer care should be on the minds of most businesses entering 2017. According to the Sprout Social Q2 2016 Index, in Q1 2016, the average number of social messages needing a response grew 18% year over year. This has many brands looking for ways to increase their customer service resources and more are turning to chatbots.
Platforms like Facebook Messenger and Slack use chatbots to communicate with customers, answer frequently-asked questions or to provide immediate information on a product or service. These chatbots can increase communication and reduce response times to social messages in need of an answer.
Here’s how both Slack and Facebook Messenger are preparing for the increase in automated customer service:
There’s no doubt social media algorithms make it harder for businesses to promote organic content. With the introduction of the Instagram algorithm in 2016, nearly every major social network uses some sort of content preferential treatment.
The majority of these algorithms have one simple purpose–to make its users happy with the content they see in their feeds. But this is making it difficult for brands to be seen if they strictly publish organic social content.
On the other hand, paid content is growing faster each quarter. According to Adobe, social media ad spend is estimated to surpass $41 billion in 2017. And it’s not limited to just one channel or network.
Even though Twitter’s possible sale in 2016 worried some marketers, VentureBeat showed Q3 advertising revenue grew from $513 in 2015 to $545 million in 2016. Along with Instagram’s newest algorithm, more emphasis was put on paid content.
The visual social network’s mobile ad revenue drew $1.53 billion across the globe in 2016. In fact, a Content Marketing Institute report discovered paid advertising on search (76%), social media ads (74%) and promoted posts (76%) increased dramatically year-over-year into 2016.
The need for quality and engaging content has never been higher. To ensure brands get their money’s worth whether it’s paid or organic, content has to have a purpose and be engaging.
In 2016 Instagram launched its Business Tools feature, which works in the same vein as Twitter Analytics and Facebook Insights. This could mean social media trends point toward native tool enhancements to meet business needs.
Analytics and reporting features are nothing new to the industry. According to a KPMG survey, 92% of C-level executives already use data and analytics for marketing insights. And it’s very likely marketers and business owners don’t stop at measuring social media efforts as well.
In fact, a Simplify360 report found 36% of businesses use social media analytics for more than competitor analysis. The competition is only getting stronger in the social landscape, which results in more analytical thinking and marketing.
Social commerce isn’t slowing down and more networks are providing brands with easier ways to sell to customers. Instant purchases are available on Instagram, but social media trends point to faster sales across the board.
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The Sprout Social Index discovered 57% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand they follow. Additionally, 75% have made a purchase because they saw it on social media.
The power of social media can truly impact a buyer’s impression and more brands are moving toward social commerce. Brands are now focusing on buyer’s emotions for purchases.
But brands just can’t promote without engaging. Social selling still needs interaction. According to an Epsilon report, 28% of consumers said a brand’s social presence was the biggest reason to try new products or services.
Cutting out the fat between clicking “buy” and receiving “order complete” will continue to evolve. Throughout the year, expect retailers to find faster ways to make sales and limit purchasing decisions.