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Top 5 Social Media Trends of 2018

Top 5 Social Media Trends of 2018

by | Dec 17, 2018 | SocialEyes

A lot has changed over the last year when it comes to social media and online marketing. While some trends were short lived fads, others took the online global community by storm and are still going strong into the New Year. Keeping up with these changes is key to making a strong impression with online consumers in 2019. 

Here’s a quick look at the five biggest social media trends to catch on in 2018. 

Videos Reign Supreme

If current trends hold, in a few short years most internet users will consume the vast majority of their internet content in video form. According to networking giant Cisco, by 2022 as much as 82% of internet traffic around the world will be ascribed to video content-related traffic. Seventeen percent of internet traffic will be attributed to live video content. Advertisers and businesses can hop on this trend by investing more resources into creating more video content and incorporating it into their marketing campaigns. 

Paid Ads

Paying for ad space on social media sites is a fundamental part of online marketing at this point. Reaching target audiences through social media offers a lot of positives including making a direct connection with users in a way that is most convenient to them. 

A quick scroll through your feed on Facebook or even Reddit will reveal plenty of ads structured like regular posts. Social media sites make it dead simple for advertisers to lock in one of these coveted spots by giving businesses access to ad creation tools and features like “boosting” right in their dashboards.

Instagram Stories

Instagram’s Stories and similar short video clip features on other social platforms are now fully integrated into our social media habits. Stories have a few benefits going for them, but the biggest one is their short length. Viewers can consume content in just a matter of seconds. 

To take full advantage of Stories, businesses must offer valuable content. Clips that share tips, recipes, hacks, facts and otherwise meaningful content will gain more views. High-quality visuals and graphics are also a must for widespread success. 

Filters and Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) has been around since the mid-‘90s, it but hasn’t gained true mainstream popularity until recently. With the huge success of Pokémon GO, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, and filters and stickers, we have entered a new era of AR enhancements. There are many levels to AR technology to play around with even though the current market is revolves around mobile devices. The attraction of AR is ultimately rooted in giving users the power to add something new to their current reality. Some businesses can go the L’Oréal route by creating AR apps that allow shoppers to test out their products, while others will find more success with creating AR game and activity apps.

Influencer Partnerships

As the fastest growing marketing trend, influencer partnerships have become a huge boon for small and mid-tier businesses. Influencers are typically entertainers and content creators who have the attention of a loyal following. A successful partnership with an influencer requires a natural fit between a business and its product with the influencer’s niche. In order track well with audiences, the brand or product on offer must offer real, practical value. 

Will these hot social media trends carry forward into 2019? Only time will tell. Stay tuned to this space learn more about social media trends and marketing your business online! 

5 Year-End Practices Every Business Should Implement

5 Year-End Practices Every Business Should Implement

by | Dec 17, 2018 | Uncategorized

At the close of another year there are a few housekeeping tasks to take of care before the holiday season hits. Prepare your business for success in the New Year by tying up loose ends and planning for the challenges ahead. Make sure you have these top five year-end practices on your checklist!

Thank You Announcements

In the season of giving, it’s only natural to give thanks! Whether it’s in the form of a newsletter, a social media post or a personalized email, don’t forget to thank the people who are vital to the success of your business. On your thank you list should be customers, employees, business partners, referrals and advertising partners. Additionally, incorporating giveaways, gifts or coupon codes into your thank you notes can be an excellent way to ensure your business remains top of mind throughout the hectic holiday season.

Review the Successes and Failures of the Past Year

During your year-end review dedicate some time to exploring the big hits and misses your business experienced over the year. Touch base will all of your vendors, employees and partners to gain important insight that might have escaped you earlier in the year. By reviewing your track record and assessing the “whys” and “hows” of each important milestone you will enter the coming year armed with the knowledge to ensure growth. Learn from your failures and your successes. 

Set Goals for Next Year

What are you working towards in 2019? Setting goals gives your business direction, which can be beneficial not only for the business as a whole, but also for your team’s morale. Set clearly defined goals for growth and new pursuits, and communicate these ideals with your whole team to ensure everyone knows their role and can contribute ideas for crafting a winning strategy. Any growth you achieve in the future is more likely to be a permanent development if you have a clear idea of what the future of your business will be. 

Review Your Finances

The successes of your business can be measured in a few different ways, but the shape of your finances is a good place to start. Review your cash flow, track down all of the necessary paperwork you need from partnerships, and verify that all of the appropriate documentation has been filed for taxation. Depending on the size of your business, it may be time to create a full-time payroll department or outsource those responsibilities to an accounting firm. 

Update Your Social Media Policy

To keep up with the rapid changes throughout the social media world, it’s imperative that you update your social media policy (or establish such a policy if you haven’t already). An expansive social media policy should cover rules for employee use of social media, marketing guidelines and even recruiting practices for hiring departments. Avoid the pitfalls and mistakes made by other businesses who have fallen victim to social media scandals by creating clear, actionable guidelines on what is and isn’t acceptable.  

When you’ve covered all of your bases in your year-end review, you can dive into the New Year with the knowledge that you are as prepared as you will ever be. If you need help shoring up your social media strategy for 2019, contact us today!