E commerce is probably one of the most rapidly-changing business models in the world. We are forced constantly to evolve and re-align and it is an ever-increasing learning curve. But there are currently three trends in Social Media that have been prevalent so far in 2014 that are worth noting and understanding. Here is a brief overview of each.
1. The End of Organic Reach on Facebook
Facebook’s redesign-du-jour has made it noticeably more difficult to comfortably reach your target audience by any organic means with just a basic post. In fact, Facebook isn’t even trying to hide it. They came right out and said that this was a thing back in December of 2013. Brands would, according to Facebook, start noticing a decline in their organic reach.
This obviously raised the hackles of various businesses but it really was the only sound decision Facebook could have made. As a publicly traded company, Facebook’s prime objective is to stay profitable and keep the shareholders making money. They understand that we use the site primarily to interact with friends, not brands. Brands have to work at it and now they have to work even harder.
But even though it is getting harder, Facebook marketing is what it has always been: a big numbers game. The larger your fan base, the more people are going to see your content, interact with your brand and receive your message. 10-15% of your fans will see your content. Do you want it exposed to 15% of 2000 fans or 15% of 20,000? Look at the new algorithm as a challenge to push your brand further into the limelight and create some stellar content that gets noticed and shared.
2. Social Media Teams
As social media takes an ever more prevailing foothold on the way people interact online, it is becoming more and more necessary to have a dedicated team to manage your social media presence. It can’t be regarded as an afterthought or a minor additional task for your marketing department. Try to cut corners on this and you will get absolutely nowhere.
You need a team that can strategize, orchestrate and execute a well-devised plan for reaching out deep into each social media community and creating a solid presence. This is true for any site: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pintrest, etc. Play to your brand’s strengths and make sure your team not only understands the ins and outs of each social media platform, but that they are also up on the changes that hit all the time (especially with Facebook – no other site likes to switch up the rules more often or more completely).
3. Acknowledge the Power of #Hashtags
…or, more to the point, good hashtags.
Once the domain of Twitter users, hashtags have become a vital part of the social media framework. Even Facebook has adopted the use of hashtags and knowing how to use them correctly can be a major advantage for you and your brand. They allow you to get the word out across networks and allow for consistent communication and flow of discussion. Your audience is fragmenting more by the day. Good hashtags are the glue that keeps that relationship cohesive so use them and use them well.
Other Noteworthy Trends
The social media landscape is vast and far-reaching and there are numerous trends within various niches which you should definitely investigate in relation to your brand. These three, however, are among the most important ones to focus on for any business.
- Which mobile-friendly web design strategy is right for you? - August 28, 2015
- Errors to avoid in your social media marketing campaign - August 26, 2015
- Three things you must get right to run a successful e-com store - August 20, 2015
- Focus on the smallest details for a more mobile-friendly site - August 18, 2015
- Three reasons why physical retailers need an online presence - August 14, 2015
- Could your Scottish start-up benefit from a new digital grant? - August 13, 2015
- Does Google care if your website is responsive or not? - August 11, 2015
- Three powerful tips to boost your ecommerce conversions - June 15, 2015
- How Googles algorithm changes influence web design - June 7, 2015
- Stay on top of your Social Media Marketing with these 3 tips - June 2, 2015
You may also be interested in:
- 3 Top Marketing Mistakes in Social Media Businesses make a considerable number of mistakes using social media but some have more damaging potential than others. Here are...
- Three social media marketing secrets of the pros It’s no secret that Social Media Marketing (SMM) can be one of the most effective ways of increasing brand exposure,...
- How to make social media work for you Despite the fact that Facebook has only been around since 2004, if it were a country, it’d have the 3nd...
- Errors to avoid in your social media marketing campaign Let’s take a look at three easily-avoided errors to steer clear of in your SMM campaign… ...
- How to harness the marketing power of social media If you've not yet taken advantage of social media marketing techniques to promote your brand, this handy primer will point...
Cozy Digital is an