2020 has been a challenging year for digital marketers and most of us are ready to say goodbye! As we say farewell to another year and look to 2021, digital marketers are busy outlining marketing strategies and budgets for the year ahead. Social Media is an area where your strategy, content and branding must adapt to the ever-changing platform options, algorithms, tools and more. So how will social media marketing change in 2021? We break down some of the key findings from a recent report from HubSpot and Talkwalker.
Conversational marketing in social and how it drives sales
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about the need for brands to connect with consumers to the forefront. Customers now, more than ever, want information and engagement from brands. This means personalized, original content which can come in a variety of forms like social messaging, chatbots, stories, livestreams and calls. But you can’t just post a headline and move on. With the lack of face-to-face interaction, consumers are turning to social media for connection. It’s important to bring a human voice to your social media, bringing in empathy, knowledge and personality to your messaging. The easier and faster a consumer is able to get the content they need, from a brand they trust, the more likely they are to convert into a paid customer.
The socially-conscious consumer and what they look for from brands
Gen Z & Alpha were the most impacted by COVID-19 with 50% either losing their job or someone in their household. This group is moving towards adulthood and into the workforce so it’s imperative brands start building rapport with them now. This generation also happens to be one of the most socially conscious to ever exist, prioritizing initiatives like mental health, inclusivity, social justice, climate change, education and politics. They consider advertising to be invasive, so the best strategy to get in front of them is with a “mission-led marketing campaign”. With 88% of consumers wanting to support brands that have social causes aligned with the products and services, it’s important to now address and engage with issues they care about or risk becoming irrelevant. Consumers need to remember your brand beyond your product. Come up with a hashtag that tackles a social issue and design a campaign around it that showcases how your brand supports the initiative.
Nostalgia marketing and what it means for your content calendar
The COVID-19 lockdown brought on a strong desire for consumers to look back at “the good old days”. They want a distraction from the current situation and to focus on happier times. Other times this type of marketing was used include the Great Depression in the 1920s and the Great Recession of the late 2000s. Mentions of keywords related to nostalgia or remembering the past rose by 88% in 2020. You want to aim to connect a positive memory to your brand to build an emotional relationship with consumers.
How to integrate “old school” marketing into your social media strategy
Times of uncertainty can make marketers switch back to tried-and-tested methods over disruptive ideas. These are old-school marketing tactics like newsletters, voice calls, voice search, email and podcasts. These types of marketing tactics deliver quality, easy to consume content that consumers are looking for. In fact, 55% of Americans now listen to podcasts which is driving an increase in advertisements. Podcasts tend to have deep audience engagement and strong host/listener rapport so an ad featured on a podcast may convert their listeners at a higher rate.
Looking for help with your social media strategy for 2021? We can help! Nowspeed has a team of social media experts to help you with every aspect of both your organic and paid social media programs. Learn more about our Social Media Marketing services.
