It’s been a whirlwind of a year and anticipating what lies ahead is no easier to navigate. Hootsuite has released their 5th annual Social Trends Report. It identifies the top trends that will shape brands in 2021, and how to adapt and thrive. Download the complete report here, but here’s a peek at some of the high-level insights backed by the brightest minds in marketing and data.
A shift towards short-term ROI
This year, marketers were eager to provide a quick-term return on their investment (ROI), to recover sales lost from the pandemic. In fact, 73 percent of all marketers ranked “increased acquisition of new customers” as their top outcome for social in 2021, compared to only 46% last year, marking a 58 percent year-over-year increase. This has resulted is a very transaction-focused.
But transactions alone don’t create memorable brands or long-term growth.
That’s why you need to innovate to win long-term loyalty and engagement. How do you innovate? How? By bringing back the joy of the buying process and making shopping more social.
Social conversations: Finding your place
The uptick in social media use in 2020 translated into numerous opportunities for brands. Many brands jumped in too quickly instead of listening to their customers. People want to connect with each other and not brands. People who let their audience guide them were able find spaces where they could be authentically part of the conversation.
Brands that will succeed in 2021 are not necessarily those leading the conversation. They are more creative in finding ways to fit in and break through the barriers of indifference.
You can join the conversation and not interrupt it. Instead of spending money on content production, you can rely on user-generated content (UGC). You can also bolster social listening to discover where you fit and choose your time and place for participation and engagement.
The tipping point in the life of the baby boomers
The pandemic is causing baby boomers to spend more time online, but marketers still fail to recognize and target this lucrative group.
Why? For one, we have a tendency to fall prey to the irresistible chase of newness—rather than pursuing effectiveness. To capitalize on boomers’ growing tech enthusiasm, look to smart segmentation and thoughtful representation. That’s how savvy brands like yours will leapfrog over companies still stereotyping.
Connecting engagement data and identity
Social media isn’t simply about racking up likes, those are just a means to an end. You want your social media efforts to drive real results for you business. To do this, go beyond the reactions and dig deeper to understand how social data can help your customers.
Marketers are now more important than ever to link social media engagement with identity. After so many traditional approaches fell by the wayside, it’s become the strongest bridge between brands and customers. You can achieve this by creating a solid UTM framework for paid and organic ads, and integrating your data with your CRMs. This will give you a better view of customer touchpoints as well as untapped opportunities.
Success will boil down to taking steps — big or small — to gather key insights from quantifiable data. To avoid getting lost in the attribution pit or being stuck measuring social in a silo, make sure you map these back to your larger marketing goals.
To become a purpose-driven brand
While 2020 wasn’t the beginning of the shift towards purpose-driven marketing, it kicked things into high gear.
Now, 53 percent of people want brands to be proactive in making the world a better place.
Becoming a purpose-driven brand isn’t something you can fake or simply mimic on social media. You can’t tick a box and be done. Brands need to be aware of the current world and consider the conversations that are already taking place. If you’re going to take a stance, make sure your actions back it up.
The greatest brands will balance the dual demands of building a better company and a better world in 2021. This strategy must begin in your boardroom. Social listening should be used to learn and gain intelligence.
Get your free copy of Hootsuite’s Social Trends 2021 report!
