Want to Know How to Pandemic-Proof Your Social Media Strategy? Read on to find our top 5 tips for social marketing success in 2021.
Picture this… it is February 2020 you are catching the tube to work with your head under someone’s stinky armpit on your way to an office building with 1000 people ready to write your brands upcoming social media strategy. Little did you know, you would be sat in your bedroom turned home-office a year later having evolved that strategy beyond anything you could have ever imagined. This article summarises some of the biggest growing platforms and features, born or amplified out of lockdown that every marketer should be including in their 2021 social media marketing strategy.
Be Part of the Fastest Growing Social Media Network – Tik Tok
As of January 2021 it is reported that Tik Tok has almost a billion monthly users which is phenomenal growth for an emerging social media platform. The entertainment & escapsism appeal of the tool driven by creating 15 to 60 second videos enables consumers in lockdown to pass the time & showcase their creativity, dance moves and much more.
The Pros: It is one of the easiest and cheapest ways for your band to engage with the Gen Z generation. Moreover, the sheer scope of the tool can expose your brand to a broad range of consumers. It has an inbuilt algorithm promoting best videos & creatives so content can go viral and your brand can get broad organic reach cheaply (as long as you capture the users attention!)
The Cons:Unfortunately, right now you can’t easily link TikTok videos back to your website. This makes the consumer journey from social to your site clunky and measurement is harder to prove with organic analytics data only showing for 28 days. Also, given the young demographic of the users there are also some questions around the morality of marketing to children. That, together with a potential ban from the US government due to data sharing issues does pose some brand safety issues.
Whilst Tik Tok needs to be considered for your 2021 social media marketing strategy, there are some concerns around privacy and safety that not all brands would be comfortable with. In Aug 2020 Instagram launched Reels which has similar functionality to rival Tik Tok so if brand safety is a priority then Reels is your best strategy.
Drive Community on Facebook Using Groups & Communities
Community is King and never has that been more true than during the pandemic. Consumers are more engaged in their community and the area in closest proximity to them. This has led to rise in ‘localism’ and a push towards supporting smaller businesses.
Using Facebook features like Marketplace & Communities allows your brand to speak to consumers in a more relatable manner and to become a part of their community.
The Pros: Facebook is a relatively cheap and simple method of interacting 1:1 you’re your consumers. You can use community boards for social listening and to gain first hand insights from your Consumer. Although, Facebook may be on the decline for younger audiences, it is definitely the place to connect with your Gen X and Ageless consumers.
The Cons:The community & marketplace features may not be polished enough to be used for brands and any community engagements must be done in an authentic manner. Facebook has also been hit with multiple privacy & data issues. This has resulted in consumers losing trust in the Facebook brand.
Research is on the Rise so Make the Most of the New Guides Feature on Instagram
Your consumers have more spare time so are pre-planning purchases and researching more. You can help your consumer to discover products & services using the ‘Guides’ feature on Instagram. This new feature launched in Nov 2020 and allows you to create an editorial style ‘guide’. The guide can include multiple products & Instagram posts from your brand and also from influencers.
The Pros:Your consumer engages with new social formats as it drives their attention and clicks from your consumer. Additionally, it beats the algorithm as Instagram promotes new features. The guide can be used to build stories & education on best sellers, ingredients, product lines etc. These will help your brand to be more relevant for your consumer.
The Cons:There is no measurement built yet so you can’t measure the guides impact and success yet. For more information on how you can set up an Instagram Guide here.
Social Media Strategies Are Changing – Ensure you Have a Strong Presence & Advertising Budget on YouTube
YouTube is becoming the new Google. Your consumer is watch more videos & spending more time on YouTube due to the pandemic. They are using You Tube to search for product instead of using Google search and enjoying longer form content.
The Pros:Your content stays on the platform after posting and remains searchable by your consumers. This means, your consumers can continue to watch content and are not dictated by the algorithm as they are on their Instagram. You can use YouTube for targeted advertising & it is easy to link & embed content on your website.
The Cons:Content creation costs can be expensive. There is limited control over what may be advertised next to your content or the content you may advertise next to. This poses brand safety issues.
Cater For Consumers Need For ‘Escapism’ – Use Pinterest For Pre-Planning
With more free time and big life events like holiday and weddings on pause. Consumers are planning more than even for when they can get back to normality. Pinterest reported increased searches for dream holiday content & birthday party celebrations.
The Pros:Pins last a lifetime! Once on a consumer builds a board they rarely delete them. This means, they often revisit their boards time and time again. This gives multiple opportunities for adverts & content to be seen and shared. Content on Pinterest links with key life stage moments. This makes it easier to target consumers around key mindsets. Pinterest can also boost SEO and your rank in search engines.
The Cons:For the best results create content that is tailored for Pinterest. This ensures the content feels native to the platform. Pinterest can be expensive to automate although it can be set up without advertising spend & organic content.
Conclusion
With technology constantly evolving, keeping up to date with latest technology can feel like an uphill battle. Ensuring you have a consumer first approach and understanding the macro and micro factors impacting your consumer will ensure success. The mindset of your consumer drives their consumption and usage of social media. Optimising your strategy towards the consumer mindset will drive effective & impactful marketing decisions for your brand. No-one can predict how retail will evolve going forward, however ensuring that you are using the latest features and platforms on social media will ensure success in 2021.
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