5 Social Media Trends for Small Businesses in 2020
With 2020 around there corner, here are some social media trends that small businesses can use to stay ahead of the game in the coming year.
1. Influencer Marketing
When trying to target new customers through social media, one of the first things to look at might be influencers. While it initially may seem expensive to pay someone to promote your product or service, it’s been shown to be an effective way to attract new buyers. A recent survey found that almost 1/5th of U.S. Instagram users bought a product because an influencer recommended it. As well as that, currently, more than two-thirds of retailers in North America are already taking advantage of influencers in some way.
Small businesses probably want to consider niche or micro-influencers, smaller local influencers whose followers range from 1k to 100K, who are less expensive (or free) and more approaching. These can be identified using research or through micro-influencer platforms such as Pixlee or Obviously. Offering these influencer free samples in exchange for a review or mention is also an effective way of keeping costs down, and many smaller influencers are eager to promote local businesses to help better establish themselves.
2. Social Media Ads
Social media ads continue to be a simple and cost-effective way for small businesses to reach prospective clients. Ads on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are shown to be extremely effective. Instagram has said that 60% of people discover new products on their platform. Facebook ads, on the other hand, are especially useful for targeting middle-aged customers as 65% of adults 50-64 are on the platform. You can even personalize ads for specific customer segments to make them the most effective. Most social media platforms also provide comprehensive tools for controlling your budget and costs, analyzing results, and ROI (return on investment).
3. Stories
Stories while a relatively new phenomenon are becoming essential to capturing people’s attention on social media. They first appeared on Snapchat in 2013 and were implemented on Instagram in 2016 then Facebook in 2017. Stories are short photo or video collections shown in a slideshow format and sometimes include sound. They’re great for calling attention to previous posts, making announcements, and advertising your products. Stories differ from posts because of their “real-time” nature and limited shelf-life, make them a more natural tool for announcing flash sales, special/limited offers, or soliciting feedback and engagement from current or prospective customers.
4. Live Streaming
With Facebook and Instagram, businesses have the ability to live stream videos live straight to followers. Viewers can also interact in the chat, which means that you can answer questions and talk to them directly in your live stream. There are a lot of advantages to streaming video live to customers. First of all, everyone who follows you automatically gets a notification that your live drawing people to watch your stream.
Like stories, live streaming is as real-time as it gets. You can use it to share aspects of your business that might otherwise be difficult to communicate through more static posts or even stories. For example, showing off new products, sharing tips and recommendations, customer testimonials, or behind the scenes footage from a restaurant are great examples of how live streaming can be used effectively. Also, followers have the ability to rewatch and share live-stream content after it was filmed. So if you’re hoping to boost sales or increase customer interaction, live streaming might be just the tool for you.
5. Chatbots, Text, and “Conversation” Marketing
There are growing numbers of interactive technologies and platforms that allow small businesses to engage in 1-to-1 communication to provide better and more personalized service. Facebook AI-driven chatbots are now an affordable option for most small businesses. Text (SMS) and phone marketing that allows customers to interact with you via their mobile phones are a great way to automate functions such as reservations, reminders, customer service, and customer feedback. While these technologies may not make sense for all small businesses, they are now available and can serve as cost-effective marketing, scheduling, and customer service tools.
ABH Connect is here to help you determine the best marketing campaigns to fit your budget in 2020. Give us a call today to get started!