In today’s digital world, you may interact with social media more than you might think.
According to the University of Maine, people spend an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes of time online each day, the equivalent of 17 hours and 20 minutes each week.
Similarly, 59.9% of the world’s population (That’s 4,800,000,000 individuals!) are active social media users, using an average of six different social media platforms per month. This data shows that social media not only hosts a wide audience of active, engaged users, but also suggests that the amount of users will only continue to grow as new social platforms emerge.
With technology consistently evolving, it’s becoming increasingly important for marketers to remain nimble, proactive and knowledgeable about emerging trends to capitalize on new audiences on social media.
Three current social media best practices will enhance your organization’s social media presence to grow your online presence:
1. Create Video Content
The rise of video over the past year has shifted the way accounts create posts and users consume content. While many social media platforms have updated their algorithms to promote video content to wider audiences (to mirror and compete with successful video-forward platforms like TikTok), others have simply pivoted to create videos that deliver entertaining, engaging content.
From creators talking straight to the camera, breaking down complex topics that would have otherwise been text, to showcasing new immersive video techniques that make followers feel engaged, incorporating video can help you reach a broader audience while showcasing your organization’s creativity.
2. Engage With Your Community
Everyone wants to feel heard. Social media’s community engagement practices help build community online through engaging with followers and competitors’ pages, ensuring accounts reach their audiences, and critical comments can be promptly addressed.
Examples of common community engagement practices include responding to comments on your posts, liking posts that share similar interests or resharing information that promotes shared values.
While using community engagement tactics is polite for online etiquette, it also helps promote your accounts to those with similar interests. By engaging with these accounts daily, you can grow your online presence and reach new audiences.
3. Take Advantage of Trends
Successful social media content takes risks and explores new strategies. By experimenting with trends, whether through trending audio on TikTok, replicating viral content or incorporating culture keywords and phrases, accounts can reach new audiences while showcasing an organic, authentic tone that speaks to relevant online culture.
Recently, Group 7 made such a splash. By taking advantage of TikTok’s recommended content based on its algorithm, musician Sophia James’ began posting promotional videos of her new song in groups (i.e., You are In Group 1, You are in Group 2, etc.). Shortly after, TikTok started delivering Group 7 content to For You Pages (FYPs) and many users replicated the trend for their personal or business pages. As such, the trend exploded.
Recreating this trend and applying to your own organization could be as simple as recording B-Roll (or supplementary) footage of your workspace with text on screen that reads: “The best customers are in Group 7,” “I won the lottery because I’m in Group 7,” or tying in content associated with your business into the premise of trend to copy mentioning Group 7. Though trends may seem sporadic and random, participating in online trends will not only showcase that your organization is adaptable and active online, but your content will also be promoted through the algorithm to new audiences.
Make It Work for You
When choosing which trend to replicate, ask yourself if it works for your organization’s account. If the trend aligns with your account’s tone of voice, creating posts that experiment with the trend could increase your views and reach new audiences.
Whether you’re spending your morning reviewing news stories on Facebook, mulling over thought leadership posts on LinkedIn or winding down by scrolling through reels on Instagram, our personal and professional lives are heavily intertwined with social media. Crafting posts with trends that keep us entertained, informed and connected will feel organic and reach everyday online individuals.
Expanding your social media presence means crafting meaningful strategies that work for your audiences. Learn more about our social media services here.
