What will 2017 Mean for Social Media?
As anyone who once had a MySpace account will tell you, the pace of social media often means moving from one ‘big thing’ to the next. Practically inseparable from the ever-evolving business and technology markets, social media has had to adapt constantly to survive. As your business (and ours!) rolls into 2017, we look at the upcoming trends that you may want to jump on to make your web presence stand proud.
Customer Service
It’s amazing what you can do with a 140-character limit. Some of the best responses to customer queries have been seen in the short, snappy replies Twitter can offer and in some instances, these have even gone viral. It’s no surprise that companies such as Sainsbury’s, Sky and John Lewis have entire Twitter accounts dedicated to customer queries; and when examples of excellent customer service are shared by satisfied followers, it’s the cheapest, most wide-reaching publicity you could hope for.
Video Content
Once the domain of production studios and the young, rich and technically proficient, social media has opened the doors for any have-a-go cinematographer armed with only a camera phone. Photo sharing app Snapchat – once controversial for its often-abused, temporary photo-messaging – has been rebranded as Snap, and with the name change comes a far more expansive app with a broader reach than simple photo sharing. Most interestingly, Snap Inc. is introducing their new ‘Spectacle’ camera to the market. Resembling a regular pair of glasses, this camera actually provides a 115-degree view of the wearer’s perspective and saves the footage into mobile-friendly video content. Similarly, virtual reality – now readily-available via mobile phones and cost-efficient viewing glasses – looks set to introduce a decades-long pipe dream to the masses. Video conferencing, company expos, and virtual office tours just became a lot more interesting.
Facebook Workplace
As if any doubt were to be cast over Facebook’s business potential, an estimated 96% of small businesses are said to be using the social juggernaut as a marketing tool. It’s not difficult to see why – few social channels can boast its staggering population.
Facebook Workplace, launched in October, consolidates your business account, separating it from your social and personal accounts, and connects employees to a single online environment. Employees can be placed into groups, share live broadcasts, and have instant access to analytics. It’s early days yet, but given Facebook’s popularity, this could imaginably be the next big networking solution since LinkedIn.
Inevitably, some Channels Will Stagnate…
…or change, at least. MySpace, the chirpy social site now usurped by Facebook, still lives on, but seems intent more on advertising music than it does personal functionality – part of the reason it fell from favour in the first place. Twitter’s entertaining (but ultimately one-note) Vine service is set to discontinue any day now, as Twitter instead focuses on incorporating video more competently into its own services.
The most successful social media platforms all seem to offer a service of their own, yet are also prepared to scale with the demands of their users. Your business is no different; by keeping an eye on the ever-shifting social media landscape, you too can prepare for the future. After all, social media should work for your business – and not the other way round!
Looking to boost your online presence next year? Take a look at 5 social media tools that make online marketing easier.
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