Social media has become an important part of our daily lives in recent years. And, people have made the most of it by influencing millions of people by posting different content. Social media is an ever-changing industry. There are perhaps new developments every second. Let’s explore some of the top developments in the world of social media trending these days:

The success of video content:

While YouTube has revolutionized the production of video content in the past years, Facebook remains the most visited site. Both long and short videos can easily be accessed on Facebook and YouTube. Following the trend, Instagram has also added the option of IGTV, where users can now upload longer videos. Also, TikTok has successfully gained 1.5 billion followers for its innovation in video making by adding various editing options and filters

Stories are the rage:

Instagram, the pioneer of the story feature, is an option where photos and videos can be uploaded for a short period. WhatsApp and Facebook quickly followed the trend, and now stories are the talk of the town. As of now, Facebook stories are being accessed more than 500 million times per day. Also, Stories and polls are an amazing way to interact as people don’t have to put much thought into accessing them.

Targeting the audience more than the number of likes:

Recently it has been seen that brands, rather than running after likes, are focusing more on what the audience thinks about the product. Because even if the masses give a warm reaction to any content, doesn’t mean they’re endorsing it. Now, marketers are realizing that long term engagements are more important than a short viral moment or a spike in likes.  That’s how brands are now targeting an audience who understand their product and share their interests and passions. They’re doing this by responding directly to customers, and by talking in their language

Direct advertising:

These days’ people are getting more comfortable with social media shopping. Brands, taking advantage of that scenario, are posting ads more directly and creatively. so now social networking sites have introduced different formats for marketers to add products such as Facebook and Instagram shopping. Here you can directly purchase a product, without following some given link. Stories and live streaming also serve as a great way to interact with the audience on more fun and personal level. For example, a live-stream hosted by Tommy Hilfiger in China led to the sale of 1300 hoodies in just 2 minutes.

Live Streaming:

Another popular way to connect on social media these days is live streaming.  Brands are now realizing that live videos are a great way to connect with their customers. Interestingly, the popularity of live videos has increased even more than the demand for video content. Now almost all major social media sites host the live streaming feature. These include Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Tumblr. And that’s because nearly 82% of the audiences like to watch live videos on social media.

These are just a few of the trends of an industry which is blooming more and more each day. And, the new year will bring forth many new trends and advancements in Social Media. 2021 will be an exciting year for this industry