Tik Tok, a video-focused social networking service owned by Chinese company ByteDance will take over the social media in 2022 forcing other platforms to adapt, says the Talkwalker, the industry’s top consumer intelligence platform, and HubSpot in their joint research on social media trends for this year.
“If there is one trend that is almost guaranteed as we move into 2022, it’s the continued domination of TikTok,” says the research. “The short-term video platform has broken download records, quickly becoming the go-to app for connecting with current and future consumers”.
Powered by a highly personalized content recommendation system, the research adds, TikTok can help brands gain exposure to and connect with a qualified, engaged audience. How it will help the regional players is yet to be seen.
“As the app looks to introduce an e-commerce aspect and monetization model, brands that want to connect with consumers need to be TikTok savvy,” the research says.
The other top highlights of the research titled Social Media Trends 2022 are as follows:
Social ads will develop as cookies get crunched
Advertising has come a long way, and firms can now reach larger audiences than ever before, enhancing brand awareness and engagement. In 2021, social media platforms have become a valuable tool for advertisers seeking to engage customers more personally and directly.
However, with so many people installing ad blockers, brands must be creative to ensure that their decisions are data-driven, with insights into their consumers, so they can develop a complete analytical picture of their customers and shape their strategy around it, says the research.
Social selling will continue to gain importance
As social media platforms are starting to provide e-commerce merchants with new shopping features, channels such as Instagram have become synonymous with social media influencers.
Social selling will continue to gain in importance in 2022. As a result, brands should re-evaluate the purchasing paths they offer and consider taking advantage of social selling opportunities through Instagram posts, reels, stories, live streams, and more.
Remember that social commerce is not just selling on social media; you need consistent interactions that lead to consumer interest, the Talkwalker and Hubspot say in their research.
Post-pandemic content will shape up to consumer needs
The lockdown has accelerated media consumption trends. Consumers want stories shaped for them, containing the information they want and in style. This has led to a particular increase in live audio and video but with added interaction and engagement. As a result, brands will have to expand their content strategies in 2022 and beyond, identifying the content and style of content their consumers need.
Omnichannel will affect how customers interact with social media
Video has been growing its share as the favored content format in social. In 2022, posting and sharing videos is fundamental for any marketing campaign that wants to succeed.
Maturing influencer marketing
The pandemic led many consumers towards influencer communities – a valuable source of infotainment when other traditional media, like live theatre and cinemas, weren’t available.
This has led to the growth in variety and value of influencers because they can reach consumers on a level that many large brands simply cannot – with nearly half of consumers depending on influencer recommendations before purchases. Increasingly, everyday people are becoming influencers, and this understanding of what consumers want will continue to drive this trend in 2022.
Metaverses will be the next consumer connection
The Metaverse is becoming the future playground for brands, where real and virtual worlds converge. These virtual environments allow for creativity, collaboration, and competition, keeping them at the forefront of the digital age.
This emerging trend is proof that offline and online experiences are slowly merging, creating even more opportunities for brands.
AI is here to stay
Artificial Intelligence plays a central role where progressive marketers are concerned. All advertisers use AI when advertising on Google and Facebook in one way or another. AI is here to stay. Brands and agencies who fail to harness the power of and adopt AI will get left behind while their competitors win.