Back in the early days of social media, a single image post of just about anything would suffice as quality content. Well, it’s probably been about a decade since that was a successful way to grow on social media. Now, retailers have to put in a little more work to gain the confidence and attention of customers that’ll make a major change for their business online.
Social media is now a powerful tool to grow your customer base. Platform users are opening apps with the intention of searching for things to wear, gifts to buy, ingredients to cook with, and products with which to decorate their homes. As a retailer, participating in even just a few social trends can help you gain momentum on social media and show up more in front of these shoppers.
Here are the top-performing social trends that local businesses should implement into their social strategy right away.
Social Trend 1: Turn Everything Into a Short Form Video.
Short form video is gaining popularity on almost every platform. Even Pinterest and Youtube have introduced ways to post content that look very similar to a TikTok or Reel. What this tells us is that the platforms we’re posting on want us to share more video.
Video captures and keeps attention much longer than an image does, so the more educational and entertaining online videos are, the longer a user stays on that platform. Exactly what every algorithm wants! Suggestion: Upload a 5-45 second video on Instagram/Facebook Reels and TikTok instead of posting an image.
How to do this: Simply switch over from that photo button to the video button and press film! It may be intimidating to film more videos at first, but soon it will become second nature. Pick up the product that you’d usually just snap a photo of and, instead, record what it looks like off the shelf, how it’s used, or various angles (i.e. up-close to see texture or material). A video can tell a story much better than a single image can.
In this example, @Sincerelyyoursbtq on TikTok shares a video unboxing a product and revealing it to the camera.
Social Trend 2: Storytelling.
Far too often, businesses post a photo of one of their products with a simple caption stating the name of the product and that it’s available for purchase. Where is the attraction in that caption? After reading it, in no way do I feel the need to purchase that product. Viewers want to be convinced that a product is going to make them feel good, make a great gift, or has amazing benefits. They want connection to the product—and you!
Telling a Story about your items and your business simply makes your content more interesting. Don’t expect your viewers to automatically want to buy everything you post a photo or video of. Share the reason you brought that item into your store in the first place to show them the value of it.
How to do this: Share 10X more detail than you were previously sharing in your captions, or in your voiceover videos. People want to know the benefits they’ll receive from purchasing this product. They want to know where and how it was made, the size and availability, the texture, and how to use it. The more detail you can give, the more appealing the item becomes. It transforms from just a product on a shelf to an item they can imagine in their lives serving a purpose!
In this example from @AnnasFlowers, they share where the plants come from, the varieties available, and how it’s possible to grow them in your home (as well as how to learn more and shop).
Social Trend 3: Humanizing Your Brand.
Have you noticed how popular influencer marketing has become? Did you ever imagine a time when soooo many people would be able to make a living off of purely endorsing products on their social media channels? This is a testament to how much the general public trusts and believes in the recommendation of other people.
Start implementing right away the trend of showing up as a real human on your business accounts. The more you can show the people behind your business on social media, the more humanized your brand will become. That’s the special thing about small businesses… They’re run by real-life people! It’s time to be the influencer behind your own business and endorse the products you choose to bring to your local community.
How to do this: Start filming more content that includes you and your team. Talk to the camera and share little pieces of your day. Explain the items you’ve stocked your shelves with and why you personally love them. These provide a connection to your audience, as well as a direct testimonial to the products you carry.
Like this example from @JemAestetics, the owner of the business frequently shows up in Reels and Stories to talk about products and show how to use them!
Social trends don’t have to just be about learning the latest dance moves, or filming a voiceover using a Kardashian sound clip. Using the above social trends to help each platform reach its goal of keeping users on their apps for longer by posting creative, educational and entertaining content will help your community (and sales) grow!
If you’re in need of some content ideas to go along with the social trends mentioned above, check out our blog post, 100 Engaging Social Media Post Ideas For Retailers.
What I Want You To Take Away From This Blog:
- Elevate your posts by using more video.
- Create engaging content to make your audience, and the algorithm, happy.
- People like buying from people. Work toward humanizing your brand!
Okay, over to you…
Which social trends are you currently using on social media? Let us know which ones have produced the best results for your business!
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