If 2022 is anything like the past couple of years, we’re in for a thriller. With each year comes new unknowns, new changes, and new growth. If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that social media will continue evolving (and growing). There’s an overload of information out there, and it can be hard to know where to start.
I’m here to narrow down everything you need to know on social media in 2022, so your business can have its best year yet! You know what they say—new year, new social media marketing strategy.
Without a doubt, short-form video content will be one of the top ways you can market your business in 2022. Every major platform has introduced short-form video in one way or another. Even Google began testing short-form video search results in 2021! That speaks volumes to how powerful this type of content is.
Short-form video content includes TikTok, Facebook and Instagram Stories and Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Pinterest Idea Pins. TikTok, in particular, is one of the fastest-growing apps out there. It’s projected to reach 1.5 billion active users in 2022. Short-form video content allows businesses to tell a story and connect with their audiences through attention-grabbing, engaging posts, and it produces significant organic (free) reach. As marketers, you want to make sure you’re showing up where your customers are consuming content, and short-form video content is it. Short-form video should definitely be prioritized in your social media marketing strategy this year.
Next, Facebook and Instagram Shops have been a big focus throughout the COVID pandemic, and these features will continue to expand in 2022. Facebook plans to take it further with more shoppable posts, streamlined payment processes, improved product discovery, and more alerts for buyable products in-stream. Similarly, Instagram is working on object identification tools to make as many posts as possible shoppable. It will test more shopping options like advanced product search by image. Also, keep an eye out for TikTok Shops, as they are not far behind.
A recent study found that 61% of online consumers that are aware of social commerce are likely to buy from social sites in the future. So if you haven’t already, set up Facebook and Instagram (and TikTok) Shops to capture these potential customers.
We saw a huge push in Livestreaming in 2020, and this is still a focus for many social platforms today. Facebook and Instagram will continue to develop this feature, with both platforms pushing Live shopping in 2022. Facebook is launching new livestream shopping tools including ‘Featured Links’ (to allow broadcasters to share third-party links within apps) amongst other tools. And, you guessed it—TikTok is looking to facilitate more livestream commerce within the app by increasing the flow of livestream broadcasts into the ‘For You’ feed. I know going Live can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never done it before. But if you push through the fear and show up Live for your customers, you can see amazing results in 2022!
In addition to the above, Facebook has made several updates to Groups. They’ve introduced a slew of new tools like:
- Community Awards. This allows group members to allocate markers to posts and comments they find valuable.
- Sub-group options. These enable admins to separate elements of group discussion into specific categories.
- Community Chats. These help facilitate regular discussions via audio, video, or text within groups
- And many more!
In 2022, consider creating a Facebook Group to foster deeper connections with loyal customers.
What I Want You To Take Away From This Blog:
- Social media is ever-changing, but these are the things that will be constants in 2022.
- Incorporate short-form video content to engage your audience and expand your reach.
- Utilize Shops to capture potential customers.
- Use Live selling to create human connection in a digital marketplace.
- Use Facebook groups to build community with your customers.
Okay, over to you…
Have you used any of these features yet? How do you plan to incorporate them into your social media marketing strategy in 2022? Let us know in the comments!
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