Spring is almost here! The new year is in full swing, and now is a great time to reflect on current marketing strategies so that you can make the necessary changes to stay relevant and effective in today’s ever-changing digital environment.  In just a few short years, social media marketing has taken over the way we consume content and information.  That’s why marketers are continually trying new platforms, new content ideas and new approaches to generate leads and increase their following.

This year, several new opportunities have emerged for businesses looking to invest more time and effort into social media channels.  Of course, with so many new platforms and social trends on deck, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest, most effective strategies and practices.  Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s take a look at some of what we believe will be this year’s best social media practices:

  • Video Content – This one’s kind of a no-brainer, as video content is currently dominating every marketing channel.  So, get on board!  We don’t expect this trend to change any time soon.  Videos are a quick and concise way to deliver information, and it’s proven that people make greater attachments to video content because they’re able to connect emotionally.  Whether you’re using Facebook, Instagram or any other social media platform, look into new ways you can use video content.  This will help to attract more interest from people clicking on your pages and is more likely to be shared.
  • Paid Ads – It’s time to explore what paid ads can do for your business.  Organic reach is on the decline, and paid ads are becoming the new norm.  Facebook ads, in particular, are becoming more and more popular due to their success rates and tools that they use to reach targeted audiences.  While you might not be overly thrilled at the idea of finding extra money in your marketing budget for paid ads, the fact is this is one sure way to reach an audience, so the reward is well worth the investment.  
  • Personalize – 2018 is all about getting personal with your audience.  This concept has been big in email marketing up to this point, and now we’re seeing social media marketers use social analytics to create tailored content that is more relevant to their audiences.  
  • User Generated Content – When it comes to thinking of new types of content, take a cue from your followers.  Coming up with new ideas and topics takes a great deal of time and effort, but if you just look at the comments your audience is leaving on your pages, you can leverage their ideas and information to optimize your own generated content.  You don’t always have to lead the conversation to make it a success.  Start building conversations with users.  You never know when an idea will take off and turn into something powerful.    
  • Post Frequency – This year, make it a point to get your post frequency down to a science.  There’s a fine line between too many posts and too few posts.  You have to find the right balance, and that’s not always easy.  Try changing things up a bit, and watch the stats to see what is really working best for your followers.    
  • Less is More – When posting on all social media platforms, sometimes less is more.  It’s easy, as marketers, to get drawn into using as many platforms as possible just to try to reach more people.  Sure, the reach potential is undoubtedly higher, but this approach has too many drawbacks.  For example, it’s incredibly time consuming creating and posting all of that content, then checking and replying to comments, etc.  You also risk oversaturating your pages with too much content that your users simply lose interest due to an overwhelming amount of information

Businesses have more options than ever to connect with audiences across a range of social media platforms.  It’s all about finding those trends and practices that best work for you.  So, whether you plan on introducing new types of content into your strategy or need to re-examine how you reach your audience altogether, make sure you have a solid plan in place to implement these tactics.