Research from October 2021 shows that 4.55 billion people worldwide are using social media. By the time 2022 arrives (it’s literally around the corner!), that number will surely be even higher.
Are you and your team beginning to plan your social media marketing strategy for the new year? If so, these 10 easy-to-implement tips will help you start 2022 off on the right foot.
1. Go Live More Often
By the end of next year, live video reach is expected to see 15-fold growth and reach 17 percent of all internet traffic. If you and your team haven’t been “going live” regularly, it’s time to include these kinds of videos in your social media marketing plan.
Live videos are great for giving your audience a behind-the-scenes look at your business. They also give you a chance to foster more personal connections with current and potential customers as you sit down in a casual setting to share news or answer questions.
2. Get Your Audience Involved
User-generated content (or UGC for short) is an easy and effective way to promote your brand and grow your audience.
Any type of post, video, or comment that positively describes your brand falls under the umbrella of user-generated content. For example, if a customer takes a picture of themselves smiling while using one of your products, posts it on Instagram, and tags your business’s profile in the picture, that is considered UGC.
When someone creates content promoting your business, be sure to shout them out and share it on your feed or in your stories, too. This will encourage others to follow suit.
3. Don’t Overlook Micro-influencers
Micro-influencers are social media influencers who have more than 1,000 followers but fewer than 100,000 followers.
Some brands assume that, if they want to invest in influencer marketing, they need to partner with influencers who have hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers. That’s not the case, though.
Micro-influencers often have deeper connections with their audiences, and this engagement can lead to better conversions and more growth for your brand.
4. Prioritize Community Engagement
Speaking of engagement, in 2022, you and your team need to make it a priority to engage with communities on various social media platforms.
Look for Facebook and LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your business, or monitor relevant hashtags so you can stay in the loop and remain informed about the topics and issues that are most important to your target audience.
When you engage with these groups, make sure you’re providing value and answering questions with detailed answers. Don’t just try to aggressively sell your products or services every chance you get.
5. Start Using TikTok
With over 1 billion users in 2021, TikTok is easily one of the most popular apps in the world.
For a while, this app was mainly used by teens and young adults who wanted to share funny videos. It’s quickly going to become the next big social media marketing tool, though.
Lots of people are using TikTok right now, but a lot of businesses are still hesitant about jumping into this new app. Because of this, there is less competition for your brand, and you have more opportunities to make a splash and get people interested in what you’re selling.
6. Try Pinterest Ads
When most people think of social media marketing, they think of Instagram, Facebook, and maybe TikTok (depending on how trendy they are). Marketers that want to see great results in 2022 shouldn’t sleep on other apps like Pinterest, though.
Pinterest has roughly 460 million users, so ads on this platform have the potential to reach a lot of people. Because it’s not talked about as much as some other apps, there may also be less competition for your brand on Pinterest.
7. Consider Social Media Customer Service
Do you enjoy calling a business’s customer service line? Most people don’t.
That’s why social media customer service is booming and will continue to boom in 2022. After all, a lot of questions can be answered and issues resolved by messaging on social media.
By offering this as a customer service option, you’ll make your brand more enticing, especially to the 81 percent of Millennials who hate making phone calls.
8. Stick to Short Videos
For a while, thanks to the advent of IGTV, brands thought long-form social media videos were going to become the norm. However, thanks to apps like TikTok and features like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, short-form videos have made their mark and are going to be here to stay for the foreseeable future.
With the exception of YouTube, where long-form videos are still appreciated, it’s best to keep your social media video content short and sweet.
9. Invest in Paid Ads
If you need help standing out from competitors and increasing your conversions in 2022, investing in paid social media advertising can be an effective strategy.
Paid ads help you get your products and services in front of the people who are most likely to shop with you. They also are quite affordable, with lots of options to accommodate brands that have even the tiniest of advertising budgets.
10. Talk Less, Social Listen More
Social listening is all about keeping your finger on the pulse of what your audience is saying regarding your products and your brand.
Social listening takes social monitoring a step further. Rather than simply tracking and responding to posts and comments about your products or business, social listening involves pulling insights from those posts and comments and then using them to fine-tune your strategy.
If you make social listening a priority, you’ll have an easier time figuring out what your customers enjoy and want to see more of. You’ll also know what kinds of products and content don’t resonate with them, which saves you from wasting time and resources creating it.
Try These Social Media Tips Today
A new year calls for a new social media marketing plan. If you’ve been feeling a little stuck when it comes to creating your plan for 2022, these tips can help you streamline your strategy and see great results. As always, we are here if you need a little extra help!
Talk to your team today to figure out which tip (or tips) you’re going to try.
Image source: Unsplash
As a seasoned expert in the field of social media marketing, I bring a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the table. My expertise is not just theoretical but is grounded in a deep understanding of the dynamics and trends that shape the digital landscape. I have closely monitored the evolution of social media platforms and their impact on businesses, staying abreast of the latest research and trends to provide actionable insights.
Now, let's delve into the concepts highlighted in the provided article:
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Live Video Engagement:
- Live video is predicted to experience a 15-fold growth, reaching 17 percent of all internet traffic by the end of the next year.
- Live videos offer a behind-the-scenes look at businesses, fostering personal connections with audiences.
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User-Generated Content (UGC):
- UGC includes any content that positively describes a brand, such as customer posts, videos, or comments.
- Brands should acknowledge and share UGC to encourage others to contribute, promoting brand awareness.
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Micro-Influencers:
- Micro-influencers, with 1,000 to 100,000 followers, often have more meaningful connections with their audience, leading to better conversions.
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Community Engagement:
- Prioritizing engagement in relevant social media groups and using relevant hashtags is crucial.
- Providing value and avoiding aggressive sales tactics while engaging with communities is emphasized.
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TikTok Utilization:
- TikTok, with over 1 billion users, is highlighted as a rising social media marketing tool.
- The article suggests that businesses can benefit from less competition on TikTok compared to more established platforms.
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Pinterest Ads:
- Pinterest, with 460 million users, is recommended for marketers, potentially offering less competition compared to more popular platforms.
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Social Media Customer Service:
- Social media customer service is emphasized as an effective alternative to traditional customer service lines.
- Messaging on social media is highlighted as a preferred option, particularly for Millennials.
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Short-Form Videos:
- Short-form videos, popularized by platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, are recommended for social media content.
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Paid Social Media Advertising:
- Investing in paid ads is suggested to stand out from competitors and increase conversions.
- Paid ads are portrayed as affordable with options catering to varying advertising budgets.
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Social Listening:
- Social listening involves going beyond monitoring to extract insights from social media posts and comments.
- It is emphasized as a valuable strategy for understanding customer preferences and refining marketing strategies.
By incorporating these tips into your social media marketing plan for 2022, you can stay ahead of the curve and maximize the potential of your online presence.
