Insights To Improve Your Instagram & TikTok + A New Way To Go Live!
A quiet week for new features means we’ve got a chance to discuss strategy. A new report from Hubspot and Mention gives us a look at what works on Instagram in 2021. Meanwhile, an infographic from Sightly gives us an outside perspective on what’s working on TikTok. Finally, the live event trend is expanding to a new platform: Pinterest!
Photo by Hubspot
The State of The ‘Gram: What Works in 2021
This past year was one of rapid change. As we spent more time inside and on social media, how did social media respond? The folks at Hubspot and Mention came together to publish a numbers-based overview of Instagram in 2021. For a summary of the summary, here are a few key points from the report:
- Are you in the beauty or cosmetics industry? Lucky you! This sector boasts the most engaging accounts on Instagram. And it makes some sense; think of the satisfaction brought by a makeup tutorial video or a before-and-after carousel.
- Longer captions are in! Captions ranging from 500-2,000 characters are best for engagement, so don’t shy away from a little storytelling.
- Carousels are more engaging than videos and single posts. The average engagement for these posts is 62 likes and 5 comments. Add some swipe-worthy carousels to keep your viewers interested.
- Community matters and brands are in fierce competition for viewers’ attention. Remember to engage your current consumer base with engaging content while incorporating strategies to gain new followers.
- Post often, but keep it interesting with a variety of high-quality content. Collaborating with other brands and influencers can introduce your account to new audiences while interacting with your community will keep them hooked.
What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?
Some of these insights can be implemented in your social strategy immediately. Post some carousels, ask to collab with an influencer, and make sure to respond to every comment. Keeping your social strategy current takes more than just learning about new features. Learning and responding to changing expectations on social platforms will keep your audience engaged long-term.
Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash
One Infographic To Rule Them All: The Briefest Guide To TikTok
We talk about TikTok very often, and with good reason. With over 800 million active users and a huge share of users’ screen time, TikTok has claimed its spot at the top of the app store. A new infographic from Sightly gives us the most concise take yet on the platform. The key takeaway? Facebook is a phone book, but TikTok is a stage. While other social media is about the people you know, TikTok focuses on entertainment. After a year of closed stages and boredom, the platform’s success makes total sense.
Here are a few other main points to know about TikTok:
- The algorithm promotes videos that are watched until the end. To reach viewers that don’t follow you, keep your video engaging until the end. (You can even add text that says “watch until the end” or “wait for it” if your punchline takes some time.)
- Sounds can determine what’s trending and what viewers see. Get inspired by the sounds that are trending each day and find ways to use them in your content.
- The audience skews younger. Gen Z and Millenials are most likely to be on TikTok, though 22% of the U.S. is now using the app. Advertising on the platform can put your brand right in between high-performing, trending videos.
- TikTok has added targeting options to help monetize the platform. Choose from interest categories, people who interacted with your brand elsewhere, and geographic areas. You can even receive a list of users who interacted with your content or generate leads!
- There are 5 different options for promoting your business on TikTok. Get in on the scrolling action with top view ads or in-feed video ads. Encourage user-generated content with a branded hashtag challenge or a branded effect. Or steal the screen with a brand takeover: your brand will appear when targeted users open their app.
What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?
View the entire infographic for more stats and detail if you need a refresher on TikTok. Advertising on the platform is a great way to promote your business to Gen Z and Millennials, so keep this info in your back pocket if you’re looking to reach the college audience. However, having a quick understanding of the algorithm can make organic content go even further. So check out those trends, turn the camera on, and get creating!
Photo by Pinterest
A New Stage For Your Events: Pinterest Live Sessions Are On The Way!
Remote digital events are a part of our new normal, with Facebook and Instagram rising to the occasion. The success of platforms that focus on these live-only events, such as Clubhouse, has been spurring many platforms to get in on this trend. The latest to enter the live stream scene is Pinterest, which will be promoting its new feature with a 3-day kickoff event, according to Senior Content Communications Manager Marie-Joëlle Parent.
Live sessions, available only on mobile, will kick off with 3 days of live content from May 24th – May 26th. The lineup includes recipes, style tips, workouts, and more! We’ll definitely be tuning in to see how Pinterest approaches the live event category, but we’re betting the longevity and discoverability of Pinterest content could give the platform a competitive edge.
What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?
Trend alert! Going live has been an essential way to connect and entertain ourselves throughout this pandemic. In the place of in-person events, people responded well to live content that made them feel like part of an audience. And the social platforms responded. Twitter Spaces, Clubhouse, Instagram Live Rooms, and now Pinterest are all hoping to include you in their audience. This is an opportunity for small businesses to host events from home! With these new features becoming the norm, the live trend may outlast the pandemic. Get thinking about what events you can host to amp up your social strategy.
Ok, now what?
Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.
