New Year, New Trends 2022
How to Shift Your Social Strategy in 2022
It’s the start of a new year and we’re already sifting through tons of social media updates. We’ve sorted through all the tiny platform changes and absurd campaigns (looking at you, TikTok Kitchens) to find the news that matters most to business owners and social media managers. For our first marketing trends blog of 2022, we’ll look at the future of Instagram, Twitter strategies, and a new mobile video editing tool to try out!
Instagram: New Feed Options, More Video, and Other Goals
The Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, took some time to tell us about upcoming changes on Instagram through, you guessed it, Instagram Reels. First, he addressed changes to your Instagram Feed that are already in testing. The update here is three options for sorting your feed:
- Home: This is your Feed as you viewed it in 2021. You’ll see posts from accounts you follow ranked by an algorithm intended to determine your interest. With the additional sorting options, you may begin to see more suggested posts popping up in the Home feed throughout 2022.
- Favorites: The Favorite Feeds puts you in control of what you see. Make sure to favorite accounts you’re the most interested in for an easy way to view their content.
- Following: If you’re looking for the classic Instagram experience, switch to “Following” to view just posts from accounts you follow in reverse chronological order. That’s right – there’s finally a way to get around the algorithm!
In another Reel, Adam shared Instagram’s top priorities for the coming year. The platform will continue to focus on video content while working towards being the best place for people to share messages. Instagram is also continuing to value being transparent and finding ways to support creators on the platform.
What does this mean for Florida Businesses?
We have a few predictions of how the additional sorting options for Feeds will impact business accounts and content creators. First, additional suggested content on the Home feed could make using hashtags even more important. You’ll also want to interact with other accounts in your area and within the same industry so Instagram understands what users to recommend your content to. Second, the Following feed will push content to your followers more effectively, provided you post at times when users are active on the app.
Twitter: How To Plan Topics in 2022
The team at Twitter shared a new resource dedicated to helping you strategize your Twitter presence this year. The 2022 Twitter Planner is designed to get you started with a ‘brand guardrails’ worksheet, monthly planning spaces, and pro tips from the experts. Here’s a breakdown of the advice they shared:
- Use rich media for better engagement. Include short videos, gifs, and images in your Tweets as often as possible. Visual Tweets will get more engagement than just text.
- Write concise copy with a clear call to action. For promoted Tweets and direct organic Tweets, let the user know what you want them to do. Experiment with different ways of delivering a strong call to action.
- Keep your content human. Users are looking for authenticity, so remember to speak conversationally. Balance being direct with being human and keep track of how different audiences respond to each approach.
- Give discounts in the form of a percentage. When announcing a sale, Twitter has seen better responses from posts that give a discount as a percentage. Instead of saying $20 off, say 20% off for better engagement.
- Keep videos and images straightforward and on-brand. Videos should be 15 seconds or less, opening with a product, and showing your branding more than half the time. Images should have limited text and convey a point with strong, scroll-stopping visuals.
What does this mean for Florida Businesses?
Check out the full PDF for more tips and tricks to guide your Twitter strategy. In general, don’t be afraid to engage and try some things on Twitter. Give yourself time to brainstorm content for each month, but keep the strategy open enough that you can get in on those viral moments. Sticking squarely to a pre-written social strategy means you’ll miss out on the next Squid Game moment or trending hashtag. Know how you want your brand to come across and get in on the conversation this year!
Snapchat: Create Video Content With the New Story Studio App
The rise of TikTok changed what we look for when creating social media content. It’s become clear that authenticity matters more than well-produced video for younger audiences. In 2021, many brands adapted their strategies to embrace creating content themselves. With more of a focus on being a part of the newest trend, speed led to many content creators embracing new ways of filming and editing video – often within just an hour or so.
Now, social media platforms are also content creation platforms. Instagram’s Reels editor has been racing to keep up with TikTok’s intuitive editing functions. And now, we’ve got one more option with Story Studio from Snapchat. Story Studio is in its early stages, but available on the app store for trend-setters to try out. So far, ratings are high, with users happy to add AR effects to existing video, use transition effects, and time their videos up with Sounds from Snapchat. This video editor allows for easy export to its sister app, but also allows you to edit vertical video for use around the internet.
What does this mean for Florida Businesses?
TikTok remained high on the app charts through the end of 2021. Even Instagram Reels, a copy of the original, maintains enough popularity that Instagram is committed to expanding in the video space. This tool is another way for business owners and social media managers to make content on the fly. So find some lighting and get filming – you’ll increase your visibility on Instagram and have the option to break into a new market on TikTok!
Ok, now what?
As we’ve seen, social media works best when you’re providing high-quality content your viewers will enjoy. Liquid Creative is here to help business owners with all their marketing needs, including managing your social media! We can also help you turn those views into sales with a beautiful website, produce ultra-engaging video content, or brand your business from the ground up.
We’re a full-service marketing agency ready to craft the perfect solution for your business goals. Our talented team can pick up your marketing strategy without missing a beat, help you out with a one-off project, or get your business on the digital map. Call, email, or leave us a message to let us know how we can help you!
