2021 Social Media Strategy
Well, we made it to 2021! Somehow. It’ll be super interesting to see how this year is summed up in high school American History classes 50 years from now. What will the teenagers of tomorrow think of us? Will they wonder how on earth it took so long for us all to recognize that Black Lives Matter? Will they be confused when they learn that hundreds of thousands of people died unnecessarily because a large enough percentage of us refused to simply put a piece of fabric over our faces when we left the house? Will they look up from their clean meat burgers and marvel that people once ate animals? Personally, I think all of the above! In large part, the shift has already begun. And for that, I think we have 2020 to thank. And of course social media.
So let’s take a look at the top 3 trends that should inform every brand’s social media strategy in 2021:
Diversity & Inclusivity Matter!
Whether we’re talking about how brands handle messaging around gender identity, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, body type, language, socio-economic status, culture, physical ability, or religion, the need for a deeper understanding is often glaringly obvious. One of the biggest challenges in building an inclusive marketing campaign is a lack of cultural intelligence. To get things right, you need to find out how the world works from your customer’s point of view, what their pain points are, and how you want to make a difference in their lives. Getting it right requires a diverse team. It’s worth the investment! According to the Google and the Female Quotient survey, 85% of Latinx and LGBTQ, 79% of Black and Asian/Pacific Islander consumers, and 77% of millennials say they are more likely to consider or even purchase from a brand after seeing an ad that they consider to be diverse or inclusive. For this reason at Totally Taryn Social, we often bring in our In-House Diversity Consultant Yolanda Williams to ensure that we are properly curating critical and candid conversations about race and social justice with authenticity, truth, and compassion. After all, diversity is who is in the room. But inclusion is who has influence in that room. And the only way that we’ll impact change systemically is by having more diverse voices of influence at the table.
Brands with Purpose Will Take Center Stage
According to Later’s 9 Predictions to Fuel Your Social Media Strategy in 2021, “brands and businesses with a strong focus on social, environmental, and ethical responsibility will flourish!” Certainly, we’d already seen the start of this with brands everywhere stepping up in 2020 to support Black Lives Matter and the subsequent Pull Up Or Shut Up Movement. The latter, started by Beauty Executive Sharon Chuter, challenged brands to go past the PR Stunts and to publicly release the breakdown of Black employees at the corporate and executive levels. Within 3 days of the launch of #PullUpOrShutUp, some of the biggest names in beauty had pulled up, including Sephora, Ulta, L’Oréal, and Kylie Cosmetics. Even companies without any Black people in leadership roles revealed their numbers and made commitments to improve. I believe this was a real turning point. A magic marketing moment when the right thing to do ethically was also the right thing to do from a branding standpoint. And consumers agreed, with 78% saying they believe it is no longer acceptable for a company to just make money. People now expect companies to make a positive impact on society, as well.
Listening Is More Important Than Ever
Anyone who works in social media knows the sinking feeling when that TGIF meme you scheduled over a month ago automatically goes live on a day when something terrible has happened. And appearing tone-deaf, or worse, insensitive and uncaring, is one of the worst things a brand can do in social. So no matter what your brand sells or who you sell to, it is always a good idea to read the room before posting. Check the day’s headlines, trending conversations, and see if/how other brands are engaging. This not only prevents you from posting something that’s received poorly but also helps you find meaningful ways to connect with your followers. For example, in the aftermath of the Insurrection at the Capitol, we not only advised all of our clients to pause pre-planned content, but also on the importance of posting something appropriate to the moment, and finally encouraged them to go a step further and take a stand.
In closing, everything we’ve discussed above should be central to anyone’s Social Strategy in 2021, but it’s absolutely crucial to a Purpose-Driven brand. Here at Totally Taryn Social, we believe one of the most important things you can do is let your audience know exactly what your values are. The companies that integrate purpose throughout their social platforms stand to build stronger bonds with their existing audience, expand their customer base, and enlist future brand advocates to further spread the brand’s message. Make sure you take advantage of our free download to learn 5 Ways to Easily Communicate Your Brand’s Mission on Social. And feel free to reach out if you want to learn more about our services!
In the meantime, here’s to more Socially Conscious Social in 2021!
Totally,
Taryn