2022 Social Media Strategy
That’s right, it’s the time of year when all your favorite service providers take out their Magic 8 balls and start making their predictions for the coming year. The problem is that this year, while most of us marketing folks are just trying to wind down and get ready for a little break over the holidays, our favorite social media platforms and tech companies seem hell-bent on changing the game as often as possible!
Now any social media professional will tell you that keeping track of platform update is quite literally a full-time job, so while we could write a whole paper about what to expect in the coming months, we wanted to focus on the larger trends that we believe should propel your Socially Conscious Social Strategy in 2022.
A Valued Community
Compared to last year, there are over half a billion more users on social media worldwide. TikTok has even surpassed a record 3 billion global downloads of a non-Facebook, non-Meta, app. Both consumers and businesses are using social media in even more ways and with greater frequency than ever. Because of this, our social presence as brands is of the utmost importance when it comes to reaching and keeping customers.
As we’ve seen, consumer behavior in 2021 was still been heavily affected by the pandemic. Although restrictions lightened up in some parts of the world, there were still many people who maintained their quarantine routines. In 2022, consumers will continue to be drawn to online communities where they can meet others with similar interests and feel valued. To capitalize on this, Instagram has recently rolled out a feature that allows content creators and brands to collaborate on posts and reels, reaching both their followings. This collaboration tool opens a huge opportunity for accounts to reach a whole new audience and draw in new followers. And the recent announcement of the return of a chronological feed suggests that Instagram realizes that users more than ever want to be in control of who they see at the top of their feeds.
But, the pressure is still on businesses on social media.
Take these facts into account:
55% of consumers on social media want the brand they love to help them connect with like-minded people.
8 out of 10 social media users expect meaningful interactions from brands they follow.
44% of social media users will privately message or publicly post in order to reach a business, and 77% of users expect a response in less than 24 hours.
More than half of Gen Z and Millenials expect brands to recognize them from previous interactions and therefore receive a personalized experience on social media.
Where social media was once a tool many of us used to feel closer to loved ones that were far away, today, users are feeling this type of connection with brands. For these reasons, look to increase your brand's engagement especially with active followers, and give them a reason to engage with you on social!
Growing Through Authenticity
After the last 2 years, users want to trust that brands know them and their needs and don’t look to abuse that power. In 2020, many brands made promises in relation to social issues and those that did not carry them out were called out. Tired of performative action, moving forward consumers will be looking for evidence that demonstrates brands are being authentic.
Consumers are also indicating greater interest in how businesses, well, do business. Dubbed the Glassdoor for influencers, FYPM (F*** You Pay Me) is a platform where content creators can leave reviews about brands they’ve worked with, sharing information about rates and overall experience. This level of transparency is a total game changer! For example, if a brand claims to empower women or people of color they better ensure that they are actually giving POC content creators equal opportunities.
Authenticity also goes into the products you produce, what is in them, and where they come from. Eumostro is a new transparency platform in Brazil meant to concretely show consumers that a beauty brand’s values and promises of ethics and sustainability are present at every point of the production process. Transparency is key for consumers and I expect to see more of these types of platforms across other industries within the coming year.
On the subject of transparency, those who are deciding to fake it may not find success on social media platforms. Instagram has already put out a feature notifying followers that a photo was “made with effects.” Although there are loopholes around this “warning”, we could see other platforms looking to show the true reality of content online. Norway has already implemented a law requiring advertisers and influencers to disclose altered images on social media. As our society is more aware of the effect of social media on mental health, this type of disclaimer could become increasingly popular in the coming years.
Less Talk, More Action
In addition to more transparency and authenticity, your customers and followers want to see evidence of action and real, measurable results. Recent research from IBM says 57% of consumers are willing to change their purchase habits to reduce negative environmental impact. And McKinsey research shows 80% of consumers say sustainability is important to them.
Managing Director of APAC and Telum Media, Tim Williamson, put it so well when he said: “2022 will be about substance over spin. Amid Covid, geopolitical tension, climate change, and a firehouse of fake news - purpose, action, and authentic dialogue will make brands and organizations stand out.” Anything brands can share showcasing the tangible impact of their socially conscious efforts will be very important in 2022. If you implement any of the above trends into your social strategy it should be this one.
And at Totally Taryn Social, this is why we do regular check-ins with our own In-House Diversity Consultant Yolanda Williams. We believe this is crucial 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 we believe that the only way that we’ll impact change systematically is by having more diverse voices of influence at the table.
To sum up, everything above is integral to anyone’s Social Strategy in 2022, but a focus on these trends is absolutely essential to brands that are catering to a socially conscious audience. At Totally Taryn Social, we believe that your strategy should start with defining what your values are and how you want to communicate them to your followers. We believe that the brands that integrate purpose throughout their marketing efforts will be the ones that stand the test of time. So let your audience know where you stand on the issues that matter! 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!
So Happy New Year! And let’s raise a glass to more Socially Conscious Social in 2022!
Totally,
Taryn