As we begin another year drastically affected by the pandemic, we must look at Social Media Trends for 2022 because the influence of social media keeps growing as new platforms like gain dominance and established platforms don’t show signs of slowing down.

So, what’s on tap for social media as we enter 2022? Here are five trends that we at Chemistry PR & Multimedia are seeing…

Social Media as Customer Service

A recent Nielsen survey reported that customers say they prefer to message, rather than call, a company when they have an issue, and 40% of holiday shoppers said they would be more likely to buy from a business that they can message. This trend also means that social listening is becoming critical for businesses. It’s not enough to simply push out promotional content; companies need to listen and respond to comments and messages that customers send via social channels.

It also means that companies’ social media managers are more than just individuals who can write an engaging post or upload a nice photo. Managers now find themselves on the front line of customer service, even as they conduct their jobs from behind a screen. Making sure social media managers have the company knowledge to respond to customers and the authority to help coordinate resolutions to customers’ problems are key to a company’s bottom line.

Communities Enjoy Increased Influence

Groups, or communities, on social media continue to be a popular way for users to engage with one another and with their favorite brands. Companies who are household names sometimes build their own communities, and many have found success in getting customers to join and participate.

In the earlier days of social media, smaller companies or less-well-known brands often struggles to build meaningful communities on their own.  Now, however, content creators have helped create and build communities for almost every niche, interest, or hobby you can think of. By engaging with these creators, brands can find like-minded individuals who are interested in their products by helping the creators meet their needs of regularly producing content that engages, entertains, or educates.

Established Channels Strong Despite Competition

Every couple of years, a new social media channel arrives on the scene. Some gain followers and increase their influence and some fizzle out. Two newer channels that generated buzz over the last couple years are Tik Tok and Clubhouse. Tik Tok is rising in prominence from the place where teens showed off the latest dance trends to rapidly becoming THE channel for marketers looking to reach Gen Z. And savvy marketers know that Gen Z’s moms, who are of the Gen X and Millennial generations, are also paying attention to the platform. Meanwhile, Clubhouse is showing the power of audio content beyond pre-recorded podcasts as it provides a platform for real-time conversations.

The new kids on the block always get the most attention, but that doesn’t mean the older, more established channels are irrelevant. Instagram, Twitter, and even Facebook remain strong as their enhanced shopping features, ability to host livestreams, and sheer long-term popularity mean they are still key components of any social marketing plan.

Popularity Means Paying

Having recognized the continued popularity of those established channels, though, it is becoming ever more important to have a budget for social media advertising. Whether anecdotally or backed up by analytics, most social marketers have noticed that their organic reach isn’t what it used to be. If you want to reach users who reflect your target market, paid advertising is an absolute necessity as the algorithms favor paid content more and more.

Video Benefits Social Marketing

If organic reach is what you’re looking for, video is the way to go. Professionals who are using LinkedIn’s Creator tools are finding more engagement and success when they produce video content.

Meanwhile, YouTube dominates as a video search engine where you can find everything from how-to videos to unique personalities that combine topics of interest in creative ways. This Social Media Examiner article, for instance, highlights the success of one YouTuber who combined her love of makeup tutorials with her fascination for true crime to create a channel that keeps her viewers coming back for more.

Such a quirky combination might not be right for your brand, but statistics show that people spend more time on a website with video and are more likely to engage with and share social media content that includes a video.

If you are looking to expand your reach and up your marketing game with video in 2022, Chemistry PR and Multimedia can help. Contact us today at Chris@chemistrymultimedia.com.

Chris Kuban started Chemistry PR and Multimedia with a vision to effectively formulate corporate and non-profit brands across the country. He is an expert in Media Relations, Event Management, Social Media implementation and Video Production. Working with a team of local and national suppliers, vendors, employees, and consultants has allowed him to coordinate more than 120 national events that deliver the ROI his clients seek. Follow him on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn.