Do you want to be ahead of your competitors? Indeed, you do. A thing you can do to ensure that happens is to plan for the year early. On top of planning your marketing strategies for the last quarter of 2021, you must look at what you should do in 2022. If you plan as early as now, you can create a significant gap between you and your competitors. While they are trying to catch up, you will already be driving lots of sales.
But what do you need to do? Well, you can look at the predicted critical social media trends for 2022. These are not wild guesses. We are not throwing darts to identify what these trends will be. Instead, these are educated guesses based on recent happenings and customers’ behavior. Rest assured, the time you’ll spend planning with these in mind will not go to waste.
Why don’t we start with the list?
Social Media Being A Part Of Daily Life
Let us start by discussing why planning for social media marketing is essential. The number of social media users is growing. More and more people become a user each day. That trend is likely to carry on in 2022. Do you know what that means? That means there are more prospects on these platforms. It offers you an opportunity to connect with a broad audience.
But that’s not the only thing that is growing. The time these users spend on social media is increasing as well. On average, users spend 145 minutes on social media each day. In one of those minutes, they could be looking at your post. But the competition is tough. There are thousands of other businesses on social media platforms. Thus, you must make sure your content is one of the most engaging ones. And how can you ensure that? By planning.
Bite-sized Content Exploding In Popularity
Studies have shown that people are spending more time on social media. That’s why you should incorporate them into your marketing strategies.
Initially, you would think using long-form content would be okay. However, it is essential to note that people’s attention span is getting shorter and shorter. Studies say that the average person’s attention span today is only 8 seconds.
That said, expect long-form content to be less effective. They are now outdated. Since people are spending less time engaging with individual posts, they wouldn’t finish viewing those. Users will scroll down or tap forward before they are done.
Proliferation Of Short-Form Video Content
Among the short-form content, videos will be the most popular ones. The world had seen people’s appetite for this type of content when TikTok skyrocketed in popularity. It is the social media platform that saw the fastest growth. In fact, its acceleration has alarmed other social media platforms. Instagram has introduced Reels to fight TikTok in relevance. Even the king of video content, YouTube, has made its move and introduced Shorts.
Short-form video content is also popular in Facebook and Instagram Stories. Social Insider did a study and found out that images in Stories have a higher tap-forward rate than videos.
It would be wise to master the creation of engaging short-form videos. They are prevalent on many platforms, so they, without a doubt, will help you grow your brand.
Remember, you have to say what you want to say in a limited amount of time. Make it impactful.
Social Media And Shopping for YouTube Views
We already have e-commerce giants like Amazon and eBay. But, Search Engine Watch points out that 54% of social media users research products using social media platforms. Social media platforms introduced shopping features to shorten the customer’s journeys and improve the user experience. Now, people can make purchases without leaving the platform. It’s very convenient. Vendors are constantly looking for the best sites to buy YouTube views from to help beat their competition.
Social commerce is expected to remain strong in 2022. The number of social commerce buyers in the US alone is projected to exceed over 100 million by 2023. Think how higher that would be when you include the rest of the world.
Needless to say, setting up a social media storefront and making “shoppable” posts will be beneficial for your brand.
Tapping Into UGC
Most people would not buy your product because of what you said. Instead, they will ask other people first and then make a decision. That’s why there’s a growing utilization of User-Generated Content (UGC).
Compared to adverts, UGC feels more genuine and authentic – users typically post them independently. It shows how much they love the brand’s products.
Follow this trend. Let your customers talk about your products. It will help make a positive image for your brand. You can “force” this to happen by making challenges or holding photo contests on social media. Take a look at what Starbucks, Travelex, and BMW did to get an idea.
Facebook Still The Best Place To Go To
Despite the negative press coverage, Facebook still stands as the most popular social media platform. Nothing seems to be able to stop its growth, proving that it’s a force to reckon with.
Facebook currently has about 1.845 daily users, with an average user spending at least 58 minutes on the platform each day. Reports also said that the social media platform had a total of about 23 billion visitors in January 2021.
Facebook is unstoppable and is dominating. It is safe to expect it would remain that way in 2022. What you should do is very obvious: be on Facebook more often. It is where the highest number of prospects can be found. Also, it would provide your brand with the broadest reach. Thus, if increasing visibility is what you want, Facebook is the place to be in.
Takeaway
Social media platforms have been instrumental in growing one’s brand – especially during the pandemic. The thing is, it has become an integral part of people’s lives. That said, it will always be something you can rely on. So make sure to always think about how you can incorporate social media into your marketing strategies.
Prediction: Artist On The Rise Ashe Invites You To Her One-Woman Show
The road to success is not an easy journey. Along the way, you would encounter many difficulties that would hinder your progress. They can be so overwhelming that you might think of giving up. In times like this, remember that you are not alone. Your friends and family are around you, and they will offer you support.
Aside from those people, the organizations that you work with are also likely to lend you a hand. For example, YouTube has many programs that help its users garner some fans. One example is the Artist On The Rise Program.
Everyone should know by now how big YouTube is. There’s an endless stream of video content that will forever keep viewers entertained. Of course, that also means there are many content creators on the site.
However, that means the platform is congested with artists competing for attention. That is not much of a problem for the likes of Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift, who are already known worldwide. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for up-and-coming artists.
That is why YouTube music came up with AOTR. It supports music artists on the platform by showcasing their new music videos. Jack Harlow, 24Goldin, and Mustafa are some of the names of those who YouTube helped with this feature.
YouTube Music has partnered with Ashe – Artist On The Rise – to produce a new short film. The film shows Ashe’s journey as an artist and the many ups and downs she went through to be today’s successful artist.
The video is now available on Ashe’s official Youtube channel.
Meet Ashe
If you are a Netflix fan, there’s a high probability that you have heard of Ashe before. Ashe’s 2019 single “Moral of the Story” was featured in the film “To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You.”
Ashe’s other notable activities are touring with Louis the Child, Lauv, and Whethan. Unbeknownst to many, she co-wrote Demi Lovato’s 2017 single “You Don’t Do It for Me Anymore.” Ashe was also nominated for a Juno Award for her gold-certified single “Let You Get Away” with Shaun Frank.
Her epic “Till Forever Falls Apart” duet with FINNEAS has earned more than 40 million streams to date. The music video of the said song has already accumulated 8.8 million views as of the date of this writing. She got so many YouTube views, people said myths that she buys YouTube views to growth-hacked her success.
Ashe’s music style is influenced by her idols Carole King and Brian Wilson.
On May 7, 2021, Ashe finally released her debut studio album, “Ashlyn,” on Mom + Pop Music. It is a 14-track record executive produced by Ashe and Leroy “Big Taste” Clampitt. The songs highlight the singer’s emotional wreckage through their lyrics, making them relatable to many.
She’s a fantastic artist that deserves all the attention.
More About The Short Film
The short film is a one-woman show where Ashe tells her fans her life story. It includes her childhood in San Jose, California, and her education at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Likewise, she narrates the most important things that happened to her in her career as a songwriter in Nashville. Viewers will learn not only about Ashe’s experiences but also the life lessons that come with them. Through the short film, viewers will see a vivid picture of the rising artist’s world.
But that is not the main focus of the project. There is something more specific that acts as the centerpiece of the film. The show tackles Ashe’s journey to get back to herself. She talks about the moments in her life when she felt down. Also, she discusses the decisions she made in the past and now regrets. Then ultimately, she talks about how being honest in her music has helped her find true success.
Ashe says that now that she has made her first body of work, she has returned to herself.
Q&A With YouTube Music
This is not the first time YouTube music bridged Ashe closer to her fans. In 2021, when YouTube Music chose Ashe to be the next Artist On The Rise, she sat down and did a full Q&A with them. The interview happened before the release of her much-anticipated album.
In the interview, YouTube Music asked Ashe trivial things like where she lives. They also asked what the first music video she watched on YouTube was. She answered by saying it is Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven Is A Place on Earth.”
But, YouTube Music also asked her more critical things. For instance, they wondered what Ashe’s priorities are when it comes to making new music videos. She answered by saying it has to be ‘authenticity.’ Ashe said she likes making videos that are not too on the nose with the lyrics. In other words, she wants her music videos to be poetic.
Conclusion
Finally, they asked her about her feelings regarding being chosen as the newest Artist On The Rise. Of course, she says she felt honored, and YouTube Music “has no idea” how happy she was. She loved watching the Artists On The Rise that came before her. So, she knows how much the program has elevated everyone who has been a part of it. They were able to gain more listeners thanks to AOTR. Furthermore, the program allowed these fans to see who they are, which is essential to the growth of an artist. Therefore, being chosen as someone who deserves that kind of help meant a lot to her.
Anyone in Ashe’s shoes would feel the same. They would feel happy not just because they will receive much-appreciated assistance. But also because the platform has seen their potential and trusted their abilities.
Overall, featured artists benefit so much from the Artist On The Rise program. Not only does it help them gain more fans, but it also allows the artists to connect with them better.