2017 Social media trends – How brands will communicate with more authenticity

Now, so much of the population live their lives through social media that it’s hard to remember a time when we weren’t using it. One thing we know for sure: It’s not going away. While Vine closed its doors this year, so many platforms are continuing to evolve, and this is what’s on tap for the upcoming year.

1. Video 

Already a big thing, videos embedded in social media platforms (versus a shared link) will continue to dominate since they are easier to share and give quick soundbites and commentary.

Learn about our video marketing insights for 2017 & best practices »

2. Purchasing / Monetary Transactions 

In 2016, Facebook launched Buy and Sell Groups (their version of Craigslist), but unlike Craigslist, these localized groups allow transactions to take place online. Look for this to be more streamlined and spread to users in 2017. Even Pinterest is getting on board by developing Buyabale Pins to allow consumers to buy directly from a seller. 

3. Messaging and Real-Time Engagement 

When people want answers, they want them right away; stats from Search Engine Watch show that 72% of Twitter users expect responses from the company within an hour of posting a complaint.  

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4. Fake News 

Facebook and Twitter have recently announced their stance on fake news: they will no longer allow fake news sources to clog up their user’s feeds. Now, they are letting users report on shared pieces that may be hoaxes. VP of News Feed at Facebook Adam Mosseri shares in a press release, “We’ve focused our efforts on the worst of the worst, on the clear hoaxes spread by spammers for their own gain, and on engaging both our community and third party organizations.”

5. Storytelling 

Instagram has upped their game this year with introducing Instagram Stories (another way to draw in the Snapchat user), and they have set the bar high for storytelling. This includes many writers migrating to the site to micro-blog. Social media users will see this trend continue to evolve in 2017.

Learn more about this storytelling trend & how to incorporate it into your marketing strategy »

Need help with your social media strategy for 2017? We set up social game plans for several clients, or manage them ourselves. Reach out to our team to see if we can help »