Brands that are generally successful in the digital world are beginning to address the larger consumer experience and how digital success extends to the offline world. In here, we want to highlight five major issues in social media world that we are currently see emerging:
1. Privacy, Privacy, Privacy
We have all seen platforms that have been criticized for not protecting (enough) consumer privacy. In this regard, Instagram is offering a feature that prevents you from seeing what your followers like.
2. Tighter focus on child safety
We all want to build a safer world for the children. As important as the real world is the virtual world, in which our children spend many hours. Although YouTube’s problems are still not yet completely solved and forgotten, it is back in the spotlight and making a difference for child safety as it was revealed that kids spend more time on the platform than on any other streaming site.
3. Targeting and regulation join hands
Marketers continue to struggle with goal setting. At the same time, some studies suggest that social media platforms may be accurate in determining consumer decisions only about 30% of the time. Platforms with micro-demographic targeting options have led marketers to ignore offline behavior. Successful brands need to go beyond audience-targeting and see social media targeting as a small part of the whole.
4. Social finally embraces the brand experience
For years, D2C brands have embraced the concept of “brand experience” wholeheartedly – more so than regular consumer brands. Now look at social media to recognize the importance of integrated channels, and start with the social customer experience at the core. Brands that are generally successful in digital will begin to address the larger consumer experience and how digital success extends to the offline world.
5. Nano influencers
Influencer marketing has made an impact in the industry – a recent study shows that 22% of 18- to 34-year-old Internet users buy products after seeing influencers. Currently, nano-influencers are the smallest following of all tiers of influencers, defined as social media influencers with between 1,000 and 10,000 followers. As markets become more and more fragmented, nano-influencers are meeting this need for marketers. Their audiences are small, specific, but very involved, and brands are beginning to value real interaction and real human communication.
