What business isn’t looking to get more from their social media?

To help you stay ahead of the trends and algorithms this year, we have the top 6 social media trends for 2022 you need to try for yourself.

From bite-sized content to the rise in video, we’ve covered everything you need to know.

You’ll even find examples of how to implement these trends into your social media strategy, whether you’re a boutique owner, plumber, builder, hairdresser and more.

Here are our predictions on the top 6 trends for social media in 2022.

Top 6 Social Media Trends for 2022

1. Bite-size content will prevail. 

It’s no secret that bite-size content is gaining popularity. But, what is bite-size content?

In short, a piece of bite-size content should be able to be consumed in a short amount of time. Usually this is defined as content with less than 600 words or 30-seconds or less for videos.

TikTok is a prime example of short-form videos. In 2021, the social media platform saw a  41% increase in users, according to Techcrunch . To put this in perspective, Facebook saw a 6% growth in the same period.

Why do consumers respond so positively to bite-sized content? It’s because this type of content is easy to absorb. It can be consumed in the time you wait for your morning coffee, wait for the bus and even while waiting for the elevator. Consumers can jump online and catch up with world news, pop culture, their favourite brands and businesses they support in moments.

Bite-sized content ideas: 

• Start micro blogging (as little as 600 words). If you’re not too sure what to blog about, Google frequently asked questions about your industry. Take one of the questions and answer them in a short blog. This can then easily be used on your social media, in newsletters, etc.
• Infographics. You can never go wrong with an  infographic, easily made on Canva  for free. They’re a quick and fun way to get lots of information across in a short amount of time.
• Make a TikTok account and post videos of you creating your product (or before an afters), an office tour or even a quirky challenge. For trades business, offering tips or how to spot shoddy work is also popular content on TikTok.

2. Brand awareness social ads will save you money!

Social media marketing  will continue to be a great way to expand your audience. However, the reason it’s made it into the list of top social media trends of 2022 is how important it will be to be correctly setting up your campaigns.

The short story is, last year, Apple started to require all apps to ask users if they could access their data and what they explore on their phone. What this meant is, if people did not allow it, ads could not be targeted as specifically to them. This also has a flow-on effect for your social media ads.

To put your ads in front of the right person, Facebook uses machine learning to determine who is best to see your ads. However, without the data from users’ phones, this takes longer than normal. We have a whole blog about how brand awareness campaigns will be key for saving you time, money and making your ads more effective in 2022, so check that out for an exact guide.

See:  Why You Need Brand Awareness Campaigns on Facebook

How you create your ads is also important. With more and more consumers becoming aware of when they’re being targeted by a social media ad, it’s important your ad is seen to add value or solve a problem.

For example, new home owners may want to be targeted for ads surrounding furniture, DIY home improvements and security as those can add value or solve a problem for them. This highlights the importance of targeting in social media advertising, without it you’re running with a blindfold.

How to use your social media campaigns in 2022:



• Run brand awareness campaigns for at least 2 months before a lead generation campaign.
• Use natural language and photos to suit your audience.
• Connect your lead generation campaigns directly to your online store or a lead generation page or form.

3. Social commerce will continue to thrive. 

2021 saw further growth in the social commerce realm with more than  30% of all Australians having purchased at least one item via social commerce.  Updates to social commerce feature such as Instagram Shopping the experience for consumers, allowing them to browse and purchase from a variety of stores without leaving the platform.

The best part is you can run your social media marketing on your store listings if you’re using a social commerce platform, like Instagram Shopping or Facebook. Pushing traffic directly to your listings increases your chances of conversion.

However, this should be used in conjunction with a  website  for the absolute best results.

How to use social commerce in your social media strategy:



• Tag your products in your posts. 
• Use user-generated content with the addition of product tags. 
• Show your audience how easy it is to shop your products on your social commerce store with a video.
  

4. User-generated content lives on.

If you read our Easy Social Media Christmas Marketing Ideas, you’ll know user-generated content is a big part of running a successful social media. In fact, 79% of people claim  user-generated content plays a big role  in their purchasing decisions. 

But, how do you get your users to help you create content? User-generated content is material, such as photos and videos, your customers have taken while using your product, when you as a business use this content on your social media it’s called user-generated content. An example of this would be a homeowner posting a new carport and tagging the business it was installed by. 

As always, ensure you get the content creator’s permission before using their photos and videos and give credit, such as tagging them in the post you share.

How to make use of user-generated content in your social media strategy:



• Use your online reviews as content by turning your reviews into posts on your social media.
• Ask your followers to tag your business in a post next time they use your product or in an ‘after’ photo of a service for a chance to win a prize.
  

5. Lights, camera, action — videos are back! 

Next time you log into your personal socials, take note of how quickly video content appears on your feed — it’ll likely be within the first few seconds. This is because video content traditionally attracts better engagement, pushing it to the top of social media feed by algorithms. In 2021, video content (including reels and stories) on Instagram  attracted more engagement than any other content type.

Instagram isn’t the only platform favouring video content either. Pinterest’s recently introduced video pins are fast gaining popularity, while video-based platform Tiktok is still growing at rapid rates. On Twitter, tweets with video see an engagement rate 10x the average, according to  Later.com .

Did you know  85% of short videos on Facebook are watched without sound?  This statistic puts even more emphasis behind the visual quality of your video content. Where possible, try to portray your story using visual cues rather than relying on audio and where this isn’t possible, ensure you add subtitles.

So, if you’re not making video content for your page, it’s time to get started.

Video content ideas:  

• Create a tutorial on how to use your product.
• Film an office tour, introduce some of your team members.
• Film an easy DIY home improvement.
• If you’re a plumber or handy man make a video showing users how to change a tap washer.
• Offer educational content in the form of a webinar or online lesson.
  

6. Customer experience becomes critical. 

74% of Australians consider  customer experience to play a critical role  in their purchasing decisions. However, customer experience doesn’t end on the phone.

As consumers, we expect good customer experience across all avenues of communication, including Google, your website and social media. What does all this mean for your social strategy in 2022? It means it’s time to use your social media as more than an advertising tool — it’s time to get personable.

When a customer contacts you via your social media, whether it be via direct message or commenting on a post, they expect a response — and fast. Best practice is to enable an automated response to let the enquirer know when they should expect a response, at the very least.

Try to answer all comments and messages within one business day, where possible less. Research has shown most  consumers actually expect an answer to their query within the hour , but this may not always be possible. Afterall, while they aren’t speaking to you they could be in conversation with your competition.

Good customer experience on social media doesn’t end with messaging. It also includes communication on business changes. If your opening hours are changing, even if just for a day, update your following, if you’ve got a new website show them. Your customers are following you because they are interested in your business.

Ways to use customer experience in your 2022 social media strategy:

• Post your opening hours wherever possible and ensure they’re kept up to date.
• If your business receives a lot of phone enquiries, create a post introducing your receptionist.
• Are there some questions your customers are always asking, such as, “Do you do emergency plumbing?” create a post around it.

 Of course, having a digital marketing expert like Localsearch behind your business will help you ensure you’re ahead of the trends on social media. Check out our  social media marketing packages  or  get in touch  with our expert, friendly team today.