With 2016 coming to a close, we are looking towards 2017 and the new social media trends that will come with it. Social media is constantly changing and it is important for marketers to be aware of what the social media population wants to see. Things that are majorly popular this week may not be popular in a month (Hey Pokemon Go!).

Through our research, we’ve found five trends that individuals and businesses should be looking out for in 2017.

  1. Live video. {Insert person or company} is live! Whether it’s a company giveaway, the presidential debate or your friend streaming from their car, everyone is going live! Facebook’s live video allows individuals and businesses to connect with their viewers in real time and respond to viewer questions and comments. If you miss the live video, you can also view it later. Live video will continue to escalate in 2017 and businesses should take advantage of this marketing tool.
  2. Paid advertising on the rise. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of content on social media is contributing to the decline in organic marketing. Another contributing factor is the removal of chronological timelines. People are viewing so much content in different orders that is it difficult for marketers to sneak into their target market’s feed. In 2017, be prepared to shell out some advertising money so you can increase the amount of people seeing your message.
  3. 5 Stars! Uber, Yelp, Tinder. Everyone is rating something and businesses should be reviewing and responding to these ratings. If someone rates you 1 star, thank them for their review and ask what you can do better in the future. You should also thank the 5 star reviews! It’s important for businesses to interact with their customers and find out what needs improvement and what is succeeding.
  4. Snapchat. Can you capture someone’s attention in a 10 second video? In 2017, Snapchat will continue to gain popularity among individuals and businesses. Are you having a fundraiser or other event at your company? Create a few Snapchat videos and add it to your story. This is a simple (and cheap) way to let your followers know what your business is doing and grab their attention.
  5. Mobile Apps. So much online activity occurs on mobile devices now. If your business doesn’t have a mobile app, what’s holding you back? Users want convenience and quick results. By creating an app to sell your products, your users can save their billing/shipping information, order preferences and search for items quickly. Ordering time can be reduced drastically when your customers don’t have to re-enter their information multiple times. In 2017, look for ways to make the ordering process easy and convenient.

Staying on top of the latest trends is important, and it’s even more important to act on them quickly. If you want marketing assistance or just want to start a conversation call Red Dog!