Join the conversation on Social Media Day
Social Media Day is in its eighth year. We look at the impact social media has had on the world and the business trends you’re likely to see for 2017.
Can you believe that Social Media Day 2017 is in its eighth year? While every day is in principle World Social Media Day, June 30 2017 marks the eighth-annual official global celebration. In 2010, online media company, Mashable, launched Social Media Day as a way to recognise the rapid growth and impact the digital revolution has had on our world, not just for individuals, but for businesses too. Mashable will be celebrating with IRL (in real life) meet-ups around the world and encourages people to join the conversation via the #SMDay hashtag on Twitter.
The impact of social media
Whether you use it weekly, day, hourly, or keep your finger on the refresher button, there’s no denying our growing love of social media. In fact, it’s estimated that by 2018, 2.44 billion people will be using social networks, up from around 1 million people in 2010. It’s reshaped our society and we use it for every part of our lives – in our personal and professional relationships, entertainment and information, and as a part of work.
The trending topics of the past year
Social Media is a powerful tool to connect with people all over the world and create change. The most talked about topics across Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram for 2016-17 included:
- The US Presidential election – Never has a US election taken over the world like the 2016 one. Throughout 2015-16, Donald Trump and Hilary Clintons campaign announcements, debate antics, and live action of voting day was the most talked-about topic on Facebook worldwide.
- The Syrian Refugee Crisis – the devastation of the Middle Eastern war monopolised news feeds across all social platforms, with individuals using their preferred platform to express their opinions, launch campaigns, and organise donations and protests.
- Video Music Awards – Snapchat’s Live Story of the VMA’s was a game changer and huge victory for the social media platform, with over 12 million people tuning in. Only 9.8 million people watched the VMA’s on TV.
Looking forward: The most important social media trends for 2017
Social Media for businesses has gone from a “nice to have” to an essential component of every digital marketing strategy. Here are the three top trends for social media in 2017:
- Video, the present and future king of social media. While written articles will always have their place on social media, the camera is now the new keyboard. Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly made clear his goal to eventually transform Facebook to a video-first platform, with one exec claiming it will be all video by 2021. Live video streaming in particular is on the rise too – 14% of marketers experimented with it in 2016, and 43% have incorporated interactive video into their social strategy for 2017.
- Social media ecommerce will continue to grow as a powerful sales avenue. In a recent survey from Aimia, 56% of consumers said they followed their favourite brands on social media to browse for products for sale. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest already offer ecommerce features as a way for customers to purchase products through a business channel, and in time, these features are only going to get better.
- Mobile advertising will become more competitive. According to Hubspot, marketers should consider a greater investment in mobile advertising as it’s about to get more competitive. As we reach mid-2017, mobile ads are incredibly effective for conversion, however sentiment towards ads is quite low, meaning companies will need to be more creative in their efforts to engage a user.
Social media is ever-changing, and one prediction we haven’t included in this blog is to prepare for anything. If you’re uncertain on to where to start with your social media plan, iFactory have got you covered. Get in contact with us today to discuss your social media and digital strategy needs.
