Unmissable Predictions for Social Media and Content Marketing in 2018

The world of social media marketing moves at a pace with more twists and turns than new Game of Thrones theories (and seriously, there are a lot of those).

With that in mind, 2018 is set to be a dynamic year in the world of social media. Here are our top predictions for social media in 2018.

We’ll do it Live.

Live streaming has been around for a while. Platforms for gamers, like Twitch, have been part of “live” culture for years now, but that was always something you needed a lot of equipment and a lot of bandwidth to achieve. It was popular, but it certainly wasn’t mainstream.

But with the dawn of 5G on the imminent horizon and smartphones with more processing power than a Boeing 747, Live is about to hit the big time.

All of the major platforms have backed live streams in some way, and Instagram is doubling down on the product by consistently expanding its features, allowing people to add guests to live stream. With 80% of audiences reporting they would rather watch a live stream than read a branded blog, and it’s safe to say that the Live environment is about to go mainstream.

Live Instagram content makes it easier for brands to be in the moment that their audiences are looking for information and entertainment. Source: Instagram

Facebook gets a new algorithm.

2017 was a rough year for Facebook who came under pressure for allowing fake news and hate groups to surface. In 2018 they have publically committed to improving the situation by changing the algorithm to prioritise posts from family and friends.

It’s yet to be seen how this will impact publishers and brands on Facebook, but we can presume it will be harder for these parties to cut through and reach their intended audiences. It will also be interesting to see if the effect of channelling more paid spend into Facebook marketing stacks up against the new algorithm.

Marketers will need to be strategic with their Facebook content, developing new ways to create engaging content that encourages audiences to join the conversation.

Facebook has new rules for marketers and publishers in 2018.

It’s finally time to Augment your Reality.

We’ve been saying this since last year, but seriously guys, Augmented Reality is about to kick off.

Both Facebook and Snapchat have developed their own AR software with World Effects and 3D World Lenses, and they’re both likely to continue developing that product offering as the year goes by.

The big question is, how can smaller players use Augmented Reality in their marketing? Or is this strictly a space for bigger brands with bigger budgets?

How will you use Augmented Reality this year to increase engagement with your audience?

All hail the Gram.

800 million active users, 25 million business users and 40 billion photos shared to date – Instagram has changed the way we share and consume content.

 

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A post shared by Nuriel | Photo | Travel | Food (@nurielmolcho)

With constant updates and the introduction of Live, Stories, Highlights and Insights, the photo-sharing app is showing no signs of slowing down in 2018 and will become the essential platform for businesses who want to reach an engaged audience, through both their business profile and influencer pages.

2018 is shaping up to be a big one so stay tuned for our monthly social media updates to keep up with the latest industry trends!