What’s Going to Happen Across the Social Media Landscape in 2021?
With 2021 looming, our strategists put their heads together to come up with a forecast about what’s going to happen on social media in the new year. Let’s dive into their predictions and we’ll let you know whether your property should care.
Ephemeral content continues to gain ground
Users love Instagram Stories and similarly "ephemeral" social content because these posts are playful, engaging, and somehow authentic in a way that traditional social posts, which have become manipulatively polished and politically divisive, no longer seem to be. And with Snapchat continuing to outperform projections and Twitter releasing Fleets in more countries, there’s no sign of the ephemeral lovefest slowing down. (Even LinkedIn got in on the game, though we’re not sure anyone cares about their ex-employer’s Stories.)
All major platforms are investing in tweaks that encourage users to post more content, more often. While the feed isn’t going away, it is evolving into the second place audiences go to look for content.
Should your property care?
MAYBE. Your brand should be meeting key audiences where they live—and if you're targeting younger demographics, then a sizable portion of your audience lives on IG Stories. Make sure the content you're delivering there (or on Snapchat, Twitter Fleets, etc.) matches best practices in messaging and formatting. If you’re working with a competent strategist or agency, they should already be doing this. If they're not, you should start asking questions.
TikTok advertising goes mainstream
After surviving a potential ban, TikTok has somehow gained even more users while cementing its status as Generation Z's go-to app for entertainment. YouTube, meanwhile, suddenly seems to be flailing as it struggles with accusations of algorithm-driven misinformation and inappropriate content. As a result, brands are racing to establish a presence on TikTok and monetize their video content.
Should your property care?
PROBABLY NOT. TikTok's popularity with teens is an interesting story, but your audience probably isn't living there... yet. Although celebrities and politicians have flocked to it recently, the app’s core audience isn’t old enough to rent a car. TikTok’s influence is already massive and only growing, though, so it’ll be important to watch how its features are adopted by the major players.
User-generated content establishes itself as a business
Whatever your property’s stance on influencers, it’s highly likely that a big part of your content strategy involves UGC. So whether you’re comping stays or “regramming” guest posts, your feed is probably full of other people’s photos.
It seemed alarming, then, when Instagram recently said that sites do not have the right to post user photos without explicit permission from said users. While it was already important to ask users for their permission to share their content, it’s now imperative. This shift in policy is going to lead to users suddenly understanding the value of their content—so expect to see a rise in micro-influencers and be prepared to compensate them.
Should your property care?
YES. UGC is the current King of Content and influencer marketing is the king of monetizing it. That doesn't mean you have to shell out the big bucks or provide a gratis Presidential Suite to get high-quality content, though. Reward these small-time content creators with room upgrades or complimentary F&B—and be very specific about the images you’d like to see in return.
Advertisers need to diversify their paid placements
Facebook will continue to experience a dip in consumer engagement in 2021, even as it rolls out new tools, apps, and services aimed at keeping users on board. Keeping advertisers happy will be even more difficult after last year's tumult, which included accidentally disabling legitimate advertisers’ accounts as part of a pre-election crackdown. That mistake in isolation might have been perceived as a hiccup, but it was in fact only the most recent in a series of advertiser issues that have plagued the platform.
Twitter, on the other hand, made proactive post-election decisions that so far have positively impacted their ads service. For every platform, there are examples of gains and losses.
If you know your target audience is spread out across different social platforms, make sure you’re hitting them where they spend their time. That list should still include Facebook, which is too big to be replaced despite its innumerable problems. You can diversify ad placements, though, with Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest—all of which have seen a serious improvement to their paid media capabilities over the years. Each of these channels should be considered when pulling together a holistic paid strategy.
Should your property care?
YES. Don’t put yourself in a position to be surprised by sudden changes. If you don't know where your ad spend is going, talk with your strategist or agency to ensure that budgets are properly allocated and that they’re routinely exploring new bid options and placements.
The best results come from testing, learning, and then optimizing for each channel.
Pinterest continues to grow
Speaking of diversifying ad spend, analysts say that Pinterest is in the “top picks" to lead 20% growth in online advertising in 2021. As Facebook advertising becomes more expensive, Pinterest remains a low-cost addition. Furthermore, Pinterest uses a unique formula for calculating click-through rates. This benefits not only the user seeing ads, but also the advertiser. The platform offers a unique blend of search and social, even calling itself a “visual discovery engine.” This appealing combination should be considered for any brand selling online.
Should your property care?
YES. Pinterest has many opportunities to get in front of your target audience, and it’s not yet saturated with all the other brands, making it an ideal time to get in before costs rise and competition increases.
Increase in social media for customer service
The pandemic has increased internet use, and rapidly accelerated and familiarized the use of internet communication platforms. The uptick in real-time online communications, for everything from family video calls to telemedicine, makes consumers more comfortable with using internet services to communicate. This means that you need to be available to efficiently answer questions sent to your social media accounts—and have the expertise to elevate conversations to the necessary channels.
Should your property care?
YES. You should be investing as much into social communications like email or phone correspondence, even if it’s just to let people know the best phone number or email address to contact for their inquiry. Thankfully, Facebook has taken a lot of the work out of this with automated replies. But, just as you would with automated phone systems, ensure that everyone ultimately ends up speaking with a real person.
Specific communities continue to grow
Whether it’s a Facebook Group, group text, or Direct Messages, people are congregating in smaller circles and talking a lot more. People are more comfortable sharing more information in private or semi-private areas where everyone is united in talking about a certain topic.
Should your property care?
MAYBE. Facebook Groups are a great way to meet your audience where they are. There are groups for just about anything, including regions. If there isn’t one for yours, you can create one! Contributing to Facebook Groups is a surefire way to ensure that your message is being received by those most interested in it.
Increase in e-commerce within social platforms
People are buying more at home. As demand grows, apps and services will need to make purchasing from within their platforms much easier. Look for shopping on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to make leaps forward next year.
Should your property care?
MAYBE. If your property has retail outlets, it’s worth exploring whether or not you want to list those items on social media. Running an online store requires operational structures in place that you may not be able to quickly implement. However, by embracing online shopping in all shapes and sizes, people are showing that they expect to be able to make a purchase from whatever device they’re on at the time. Ensure that your booking engine makes purchasing decisions seamless and easy.
