Social Media 2019 New Year’s Resolutions! (Yes, We Know It’s Still 2018)

When it comes to social media, marketing and preparing for the next set of trends, we know we have to get on it ASAP and not wait until the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, 2019. We are planning for Q1 already, and we need to start the year with a bang. We are going to provide you with a sneak peek of what some of the biggest social media marketing trends in 2019 will be and how to amplify engagement with your users.

Here is our list of things you should consider now to help you get better results in 2019.

1. Stop relying on traditional video

Now, before you panic and say “but video is driving the most engagement—what do you mean we need to leave it in 2018?!” let us explain. Video itself is not going anywhere. It will still be on the top of the list, but consumers want to see less scripted and planned videos and more casual, natural lifestyle videos. Cue live video.

Yep, we said it. Live video is going to continue rising because the audiences want to see candid, real, honest and fun videos from their favorite brands. Your audience wants to know the real you, not some scripted you that makes you look prim and proper (not that you aren’t).

So how, you ask, can we plan to add live video to our 2019 plan? Simple: Think about doing Q&A sessions with members of a certain department or interview some customers or subject matter experts. You can even live stream fun events like celebrating a benchmark (hint: thunder::tech is turning 20 in 2019…there may be a live video or two in our future) or demos of you using a new or popular product.

2. Mix up the length of your content

You’re probably asking yourself what we mean by that, and, to break it down, we mean size does matter. They (we aren’t sure who “they” are, but we picture stuffy “experts” who read too many blogs) say people on social media only want to see something shorter than 30 seconds or only read something less than 500 words, but that isn’t entirely true.

Recent studies have shown the acceptable length for a blog post is between 500 to 1,000 words. However, you can have some that are longer if you need more words to explain your compelling topic. So with that in mind, we suggest creating several cornerstone (big picture, complex idea) content pieces for every few “snackable” pieces of content.

Snackable is code for smaller pieces of content that are spinoffs from the big content but easier to read or digest. An example might be an infographic or short video clip talking about your cornerstone content. You will want to have a mix of content types and lengths to share on social this upcoming year.

3. Engage with user-generated content

This is key to really lifting your brand off the ground. People want to see brands share content or comment back to them if they’re sharing brand content. Do your part and start replying! This means having social listening tools set up. Some of our favorites are Brandwatch and Hootsuite, but there are so many out there. Make sure you are monitoring, sharing and commenting. This will make your brand look fun and inviting and show you care about your users!

4. Introduce influencer marketing

This is all the rage right now. More and more brands are looking to influencers to help promote their brands in exchange for free products or some compensation. If your budget allows for this, do it. Our only suggestion (from lessons learned) is make sure you have a detailed agreement on what is expected from both parties so you get your money’s worth and the influencer knows exactly what kind of content he or she will need to produce.

5. Tell your story with stories

Stories are here and they aren’t going anywhere in 2019. Will there be more features for these content forms on more channels? Absolutely! Will people continue to post? You bet. Take advantage of stories for your behind-the-scenes content.

There you have it. Grab your team and start planning 2019 now! And remember, Q1 will be here in the blink of an eye (or two months). Either way, don’t wait to start planning.

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