Top Social Media Marketing Trends in 2022: What to Know
It’s that time of year… we’re ready to share our predictions for the top social media marketing trends in 2022! We can’t foresee them all (Facebook rebranding to Meta surprised us last year – though we can now see a world-wide movement to create “work spaces,” “mini-worlds,” and “stores” in virtual reality “metaverses”, particularly in the developing world, but we’re constantly watching the latest developments and keeping our eyes open for the next big thing(s).
And, while this list should help get your creative social media marketing juices flowing, call us at (305) 455-0720 or e-mail getthescoop@iscreamsocialmedia.com to schedule a strategy call with our team to discuss how we can help you monetize these trends.
1. TikTok Trends are Crucial for Success
You’ve heard how the short-form video app, popular for lip syncing and fun dances, has shot up the rankings since its takeover of Musical.ly in 2017 – and yes, iScreamSocialMedia strongly recommended joining early, not believing the hype and worry over the app stealing your personal information, and predicted that waiting would cost you dearly in the algorithms. In 2021 alone, its users have grown by 41%, which is well beyond the growth of other apps such as Instagram which grew by 23%. If you’re a business looking for success on this app (and you should be!), catching and riding trend waves is a must.
Further, Facebook recently sold off over 20% in a single day, marking the largest dip in company valuation in a single day, perhaps ever, in large part due to losing market share to TikTok and the perception that Facebook/Meta had to “pivot” so much with the metaverse announcement that many have lost faith in their ability to grow using their current structure. And we’ll let you in on a secret: Most trends are based on sounds.
So, how do you find TikTok trends? When scrolling your “For You” page, simply notice repeating sounds. Once you find one, click on the disc icon in the bottom right corner, go to that sound’s homepage, and then get inspiration from others on how to mimic this trend. Just remember to stay authentic to your brand and pair trending sounds with your own content in a way that jives with your company’s vibe. Further, you can press the search button and a list of trends immediately appears – there are hundreds! It’s that simple.
2. Reels Get Hotter
These aren’t going anywhere in 2022, in part to allow Instagram and Facebook to compete with the power of TikTok wiht its own copycat, called Reels, so get ready to bring the heat with your Instagram Reels game! It’s quite simply the fastest way to gain traction on IG, as we’re often finding them to be the top performing content on the app for our clients. Users want short, entertaining, and engaging videos, and reels are just that. As a pro tip, try turning your highest-performing reels into ads, and retargeting or promoting to a lookalike audience.
3. Video Ads Continue to Dominate
Is there anyone these days that isn’t subscribed to Netflix? Ad-free streaming services have been taking the place of cable, so it’s no surprise that 46% of people watch more social media video ads than commercials on TV. As a result, companies are focusing more on advertising on social media platforms. Unlike the 30-second commercials you see on TV that often require an entire production, ad clips on social media can be short and sweet. Consumer surveys have shown that social media video ads are the #1 way people find businesses they end up buying from. In the coming year, you’ll want to build a killer video ad campaign (or hire us to do it for you) on all social platforms.
4. Creator Collaboration is Growing
You can’t have social media without influencers, and many of them are making careers out of creating content. Because they already have a platform and reach, they offer a unique marketing opportunity, and brands are taking notice. In fact, it’s estimated that over 75% will be using this strategy by 2022. Many platforms have added features for monetizing brand collabs to make it easier to partner with creators (TikTok has the Creator Fund, Instagram has Collabs, etc). You’ll definitely want to start searching for popular influencers in your target audience to collaborate with!