While there is no certain way to predict the future, there are clear trends for 2021 emerging. Staying on top of trends are increasingly vital for social media growth and vying for attention on media platforms. When creating content for the new year, consider these 5 trends.

Video Content for Organic Social Media Growth

With Tik Tok becoming a competitor with Instagram, the popular visual app will be expected to push Instagram Reels in 2021. With less competition on Reels than photos on Instagram, this is a great opportunity to reach customers for business owners.

When thinking about creating for reels, make sure it is relatable to the customer and grabs their attention within the first few seconds.

Here are some tips for creating video content for Reels and Tik Tok:

Shoot in vertical format. The apps are designed to be viewed in vertical format, full screen, on mobile devices. Reels can be between 15-30 seconds while Tik Tok supports 15-60 seconds.
Use popular audio and sounds. The way to get discovered or go viral on these apps is to make original content that people want to watch, share, and interact with. Discovering sounds and songs that are increasing in popularity can be a great way to reach more people.
Create content often and don’t be afraid of failure. Getting discovered on apps like these can mean a lot of trial and error. One consistent growth tactic is posting often. If you utilize both apps, save videos and repost them on other platforms.
Be authentic. Visual content reaching more people will inevitably drive people to your pages. People are more likely to follow and engage with your content if you represent your brand authentically. Which leads to the second marketing trend for 2021…

For more tips on photo and video content, read our blog post: How To Improve Photography Content For Business Owners.

2. Brand Transparency via Social Media

Brands are becoming increasingly vocal about their values, and consumers have made it clear that they are more likely to support businesses that align with their beliefs. People support people. Humanize yourself more with content by showing faces behind your brand, creating videos, and talking about what matters to your brand.

Create an atmosphere of transparency and customers will pick up on it.

3. Purpose Driven Missions

Expect brands to use purpose driven content and campaigns more in 2021. Last year, brands got behind their values in big ways at the start of the pandemic by supporting their communities, employees, and customers. Here are some examples:

Outdoor lifestyle footwear brand, Chacos, retrofitted their manufacturing at the start of the pandemic to sew and donate protective masks. They worked with their parent company Wolverine Worldwide to source materials, and were able to put the plan into action days after Michigan's stay-at-home order was announced in March, 2020.

Popular salad shop Sweetgreen launched a program to offer free lunches to healthcare works in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.

To help local restaurants and bars, Yelp announces it would be waiving advertising fees, providing advertising as well as products and services.

Although these companies are large, small businesses still have the opportunity to make a big impact. Supporting local efforts, environmental sustainability and value-driven causes make a big statement and customers are listening.

4. User Generated Content (UGC)

UGC’s are a great way of connecting with your customers online and conducting real conversations and interactions. Motivate your customers by using brand-relevant hashtags and tagging your company in their content for a chance to be featured on your pages. Whether you use UGC for your entire feed, or mix it in with your business branded content, this trend is sure to give authenticity and will continue to stay prevalent for years to come.

With User Generated Content it is important to give back some of the engagement you are receiving. Like and comment on the posts that engage with the content that is generated.

5. Micro-Influencer Marketing

“Micro” or “Nano” influencers are individuals who have under 25k on individual social media platforms. These users often have a higher rate of engagement with their following and are great partners for platforms like Instagram to gain attention.

Rates for micro-influencers vary from person to person. It is important to consider their engagement insights and discuss what you hope to gain from the partnership. Make sure to do your research and look into the content that the influencer is publishing and who your potential competitors are within their promotions.

Social Media trends for 2021 will continue to emerge and the year progresses. If you are aiming to increase your following, or drive sales from content- these trends are for you! Make sure to develop content consistently and often to stay relevant and in front-of-mind with your audience. Growing organically can take time but what follows is a dedicated customer base who will rave about your product for years to come.