A lot has happened in the social media sphere in 2017.
From Twitter increasing their characters to from 140 characters to 280 characters, to Facebook shoplifting just about all the attributes of Snapchat and taking it to their sister app Instagram; thus leaving us to wonder why Snapchat did not patent or trademark their inventions and all of its properties. The fact remains, 2017 has been quite the eventful year on social media.
But if the steady progress that has characterized 2017 is anything to go by, then we can agree that 2018 is going to trump all of 2017’s achievements. With a plethora of technological advancements going mainstream, the social media sphere is poised for some major upgrades. Here are our top ten predictions of social media trends in 2018.
1. Rise of the AR (augmented reality)
The introduction of Apple’s iPhone 8 and the iPhone X in 2017 provided users with unmatched augmented reality experiences. Although the rise of the AR is more beneficial to mobile gaming, chances are that in 2018, social media platforms would incorporate this new technology for improved user experience.
For instance, in 2018, we could see Instagram or Snapchat users with filters that let them take a “selfie” with their friend or favorite celebrities and project them via augmented reality. And sooner rather than later, brands would jump on this trend.
2. Instagram Stories would get more popular
Following the “cloning” of Snapchats properties by Instagram, more than 200 million people now use Instagram Stories monthly, and this is more than 50 million users more than what Snapchat sees monthly. But guess what, Instagram Stories is still in its first year!
If this continues as it is expected and poised to, 2018 could have half the number of users on Instagram using Instagram stories. Brands looking to expand their reach on Instagram in 2018 would have to master Instagram Stories.
3. More money for influencer marketers
Influencer Marketing has proven to be a great investment and a huge success for brands. With brands like North Face, Rolex and Hubspot positively harnessing social media–based influencer marketers to improve their brand engagement with existing audiences, as well as reach out to and connect with new audiences, it is safe to say “If it ain’t broke…don’t fix it!”
4. Generation Z
There has been much talk about the influence of millennials in just about everything. But a study conducted recently by Goldman Sachs may have come to the conclusion that the world is no longer in the hand of the millennials. There’s a new kid on the block (literally) and they are the Generation Z. The oldest Gen Zers would be 22-year-olds. And seeing as they are just breaking into the workforce, they are keener to exercise their buying power than the “aging” millennials.
In 2018, Brands would recognize and leverage on this by shifting their social media strategies to suite their prospective buyers on platforms preferred by Gen Zers like Instagram and Snapchat.
5. Improved brand engagement on messaging platforms
Of the 7 billion people in the world, over 2.5 billion people make use of messaging platforms. As of today, many brands choose social networks as a means of engaging with their customers but with the rise of chatbots, voice assistants and AI’s more brands are expected to offer more personalized customer experiences on several messaging platforms such as Messenger, Kik, and WhatsApp.
6. Live streaming is set to get bigger
Live streaming started as a novel gimmick but it has now become a huge part of the social media sphere. Today, a plethora of brands, regardless of their size are now using live streaming to reach out and capture their follower’s attention.
In 2018, more and more brands would leverage the power of live streaming, and incorporate this into their content plans each month.
7. Rebranding Twitter
Twitter has been dubbed a dying brand in recent times due to the fact that the platform failed to grow its followership significantly in 2017. With LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, acquiring more followers on social media and Twitter also losing the rights to streaming NFL games, it is more likely that Twitter would undergo an overhaul in 2018.
Chances are that the company might be sold to private investors which could preempt a major platform overhaul.
8. More people would start using digital hangouts
Used by more than one million people daily, Houseparty is essentially a video hangout platform that Gen Zers use as a means to hang out with their friends digitally. This platform has become so successful that even Facebook is looking to incorporate it into their platform.
Videos have taken over social media already but in 2018, we predict that live video group hangouts would come mainstream. And because Facebook likes to stay ahead of the pack, they would most likely have their own version of Houseparty to win over internet users.
9. Facebook Spaces
If you think Facebook wants to stop at live streaming then think again. Facebook has been working on a takeover project called Spaces. Facebook Spaces is designed to enable friends to get connected in VR. Seeing as Facebook owns Oculus, it is not surprising that they would develop a platform to put Oculus to good use.
If Facebook Spaces are successful in 2018, it would become the first ever successful VR social media product at scale.
10. Social platforms would get stricter
In 2017, Facebook and Twitter were accused of exposing users to Russian bots who meddled in the elections. Given these wide criticisms, these platforms would imbibe tougher governance policies and codes of conduct that protect them from future criticism and negative influences.
Conclusion
A plethora of new social media trends awaits us in 2018. These trends are guaranteed to impact brands and users alike. We strongly insist that virtual reality and video streaming would lead the pack in 2018. More brands would move to newer social platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram with so many Gen Zers spending most of their time there.