Jan
19
Top 5 Social Media Marketing Trends for 2012
As we kick off the New Year, social media has become an integral part of marketing (see my previous post Social Media Trends for 2011), yet so much more than just another tool used to increase awareness, drive conversion and impact brand equity. Through some research and a lot of introspection about what will be important to social media marketing professionals like myself in the year to come, here are the top 5 trends sure to feature prominently in 2012:
1. Influence Recognized & Rewarded
The hunt for influencers who can impact a brand’s metrics positively is on! The great thing about social media is that it is no longer just celebrities whose voice counts, in fact companies are becoming more cognizant of influencers who can speak to their target market demographic (see my previous post about social proof in marketing). Back in marketing class in college, we talked a lot about segmentation, however the conversation back then was about groups of people, not individuals. Case in point: I recently received a perk from Swaylo in the form of two free tickets to the exclusive preview screening of Albert Nobbs due to my perceived “influence”. Does Swaylo know I was a marketing executive for the largest movie theater chain in Slovenia? Could be… My friend alivea meanwhile raves about her free MOO cards, which she receives due to her high ranking on Klout. Just a few examples of how smart brands are starting to influence influencers to influence others!
2. Content Marketing Becomes a Necessity
With Google’s recent changes to its search algorithm, it will be harder than ever to “game” the system. As a consequence, from now on out, clever SEO strategies will play much less of a role, with truly great content that is shared AND talked about becoming the deciding factor. The challenge for brands will be to put out content that isn’t just good enough to find, but great enough to be shared via multiple social media platforms and discussed fervently.
3. Social Media IS the New Branding
Social media is becoming way more than just another “tool”. Through the transformation and fragmentation of consumer habits, it is slowly becoming the new branding. Consumers have come to expect a lot more from social media, and we can expect interaction and even customer service via social media to become the new standard. The days of planning obtuse communications for a large predictable audience is over; consumers will come to expect transparency, instant feedback and 24/7 availability. Smart companies will take advantage of this trend in 2012 to engage customers, innovate their service offerings and satisfy previously unaddressed needs.
4. Blogging Gains Momentum
Closely related to trend 2. above, blogging is becoming more, not less important to corporate marketing strategy. MarketingProfs just recently published their 2nd annual survey of B2B marketers, which shows that 90% of B2B marketers use blogging to support their content marketing goals. Compared to 2010, when 51% of B2B marketers reported utilizing blogging in support of their content marketing goals, in 2011 a whopping 65% of marketers used the tactic to educate, entertain and inform consumers. According to this article, companies that blog enjoy 55% more website visitors and a 62% cheaper cost per lead. Furthermore, there is now strong evidence that consumers trust blogs more than many other sources.
5. Internationalization
As this great post from the Global Business Hub points out, while in theory the internet has no borders, few companies know how to effectively garner and cultivate an international audience effectively. This last trend is probably the most futuristic of those identified in this post, yet represents one of the biggest long term challenges in social media marketing. That said, many brands are now global, even if they had perhaps not intended to be initially. Did you know that 88% of internet users reside outside of the US?
Tags
Blogging, Business, Global trends, Marketing, Social Media
