Ever-changing social media algorithms and the rise of fake news and concerns about data privacy have made the task of managing content marketing campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other leading platforms a difficult one for brands in 2018.
With 2019 now less than a month away, Hootsuite has chimed in with a few helpful tips for brands that are looking to update their strategies for the New Year. The company’s CMO Penny Wilson admits that the last 12 months have been particularly “tumultuous” but that there is still a treasure trove of potential for positive results for those who are willing to make a few changes.
Building trust
A recent report by Edelman showed that trust in social networks has slumped and that this negative sentiment extends beyond single platforms to a general distrust of media. Wilson believes that brands can get consumers back on side by focusing on “transparent, quality engagement”.
Chasing “hollow clicks” is no longer a viable strategy, and brands should aim to create blogs, articles and infographics that can deliver return on investment and the context and audience-specific messages that consumers crave. Adidas and the New York Times are among the big brands that have pivoted towards meaningful dialogue this year.
Human stories
Hootsuite says that the Wild West days of social are over and that audiences are now “increasingly conscious” of who they are interacting with and how. They are savvier about data and want connections with real value. A great way to achieve the latter is to create more human and inspiring stories. A few other trends that will be prevalent in 2019 include:
- “Upleveling” and the use of agencies for “skilled-cross platform content creators” to increase the impact of campaigns.
- Pushing interesting content at the right time while remaining humble and authentic.
- Shoppable videos and interactive content being an extension of brand messaging rather than a hard sell.
“The key to turning all of these trends into a competitive advantage is to do so in a manner that regains customer confidence,” Wilson concluded. “That starts with respecting their privacy, being open and transparent about when and why data is collected and then leveraging the data that customers are willing to share to create personalized one-to-one experiences that deliver unique value.”
