Future of Social Media Marketing Post-COVID

We’re living in a different world than we did 6 months back and the future is difficult to predict too!

The best that we can do is analyze data before us, trends and happenings to form plans and strategies. But the ultimate truth is that we all have to be prepared for strategic shifts in doing businesses at any point in time.

The digital world has probably never been more important even to the most common person on the street than it is today, and the trend is here to stay. Keeping this in mind, Social Media Marketing (SMM) has assumed tremendous importance and will continue to do so in the months to come.

Here’s a peek into Social Media (SM) and its Marketing trends that will shape the future of businesses in the post-Covid world.

1.    Social Media creative skills will be at the helm

From educators to businesses, everyone has to rely on digital media for a long time to come. Social Media has the tremendous potential to harness more business during this period. It all depends on how effectively and creatively we can utilize different SM to gain more customers, retain them and continue to grow businesses in the post-Covid era.

Creative SMM efforts during this crisis period are sure to bring in great business returns in the immediate months and will continue to rake in profits even when the world has seen through the crisis. Even with restrictions being lifted, our world is likely to be more centered around the digital world with social distancing and protective gears still in place.

Brands will depend more on creative Social Media Marketing strategies that will help engage and earn more paying customers. This is already evident from the fact that several leading brands have been able to garner more traffic and increase sales opportunities despite the tremendous crisis that the world is going through.

The shift towards the digital world has already taken place and more people from different backgrounds and lifestyle will move towards interesting SM content. More creative SM jobs are on the cards as even older generations are gravitating towards the digital world and embracing Social Media seamlessly as a part of everyday living.

2.    Rise in video content and its marketing

With the world confined within four walls, it is but natural that there was a tremendous increase in online videos. The point is amply clear from the fact that TikTok alone saw 115 million downloads in March alone! It’s a different story that the app has been banned in India after escalated border tensions in July. But the fact that the company saw an incredible growth during this period clearly indicates the way in which the digital preference of people is shifting. Facebook has capitalized the situation too with Facebook Shop integration and making an interesting promotion of WhatsApp that it took just at the onset of Covid.

Businesses have tremendous opportunities to utilize the current situation with video marketing on Social Media honing in all their creative skills and make a mark with their brands. The trend is here for and good and set to stay for months to come too! This is sure to see more creative artists’ job growth steering the full cycle of the economy.

3.    Authentic digital content will bring more business

People have been posting unedited videos of their daily life activities in the kitchen, garden and even living rooms with children on SM platforms tagging friends and families. All of these have thrilled contacts with huge number of likes and shares. Netizens continue to enjoy such authentic content coming even from big brands that have capitalized the trend going over making cosmetic editing.

The world has moved towards sharing candid videos that are pictures of real life and this has become a trend that brands have to capitalize. Content authenticity has always been appreciated by viewers but now it’s the addition of that raw element from everyday life that makes maximum impact on viewers. Brands are more likely to create and publish such authentic content that promises to deliver better than those shot in polished setups.

4.    Content that is high on empathy will make more impact

With the world in the grip of the pandemic, it has seen a rise in social consciousness and overall empathy. Digital messages that are high on compassion for others are likely to make more impact than suave ones. We are passing through an era that needs more collective efforts to overcome the common evil that the human race is facing. Values and ethics have gained in the process and people are more aware of their social responsibilities. 

Honest content that offers hope and light to combat sadness that has gripped the world has already made its mark and is sure to continue to do so in times to come. Brands and organizations have already started aligning their messages on these lines and are seeing the difference they are making on target audience. Messages that connect people with one another, positivity, show of empathy and gratitude are here to make impact rather than those of self-promotion and ostentation.

An exponential growth in Digital Marketing is going to be marked by content that is set to make an impact on social consciousness fueled by strong empathetic messages.

5.    Content focused on social listening and community engagement

Consumer persona always formed the core of any Digital Marketing campaign. But now the focus is more listening to consumers in the line of the social impact that their lives will have. Brands are likely to survey what it means to be social for target consumers under the emerging circumstances and implement new SMM strategies.

With a huge shift in customer consciousness from person-centric to social responsibility awareness, brands are likely to explore more of this aspect in all their digital marketing strategies. Hosting mini digital social events, sharing and polling on opinions that will make a difference are here to make a positive impact as Social Media Marketing strategy. Sharing authentic users’ stories and opinions will fuel all SMM thrust.

The world around us has changed and hopefully some of the changes are for the better. Injecting a ray of hope and optimism on the lines of target consumer behavior and stories – raw and unedited are what will dominate Social Media Marketing in months to come.