Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have disrupted the digital marketing landscape these past few years and this is something that cannot be ignored.
Initially, posting content was only needed to grow a following base. But in this time and day, it takes more than just content to wow your online audiences.
I’m talking about getting on board with digital marketing trends. Most businesses tend to stagnate when they’ve stuck to the same game plan while neglecting marketing trends these days.
I believe Malaysia has one of the largest pool of social media users in Southeast Asia, however many companies tend to have a lack of appreciation for digital marketing. Some still perceive digital marketing as a complementary strategy to their pre-existing practice.
Moving into 2019, I bet each of you notice new features on Facebook and Instagram as well as a big shift of marketing trends on these platforms. With that being said, here’s my take on key trends on Facebook and Instagram for 2019.
More and more video… ads
According to Facebook, users watch about 100 million hours of videos per day. Talk about an astonishing amount! Just as Facebook was dominating the video content empire in 2018, they‘ve switched up the game by introducing “mid-roll video ads”. While most users have found it annoying, it has proved to be more effective as majority users tend not to close the ad upon watching midway through the video. There is also higher reluctancy for users to pay for a premium account that would grant them an ad-free video experience. The format of the “mid-roll ads” also challenges marketers beat the 6 seconds skip mark with quality content that enables them to relay their intended information and capture their viewers attention.
Going Live and Growing Stories
Since it was introduced in Facebook and Instagram by 2016, live streaming has become one of the top trending methods in the digital marketing world. This is because going live allows brands/businesses to engage and interact more with their audiences. Not only that, live videos enables audiences partake in the livestream by voicing their opinions and enquiries in the comment threads in real-time. Following this, global brands adopted live videos as one of their core social media strategies to provide creative content, promotions, and boost social interactions. Should some of the audiences miss the livestream in the given time frame, the replay of the live video can be saved as stories.
Speaking of stories, it’s another fun and inherently engaging way to connect with your audience. We’re talking about a feature that is consumed by 400 million users on a daily basis! And within that feature is the Story Ads capability of generating more impressions and reach towards a bigger audience. Given the efficacy of this feature, advertisers are now utilising it to boost social media traffic.
From Macro to Micro Influencers
Pushing into 2019, expect a deviation from macro influencers to micro influencers. Due to macro influencers incredibly vast fanbase and high popularity, their product endorsements are normally profit-driven, resulting in consumers often doubting their opinion. Micro influencers, on the other hand, have a higher engagement and credibility rate due to their smaller fanbase. In addition to that, micro influencers are able to relate to consumers at a more personal level.
There are no wrong or rights in engaging either influencers. It purely depends on whether your campaign is directed towards brand awareness or credibility. The efficacy of your campaign is also reliant towards the influencer’s ability to encourage his/her audience to pique the consumer’s interest.
Takeaway
Digital marketing is always going through a constant evolution – changing the way marketers promote their products and services. With the constantly shifting trends, businesses can’t afford to neglect the impact of digital marketing trends. In order to stay competitive in 2019, businesses need to hone the tools that drives marketing innovation.
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