Social Media Trends of 2018

In 2018 we saw many social media trends. Wondering if you missed out, or hopped on too many bandwagons?

It is no surprise that social media is a powerful tool and can affect business and evoke change. Statista found that there were  2.46 billion social media users in 2017, and this number is growing. According to estimates, the number of worldwide social media users reached 2.34 billion and is expected to grow to some 2.95 billion by 2020. Before the 2018 year comes to a close, we decided to look at the trends that the year brought us. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Latest Social Media Trends

In 2018 we saw many social media trends. Wondering if you missed out, or hopped on too many bandwagons? Chances are it isn’t too late to get started on some before the year is over.

Social Media Influencer Marketing

With social media, anyone has the chance to be famous. However annoying you may find it, brands and companies are cashing in, and so are the influencers. Reality stars can now extend that 15 minutes of fame and earn a living at the same time. In an article titled “After the Final Rose… You Make Money on Instagram” explains how long you last on the show can affect your potential earnings. While these celebs might cost you a pretty penny, micro-influencers are sometimes known for a more devout following. What exactly is a micro influencer? They are people on social media channels who have a strong following but don’t have a celebrity status. While there is no exact threshold, micro influencers typically have anywhere between 1,000 and 90,000 followers.

Instagram Story Highlights

While they were released in 2017, this feature did not take off until 2018. This tool allowed you to create permanent collections of Instagram Stories that will live on your new Instagram profile. These stories can be carefully created and brands are loving them. They are great for business profiles because story highlights allow brands to easily curate and showcase the content they want users to see first. We already know that Instagram is the highlight reel, but now it really can be an intro to what your feed has to offer.  They’re a creative way to express yourself, show off products, showcase events, and customers, drive traffic, or brand your business!

Face Filters

Snapchat pioneered face filters in 2016, and Instagram was quick to follow. What first started out as fun interactive edits to photos quickly became yet another marketing tool. In October of 2016,  Twentieth Century Fox became the first marketer to buy the app’s sponsored lens format to promote The Peanuts Movie.  The Gatorade Super Bowl Lens and Taco Bell’s Taco Shell Lens were the most popular filters to date. Many companies have found a way around these pricey filters by making sure there is a Geo-Tag that will appear a certain radius from their locations.

Messaging Platforms

The popularity of messaging platforms is exploding. WhatsApp (1.3 billion monthly active users), WeChat (963 million MAUs), and Facebook Messenger (1.2 billion MAUs) are leading the charge. On average, 77% of users keep messaging notifications turned on so they never miss a thing. FOMO is a powerful motivator” Says Neil Patel, co-founder of Neil Patel Digital. Patel also says that messaging allows you to reach your audience at scale and on their preferred channel. 89% of consumers would like to use it to communicate with businesses, yet only 48% of businesses do so.

Live Video

On Instagram, Facebook and Periscope we have the ability to go live and communicate with your viewers in real time. This feature has continued to grow and if done well, can have tremendous results. Consumers love it. Research shows that 80% of audiences prefer watching live video from brands as opposed to reading a blog. And 82% of consumers say they would rather watch live videos than read social media posts.

If you liked this Symboliq Media blog, check out these other related articles:
Retargeting Campaigns – How To Do Them Right?
Top 5 Facebook Marketing Mistakes You Must Avoid

Share this article:

Randy Blakeslee

Randy Blakeslee

hi! i’m randy! i believe choosing the right team and investing in people is the best thing you can do for your business. i love our team here at Symboliq. together we’ve fostered a positive work place that allows everyone to grow professionally and infuse awesomeness into all our brand partners. we’re low on judgement, high on caffeine, and bursting with creativity. when you come on board with us, you become a member of our family. so be prepared to feel the love.

Related Content

Leave a comment

seo

so you have your website, now how do you get people to see it? by making updates, monitoring keywords, and repeatedly optimizing your site. we will help you navigate this digital landscape and ensure that your dollars are going towards what will help you be seen and heard online.

web design

we help create memorable web experiences for desktop and mobile devices to help your customers find what they’re looking for. using wordpress, woo commerce, shopify, or by creating a custom site, we help create and optimize your site to drive traffic towards profitability and lead generation.

content creation

our team of graphic design designers, copywriters, photographers, and videographers are ready to grab your audience’s attention with customized content optimized to play up the platform. you get intentional images, words and design delivered through the right medium, at the right time, so your brand stands out.

social media

listening and anticipating what’s next from your brand.

our digital marketing specialists are experts in the art of social voice, and our graphic designers craft custom images that speak clearly to your target audience.

brand building

branding is a beast. everyday you’re faced with hundreds of small choices that have the potential to build up, or tear down your brand. that’s a lot of pressure. you need to know what you stand for, and live it out at all media touchpoints, inside your organization and with every audience interaction.

strategy

as your new strategic partner, our focus is making sure you’re seen, heard and understood. we’ll create a customized plan for immediate, actionable change that is true to your brand, speaks to your target audience and drives long term growth.