From the influx of social media influencers to the focus on Generation Z, social media marketing strategies are constantly changing, and companies are struggling to stay on top of the ever-evolving trends.

Social media can help you expand your reach, build brand recognition, win fans and followers and grow your business. It’s impactful and cost-effective and has the ability to bring customers to your products or services.

But are you taking advantage of the opportunities? It’s important to use the right social media and content tracking tools to better personalize offerings to your customers.

What are the Biggest Social Media Trends Today

Social media influencers (and micro-influencers) are gaining more traction. Nearly 40 percent of Twitter users claimed to have purchased a product/service because of a tweet from a social media influencer.

Furthermore, brands are using micro-influencers to promote their products and services, because they can deliver 11 times the ROI of traditional digital marketing. And nearly 49 percent of people say they depend on influencers for purchase decisions.

Companies are focusing more and more on millennials and Generation Z – born in the mid-late 1990's). Generation Z is two to three times more likely to be influenced by social media than by sales or discounts.

Which Social Media Platforms are Best for Your Business?

With new social media platforms cropping up on a daily basis, it can be exhausting figuring out which channels are right for your business. Learn more about the biggest platforms to decide where to post your content.

• LinkedIn: If you’re targeting businesses, LinkedIn is probably your best route, as you can target relevant business audiences for products and services.

• YouTube: Video is becoming more crucial for companies to market their products and services. Use YouTube to easily share video content on social media.

• Twitter: Gain new followers for your business and develop a daily conversation about your products and services on Twitter.

• Facebook: Your business needs to be on Facebook. It’s the top social media network for companies with 100 or more employees.

• Instagram: Instagram is gaining ground and can be a winning network for your brand in sharing images and videos of your products and people.

The Future

Voice marketing, through devices like Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa, will continue to grow in 2018. Virtual reality will also become more prevalent in social media marketing efforts. In social media technology, the stakes are constantly being raised.

Smart marketers know what’s working today, what’s likely to change tomorrow and what is needed in the future. At Venator Performance Marketing, we feel the same way. We know how Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media marketing platforms can help you generate high-quality, strong-performing leads. Learn more about how we can perform for your company.