Now that 2014 is over, we can look back on the various marketing campaigns successes and fails throughout the year. Whether it was Doritos’ popular #CrashtheSuperBowl campaign or Apple “surprising” iPhone users by forcing U2’s new album onto their phones, 2014 wasn’t a quiet year for marketing companies.
Since the rise of online marketing and social media, companies have created new titles for leaders to create engaging content for the company’s social media profiles. Along with new management positions, here are a few predicted trends for social media in 2015:
Consolidation & Isolation
Over the past year, we’ve already seen social media companies partner with other companies to enhance user experience. For example, Facebook bought Instagram, a popular photo-sharing app. This move demonstrates how Facebook is trying to consolidate its reach in its target market. Additionally, Twitter joined forces with IBM to enhance data analytics for companies and brands. We’ll continue to see partnerships and company buy-outs like these in 2015.
Owned vs. Rented
When it comes to the online world, the boundaries between what we own and what we don’t are hazy. In regards to social media, you really don’t own your profiles as much as you rent them. Facebook, for example, has the rights to some of your information on your profile to sell to advertisers. That being said, there are aspects to social media that you do own. The content and context of your posts, comments, likes, etc. are in your control.
Digital Transformation
Technology is always changing, and businesses have to keep up in order to stay innovative. For marketers, it’ll be important to pull together the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) data to analyze the big picture, instead of letting that data sit in individual marketing channels. Additionally, marketers will need to examine context, not just the content their target audience is posting.
Increase in Data Breaches
This year, we’ve seen countless amounts of online data breaches occur to big name companies like Home Depot and Sony Entertainment. In order to avoid becoming a victim of a cyber-attack, make sure you change all of your passwords to strong ones. Also, don’t use the same password for multiple accounts because if one account is hacked, it’ll be easier for the hackers to access all of your other accounts.
Mobile
Mobile devices have become increasingly popular among consumers because of the convenience of apps. Making sure your website and/or app are mobile friendly will optimize the overall reach you have with your customers.
Customer & Employee Experience
Customers expect immediate response from management when there’s an issue. Social media is helpful because it provides an opportunity to start a conversation with the customer directly and in a timely manner. However, customers continue to use social media to voice their opinions on a public spectrum. That’s why it’s important to respond quickly to any complaints.
Employee experience is another asset for companies. Employees are unofficial spokespeople for your company, and if they’re happy with their experience then they’ll tell others about it. Word-of-mouth is the best way to gain customers and new employees, so making sure your employees are content will be beneficial.
Do you need social media experts to enhance your company’s online presence? Call 855-599-9998 to speak with one of our marketing consultants.
