Social media platforms come and go, so it’s important for brands to prioritize their time and worth on each. It isn’t necessary for every brand to have a presence on every platform. There is always going to be, “the next big thing.” In the end most social media apps will fail, so how do you know whether it’s worth investing in or not? There can only be one Facebook.
Audience
The biggest question a company needs to ask themselves is, “does this network appeal and reach my target audience?” If the answer is no, then it’s an easy decision to move on to the next thing. For example, it would be pretty silly for a B2B to spend their efforts on Instagram. As of now, that platform has not shown to be beneficial for that business sector.
If a platform is brand new, it’s important to understand who the early adopters will be. Typically, tech enthusiasts and young people will be the first to jump on new bandwagons. The type of platform will also play a part in the audience. For instance, Facebook and Twitch are notably different and bring in different audiences — it wouldn’t take a social media expert to come to that conclusion.
Time
The next big thing to consider is time. Although it’s ideal to stay ahead of the latest and greatest trends, it becomes obsolete if the brand is unable to dedicate the proper amount of time to the new platform. Will the time the brand’s marketing team has to take out of their work schedule to learn ins and outs of a new platform exceed the ROI from that platform? Also, will the new network take time and resources away from networks that are already successful?
Overexposure
Is it possible for a brand to be on too many networks? Not only will a new platform take time, energy, and resources, but it may reach a point where the new network detracts attention through overexposure. Unless a brand has the resources to create unique content for each campaign, the consumer may become bored with the diluted message and negate the brands voice altogether.
In a social media world, the danger is being overexposed and when something is overexposed it is no longer interesting…if ever it was. — Donna Lynn Hope
The Rise of TikTok
TikTok was launched in 2017 and quickly gained it’s 1 billion monthly active users. With more than 2.5 billion global downloads, the app is now the 4th most popular social media platform and is beating both Facebook and Instagram in app store downloads. The app is a mixture of two previously popular networks, Vine and Musical.ly. Users are able to make short videos with effects that play on a loop. With shifts is consumer habits and an increase in time spent on social media, I believe TikTok is here to stay.
Community
Social media is making a shift from individuals to community. It’s more about what you can provide a community than what you are doing as an individual user. TikTok is a platform where like minded people can come together and start conversations. Although the platform doesn’t have a specific group element, like Facebook Groups, duets take over that element. A duet is a feature where the user than react and perform with a video side by side. This allows users across the globe to collaborate. So far, TikTok is providing a safe space for diverse groups to come together and express themselves without the toxicity you see on other platforms. Hopefully this trend stays true as the platform progresses.
UGC (User Generated Content)
When choosing a brand to support, 90% of millennials state that authenticity is their biggest concern. With an increase is fake news and new products being launched constantly, UGC is a way for brands and influencers to express their genuine thoughts and feelings on products. Since TikTok is still so new, authenticity is still a major part of their design. Users talk about products because they genuinely love them, but as bigger brands start to capitalize on TikTok, this area may become more diluted. For now, though, UGC is thriving on TikTok and a great way for brands to communicate with their audience in a genuine manor.
Nano Influencers
Social media influencers are seen more as celebrities than faces on the internet. With millions of followers, it can be hard to relate these personalities. Since authenticity is is a major concern in 2021, nano influencers with 1000–100K followers have started to rise and gain traction on the platform. Users want to be able to relate to the individuals they follow online. These “influencers” are likely part of a niche community and aren’t extraordinarily popular on other platforms. Having a smaller following allows these nano influencers to have a larger impact on the followers they do have and build an authentic community around the content they enjoy. This also opens the door for small businesses to use these influencers and UGC to help promote their brand, without spending a pretty penny on the multi-million follower celebrity. And even better, the audience is more likely to trust the product coming from an influencer they trust and relate to!
