2022 Social Media Trends Report: Content will Respond to Consumer’s Needs
3-minute read
The team at Content Republic recently read the Social Media Trends 2022 Report by Talkwalker and Hubspot.
We’ve unpacked the report’s top trends and key takeaways to deliver them straight to you!
One trend is all about how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumers’ online behaviours and needs, and what brands can do to stay relevant.
We’ve unpacked the report’s top trends and key takeaways to deliver them straight to you!
One trend is all about how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumers’ online behaviours and needs, and what brands can do to stay relevant.
Here’s a sneak peek into the key takeaways on how you can create content that respond to consumer’s needs:
- Be specific
- Tap into the realm of audio
- Whip up more snack-sized content
- Improve the customer experience
Trend: Post-pandemic content will shape up to consumer needs
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marketers have had to adapt to the content trends that followed, challenging the existing rules of customer relationships and brand building. Social media was already an integral part of our lives, the pandemic drastically increased usage all over the world. There are over half a billion more people using social media worldwide than at the same time last year, indicating an almost 14% year-over-year increase.
In order to remain visible to their potential customers, brands must communicate in local and detailed terms, targeting specific audiences based on what is most relevant to them. This might mean creating specific content for a generation, location, gender, or hobby. Now that companies have their own personal data, users expect them to provide tailored experiences across the entire customer journey.
In order to remain visible to their potential customers, brands must communicate in local and detailed terms, targeting specific audiences based on what is most relevant to them. This might mean creating specific content for a generation, location, gender, or hobby. Now that companies have their own personal data, users expect them to provide tailored experiences across the entire customer journey.
Trend analysis
Although text conversations have the highest amount of results, engagement per mention tells a different story. Text results receive 0.91 engagements per mention while images receive 2.85 and video results receive 1.5.Media consumption trends have been accelerated by the lockdown. With consumers stuck at home, they’ve turned online for information, entertainment, and connection.
This has driven an uptick in content creation, to fill the growing demand. Consumers want stories shaped for them, not only containing the information they want, but also in a style they want to consume. This led to a particular increase in live audio and video - a format that was already loved, but now with added interaction and engagement.
Brands will have to expand their content strategies in 2022 and beyond, both identifying the content, and style of content, their consumers need.
This has driven an uptick in content creation, to fill the growing demand. Consumers want stories shaped for them, not only containing the information they want, but also in a style they want to consume. This led to a particular increase in live audio and video - a format that was already loved, but now with added interaction and engagement.
Brands will have to expand their content strategies in 2022 and beyond, both identifying the content, and style of content, their consumers need.
How consumers are driving the trend
Content demands adapted as people’s lives changed. The shift from working from the office to working from home, meant people wanted more personalised experiences shaped around their lives. As that situation flips again, expect demands to expand again. The traditional 5-day office week is no longer guaranteed, so brands will have to offer a broader catalogue of experiences to meet a broader range of lifestyles. To keep ahead, successful brands will have had to keep their ears open to fully understand their customers.
Key Takeaways
1. Be specific
Make conscious decisions about who you are marketing to, which consumers you’re targeting. Do your research and get access to consumer insights so you’re always creating content for a specific audience, whether that’s a generation, location, or language.
2. Tap into the realm of audio
Many different types of content and channels surged in popularity this year, aided by the realities of pandemic restrictions. Expand on audio and podcasts creation, to prioritise live conversations with your audience.
3. Whip up more snack-sized content
Time is money, and the pandemic has produced consumers who are acutely aware of their time and what content is worthy to consume. Keep your content digestible in length, form, and style. And, ensure it’s exclusive and personalised.
4. Improve the customer experience
Seamless, stress-free, and simple. Make it a walk in the park for a potential customer to consider and purchase from you. That might mean including VR features to make it easier for consumers to buy without seeing or handling a physical product.
What the experts are saying
“With consumers accessing more content post-pandemic, brands have to compete for even shorter attention spans across an ever-growing set of platforms. Understanding which platforms help tell which parts of your brand story is going to be key. The opportunity lies in using different platforms to tell a more cohesive and differentiated story.”
Ivy Esquero
Head of Enterprise & Loyalty Marketing, Hilton APAC
Ivy Esquero
Head of Enterprise & Loyalty Marketing, Hilton APAC
“The pandemic accelerated a trend toward creating less content - but ensuring it’s of higher quality. Producing content for the sake of producing content no longer meets the bar for brands who are tuned in to what their audiences are looking for. It’s time to up your game.”
Michelle Garrett
Public Relations Consultant, Garrett Public Relations
Michelle Garrett
Public Relations Consultant, Garrett Public Relations
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