As 2020 comes to a close, we can take a step back and look at everything that has happened in the past year, COVID being one of the most prominent. An international pandemic sent millions into quarantine, and almost directly to their phones, laptops, or tablets to find comfort and entertainment through social media platforms. This past time activity of scrolling through feeds and catching up with friends is now directed towards product research, one-stop shopping, and brand association. The world has hit 3.6 billion social media users in 2020, and in 2021 Viamark New Bern advertising agency NC has a few predictions on how you can market your business or profile with this list of social media trends for 2021:

1. The value of posts will be more important than the number of posts a page uploads. With the pandemic, and everyone turning to social media to get their message out in the world, brands are starting to realize that it's customers are more focused on their story, platform, and values versus just a cool product.
2. Conversational marketing and messaging systems are your company's new best friend. With the merger of Facebook and Instagram, the two largest social media platforms for businesses to easily communicate with customers, troubleshooting and customer service is easier than ever. In years past, conversational marketing tactics were driven towards making sales quickly, but in 2021, these conversational tools may be used more to support a customer with a product, answer questions, and have thoughtful conversations.
3. Attention spans are getting shorter… and your content should follow. With the blast of TikTok and Instagram Reels in 2020, steady engagement of Stories through Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, and brands creating unique ways to showcase their products within a few seconds, videos are useful now more than ever. When we say videos, we mean 15-30 second tidbits of information versus a 2-10 minute plethora of details, facts, and figures. Our professionals at Viamark New Bern advertising agency NC have seen great numbers with the use of short clips, and only expect greater outcomes as the year progresses.
4. Since we can’t enjoy things in real life ourselves, we will enjoy them via Live video. As the numbers of video chats, conferences, and other meetings rose with the national stay-at-home orders, there's no question why the use of live video streaming skyrocketed. This feature of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allows organizations to stream themselves to their followers in a live setting to answer questions, show products, explain tutorials, and an abundance of other opportunities to connect. This popular tool will only gain attention as we move into 2021.
5. Forget putting shoes on and maneuvering a cart around people flooded isles, social media platforms are turning themselves into your local one-stop shop right at your fingertips. This is a golden social media marketing tool, to enable your customers to not only view a product through a platform they spend countless hours on, but to be able to stay on the app, click a button and have the item shipped to their house without a second thought. Facebook and Instagram were two of the first platforms to converge into a shopping center, and users loved it. For shoppers, this provides convenience, and for brands who had a difficult time creating a well-trafficked website, it provides opportunities that were once overlooked.

Viamark New Bern advertising agency NC has high hopes for these social media trends for 2021 and the marketing tactics that will come with them. Keeping up with the latest and greatest trends can be a tough feat, so leave it to the professionals at Viamark to ensure your business is optimizing its advertising tools on every platform. Stand out above your competition by telling your story with video creatives and contact us today.