Do you aspire to be a content king? We’ve got some tips for you! Is being active on TikTok a wise choice? When should you turn to AI, and how can you create videos that truly perform well on social media?
While in the design world, the color peach, specifically the shade “Peach Fuzz,” is set to dominate in 2024, TikTok is the winner in the online world. Making it the fastest-growing social network globally, popular not just among Gen Z. This platform captivates its audience with dynamic, short video content across various fields, setting a trend that’s spilling over to other platforms.
The #TikTokization of content is reshaping social media.
Beyond TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest continue to shine in the social media spotlight, where fun and dynamic content formats are key.
However, it’s not all bright and buzzing. The attention span of users is dwindling across social media, with followers engaging with content for shorter periods than ever before. On average, users spend only 1.4 seconds on a Facebook post and a mere 1 second on a TikTok video. The trend extends to written content, with only 15% of readers finishing articles they start.
Which platforms are losing their edge? Facebook’s appeal among younger audiences is waning due to less attractive content offerings. While still boasting a large audience, Facebook’s user base is gradually aging, a crucial factor to consider when crafting your communication strategy and content for this platform.
Videos already dominate social media for some time now. Proof that they are a popular format is that they will also gradually appear more often in search results – even on Google, for example.
Short videos are a great way to catch the attention of your audience. You just need to do it really fast – the first three seconds are the most important. But today, it’s more likely just the first second. The earlier you engage the viewers, the more likely they are to watch the video through to the end. And if you don’t get your viewers’ attention right away, they will replace your content with more entertaining content in one easy swipe.
That is why your videos need to be short, striking and dynamic. Choosing the right music and the right editing is important as well. If you are talking in your videos or want to get across some interesting information, don’t forget to add subtitles to your video. A lot of people nowadays consume content with the sound turned off. And if they cannot figure out what is going on at first sight, they will simply skip your video.
So, what kind of videos actually work? That depends on your specific target audience and your business. You can share news from your field, tips on interesting products or places, or even behind the scenes from your company. Create Reels that engage your audience and always remember that people on social media want to be entertained.
AI will become increasingly popular and will continue to improve, making many people’s jobs easier. Therefore, it is no surprise that many marketers have already fallen under its spell. And while there are areas where AI can really help us, there are others where the generic and mediocre text generated by AI can really take a toll on the quality of your content.
For certain activities, such as brainstorming, AI tools are great. But relying on what ChatGPT presents can be a bit of a low blow later on. After all, artificial intelligence is not yet 100% adept at working with facts. So it can serve you nonsense text instead of verified facts. With all AI tools, the basic rule is: Trust, but verify.
And what about the quality of copywriting? So far, it is pretty much below average.
Use AI as a tool for inspiration, have it create an outline for your article, look for synonyms, new terms… But definitely do not rely on ChatGPT to create an original text full of emotions or sophisticated puns. It can’t do that.
On the contrary – it is great at writing a text full of filler words, awkward past tenses and phrases in passive voice, or long sentences that do not really make sense. Instead of perfectly polished texts, you will end up with something that might later appear in Facebook discussion groups all about marketing bizarro.
So what does this mean?
If you want a good text, put it in the hands of a human – a skilled copywriter, who knows how to write a good text and who is able to evaluate the quality of AI-generated text. Alternatively, have the copywriter at least review the text and touch it up.
In addition to AI, virtual reality is also gradually becoming more popular and it is changing customer behavior. Thanks to VR, customers can get a better look at a product or try it out right away – and they do not even have to take a step outside their home.
The topic of sustainability is getting more and more important. Therefore, it is a good idea to focus on it and other social topics on your social media. Show the users the values that you as a company stand for. Nowadays, customers care not only about the product itself, but also about the presentation and values of the company they are buying it from. Show that you do not test your cosmetic brand on animals, offer your e-commerce customers eco-friendly packaging for their order. The options are endless.
There is already much written about the benefits of influencer marketing. The main advantage is that influencers can get a product or service out to those who haven’t heard of your business before. And this is one of the reasons why influencers are becoming increasingly popular in marketing communication.
Looking for an influencer to promote home accessories, a newly opened cafe in a smaller town, or the latest tech news? Always choose carefully. The saying “look before you leap” is doubly true here.
It is not the number of followers that makes the difference, but whether the influencer is relevant to your target audience and aligns with your brand values.
An influencer whose profile features ads for fundamentally different products or promotes competing brands every day does not inspire much confidence. Don’t let a poorly chosen influencer undermine your brand.
As for the collaboration itself, always remember to tag it correctly. One of the options is for example a paid partnership plugin. If the collaboration is not tagged correctly, you are exposing yourself to potential penalties – both your company and the influencer. At the same time, an untagged collaboration does not make a good impression on the users, so you will end up with exactly the opposite effect that what you were hoping for.
In the past few years, there is a growing trend of “oldfluencers” – meaning the older generation of social media users. In certain cases, this group is also worth reaching out to. It is clear that sometimes, Gen Z or Millennials promoting certain products or services is not the best choice. Remember that trust and authenticity are at the core of meaningful influencer marketing.
There is even a new type of influencers coming into the picture – ones that want to “open the eyes” of their followers and alert them to inflated prices, poor product quality or ingredients. For example, Kateřina Routová is a popular Czech beauty influencer who focuses on the ingredients of cosmetic products, proper skincare or the issues of animal testing of cosmetics.
UGC (User generated content) – texts, videos or photos created by ordinary users – will also become increasingly popular. Why?
The reason is simple. Users are overwhelmed by traditional ads, of which they see an endless number on a daily basis. Content created by users or customers themselves is simply more authentic and supports brand credibility. People tend to trust other users more than they trust the brands themselves praising their own products to the skies.
If you want to incorporate UGC into your next campaign, go for it.
You can do this for example through an event or online competition on your profiles, where the followers can win a gift voucher in return. You can also create a unique hashtag that will motivate customers to post content on their own profiles. You can then use the content from your customers to your advantage – share it in Stories or use it in your next marketing campaign.
Get in touch with us! At Proficio we can work magic with social media, blogs and advertising campaigns for various clients – from fashion brands to e-shops with pet supplies and companies in the B2B segment.
