
7 Social Media Trends for 2016 That All Writers Should Know About
How on top of social media trends are you? If you’re a writer, chances are you’ll be keen to promote your online presence, whether you have a freelancing business, eBook to sell, blog or copywriting career. Social media is constantly developing and is now an essential part of everyone’s marketing mix, whether you’re a sole trader or operating in a large company. Here are 10 new social media trends for 2016 that all online writers need to know about.
1) The shift to long-form content for blogs – making them highly crawl-able.
Long-form content is an increasing trend. When you think about how Google bots work, having the ability to crawl a larger chunk of text can benefit writers from an SEO perspective, allowing for more content and relevant keywords. Long-form content can also give you more online visibility, more proof of your expertise and authority and better opportunity for likes and social shares. Long-form content will also encourage your readers to spend more time on your site, another metric that is seen favourably by Google. =
2) Facebook carousel posts to advertise your site or blog, a social media trend to watch
The social media giant has now given promoted brands and writers the ability to share 3 or 4 posts in one carousel. This allows writers to group multiple relevant posts into one carousel to promote their content to their readers. At this stage, this is only for promoted/paid posts and not organic traffic. If you currently boost your posts via paid Facebook ads, this is a feature to be aware and make use of.
3) Influencer marketing campaigns set to trend – with big and small brands working closely with social media advocates.
Who could you partner with to tell your story? What advocate could you connect with to help you promote your content? Seeking out natural relationships with influencers and advocates is increasingly important to break through the noise of social media. Plus, a mutually-beneficial relationship means you can tap into an extended network. Recommending others is a great way to boost your following.
4) Instant articles on Facebook and Twitter seek to retain customer usage and engagement
Rather than having to click off and exit Facebook and Twitter to read an article, the platforms are now trying to keep you there with newly introduced “instant articles”. These are primarily designed for mobile users, pushing full articles directly to Facebook and Twitter, meaning that users can read full length articles without exiting the social app.
5) The death of “free visibility” for brands and blogs means all small businesses now need to rethink their social media marketing spend
Because of social media trends; as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter’s algorithms evolve and change, commercial brands, blogs and businesses (large and small) are noticing less and less “free” visibility on platforms. Increasingly, anyone who wants to be seen on social media beyond their personal networks, needs to advertise. The good news is, advertising packages are now targeting smaller traders, with packages and boosted posts for less than ten dollars.
6) Twitter has now introduced “likes” and “moments”
“Favourites” are dead – Twitter has now officially launched “likes and “moments”, bringing it more in line with Facebook and Instagram. “We want to make Twitter easier and more rewarding to use,” says Twitter product manager Akarshan Kumar. “We know that at times the “star” could be confusing, especially to newcomers. You might like a lot of things, but not everything can be your favourite.”
7) Create an online Facebook shop for as little as $9 – one click to purchase
There is some good news for small business owners who like social media trends, if you have a product (such as an eBook or blog) or service (such as copywriting, social media services or editing) to sell, you can now do this directly via your Facebook page. According to the social giant itself, Facebook has over 1.55 billion active users every single month, “That’s 1,550,000,000 active users and potential customers!” Basically your users can click through via your Store Tab and purchase your products (or services) directly via your business page.
So…what’s next in social media?
Social media is constantly evolving and changing and trends emerge and occasionally thrive or die off. Being a aware of upcoming trends can help more people to find your writing, connect with your content and enjoy the user experience you offer them. Make it a habit to constantly review and refine your social media strategy and reap the rewards. Many social media trends for 2016 are yet to be discovered.