I could write paragraphs about my experience attending a conference for the first time in two years since Covid, and also my first post-cancer treatments (good old side effects definitely made this a different experience).

But I won’t…

Instead, I will just say that networking fills my soul, and I am so excited to use some of these takeaways I learned from Social Media Marketing World.

Social Media Marketing World Trends:

A lot of these social media trends are from different sessions that were mentioned noticing throughout #SMMW22:

1. Testing! Social media platforms are so valuable because of the data (for marketers). - @brie_e_anderson. TikTok knows so much about your preferences because they are able to quickly get that info (data). Test everything. Social media, website, email, products. And then test again.. and again. And actually do something with that info!!

Google Analytics and Google optimizer are great tools to see what your customers want from your website. A/B test CTAs, images, and placement on your website because your customers will tell you what they want (vs you guessing). Digital ads allow you to test 10+ different images and captions with basically the same post. USE these tools to make your future content and marketing efforts even better. 

By taking the time to test different content, strategies, and approaches, businesses can get a better sense of what works and can make informed decisions about future content.

2. Connections! Community is more important than vanity metrics like the number of followers. Find your niche. And then niche down even more - those are your people. Connect with them on their pages (it actually helps your content be seen) & create content FOR them. Ask questions that create conversations, and then create custom audiences on Facebook/Instagram to retarget specifically to the audience that has always connected with you. 

If you have different customers, create different conversation starters based on what interests them and create several audiences. 

3. Simple keywords/hashtags. Find keywords that make sense for the number of followers you have. If you only have 1000 subscribers, go after keywords with 1000 monthly views. Not millions. (YouTube, but this makes sense across digital platforms).

Hashtags are not as important as they once were, but that doesn't mean you should ignore them. Pick a few based on your location and niche, and stick to that. aka #wine = you will be lost, but #SonomaZinfandel will allow you to be found. Use tools like keywordseverywhere.com to find monthly searches for different keywords and hashtags. 

4. First impressions matter. The hook, the thumbnail/cover photo. Use emotion, don’t lead with your product or use the title in your thumbnail. You don't have to have everything put together, but you do need to lead with something to capture attention right off the bat. 

5. Show up! You can make great videos without using people — BUT, it definitely helps to build trust and authority. People want to connect with other people, not faceless brands. Creating connections with a person helps potential customers know, like, and trust you - as a brand.

People want to see behind-the-scenes, real, and raw content. This was before COVID but has definitely increased since then. People want to connect on a deeper level with the brands they love and feel like they are part of something. This can be done through IG Stories, Reels, TikToks, Snapchat, etc. Get creative with it!

6. Automate. Create a framework or template for the things you do regularly, and stick to it. Re-share content, and if something works for you, use that same video again, or create another video with that trending sound. More often that already good post will do even better the second time around.

Seriously, you can reshare over and over again, and spend less time creating new content and more time looking at data and analytics to see what type of content your audience wants to see. 

7. Copy. Storytelling is important to keep your content based on your customer, not your product. We are not rational buyers. Stories provide emotion, context, and trust (see #5).

When you weave stories into your content marketing strategy, you're not just selling products or services - you're selling a lifestyle and an experience. Your goal should be to create content that speaks to your target audience's pain points and needs, and then show them how your products or services can make their lives better.

8. What's out: Long captions, perfectly curated images, and pointing reels in Instagram are out (mostly) — Ooops. My captions are mini novels... But, thankfully we should always be testing to see what works for you!!! (See # 1 ).

Social Media Marketing Trends for YOUR Business!

If you are interested in talking more about what any of these social media trends mean for your business, I would love to help out! Book a one-on-one with me to brainstorm ideas, get questions answered or come up with content ideas! I would love to pass along what I learned, as well as what I was already doing!