How Social Media and Powerful Digital Marketing Trends Influence Consumer Behavior
With a staggering 4.48 billion people using social media worldwide (up more than double from 2.07 billion in 2015), it is hard to ignore the everpresent effect it has on our everyday lives. Moreover, the average social media user spends time across 6.6 various social media platforms daily. We could continue on with these statistics and tell you how many years of your life on average you spend on social media, but we will spare you the internal shame. Bottom line is this - we are consistently and heavily influenced by the content that we constantly consume.
It’s hard to imagine what life was like before our digital world allowed us to use these platforms to converse, engage, and transact. As humans, we love the ease of the advanced technology now available to us. Our social channels meet us where we are. You tell your friend about an amazing new product you want to try and the next thing you know you have ads on all of your platforms promoting it. Amazon allows seamless purchasing with one swipe. Apple Pay lets you use your mobile device virtually anytime, anywhere. Social commerce is at our fingertips like never before.
It is estimated that social media commerce sales will more than double in the US from $28 billion in 2020 to over $56 billion in 2023. If you’re selling products through your social pages, positioning your brand strategically to optimize a consumer's experience is key. Make your content, and consequently your products, easy to filter through and eye-catching. It is no secret that social is where consumers are now going to both discover and buy from brands, so make it a seamless process for all.
We’ve said it before and we’ll continue to say it - brand authenticity.
Starbucks and JetBlue do a great job of building consumer relationships and loyalty all while staying lighthearted. When they aren’t constantly responding to tweets and customer service issues, they are trolling their audience with funny tag lines and roasts in order to stay relevant. It’s no longer enough to simply have a brand presence on social media. The engagement and entertainment aspects of your channels are key in making you stand out.
It’s important to build meaningful connections with your customers, and you can do so by using your brand's social media platforms to listen, respond, and discuss what matters. Jump on trends and conduct relevant polls - it is sure to help a customer choose you over a competitor when it comes time to buy.
Until July 21st gets here, we probably won’t stop mentioning the new Barbie movie and how it has excellently positioned itself in the digital world. The Barbie corporation is taking advantage of every opportunity they can that will increase consumer interaction. The New York Times reported that more adults are wanting to decorate their homes in Barbiecore, which is “a palette made up of primarily hot pink, and bold rosy hues like fuschia and magenta.” Additionally, Xbox is making a Barbie themed console, and Aldo is collaborating with Barbie on pink shoes and accessories. The Barbie brand has a target audience that is only growing, thanks to their ingenious social media strategies.
It is no secret that our lives are overtaken by social content. Consumers are byproducts of the content they engage with everyday. This is why it is crucial for brands to find out what drives your current and potential customers so that you can create effective and impressive social strategies that ultimately drive engagement and sales.
