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If you’re looking to social media as a way to boost your online marketing initiatives, there has never been a better time. Social media is more ubiquitous than ever before, total engagement time is at record levels, and Facebook remains the clear social media leader around the globe with more than 2 billion monthly active users. But let’s cut to the chase – you already knew all that. Here’s what you might not know about the state of social media in 2021…
#1: Mobile is now the primary key to social media success
Based on the latest data and statistics, mobile has emerged as the key platform for anyone serious about social media success. Let’s put it another way – if you are designing experiences and promotions with the desktop or laptop user in mind, you are doing it all wrong. Mobile is king right now. For example, mobile now accounts for 80 percent of all time spent engaging with social media. When people are commuting to the office, waiting in line at the supermarket, or waiting to pick up their kids from school, how do you think they are engaging with social media? They aren’t pulling out their laptops – instead, they are reaching for their phones. So, as an absolute first necessity, your brand or business needs to be adopting a mobile-first mentality. The good news here is that 91 percent of all social media users now use mobile in some way to access social media platforms.
#2: Influencers could represent an untapped resource for your business
There’s another very interesting statistic you should know – 49 percent of consumers now depend on influencers to help them make purchase decisions. Over the past 24 months, there has been a phenomenal growth in the whole influencer business model, and it’s time to consider how your business might be able to tap into this growing trend. This is not to say that your business needs to go out and partner with A-list celebrities on Instagram – but it is saying that you should be reaching out to influencers across different social media platforms on a regular basis to see if they might be willing to help promote your business. Keep in mind that 54 percent of so-called “social browsers” now use social media to research products online. So if you can get product recommendations from top leaders and top names in your industry, that could go a long way in helping your brand stand out online.
#3: Social media can help to boost more than just your marketing
Finally, don’t forget about all the ways that social media can be used to boost other parts of your business, including your customer service. Too many people think about social media only in terms of attracting new customers – but what if social media could also be used to retain the customers that you already have as well? Based on available statistics, 71 percent of people who have a positive experience with a brand’s social media accounts will recommend that brand to others. This just makes sense. We’ve all heard countless stories about brands turning their Twitter feeds into 24/7 customer service accounts, just so that they can reach out to customers in real-time who might be experiencing problems or issues. If you can help a customer in a time of need, they might just become a customer for life. Customers don’t want to call a nameless, faceless 1-800 phone line; instead, they’d rather connect with your brand via Twitter.
Final thought
2021 is shaping up to be another great year for social media. There are now 3.5 billion daily active users of social media around the globe, which represents approximately 45 percent of the world’s population. Imagine being able to tap into just a tiny sliver of that number for your business. In order to make that dream a reality, focus on delivering mobile experiences via social media, exploring new social media marketing models, and brainstorming new ways that social media might be able to help every part of your business grow.
