For brand survival in ‘uncertain times’ in a now-developing country like Nepal, it’s important that businesses take along the learnings from 2020. The major one being - to stay prepared; for everything expected and everything unexpected.
In March, as countries around the globe implemented lockdown orders due to the health scare circulating, Statista reported a 21% climb in monthly social media usage worldwide; including in Nepal.
Throughout the year, Nepali consumers have not only continued to use social platforms to catch up with socially distant loved ones, but have also embraced them to search for local services and products in Kathmandu and outside.
After a relatively rough year, the uphill climb has already begun. As we walk through 2021 with all kinds of new possibilities, social media platforms seem to be showing endless ways for Nepali businesses to make a digital footprint.
The only question is, what way is the right way?
What are Best 2021 Social Media Trends For Nepali Marketers?
At the moment, as the world touches 3.6 billion social media users and continues to deal with a global scare, Nepali brands and marketers aren't only worried about how they'll continue to attract more and more social media audiences each day. They're also questioning, "What social media trends should I expect in 2021 in this persistently changing landscape?"
This is where Sharda IT comes in with our social media research!
Here are 8 Promising Social Media Trends to Look For in 2021
Let us take you through a journey of collective takeaways. Go over these trends that could be the potential social media marketing strategies your brand needs for social growth.
What to expect:
| 1. |
Old-school marketing: Repeating trends |
| 2. |
The High Road: The ‘Video marketing’ Road |
| 3. |
Fast-moving (snackable) content for a win |
| 4. |
Content value over production quality |
| 5. |
Two-way conversational marketing |
| 6. |
Socially conscious audiences oriented |
| 7. |
Facts become fiction |
| 8. |
Go LIVE or go home |
Let’s move on, shall we?
1. Old-school marketing: Repeating trends
Over several years of being on social media almost every day of our lives, we have seen trends come and go. Several trends and strategies keep bouncing back into the social consciousness every now and then.
Considering these times of uncertainty, it’s witnessed how professional marketers have been adopting the tried-and-tested successful methods over risky and time-consuming ideas.
User-generated marketing is coming back, but with a remix!
While the ideas are nothing new, businesses are certain to take existing templates or ideas and recreate them to express a user’s own personality or ideas.
This shows how in 2021, we will further see a rise in “old-school marketing” as brands and businesses switch back to a more convenient way of engaging consumers. Mark our words, “keep posting to keep attracting” is going to go a long way in 2021
but… with a twist.
With a personal remix. Authenticity is literally the key.
2. The High Road: The ‘Video marketing’ Road
A simple fact-check: it is predicted that customers will spend 100 minutes a day watching online videos in all of 2021. This is a 19% increase compared to daily viewing minutes in 2019.
Jonathan Barnard, Head of Forecasting at Zenith Media says:
“The consumption of online video is growing rapidly, and the average person will spend half as much time viewing online video as they spend viewing conventional television this year.
This fast-expanding supply of audiences is fueling rapid growth in demand from advertisers, making online video the fastest-growing digital channel by advertising expenditure.”
(figure: graph showing increase of video views by users upto Q3 of 2020 with an increasing trend; source: smart insights)
This second point is particularly insightful for marketers relying on organic social reach, as Facebook is outspoken about its strategy of rewarding engaging content in the algorithm.
With the newly introduced “Instagram Reels” feature and its growing popularity, it won’t be wrong to say Instagram is also expecting a huge inflow of video marketing sensation.
3. Fast-moving (snackable) content for a win
Continuing the Instagram Reels reference, towards the end of 2020, we saw a major rise in TikTok and Instagram Reels usage.
Businesses were quick to jump into posting stories content at Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat with their fast-moving or "snackable" pieces to educate consumers about their brand.
As social media attention spans continue to shrink, users are more likely to tap through the advertisements. You know what that means: with people scrolling endlessly through feeds and stories while bored at home, don't expect snackable content to lose its heat anytime soon.
We suggest - make a strategy out of it. Spend time and thought creating short contents and eye-catching graphics. While the users tap your content away, make sure the 7 seconds that they stay were worth it.
4. Content value over production quality
“If you can change the underlying perception of a potential user towards your brand to a more value-driven, preferably in a monetary term, you'd have a better chance converting them down the road.” - Kevin Jiang | Nonda.us
The 2021 social media mantra:
Always and always think from the perspective of the end-consumer and how the content you are producing will be beneficial to them in the long run. Growing the brand reputation comes second.
The motive of creating value-based content is for the marketers to understand the needs of the consumer and what about your brand will make them want to interact. Make it evident that your consumers hold a value to your brand.
Let us quickly facilitate you with an example:
Say you’re a skincare brand that sells skincare products, focus on producing content that highlights not only how using your product can help achieve healthier skin, but also how taking care of your skin and incorporating healthy habits can produce benefits such as mental well-being, self-confidence and self-love.
Show your brand cares!
5. Two-way conversational marketing
The concept of conversational marketing isn't new. In fact, most of the big brands that we follow allow consumers to connect with them on their socials at any time.
But, in 2021, with more messaging channels than ever -- and consumers needing more information to make a worthy investment -- the tone of digital conversations is expected to change.
At today’s date, marketing is a completely two-way street. Brands are about conversations and connections - having conversations with consumers to create sales through building relationships.
The pandemic has led to sales not being a top priority for customers - information, engagement, and social issues matter. Connecting with the stories of consumers will be major engagement key in 2021.
6. Socially conscious audiences oriented
Hear us say it: this socially conscious generation (Gen Z in social slang) has an undeniable impact on brands, politics, and society as a whole. The same with brand marketing.
Companies will have to be more forefront and engage with topics like mental health, inclusivity, and social justice in 2021. With consumers being more socially aware and wide-minded with each passing day, brands with no social consciousness become irrelevant.
Being socially responsible builds a humanized image for your brand and shows what you stand for. Get that media coverage. Make people say your brand name in conversations.
Be it by using recyclable packaging, creating societal awareness of societal issues, taking part in social conversations that your consumers care about, the way you talk about what you are doing is very important.
Use social media to promote good works that you do in LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. These posts tend to do better than any other content. You could create a special hashtag to tag your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects such as #yourbrandnamegivesback or #yourbrandnamecares
7. Facts become fiction
“The rise of digital disinformation will place extra pressure on the government and public sector agencies as they step up their communications online. Social listening is essential to capture public sentiment and to respond to fake news.”
- Joanne Sweeney
Author & CEO at Public Sector Marketing Institute
Social media has been a medium to blur factual and fictional lines - from highly edited lives of some Instagram influencers, to Twitter parody accounts.
However, with the pandemic, this uncertainty has created a crowd of misinformation - with false stories leading to life-changing decisions. Expect 2021 to be the year brands and social media channels focus on highlighting the truth, and silencing ‘fake news.’
8. Go LIVE or go home
In 2020, as many brands took conferences, events, and other marketing experiences online, it's not shocking to think that 2020 live stream numbers could be higher than of 2019 (YouTube users cumulatively spent 284 hours watching live video).
At the moment, many popular brands use Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, and Twitter to live stream events, Q&As, and produce tutorials. These contents keep your followers engaged with your brand.
In 2021, it’s “Go LIVE or go home” for brands. Show behind the scenes, answer consumer questions, make them feel connected to your brand.
Cruising Social Media in 2021
Amid all the ongoing changes, although we think it is somehow possible to expect what is coming next based on how it recently is with social media, this list of trends is likely not all-inclusive of what we'll see in 2021.
As a social media marketer, Nepali businesses should make a continuous effort in researching trends & online consumer behaviours, and reviewing their current social media reports to figure the best possible social media marketing pattern.
