5 Social Media Trends For 2021

2020 has been a rollercoaster to say the least. In terms of marketing, we’ve had to shift, pivot, redirect, and turn upside down more times than we can even remember at this point. However, even amongst all the change and unknown, there have been new trends emerging on social media that are only going to continue into the new year. From a desire to feel more connected to wanting simpler ways to consume content and information, these are the social media trends we’re watching for 2021.

Nostalgia Marketing

I think we can all agree that 2019 was a MUCH better year than 2020 in many ways. In fact, pretty much everyone feels that way, which is why nostalgia marketing is taking off. While we hope that 2021 will be better than this year, it’s still going to have its challenges. And while people are dealing with hardships in their life they’re looking to the “good ol days” for a source of joy and happiness.

Connecting with positive memories from the past helps people disconnect from their current struggles. In fact, As soon as things began to shut down in March, people began to seek out memories of better days. Mentions of keywords related to nostalgia or remembering the past shot up from a baseline of around 13M mentions to 24.4M (+88%) (Talkwalker 2021 Social Media Trends Report). Nostalgia marketing was also used more during the 1920’s depression and the late 2000’s Great Recession, so it’s safe to say it will be a go-to tactic among brands in 2021.

Going Old School

Just like a lot of things in life, marketing trends are cyclical. What was once popular will go out of style and then reemerge in a decade or two. During the COVID pandemic, consumers sought up-to-date and relevant information and wanted it delivered to them in ways they recognized. Because of this, brands were less likely to try new and disruptive marketing techniques, instead opting for tried and true methods.

Podcasts and newsletters are two of those methods that have seen a large come back. 55% of Americans now listen to podcasts, while newsletter mentions were up 14% during lockdown. (Talkwalker 2021 Social Media Trends Report) 2021 will see continued growth in these areas. At Superfecta we’re BIG fans of utilizing podcasts to reach a broader audience. We also love email marketing and will take any opportunity to talk about it. It’s safe to say that we support these old school trends!

Let's Have A Conversation

Gone are the days of shouting your message into the void and hoping your customers hear it. Thanks to social media and a strong desire for connection, people are looking to have conversations with their favorite brands and businesses. They want to interact and feel those personal connections. Once those conversations are had and personal connections are made, then the sales will follow.

Conversational marketing is a method of engaging customers through conversations and can be done via chatbots, social messaging, calls, and more. It’s highly adaptable and you can change your messaging at a moment’s notice if necessary. Expect to see a lot more conversations happening between businesses and consumers in 2021.

Did You Film It?!

Video has been big for a while, but with the introduction of Reels on Instagram, video has quickly become the preferred form of content by many. You have to keep it quick, though! Reels can be 30 seconds long at most, however it’s been found that clips that are less than 15 seconds do best. The Instagram Reel preview is limited to 15 seconds before people need to click See More. Stick to creating Instagram Reels content that is 15 seconds long so that the full video plays without people needing to leave the page. 

Also, the latest Instagram UI update has put Reels front and center, which is a large indication that Reels and video content aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Be Authentic

As we mentioned earlier, the days of pushing your sales driven messages on to your audience are gone. Your values, morals, and beliefs should be at the forefront of your messaging and showing your true self should be a top priority. Your customers want to get to know YOU and the faces that make up your business. 

Now is the time to be self centered and share more personal information! Consumers tend to gravitate towards brands whose values align with their own and whose actions play off the brand promises. Also, by showing your audience who the person is behind your brand you’ll have an easier time starting those important conversations that make people feel connected to your business.

Do you agree with our predictions or do you see other emerging trends? Let us know in the comments! And if you need help implementing these social media marketing strategies don’t hesitate to reach out. We’d love to connect and learn how we can help you and your business in 2021.