Welcome to 2016! With 2015 now a year in review, we can reflect on the most impactful social media trends that took place. While no one can fully predict what will or will not intrigue the fickle minded consumers of today, we can put forth some trends that, given motion in 2015, are likely to make a statement this year.
So, let’s take a trip down the 2015 memory lane and analyze the trends that deemed themselves most impactful upon this ever changing age of digital media. Facebook has not lost its popularity and some say it never will. Videos are in. People have become inherently more skeptical with online privacy and security. Social media networks have become useful search engine alternatives to Google, and paid advertisements are gearing towards digital. With this short synopsis alone, we can figure what is likely to make way in 2016, as advancements in social media are an acceleration of what we are already exposed to. So let’s take a peek upon the predictions for 2016.
Live Video and Broadcasting
Video has been declared as the next big thing in social media for years now, and it basically is each year. However, with the heightened launch of some top-notch video-streaming platforms in 2015, Blab, Facebook Mentions, Meerkat, and Periscope, 2016 is poised to be the year of live video. Long live video!
Social Media in the Workplace
The onset of social media years ago was deemed as a detrimental impact on employee performance and productivity. Today, however, after years of attempting to ostracize social media in the workplace, we’re going to discover social media as a vital tool in connectivity, more so than ever among the workplace. Facebook has even launched Facebook for Work, enabling employees to connect to a work-facing Facebook and their personal Facebook simultaneously. While this is fairly new, 2016 is likely to test whether or not this will be the year the workplace begins to harness the power of social media for internal benefits.
Increase in E-commerce Features
In 2015, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest introduced buy buttons into their apps, and others are likely to follow suit this year. Users will have the convenience of shopping for a product they see without having to log off from the site or app. These platforms will act as virtual shops and utilize social media not only for content marketing, but also for selling products with the integration of buy buttons.
Snapchat
2015 was a great year for Snapchat, and we can expect further advancements in 2016. Advertisements made their way onto the platform and add immense opportunities for marketers. The company is working on fine-tuning analytics and targeting options, so watch out for Snapchat to make an influential mark this year.
Safety and Security
Due to rising social media trends and the onset of privacy concerns, more and more users have become victims of cyber crimes. 2016 is expected to be a year in which such concerns instigate advancements in security features to prevent cyber stalking, identity theft, and phishing scams.
Here’s to a great year in social media and let’s see how many of our social media predictions come true.