Companies now know that it’s just not enough to have a website. You’ve also got to have a presence and be actively engaged in social media. Your customers expect to find you on their favorite social media channels. Being on social media is also a great way to introduce yourself to new, potential customers.

But social media trends change quickly. Do you know what’s popular for 2019? Let’s talk about what will help your company stand out from the competition when you are on social media this year.

Passion Matters

Your customers truly want you to be authentic and real. Let them see who you actually are. Yes, even if you are a little bit goofy or weird! They probably will like that a lot!

Show passion for your business niche, your community, products and services. It’s also important to show great passion for your customers and how you work hard to keep them happy.

Video is #1

It’s a fact that video content on social media is in high demand. But ironically, there is less video content than any other type of content! Video content often goes viral and is highly shareable. Therefore, if you can make the effort to create video content, you’ve got a much stronger chance of reaching more people and also of them enjoying your content even more.

Know Which Social Media Channels Are Best For You

Don’t assume that you have to be on “every” social media channel. Why, you’ll just exhaust yourself and your company’s staff! At this point there are fifteen to twenty well-known social media channels. At one point there were only three or four, so being on “all” of them was much simpler. And you can expect the types of social media channels to only continue to grow.

Knowing which social media channels to put your company on and invest your time with are critical. Start by looking at the demographics for people who use that social media channel the most, so you get a sense of what audience you would reach. It is ideal if you can be on at least 2 or 3 channels, but what is most important is also posting content consistently.

Being Authentic Matters More Than Being Perfect

Yes, we’ve all seen those absolutely perfect, drool worthy photographs on Instagram. But if you wait until everything is “perfect” then you may not post something for quite some time! Remember: your audience wants you to be authentic.

Always put your best foot forward and try to post great photos, videos and content. But don’t think that every single thing has to be 110% perfect before you can post it.

Your Audience Needs to Trust You 110%

This is very important, especially on social media. With social media, you are interacting with your audience, most likely your current customers and new, potential customers. They need to feel that they can trust you.

Don’t try to sell your products or services all the time on social media. The best ratio of sales posts to other types is 20% to 80%. You want to use social media to develop a strong relationship with your customers, and trust is the foundation of any relationship.

Use Social Media to Interact with Your Followers

This is one of the often neglected benefits of social media. You can interact with your followers! Ask their opinion about a new product or service. You can show them 2 different box designs and ask their opinion which one is best. You can ask them for feedback on naming a product or for their favorite flavors or scents. Remember that people who follow you on social media are already interested in what you do, it’s an engaged audience!

Get to Know Social Media Influencers

Some might think that a social media influencer needs to have a million followers. Not so! There are social media influencers you’ll want to get to know who have 5k followers.

Connecting with these influencers can give your products great reviews and introduce you to new customers. You can learn more about what excites people about your products or services. You also can learn what makes people passionate about your products.

Share Unique Content Only on Your Social Media Channel

This is something that companies who are very successful on social media do all the time! If you want to see exclusive content, you have to follow them on Instagram or Facebook, or another social media channel. Because they will only release it there. Doing this gets people excited and it will greatly build your audience. It means your content is much more valuable and also more likely to be shared with others, as they see how terrific it is.

Treat Your Social Media Followers Like VIPs

This is also something that successful companies do on social media. They treat their social media channels as if they are a special “club” that the follower has joined. Let them be the first to know updates about your products and company. Share pictures or video of a new product, or one that is even in development. Give them the full VIP treatment!

Ask Your Followers For Their Opinion/Feedback

Don’t neglect this great opportunity to not only connect with your followers, but to utilize their opinions and feedback. Know that anyone following your company is already interested in what you do. They are a super fan! So when you ask them for an opinion, they are invested in you being successful. Most likely they know your product line well and what your company does. When you introduce a new product, they are going to be excited to buy it when it first comes out.

Social media is meant to be interactive. Followers like to be asked their opinion. So do reach out and let them know you want to hear what they think!

These are the social media marketing trends for 2019! Use them to make your social media campaigns successful this year!