It’s no secret that the social media landscape changes in the blink of an eye. So how can you prepare for the unknown? It’s important to understand current trends in anticipation of what’s to come in the future.

Trends

1. Visually appealing content is becoming more and more prevalent across networks from the introduction of networks like Pinterest and Instagram into mainstream social media channels to the insight brands have interpreted regarding engagement on photo posts.
2. Search, social, and paid advertising are becoming more closely related than ever with the alignment of Google+ pages, local listings, reviews, ads, etc.
3. Increasingly more conversations about a brand are being authorized by its consumers across a variety of networks.

Future Implications

1. Brands need to focus more on their visual identity when it comes to social media. Users are making visual connections between messages, campaigns, and the overall brand that must be mirrored on social sources. Social posts accompanied by branded images, cover photos with CTAs, and visuals directly aligned with other external campaigns will help align the brand across all channels, promote a sense of unity to your followers, and improve overall engagement.
2. Google+ is no longer only for the “tech savvy.” If you have any hope at all of your brand showing up in search results higher than your competitors who are engaging on the channel, it will be crucial to engage with users from a brand page and create highly engaging content containing keywords.
3. In order to effectively partake in the conversations being authored about brands by other online users, it’s important to set up effective monitoring and listening processes. A variety of tools can be helpful in accomplishing this, and will ultimately lead to a stronger online presence. Once online influencers have been identified, a crucial next step is to conduct outreach to encourage positive conversations about the brand.