Social Media Content Strategies For 2021
Throughout the pandemic, people spent a lot of time on social media. As consumers continue to engage with videos, live streams, and other content, brands quickly develop a strategic plan to capture their audience’s attention. Great creative and trending content can also lift engagement. Take a look at 5 social media trends from social media experts insights that would help your brand more chances to win the game in 2021.
1. Remixing is the new user-generated content
Remixing is the art of taking existing formats, templates, or ideas and recreating them to express a user’s personality or ideas. Especially, remixing is on the rise through apps like TikTok, Koji, and Instagram Reels.
Why: When people could not go outside to create new content, they still had the tools to reinvent it at least. Remixing also makes content creation easier, with fewer technical restrictions. With remixing, anyone can take a trend and recreate it into something new.
“Remixing gives ordinary people the power to layer context and self-expression.”
Brand Example:
Chipotle incorporated remixed content from its user-generated game and allowed consumers to mix logos with pre-existing templates to create brand-led games.
2. Create brand content like you meme it
Memes are a fast and easy way for consumers to respond to company news, which can benefit brands. They are funny, entertaining, easy to consume and have the potential to go viral. However, as memes become more popular, though, they become more susceptible to being used for malicious reasons. Be careful what you post! Before you share a meme, make sure you’re 100% certain of what it means and its implications.
Why: Memes are big amongst younger generations, with 55% of 13-35-year olds sending memes every week. Mentions of memes increased over the last 13 months, from 19.8M mentions in August 2019 to 24.9M in July 2020 (+26%), with a peak of 28M during April 2020. Users turned to them for engagement and escapism while under lockdown.
Brand Example:
Following Sony’s PS5 case, users quickly responded with memes related to the product’s new look.
3. Time to get brand nostalgic
The appeal of nostalgia marketing is clear. The positive emotions connected with the “good old days” help boost current feelings, especially in current situations. Connecting with positive memories from the past helps people disconnect from their current struggles.
Why: Under the lockdown, mentions of keywords related to nostalgia or remembering the past, shot up from a baseline of around 13M mentions to 24.4M (+88%). Connect that positive memory to your brand, and that sense of positivity will build an emotional relationship with your consumer. You made them feel good; therefore they associate your brand as a good brand.
Brand Example:
Gucci applied nostalgia marketing in the #ForeverGuilty campaign film
4. Get your brand game on
As we learn more about how players benefit from games, developing relatable skills that are valuable within the real world, in 2021, we should see the stigmatism associated with gaming lift as brands become more focused on these relevant communities.
“Technologies like AR and VR will help in creating a social media virtual reality world where people can connect, play games, and explore. Brands started recognizing social media as customer service channels since customers try to reach out to them on social media. Social networks and regulatory bodies will tighten their norms.”
Why: Over the last 13 months, the number of people who identify as gamers (include references to gaming as part of their social bios) has increased from 31.1M in August 2019 to 41.2M in July 2020 (+32%), with an immediate uptick shown during the lockdown months. With environments like Facebook Horizon due to launch later in 2020, we’ll see more communities appearing within the gaming and virtual worlds, each with their own interests.
Brand Example:
Warner Bros. released “Tenet” trailer on the Fortnite game community.
5. The four Cs of COVID-19 content
Even if the pandemic is resolved in 2021, the repercussions will be felt for years to come. Brands will need to adapt their communications with this in mind. The 4 Cs of COVID-19 content will shape the tone of 2021: Community - Contactless – Cleanliness – Compassion. Brands have continued to engage with messaging throughout lockdown and beyond, building on their community aspect, and encouraging cleanliness, especially among younger audiences.
Why: Brands were quick to engage with the main health and safety messages when COVID-19 first came to light, helping diffuse it within their communities. The phrase “wash your hands” was shared by companies 81.7K times in the 5 months since lockdown began in March 2020.
Brand Example:
LEGO shared the message “wash your hands” with their family audience in a unique way.
