You might not know this about me, but I am a bit of a fortune teller. I can see into the future and predict what will happen. Not really, but that would be an amazing talent to have. I would have avoided some very embarrassing moments over the years if I could indeed predict the future. But as a social media nerd, I do have a sixth sense when it comes to social media. I’m pretty good at predicting what will be a flop and what will knock us on our tails. I decided to put my talents to the test and predict the social media trends, platforms and what will reign supreme in 2016.
Facebook will continue to rule the internet
Love it or hate it, Facebook will continue to dominate. Other social media platforms will try to compete, but no one will be able to take over Facebook’s throne. They will continue to test new features and will bring them to the business pages once they go through thorough testing. Unlike other platforms, Facebook is focused on strategies and tactics to help businesses succeed.
Pay to play
I hate to say it, but unless you put some money behind promoting your posts, they will not be seen by the majority of your audience. This rings true across most social media platforms including Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter. It’s better to spend smart rather than hope and pray that you will reach your audience organically. Like a high school girl pining away for that cute boy to call, you’ll be sad and disappointed when the phone doesn’t ring. Or in this case, when your message doesn’t reach your audience.
Content Marketing will get noisier
We ARE the media. It’s going to be hard to stand out in the crowd, but focus on your why and goal of your campaign, and you can shine. Many brands will spend a lot of money pushing out QUANTITY, paying for posts and advertising on tons of platforms, but instead it’s important to focus on the QUALITY of what you’re producing.
Video will be HUGE
If you’re not thinking about creating videos, you might want to start. In 2016 it will be important for brands to figure out how to deliver valuable, relevant content like never before. I’m not saying you need to hire a Hollywood film crew and have an elaborate production. Videos can be as simple as a live stream, behind the scenes look at your company or a sneak peek at an event. Know your audience and what kind of content they’re looking for, and go from there.
Periscope and Meerkat will fizzle out
Once Facebook cleans up and tweaks their live video functionality, people will jump ship from Periscope and Meerkat. Facebook will buy one of them, like they did with Instagram, or they will just slowly disappear into the failed social media platforms graveyard.
Podcasts make a comeback
You’re busy. You don’t have time to sit on your computer and watch a webinar. Podcasts are growing in popularity because it does not require screen time. You can be driving in your car, eating lunch, weeding your garden or sitting at your desk at work, but you can still listen to a podcast. With the popularity of podcasts like Serial, podcasts will continue to pop up and grow.
As always, there will be countless new social media platforms that will appear this year and claim to be “life changing”, but they’re just shiny and new. It’s important to do your research and see if your target audience is using those platforms. If not, don’t go chasing these new shiny platforms. You’ll end up wasting time, money, and end up disappointed.
After spending time looking into my crystal ball, those are my predictions for 2016. Who or what do you think will take over the internet next year? We want to hear from you!
