Every year bloggers and social media experts put out a long list of social media trends that are going to pave the way. Not surprisingly, a focus on video and paid advertising have made the list for 2019, but honestly, this isn’t new because social media experts been seeing this for a few years.

However, what comes as more of a surprise to me is that there is a thirst from consumers to trust brands online again.

I’m sure you’re thinking, when did they stop?

Well, in 2018, people’s trust in social media was only at 41 percent globally, according to a study by Edelman. I’m sure you’ve heard your friend’s say that they don’t want to be on Facebook anymore because of the negativity and fake news, but that statement holds a little credence. People are sick of click bait and feeling misled on their timelines because of the series of scandals and manipulations that are showcased on the news.

Around 70 percent of people are looking to brands to curb the spread of fake news and shield them from offensive content. (Are you taking notes? This is where you come in as a business owner.)

Yes, advertising and video are trends that should 100 percent be incorporated into your strategy, but your focus in 2019 should be on growing and building trust with your online tribe.

CRAFT QUALITY CONTENT

If you have a social media presence, it’s your duty to engage with your fanbase by posting content they find interesting or that pertains to them. Don’t fill your content calendar with spam articles and imagery just for the purpose of posting.

I understand that algorithms make many businesses worried their audience won’t see their content but clogging up feeds with irrelevant posts are going to reduce your engagement, not increase it.

Instead, if you’re lacking on content or don’t have anyone managing your social media, reshare old blog posts. Just because you already posted “5 Fun Facts About Your Company,” doesn’t mean everyone saw it the first time, and it only continues to create more traffic to your website.

And if you do have the time or resources, produce content that helps promote your brand, but also focuses on developing a relationship with your audience. After all, large brands are scaling back and focusing less on reach and more on meaningful dialogue. So rather than creating content that whines for likes, create content that should naturally be engaging.

BUILD TRUST AND TELL YOUR STORY

I get it, you’re on social media so that you can promote your brand, sales/deals and to ultimately convert members of your audience into customers. While I think that social media is a great platform to do this, you also need to remember what it means to ”build your tribe.”

A great way to do this is through Instagram and Facebook stories. If you don’t have the resources to stick to a “Facebook Live” schedule, utilizing stories is a perfect opportunity for your brand to connect with your audience.

70 percent of people look up brands on Instagram and if you’re active on stories, you’re instantly showing them a preview into your company and culture. Utilize the story feature by posting raw and intimate behind the scenes videos of your business.

Let’s say you own a local restaurant. Maybe it’s a preview of the ingredients for the special that’s on the menu tonight that leads up to a plate full of food. Think about filming a real-time view of your employees interacting in your business. There’s a reason people look up businesses online – they want to know more before coming into your store. 

I mean, think about it, we go on Yelp to see the ambiance of a place to make sure we’re comfortable before going, and stories is an easy and effective way to highlight your company. Plus, with the addition of the “highlights” feature on Instagram, the stories you love can live on your page forever.

BE AVAILABLE AND READY TO CHAT

Facebook Messenger has been a hot topic for the past few years, and many are using it more now to convert customers than email marketing. However, you don’t have to have a messenger strategy in place to communicate with your customers.

If your audience is reaching out to you on messenger, through reviews or even posting on your content, respond, respond, RESPOND!

80 percent of users trust what their peers have to say online, and if you’re too busy to respond to their feedback, you might be hurting your brand. You wouldn’t ignore your customers at your store if they have a question or deliberately avoid answering the phone, right? It’s the same on social media.

If you don’t have a social media manager, make a point to check your social media at the end of each day to review the conversations that are happening. Responding to your customer’s comments and conversations help build trust, and as an added bonus, will help you pop up more on user’s feeds.

Consider 2019 to be the year that you connect with your customers. Make it your goal to create quality and transparent content that will make your users not only want to naturally engage with you but trust what you have to say.

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