2020 No-Nonsense Social Media Predictions

It’s the beginning of a new decade, which means the inevitable predictions for the forthcoming year are upon us… and we are jumping on the bandwagon, without all of the jargon, but with some useful tips. 

By now, the majority of businesses have grasped the prevalence and significance that social media has in shaping the world we live in. Therefore, predicting the trends and direction in the social media world for 2020 is very important for two reasons – one, to stay ahead of competitors and two, to understand how your consumers are using the platforms. 

In 2019 we saw the impact and influence that social media has had over historic, political movements and we also recognised the somewhat negative repercussions this can have. As such, Facebook moved towards creating a less politically motivated social space by banning Deepfakes and political ads. 

In terms of business, many flourished in 2019 using social media as an integral part of their strategy to drive sales and increase brand awareness. Thanks to Instagram’s shopping tools and Facebook’s new business tools feature in Inbox which now allows businesses to align their brand with social media, this growth catapulted businesses around the world as these features have increased the customer experience level. 

Keep reading to discover our no-nonsense social media predictions for 2020 across a range of social networks. 

It’s all about Data 

With Facebook, Inc. intending to scrap ‘likes’ on both Instagram and Facebook, this will call for new ways to measure success on posts for 2020. No longer will ‘likes’ drive the metric for a ‘popular’ post, instead, impressions and interactions will change the way we view and digest data.  

It has been argued that as well as Instagram’s pledge to make their platform a better place to encourage positive mental health, Instagram has decided to make this major change so they can capitalise on the millions of pounds that is currently exchanged between influencers and brands. 

With no ‘likes’ for businesses to gauge how well an influencer’s post has performed, this might encourage some brands to invest in Instagram Ads, as they can easily track the ROI for those and gain visibility of impressions and interactions too. 

This will be an interesting year to see the response to the ‘no like’ platforms, if it eventually gets rolled out, as it is bound to be transformative in social media marketing and encourage other social networks to make similar moves. 

Tip: Get familiar with the analytics section on social media platforms and prepare to invest in social ads! 

Return of the LinkedIn Inbot in Sight 

Back in 2017, LinkedIn trialled an Inbot feature which allowed its users to schedule meetings with other users. Word on the street is this may be making a return, for good. 

This is great news for any business, whether ecommerce or B2B, the ability to connect, network and actively schedule meetings will be great when it comes to networking and generating leads. 

According to social network popularity, LinkedIn is slowly creeping up the ranks in terms of the amount of users on the platform. Therefore, as LinkedIn is slowly implementing features to encourage business growth, 2020 is the perfect year to get on LinkedIn and begin to build your network. 

Tip: Due to LinkedIn algorithms, business pages tend to get less exposure than personal profiles, so don’t neglect your personal profile while building your business page! 

Social Commerce will Expand 

This is great news for ecommerce businesses, and in particular retail brands. Social media platforms have long been used by brands to sell their products through the likes of Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, and this is only going to continue to evolve in 2020 and beyond. 

Social commerce is on its way to becoming a mainstream retail channel next to other mediums such as websites and offline stores. With the rise of shoppable social media posts, this expansion will continue to strengthen, giving businesses further channels to push and sell products and therefore an additional revenue stream. 

In 2020, it is predicted that social networks will develop more into a retail platform with stunning content at the heart. 

Tip: It is now a must to leverage features such as shoppable posts and Instagram storefronts and incorporate social commerce in your sales strategies. 

High Demand for Podcasts

According to Ofcom, 7.1 million people in the UK have integrated listening to podcasts into their everyday lives. With longer commutes and the continued cultivation of “mindfulness”, it is now becoming a must for thought leaders, celebrities and businesses to jump on the podcast hype. 

Typically, the podcast consumer will listen to podcasts through Apple and Spotify streaming services, but with the demand for this format of content rising, 2020 could see a new podcast platform emerge, joining the likes of Stitcher, Acast and Luminary. 

In addition, for podcast creators, it can be difficult to accumulate data to help inform the direction of their future content. Therefore, 2020 could demand for a platform or additional features from Spotify and Apple to measure engagement, reach and audience behaviour. 

Tip: Get researching the top podcasts that are currently being broadcast in your industry, find a gap, invest in a microphone and start your own podcast! 

So there you have it, our social media predictions and some useful tips to help you plan wisely for the year ahead. Comment below to let us know your own predictions!