One thing is certain, social media trends, algorithms and practices will continue to evolve and change over time.
Social media interactions and the quality of content plays a huge role in influencing both B2C and B2B purchases. Some organizations still may find it difficult to to quantify the marketing value of social media, but at this point, most businesses understand the value of having a social media presence. When you set a course to develop a social media strategy it is important to also plan for a review of the process to ensure you are keeping up with the current trends.
Like our ancestors before us, we must learn to adapt to stay relevant in social media. This week Deborah Netburn published an article in the LA Times that new archeological research suggests that human behaviors like symbolic thought and the creation of extended social networks were established at least 320,000 years ago (Newborn, 2018). The discovery of the transported obsidian suggests that as early as 320,000 years ago, hominids had established social networks that allowed them to exchange gifts with groups from more distant lands, she said. In addition, these relationships could have been strong enough for individuals to turn to their neighbors in times of need.
“Social networks are an extremely important part of early human societies,” Brooks said. “Pastoralists can store food or add cattle to their herds, but for hunter-gatherers, the only way to save for a rainy day is to have friends in distant places.”
The same can be said for usage of social media. It changes so rapidly today that it is best not to operate in a vacuum. Loyal customers are the keys to success for any social media process. Using tools and techniques from others will help you be more impactful in your own social media efforts. Be sure to segment your audience. When you try to include everything, you actually say nothing. When you speak too generally, you reach no one. How do you break down your messaging to be more targeted and how do you use your connections to improve your own social media efforts?
Evidence has emerged that Instagram is planning video calling features for the social media app. Stayed tuned Instagram users, you will likely need to adapt to changes in the near future.
References:
Netburn, D. (2018, March 15). Evolve or die: Why our human ancestors learned to be social more than 320,000 years ago. Retrieved March 17, 2018, from http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-humans-turning-point-20180315-story.html