The pandemic has forced many people to stay at home, in quarantine or isolation, which leaves the general public feeling pretty lonely. In this environment, many are turning to social media to connect with friends and stay in touch with the world. 2020 also saw the rise of TikTok, which is a given social media trend for 2021. In a socially-distanced world, social media is more important than ever.
Here are some of the top social media trends for 2021 you can take advantage of now.
Put People First
If people have learned anything during the pandemic, it’s what they can do without in their lives and what really matters. Consumers expect brands to show compassion and community during this challenging time. They want to see you put people first. People like to see other people—not photoshopped, but real, authentic people.
“Revealing the human side of the brand: Smart businesses will understand that being transparent, authentic, and even vulnerable is smart marketing in 2021,” said Michael A. Stelzner, CEO, and founder of Social Media Examiner.
Appeal to Nostalgia
As people remember ‘the good old days’ of 2019 when you didn’t have to wear a mask in public, could travel, and everything was open, appealing to nostalgia is a big trend in social media right now. You can use nostalgia to create fun, engaging content. But tread carefully here because you do not want to appear negative. Insert positivity into the conversation through nostalgia.
Use User-Generated Content
User-generated content is anything organically created by users. You can share their content, remixed with your brand or as a compilation of user-generated content, to lift your brand engagement on social media in 2021. In the coming years, you won’t have to create content but will be able to facilitate great content from your users. As already mentioned, people want to connect with people, not brands, so utilizing user-generated content is a great way to put a human face to your brand.
Tap Into Social Gaming
Since people cannot connect with their friends and family in person, many are turning to online games as a solution. The popular game Among Us rose to fame during the lockdown and had nearly 75 million app downloads in October 2020 alone. But less mainstream games are also breaking the gaming stigmatism as they provide a way to connect with others, making gaming almost another form of social media. You should create content designed for these gamers as the line between what is defined as ‘gaming’ and ‘social media’ blurs.
Conclusion
Besides putting your brand on TikTok, you should also think about ways to put people first, tap into user-generated content, and appeal to nostalgia and the gaming community. These are some of the top social media trends for 2021, but overall we expect to see more people connecting online during the pandemic. As such, your brand has an incredible opportunity to grow with social media going forward.