What You Need to Know About Social Media Right Now

If there’s one thing we can all agree upon, it’s that video still reigns as king. Static, aesthetic posts still have their place—but only when strategically placed in between entertaining and inspiring video content. 

We’ve been through the growing pains, discovered what works and doesn’t work on Reels and TikTok, and now we’ve gathered everything you need to know about social media right now.

Before we dive in, let’s settle a question we get asked a lot—will Instagram still be relevant? While younger generations may favor TikTok to Instagram, the app still has more than 1 billion monthly active users. We believe one of the biggest reasons why Instagram will continue to be relevant is that it continues to roll out new features that benefit creators. 

From Instagram to TikTok, we dish out everything you need to know about social media right now and what strategies you need to invest in to see significant growth. 

Be Original: Stress Less About Trends

In 2022 it was crucial to be on the pulse of what was trending on Instagram and TikTok. Many brands and influencers can credit their exponential growth to things like trending audio. While there’s no doubt hopping on a trend in the early stages can encourage growth on socials, we expect to see creators sharing more original content this year. 

Our takeaway? Test out trends when you see something that aligns with your brand, but avoid basing your entire social strategy on what’s trending. When you choose a popular song for your audio, ensure your video content tells a story that is uniquely yours. This decreases the likelihood of someone else copying your content, plus it helps your content stand out from creators who may have a larger audience. 

Vlog: Tell Your Story

Speaking of telling a story, vlogging continues to be huge. Incorporate longer-form vlogs and casual storytelling into your social strategy. Position yourself as an expert on niche topics related to your industry, but keep it cool and entertaining with fun video edits and transitions. Avoid copy and paste edits.

Use UGC: Share Organic Content

In a 2021 study, 80% of consumers said UGC (user-generated content) highly impacted their purchasing decisions. If you’re a brand, you’ll want to create a strategy for collecting UGC and prioritize building relationships with UGC creators. Brands can also create organic photos and videos in-house to give the look and feel of UGC.

If you’ve never heard of a UGC creator, you’re not alone. A UGC creator is a new type of creator that focuses less on their own channels, but monetizes on social media by creating UGC for brands. 

Know Your Keywords: Understand Search & SEO

Did you know nearly half of Gen Z uses TikTok and Instagram for search instead of Google? To get your content discovered by more users you’ll want to make sure you’re optimizing your posts with keywords. 

As you plan your social strategy, brainstorm a list of keywords you’d like your brand to rank for. Plan to create content around these keywords and don’t forget to include them within your video text and captions. 

Offer a Subscription: Share Exclusive Content

Creators and brands are always trying to find the best and most effective ways to build lasting relationships with their followers. With the new Instagram Subscriptions feature, not only do you have a greater opportunity to monetize on social, but you can also get more connected with your most engaged followers. You can offer followers exclusive posts, lives, stories, reels, badges, group chats, and broadcast channels. To try this feature out, add the subscribe button to your profile and set a monthly price for exclusive content.

As you plan your social strategy, remember to be original, share your unique story, and keep your content authentic. Help your content succeed by prioritizing keywords and understanding search. Build deeper connections with your more loyal followers by offering exclusive content through paid subscriptions. Invest now in these 5 social media strategies to expand your audience and see more engagement.

Need content to get started on social media? Access 125+ stock photos to begin posting consistently! Sign up for our So Social Squad here!

If you simply don’t have the time to manage your own socials, we’d love to work with you as your go-to digital team! Learn more about working with us here.