Written by BCV
From planking to Pokemon Go, trends and fads are constantly evolving. As people change and companies grow, new trends make their way to the forefront, especially in social media where 2017 ushered in a new wave of social media trends.
Check out our picks for 2017’s top four social media trends:
1. Instagram Took Over
Back in 2016, Instagram added a variety of features to its app to provide users with more content sharing options. From there, Instagram implemented Instagram stories, Instagram shopping, the ability to bookmark posts and upload ten photos to a single post. All of those new additions attributed to reaching a platform milestone of over 500 millions users. With the launch of all of the new changes, 2017 became Instagram’s biggest year yet, and the platform to be on.
2. Social-First Video Content Emerged
Every year, our attention spans grow shorter and shorter. As a result, social channels quickly adapt to shorter video lengths and more dynamic assets to match consumer habits. The following new video capabilities really made waves on social media in 2017. Still photographs, called cinemagraphs, highlight a minor and repeated movement to draw attention to a particular part of the photo. 2.5D Video provides the illusion of watching a video as the foreground and background of a still image move. And, 360 Video allows users to take control of where they go and what they would like to see within a particular scene.
3. Micro-Influencers Provided the Most Organic Reach
2017 saw a shift from mass-influencers to micro-influencers. Since micro-influencers have more engaged audiences that better align with travel and hospitality, their following is more effective. Micro-influencers are trustworthy and provide an organic form of advertising, as they become evangelists for particular properties or destinations. Not only does the use of micro-influencers encourage referral traffic back to brand channels, they also increases organic reach by generating impressions.
4. Creative Tools Allowed Everyone to Become a Publisher
From Snapchat and Instagram filters to stickers and neon drawing tools, social media platforms continued to provide users with more and more creative tools. Animation, design and video capabilities allow users to express themselves and provide an authentic spin on their own experiences. In addition, Snapchat’s geofilters and Instagram’s location tags continue to give hotels the opportunity to discover shareable content to use on their own platforms.
We hope you took the opportunity to explore all of the new features and trends social media offered in 2017, especially because new trends are right around the corner in 2018.