Social media trends 2020: What companies need to watch out for in social media

The fourth edition of the annual report documents the global trends in social media and shows marketers and social media experts the greatest opportunities for a successful social media strategy in 2020.

"As the new year begins, companies are refocusing and rethinking their strategies for the coming months," says Henk Campher, VP Corporate Marketing at Hootsuite. "The social trends we have identified at Hootsuite offer companies exactly the tools they need to generate exceptional employee and customer experiences in 2020."

For brands, the focus in 2020 is on private dialog with their customers - via Messenger, for example - as well as closed groups. Traditional communication via social media feeds will take a back seat. Companies must nevertheless ensure that they create a unique customer experience via each channel.

Brands also take a stand on the most important current issues worldwide and thus secure the trust of their employees, which in turn is reflected in their post behavior on social networks.

The video sharing platform TikTok will shake up the social media landscape in 2020. Even if TikTok's core target group, Generation Z, is not part of the actual target group of many companies, marketers should still consider addressing their target groups outside of the usual social networks.

"Combined, these trends offer great new opportunities for brands to build a deeper, more authentic and sustainable connection with their customers in 2020 and beyond - with social media at the heart of this," adds Campher.

The Hootsuite Social Media Trends 2020 at a glance:

1. brands find a middle ground between public and private customer communication

The increase in direct customer communication via Messenger or in closed groups has not diminished the importance of the classic social media feed. It is still an essential tool for customer acquisition and increasing brand awareness. However, the key is to generate personalized and seamless experiences across all channels while creating a closer customer relationship through the mix of personalized communication and automation.

2. employers take a stand

Employees expect their employer to take a stand on current issues. Around the world, one's own employer is seen as significantly more trustworthy than NGOs, other companies, governments or the media. Progressive companies take advantage of this and create a strong internal corporate culture and strengthen their position through their employees and corresponding customer advocacy models.

3. tikTok changes the status quo

With more than 800 million active users per month and an average age of 16 to 24, TikTok continues its rise this year. TikTok's popularity provides valuable insights into the future of social media, content and collaboration. Marketers should therefore keep an eye on TikTok and use these insights to adapt their strategies in the established social networks and get ready for the next social generation.

4. social marketing meets performance marketing

Marketers are under pressure to expand their own skill set, especially in the social media sector. Brand awareness professionals and community building experts will also have to focus heavily on performance marketing in the future and find a balance between daily customer communication and long-term strategies in order to strengthen their own brand, stand out from the competition and increase customer satisfaction.

5. social proof is gaining in importance

New social commerce functions complete the sales funnel and generate valuable conversion data along the customer journey. This data provides a holistic view of the customer's buyer journey and thus ensures increased brand awareness.