Social Media Marketing Trends for 2014

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During 2013, the social media industry saw a number of different changes. Teenagers began leaving Facebook and flocking to other social media networks that caught their attention, without having their entire family engaged in the platform. Twitter began adding in videos to their package when they purchased Vine, which is a mobile video app. It also announced that it was going public. Instagram incorporated video and sponsor images in all of their newsfeeds. 2013 was also the year when GIF images went viral, bringing in more creativity and humor to the social media realm.

When you consider all of the changes that already took place, it leaves you wondering what you have to look forward to in 2014. With each passing year, the content needs of business owners is going to change to keep up with the changes in technology. What might have been effective one year isn’t necessarily going to work the next.

For example, it has been determined that when you have content with image-based updates in it, you will have an engagement rate of 600 times higher than those posts that only have text in them. Video content is coming in close behind it. Before you know it, the gap will be closed and you will need something to keep customers on your site. It doesn’t matter if you upload an infographic, GIF, still image or video. Visual content tends to garner a lot more interaction from social media platforms than plain text. Don’t get me wrong, text and other forms of content is definitely worth sharing with others. However, posts that are visually appealing are going to become the main hub of content marketing before you know it.

We all want something exciting to look at when we are on a website. Adding in something visual to the marketing strategy is the best way to boost your blog. You will be able to capture the attention of the reader and keep them engaged. When you have the reader engaged, they are far more likely to stay on your page and use your business for their buying needs. If you consider that 89 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 34 watch videos online at least once per week for this year, it is only going to keep growing as the months progress.

Beyond adding to a successful marketing strategy, visual content also adds a touch of personalization. Businesses that take that extra step to engage their visitors and provide them with something that they find useful are going to notice a lot more traffic and revenue. Take the time to integrate some pictures, videos, GIFs or other form of interactive media with your content and watch the results.

Holly Powell

+Holly Powell Holly Powell, Local Search Marketing Consultant has been in the local search marketing industry since the early 2000's, helping local small businesses "Get More Customers" by increasing your brand awareness through the power of social media.

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