Five B2B Social Media Trends in 2022
Last month, we looked at the top five social media platforms for business leaders. Social media has changed the game of customer engagement, especially post-2020. Your brand has the ability to interact more closely with your target audience on social media than nearly any other medium. To help you and your team stay ahead of the curve, here are a few trends to set your sights on in 2022:
Video content for B2B social media strategies: With the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels, video content was king in 2021. People love to watch what’s happening and feel closer to the action, and this is likely to continue into 2022. A survey conducted by HubSpot found 30% of marketers plan to invest in short-form video than any other social media strategies in 2022. Approximately 33% of those marketers plan to leverage short-form video for the very first time. Brief, bite-sized content has proven effective for message and delivery by providing engaging, digestive pieces of content that could be cross-posted across social channels.
Increasing brand connections and personalization: B2B social media engagement must acknowledge the actual human on the other side of the scroll. Storytelling has the greatest impact on engagement, and there’s no better platform for stories than on social media. Even B2B users follow concepts, causes and content that connect them to their desires and goals. Make relatable content – the more personal, the better.
Boosted and focused ads for B2B social media strategies: HubSpot found that 51% of marketers who leverage social media plan to increase their investment in 2022.
Embracing the “smaller” platforms such as Pinterest, LinkedIn and TikTok: The kingpins of social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – are still massively effective. However, scrollers are increasingly skeptical and wary of being sold to while enjoying their favorite platforms. The more visual platforms like TikTok and Pinterest have a huge advantage social media marketing coming into 2022.
Increasing B2B social community building: Groups and social communities aren’t anything new, but they facilitate an ever deeper, more personal connection with your audience. Facebook recently dropped several new features to make groups more robust and engaging for both admins and members. Brands have utilized their social media communities to hype and launch new products or services, engage in a meaningful way and gain valuable customer insights. Creating and maintaining your own B2B community can help strengthen your connection and your impact.
Top five social media platforms for business leaders
If you are a small business owner looking to take the social media world by storm, make sure you’re on at least these five platforms.
Facebook: With over 2B active users, Facebook gives businesses the potential to reach over 25% of people in the world.
Instagram: Instagram is a highly visual platform, and most interactions will be on captivating photos, videos and stories, rather than lengthy ad copy or discussion.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a powerhouse of social media for small businesses. It is the most professional social network out there, but it has become more casual over the years. You can use LinkedIn to find potential vendors, customers and business partners, allowing you to expand your professional network as well as your social one. You can also use LinkedIn to write long blog posts and articles – something that most other platforms don’t offer. This is a great way to make a name for yourself within your industry.
Twitter: Twitter is great for creating engagement with other power users and brands in your industry. People won’t be shy about giving opinions, but if your product or service is satisfactory, this will help with engagement.
YouTube: Short videos on Instagram or Snapchat may get a prospect’s attention, but lengthy, informational videos on YouTube will draw them in even further.
Media and media relations in 2022: predictions and trends
The Business Wire Global Media Relations Team shares eight trends predicted to make an impact in the new year.
The Rise of Hybrid Events
Retro PR Back to 101 Relationships
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Cultural Awareness and Transparency Still Matter
More Reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Journalism
The Continued Growth of Newsletters and Podcasts
The Future of News Media in Big Tech’s World
Emergence of Brand Citizenship and Continued Corporate Responsibility
More Focus on Resources to Support Journalism
For better or for worse, work from home is here to stay | CNBC
“For the most part, workers applaud this new approach. Vaccinated or not, more than half of employees said that, given the option, they would want to keep working from home even after the coronavirus crisis subsides, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.”
Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile | everyonesocial
“When it comes to optimizing your LinkedIn profile, there are a few steps and areas to focus on. Some are super basic and others are a bit more advanced that maybe you have not thought about before.”
Work-Life Balance Is A Thing Of The Past: Now It's All About Work-Life Negotiation | forbes
“For employees who have the ability to work remotely, we must first stop thinking in terms of how much they work and instead focus on their output. Let's value employees based on their abilities to help the organization achieve its goals. If they don't meet this level, let's make the necessary investments in them—not just as professionals, but as people—to get them there.”
PR Lessons learned since the pandemic began | forbes
Over the last year, we’ve all had to update PR strategies based on new guidelines, be reactive to the latest developments and stay at the forefront of rapidly changing media consumption. With each update and briefing came a new lesson for PR professionals.
Key Lessons:
Content remains a priority.
Physical trade shows will likely be met with open arms.
Social media is a key part of PR strategy.
Getting People Back to Work | POWERPOLL
With Covid-19 case numbers on the decline and vaccine rates inching higher, social distancing as we know it is all but disappearing. Students have returned to the classroom. Graduations are being held. More and more professionals are returning to their company offices. Events are coming back.
New Orleans as we know it is returning to the connectivity and heartbeat that makes it distinct.
In the world we operate in at Gambel Communications, that can only mean good things. We are in the business of creating and cultivating relationships between organizations and the people they want to engage. Fortunately, our city will rise again because New Orleans is all about relationships in the way we live, play and work. But there is one major hurdle that stands in the way of economic recovery – and that is an active workforce.
The number one thing I am hearing from small business owners, nonprofits, hotels, restaurants, banks and healthcare organizations alike is they cannot hire enough people right now.
Businesses are desperate to staff up and engage local talent to get back to work. I have seen several tactics to recruit workers from typical job websites to yard signs on the street corners. Extra-large “We’re Hiring” banners adorn storefronts big and small. There are personal pleas for help from Facebook friends and LinkedIn connections daily. News stories abound of the latest staffing crunch across industries.
So, how do we get people back to work? The same way you eat an elephant. One step at a time – starting with the fundamentals of effective communications.
From creating clear expectations and honing accountability to engaging employees in the big picture and building organizational culture, communications is at the core of workforce management. And that is after you get them hired. Even before that, building your reputation to attract good talent takes effective communications.
Every organization which is looking to increase staffing should take this opportunity to dust off its internal and external communications. Recommendations include:
Solidify your message
In “Branding 101,” we learn that every piece of communication either builds upon or denigrates a brand. Now is a good time to dig deep to identify exactly what you want to tell the world about your company and then take the steps necessary to distribute that message consistently across your organization and in the public eye. Good questions to ask in this exercise include: Why does your business exist? What’s your story? Who are your key audiences and how do you want to speak to them? What do you want people to say about your company if they are telling their friends about it? What matters most to you as a company? What are your core values?
Enhance message delivery
How you relay the message is equally as important as how it is crafted. The way media operate – even in the last year with impacts of the pandemic – is evolving quickly. Successful businesses are staying up on the latest technology, utilizing video and other interactive communications tools to engage their stakeholders. When you think about delivery methods for your message, ask yourself: Where will you find your target audiences and what vehicles can you use most effectively to reach them? What does your content look and feel like now? How does that content have to change to meet the new needs on the heels of the pandemic?
Create more two-way channels for your communications
More immediate than email, chat applications are on the rise across the digital landscape. The thing about chat is that it creates opportunity for valuable feedback from your stakeholders. Chat applications are suitable not just for groups but in one-on-one correspondence, as well. Have you thought about chat applications as part of your communications strategy for new employees? What are other ways you can create more two-way channels for your communications? How can you learn from the workforce what they are looking for and why they would want to work for you? I promise you the answer to these questions is way different than it was – even just a year ago.
Posting less, posting more, and tired of it all: How the pandemic has changed social media | VOX
COVID-19 has seemingly altered everything, including how we use social media. Here are some key takeaways:
For many, social media became one of the only ways to keep in touch with friends and family. Others felt what they were seeing on social media was incongruous with what was happening in the outside world.
The urge to delete social media has, ironically, been very evident on social media.
People sought out authentic content. The idea of the airbrushed, perfect influencer is probably a thing of the past.
Workplace in the Vaccine Era: EMPLOYEES CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE WHERE TO WORK | biz new orleans
While some companies are getting rid of their office spaces, others are ramping up their return-to-work plans. According to this CNBC article, 70 percent of the surveyed CEOs, human resources and finance leaders say they have plans to have employees back in the office by fall of 2021. While opinions seems to be split on this, the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel now offers an alternative for those who aren’t into work-from-home and are looking for a quiet place to work that is not their old office setting.
Five Trends Driving the Future of Working Women | Forbes coaches council
The following five trends will drive the future of women in the workforce; all we need to do is be aware of them.
The automation of jobs will continue.
B2B sales landscapes will favor women.
Women in their forties will refresh the workplace.
Entrepreneurship will get easier.
STEM careers will see growth.
Six Influencer Marketing Trends to Watch in 2021 | Forbes Agency Council
Many people are beginning to prefer the term “content creator,” or “creator” over the term “influencer.”
Paid advertising of influencer content is becoming increasingly valuable in terms of reaching larger qualified audiences.
Short-form video will continue to be the trend in 2021.
As more platforms offer e-commerce features for users, new consumer behaviors and related influencer marketing opportunities for brand sponsorships will likely continue to emerge.
Brand authenticity will continue to be key for Gen Z.
In the past, most brands have avoided hot-button political and social justice topics. In 2021, silence is increasingly seen as synonymous to complicity.
Marketing Trends to Watch in 2021, According to 21 Experts | Hubspot
A few key excerpts:
While there is significant diversity of ideas and visions presented below, I love the common theme of how we're working toward a better future together, which is why my prediction is this: Marketing in 2021 will be more empathetic than ever.
"Look for more intimate, and more topical online get-togethers in 2021. Experts with verified digital credentials and a willingness to share will be highly valued virtual community leaders and influencers."
"Once machine learning predicts the trends before they happen and provides clear guidance for marketers, why waste money to A/B test something that wouldn't work as well? Soon, marketers will be able to go all-in on what will work best without having to test the theory."
Because while quarantines, social distancing and remote work will play a critical role in our eventual emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic, they also have had a significant side effect: Disengagement. 2021 will see marketers tapping into the human need for just the opposite: engagement."
Best Practices for Brand Communications in Times of Uncertainty | Cision
What You Need to Know:
“Read the Room”: Don’t be tone deaf when pitching. What are reporters actually covering and interested in? Twitter is our gift right now. We can see what reporters and editors are talking about/interested in. This is not the time to blast and hope that you’re giving the right pitch. This is the time to be incredibly precise. Err on the side of caution, instead of outreach.
It’s never been more important to monitor the news and find your moment. Find opportunities to be relevant and authentic: Use your brand promise and purpose to find ways to show up authentically as you serve your communities.
Anticipate and plan for the rebound: Even though your business might not be “closed” currently, you should be prepared for a “reopening.” Just because you didn’t shut down doesn’t mean you aren’t reopening. Determine how to RE: reopen, resume, restart, relaunch, repair.
Be proactive; don’t wait for conditions to change: Communicate early and often with all of your constituents throughout the disruptions lifecycle. Use data to identify opportunities to maintain relationships with key audiences