New Year, New Social Media Marketing Trends for 2015
By pinnacleadmin / 7 January 2015 / Advertising, Content Marketing, Mobile, News, PPC, SEO, Social Media, Tips, Video, Websites / 5 min read
For most social media marketers, the New Year means a new marketing strategy linking to new products, new services and new ways of engaging with potential and existing customers. Making the most out of the data you have already collected about your customers will really see your social media marketing thrive during 2015.
In this post we discuss the best social media marketing trends predicted for digital marketing in 2015 and how you and your company can monopolise on them to see a drive in sales and the best return on investment possible.
1. The Rise of Content Marketing
In recent years, the popularity of content marketing has become an integral part of any marketing strategy. In the following year, companies will see a huge spike in customer experience focus, paying more attention to the solutions their client-base are looking for. This, in turn, will lead to companies creating and sharing more emphatic, client-orientated content. Remember, however, that content will only affect your social media marketing if it is relevant and enticing.
With this rise in content marketing budgets, stress will be put onto the importance of companies reaching out to their customers in a more visual way. B2B companies with blogs are likely to generate 67% more leads per month than organisations without them. Spending that little extra time creating high quality and exciting content that your clients want to read, comment and share will not only impress but ‘up’ your engagement and create a dialogue.
2. Video doesn’t only Mean Youtube
In 2014, 72 hours of video were uploaded to Youtube every minute making it one of the world’s biggest social sites. Alongside its reputation as being the second largest search engine, digital marketers were thrown into the idea that Youtube was the only way to go if you were looking to launch an online video campaign. This year, however, social media marketers will be looking to other platforms to share their videos. 
Last year, Facebook passed Youtube for desktop video by almost one billion more views proving that it’s not only video-specific sites like Youtube and Vimeo that get the attention. With other sharing sites like Tumblr, Instagram and Vine all offering similar, and even in some cases, better features for promoting a service why not branch out and seize these opportunities? Remember, however, that you will need to identify how video can work across each platform that you decide to use. Unfortunately, with video marketing, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to online marketing.
3. Unleash Your Inner Visual Storyteller
I’m going to put it out there: no one wants to read reams of 
copy when they can look at an image or watch a video. Promoting and advertising your products and services should seem effortless and include as much fun and frolics as you wish to employ.
Social media platforms such as Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram aren’t just for selfies and cupcake recipes; they are also brilliant tools for connecting with your customers. By posting images of your products, employees and any events that you are involved with, you are able to show your human side and allow your followers to get to know what you do a little better.
4. It’s all About Internet Advertising
In 2015, internet advertising is predicted to rise globally by approximately 10%. The importance of online ads was an ongoing debate during 2014 but more and more companies are using their collected data to target, segment and track their customers. Allocating more of your budget to online and social media ads, even if you’re just increasing your PPC (pay-per-click), will show you a better ROI and allow to you to reach more people than before.
5. We’re All Going Mobile
It seems that everyone uses mobile devices such as smart phones, wearable technology and tablets to access their emails and social media accounts so bear this in mind when you’re looking at your digital marketing. To use this information successfully you will need to respond to the behaviours and preferences of your targeted audiences in their daily uses of the web. Also remember to allow for your company website to be responsive – altering to fit the size of the screen accessing it as consumers are less likely to read or, indeed, buy from a site that needs to be dragged around to navigate. In most cases, mobile versions of a site (used especially by smart phone users) tend to include less copy and focus on the important information at hand.
To Wrap Up…
2015 is set to maximise the customisation and personalisation of company social media marketing enabling organisations to tailor their services and content to reach potential and existing customers.
