Today it’s impossible to imagine our life without social media; agree or disagree, these platforms are useful for in our everyday lives to stay updated and informed (surfing among real and fake news), learning to do something new (thanks to video tutorials!), finding inspiration, booking our next trip or simply to have fun .

There are multiple time-lapse videos which show the evolution of social media, how some platforms became stronger or when one has disappeared. Of course, these phenomena have big explanations that we mere mortals are not aware of, such as the merger between major players (FB and IG is the biggest example), or when others vanished just because they were no longer in line with the evolution of their own users.

Why are some of them so successful? Below are some points to help understand this evolution.

Instagram: was born as digital mirror to look at the world thorough someone else’s eyes, now it’s the endless storytelling of daily life in a better and upgraded version. It’s the platform of happiness and «ego».

Facebook: after the collapse of MySpace, Facebook became the substitute of a “personal website” to be connected with old and new contacts and to gather information.

Youtube: A portable “tv channel” that meets the need to passively consume videos, it is perfect for Millenials habits and even more for Gen Z. They were born into a society that is completely digitally and socially dependent, videos are their natural content habitat.

For Europeans who are absorbed in the world of social media; Tik Tok is the new big thing. It is appealing and emerging social media “toy” among teenagers.

Social media platforms are generally born in a spontaneous way, young and with specific goals. Then, at some point, brands discover their potential and try to leverage on them to grow their businesses and to reach todays most wanted targets, the Millenials and Gen Z’s. Usually fashion brands are the early adopters, but above all sport fashion brands like Adidas and Nike because they are naturally forward thinkers. If they drive the evolution of social media together with fashion brands, where does the travel industry stand? Is it an early adopter industry of social media new trends? Unfortunately not, but the land of possibilities are infinite.

Here are some tips to approach a project with a social media accent.

The first is as simple as it is genius: Keep calm, take a breath and think!

Each social media strategy should answer specific communication and marketing objectives, and it should not be just a “nice to have tool” because the competitors have it.

Be honest, what is the objective? Social media is not mandatory, not even today. Social media strategy can drive traffic, increase the awareness, reach the target, stimulate the conversion, but it does not make miracles.

Think and act! Today the evolution is faster than even before. Planning should be quarterly not yearly for marketing and PR projects should include social media.

The next social media trend is right around the corner. Staying updated on the latest social media trends can help fuel strategy and make you stand out in the crowd. Here are the Top 5 social media trends that all of us need to be aware of for 2020 and beyond.

#1 – Ephemeral Content Will Keep Gaining Popularity

#2 – Niche Social Platforms Will Perform Well

#3 – Social Commerce Will Expand

#4 – Video Content Will Dominate

#5 – User-Generated Content Will Continue to Be Popular

 

Martina Daguanno

General Manager Italy