Social Media tactics recommended by experts for 2021

1. Social Media
tactics
recommended by
experts for 2021
Shared by

2. Ever since the world hunkered down last March, social media has been one of
the most powerful marketing channels for brands both small and big. Studies
suggest that during 2020-2024, the social commerce market will grow at a
CAGR of at least 31%. In fact, last year itself in Q4, worldwide social ad spend
increased by 50.3% compared to the holiday peak in Q4 2019.

3. Introduction
So, it’s pretty clear that marketers across industries realized that these platforms which a
while ago were largely deemed to be fringe advertising channels, now made up for the
a sizeable chunk of their marketing budgets. Why? Simply because almost overnight
interacting with other human beings moved online. Not only couldn’t people reach out
to that office techie expert in person for advice on the latest smartphone, they found
themselves grappling for help with home errands void of domestic support, and were
compelled to facetime or WhatsApp their loved ones for quick fixes.
Here’s where Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and the
likes fueled conversations and kept us both as consumers and marketers
grounded and in touch with reality around us. So what lessons did winning
strategists from last year glean? Which marketing pivots drove home success
and which ones plunged? Let’s hear it from the social media experts
themselves.

4. User generated content will be the “crown jewel” for great brands in 2021. The
best pieces of content will be the ones marketers don’t create, but facilitate. At a
time where consumers’ lives have changed dramatically, they look for people,
not brands, for inspiration about products and services that fit within their new
lifestyles post COVID-19.” -- Heba Sayed, Strategy Leader, IBM Cloud and AI,
Middle East and Africa.
Employ user-generated content to cash in on
social currency

5. What brands can do:
From asking existing patronizers to recreate their version of the most popular dish on your menu card,
and showcase it to be rated, to encouraging your followers to upload hilariously dumb videos and
giving them a platform to show how idiotic can be epic. These are a couple of ways that worked well
during the pandemic with people stuck at home. The essence? People want to laugh and stay
entertained. Think of the most light-hearted, fun, and simple ways to engage with your audience. It
could be as easy as asking them to take a fun picture with your product, or promoting an exciting
challenge they can involve their family/ friends with. Plus, with more time on their hands, people are
game to do more, provided you position and
incentivize it well.
Employ user-generated content to cash in on
social currency (contd.)

6. Bottom line: UGC helps you stack up on trusted earned media that work wonders for
your brand. Don’t take our word for it. 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their
purchasing decisions.

7. Experiment with social commerce and uncover
a shortcut to conversions
“Social commerce is not a new concept, but with the development of Pinterest
catalogues, Facebook and Instagram shops alongside increasing online
shopping behavior during the Pandemic, 2021 is the perfect time for social e-
commerce to flourish. It’s easy, functional and streamlined.” -- Maisie Tomlinson,
Digital Marketing Coordinator for Penguins Events and Incentives.

8. Experiment with social commerce and uncover
a shortcut to conversions (contd.)
What brands can do:
Research shows that between 40-50% of shoppers dig deeper into the brands
they plan to purchase from, on social platforms. While shoppers don’t traditionally
approach social avenues with the intent to buy, enamoring them with the right set of
visuals and copy can coax them to give into those impulse desires.

9. And Facebook helps you to get them pull out their wallets right there with simple
shoppable posts. Setting up a Facebook or Instagram shop is quite like the way you
approach your own e-commerce website. You can create collections, add filters and even
integrate your loyalty programs to it. All you need is to ensure your content is incredibly
shareworthy, as shoppers tend to want a second opinion from their social circles, before
hitting ‘Buy’.
Bottom line: 70% of business-to-consumer marketers have gotten their customers
through Facebook. As a trend, social commerce is only slated to grow stronger. With
people spending more time on their smartphones, brands will do well to hop onto this
bandwagon, if anything atleast to make good for lost in-store sales.

10. Use live streaming and other video content formats to stay
top of mind
landing pages
• “Video will dominate social media engagement, we’ve seen the growth in
Tiktok and YouTube and now Instagram Reels. The pandemic has proved
that with so many of us online, we’ve been exposed to creative, entertaining
and thought provoking video content and we want more of it.” -- Gordon
Glenister, Global Head of Influencer Marketing Branded Content Marketing
Association.

11. What brands can do:
There’s nothing quite like disappearing content and the time-value attached to it. Live
streaming events have helped brands fill the void with insightful Q&As, tell a story, offer
behind-the-scenes snippets, eventually getting them the eyeballs they craved. Add to it
some renowned influencers with an authentic fan base that mirrors your target audience
and you have a solid go-live plan. As a brand, you can leverage stories to get your lesser-
offerings on exclusive time-bound discounts, or host a walk-through of the various ways
your product can be used. Create videos that are edu-taining, as users are constantly
looking to up their image not just online but offline as well. DIYs, hacks and expert advice
are great starting points.
Bottom line: 82% prefer live video from a brand to social posts. That said, it’s not
possible to turn every other post into a live video. The crux lies in brands creating visual
content that’s as interactive, valuable and memorable as possible.

13. Leverage Nostalgia Marketing to carve a loyal niche
landing pages
• “Nostalgia campaigns work especially well with Millennials as they mainly
focus on purpose also because a good marketing strategy should always
have a purpose. Reliving positive memories and beloved icons from the past
can feel good. We are all so busy with hectic schedules every day that fond
memories that make us smile leave us open to brand messaging.” -- Eleonora
Rocca, CEO, Elle Innovation Consulting I Co-Founder,Growence

14. What brands can do:
• During the pandemic, there have been quite a few things/habits people have
rediscovered from staying at home. Like watching Doordarshan. Of course! With
Netflix here, no one does that anymore, but just to hear the opening credits of
Mahabharat (or even “Jalebi!” - Courtesy Dhara) will pull that nostalgic chord in
any Indian millennials heart.
• Uncovering these treasure troves of yester-known clichés are bound to work
well if married perfectly into your brand. Social media managers should aim to
hinge on these emotion-packed content, initiate conversations or even offer
them up for passive consumption online. After all, there’s a lot we miss of the
freedom we didn’t know we had before the lockdown.
• Bottom line: Nostalgia has been studied to prove that people do tend to spend
more when induced with appropriate messaging. So whether it’s a recreation of
Madmen or something closer to home, marketers can bet on gaining the social
momentum they are looking for by ringing in popular elements from the past.

16. Let’s connect to discuss how we can power up your marketing.
Urja Communications Pvt. Ltd., B-3060, Oberoi Garden Estate, Chandivali, Andheri, Mumbai - 72, India
Reach us on: marketing@urja.com Visit us at: urja.com
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