What Will the Social Media Trends be in 2021?

A List of the Top Social Media Trends for 2021

1. 1. The Influence of COVID-19 on the Future of Marketing.

The pandemic undoubtedly changed the marketing scene online. Users are more focused on community, compassion, cleanliness, and contactless health. Current online conversation trends show these four things are hot topics.

There does seem to be a disconnect between users and brands, though. While brands focus more on community and compassion, users are focusing more on cleanliness and health. To be relevant in 2021, brands need to become a part of these conversations.

1. The biggest social media trends of 2021 will definitely be influence by the COVID-19 crisis; because of the huge, worldwide scale of this issue and the way that it’s affecting absolutely everyone’s lives, it’s impossible to leave it completely out of your marketing campaigns or your social media strategy. But perhaps even more importantly, it’s affected the way people lead their lives: from their Internet usage, their buying habits, their priorities, their spending power... everything is affected in some way by COVID-19. Because of this, I think that 2021 will be a year of experimentation: a year of trying new strategies, new approaches, even new products and services, to keep up with this new world order.

1. ~ Lilach Bullock. Business Success Coach & Consultant, Content Marketer.

How to Adapt to This Trend:

Analyse current consumer conversations to understand their concerns. Then get involved in the conversation from your brand’s perspective.

1. 1. Remixing is the Most Popular form of User-Generated Content.

What is remixing? It’s taking pre-existing content and remixing it to express your own concepts or personality. These could be existing videos, images, templates, ideas, and the list goes on. Apps like TikTok and Koji have made remixing even more popular, and we predict the trend will only spike more in 2021.

1. Video and music editing tools and effects available on TikTok and Koji mean that creating remix content is both simple and fun, and that is why these apps have become popular destinations for entertainment amongst Gen-Z audiences worldwide.

1. ~ Ben Jeffries. CEO at Influencer

How to Adapt to This Trend:

Give your users more creative ways to express themselves with templates and other assets. Think outside the box, and you’re likely to engage users on a new level in 2021.

1. 1. Memes are the Hottest Way to Communicate Right Now.

In August 2020 alone, over 28 million memes were shared. That trumps GIFs and Emojis as the new way to communicate online. We predict the trend will continue to grow. Memes can often be used in destructive ways, too. They’re something to watch out for as a brand.

1. The past few years, we have seen the rise and rise of Moments & Memes. We will see more and more consumer brands acting and behaving like Memers in the coming times!

1. ~ Hitesh Rajwani. CEO at Social Samosa

How to Adapt to this Trend:

Keep your eye out for any new regulations regarding memes as they become more and more viral. It’s also a good idea to track your brand logo to ensure it’s not in a destructive meme. Finally, use memes to express and communicate, but be careful not to share something damaging, destructive, or derogatory.

Urban Foods, a South African company that delivers meal kits to your door, shared this meme during level 3 of lockdown. Queues at stores had become much longer and more time consuming. This is a great example of using a meme in a way that won’t damage your brand.

1. Source: Pitch SM

   1. Bots and More for Greater Conversations.

As marketing evolves, so too must our methodology. Since the pandemic, it has become clear that consumers want conversation and connection more than sales. Engaging them on social issues and other driving engagement topics can help your brand retain a loyal audience.

To achieve this, more and more companies are turning to chatbots. In 2021, it is clear companies need bots that respond in a more human way and community managers that can engage audiences authentically with emotive and honest responses.

1. Brands need to be more human on social media, inviting the world to your dinner table for a meaningful and engaging conversation. You are your fan’s greatest fans and need to embody that no matter what social media channel you live on. Emote, respond, recognize, relate, be engaging. We’re not robots.

1. ~Aaron Kaufman. Director of Social Media & Community at Square Enix

How to Adapt to This Trend:

Explore AI-led options in your chat solutions. Soften and personalise your tone of voice. Use casual conversational tones and not formal speech to better connect with your audience.

1. 1. Facebook Remains the Big Kahuna.

Is Facebook fizzling out like Myspace did? We think not. We predict that today’s social giants will remain big contenders in 2021. In recent years, these social giants have managed to stay on top and trending in conversations.

We attribute their ability to stay on top partially to the resources, insights, and capacity they have, enabling them to adapt to changes. As the years go by, platforms have evolved. Some of today’s younger generation may not even recognise the Facebook of 2004.

How to Adapt to this Trend:

Don’t believe the hype. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter remain key platforms for anyone who is serious about their online marketing and presence. Include these platforms in your strategy but explore upcoming social media leaders like TikTok too. Finally, keep an eye on your audiences and how your campaigns perform on platforms. You’ll be able to make changes to adapt as the platforms evolve and stay ahead in your advertising.

1. 1. Social Media and Gaming Collide.

With the rise of COVID-19 and global lockdowns, gaming on social media became much more popular as people sought distraction. More people are gaming now than ever. Brands can connect to this audience to break open a wealth of marketing potential.

1. Gaming audiences is still a largely untapped but potentially effective avenue for brands to drive innovative forms of social engagement. To succeed, brands should go beyond just integrating products & key messages; and focus on the experience they want to build; that’s unique to their brand essence & core values.

1. ~ Eunice Yin Ern. Social Strategy Lead at Digitas

How to Adapt to this Trend:

Find gaming communities with the right demographics for your brand and get involved. You may need to increase your social listening to be effective. And if you can’t advertise on the platform or in the community, join it. A great example is the franchise Wendy’s who invited fans to join them as they streamed live gaming sessions.

1. 1. Blurred Lines Between Fact & Fiction.

We know that, contrary to Captain Smeck’s beliefs, the internet does, in fact, lie. All the time. Fake news has become a real problem for many social platforms.

Fake news can take many forms. The dishonesty of the internet spans from edited Instagram photos to political campaigns that distort the truth. Amidst the clamour, users are looking for a voice of truth they can rely on. Is your brand willing to be that candid speaker?

Trust and authenticity will be key themes. Weary consumers are gravitating to trusted media brands to help navigate uncertainty. The tech giants are under greater public scrutiny. There is an opportunity for brands and marketing and communications teams to build trust by engaging authentically with their audiences.
~ Tim Williamson. Managing Director, APAC, Telum Media

How to Adapt to This Trend:

Make it one of your big goals as a brand to inform your audience with truths. People want accurate, reliable information. This also highlights the importance of brand transparency. Finally, avoid drawing your brand into controversy.

1. 1. Socially Conscious Audiences Take the Lead.

Gen-Z and Alpha are, according to 2020 surveys, much more socially conscious. Topics like social justice, mental health, and inclusivity are vitally important for these audiences. If you want to connect with them as a brand, you’re going to have to engage more on these topics to avoid becoming irrelevant in 2021.

1. The rise of socially conscious audiences - With an increased focus on wellbeing of self and society, the relevance of brands giving back to society and environment has never been higher. Audiences are also connecting more with brands that have a cause or stand for initiatives that they relate to and this trend is going to grow even further in 2021.

1. ~ Vikas Chawla. Co-Founder - Social Beat, Influencer.in & Digigrad

How to Adapt to the Trend:

Reposition your brand to move away from marketing methods and towards messages driven by a cause. Use social listening and engagement to discover the causes that matter to your unique audience. Hard selling doesn’t work on millennials and younger generations. They’ll research your brand to see how it stands up for issues they care about.

Above all, in 2021 your strategy needs to be driven by your consumer. What they care about, want, do, and how they think. How they talk. To succeed in 2021, the first step will be seeking to understand your audience better. We must become brands that listen instead of shouting our message into the void.

Allow us to Pitch to you today and become the window into your audience’s soul.

Sources: Hubspot; Talkwalker;