Social Media Trend Predictions for 2014
In the world of social media, many things can change in one year. The exponential power of social media evolves constantly, changing not only the social sphere but how all media interact with one another. Here are some of the top trends in social media for 2014:
Social Media’s Progression
Mobile Advertising Structure
As we move through 2014, look for mobile advertising to make the most headway. Acquisitions of pure-play mobile companies like Admob and Jumptap by social giants like Google signal changes in how mobile advertising is structured, seen, and the revenue is garnered. The structure of mobile advertising will most likely change quickly. Expect mobile video ads to be shortened from 30 seconds to 5 or 10 seconds, mimicking the attention spans for most mobile users. Video production costs are continuing to fall as technology allows users and companies alike to utilize high definition video built in to modern smartphones and tablets. Also look for the ad copy of mobile display and banner ads to mimic video ads with shorter, concise copy.
Does Mobile=$$$?
Revenue from mobile advertising will be paramount. With Twitter struggling to actually turn a profit, more promoted tweets, hashtags, and promoted accounts are being forecasted. Facebook’s Exchange, which was quoted as “a very small part of our business” by top Facebook officials, will most definitely be a larger part of Facebook’s mobile business in 2014. Social media analysts anticipate Pinterest and Snapchat to unveil their own unique mobile advertising blueprints for 2014 as well.
2 Screens are Better than 1
Television plus 2nd screen engagement (tablet, smartphone, or computer) is growing and is especially important for televised events. Sports teams and associations have this up and running; even WWE wrestling has live tweet-ins with fans to see who will win the next fight. AMC television shows also do a fantastic job of syncing TV and a 2nd screen. Breaking Bad did a “Story Sync” combining the gripping story lines seen and heard on TV while viewers use their 2nd screens to engage with fellow fans through trivia and debate. Fans can tweet opinions and “what will happen next” during the show. Sunday night saw social app Seamless, which allows users to order food from local restaurants, attempt to integrate two screens. Seamless ended up biting off more they could chew with a perfect storm of Girls, Golden Globes, NFL playoffs, and MANY unhappy users. Other TV programs not currently syncing both screens are missing out on much of their brand’s social chatter.
Social Media and Society
Who are Millennials?
Millennials, those born between the 1980’s and early 2000’s, are being segmented and targeted more each year as they age. Millennials are diverse and changing constantly; some are married, some are not even close to getting married, some are just starting their careers while others are well into theirs. Millennials have the unique privilege of demanding what they want from companies and advertisers alike. This is supplicated by Millennials understanding and shaping social media. Millennials are well versed in using social media to save money on products, expressing their feelings on how and why brands do what they do, taking part in brand sweepstakes and events, etc. However, many Millennials have grim thoughts about where social media is taking humanity and do not trust Google, Facebook, etc. to look out for users’ best interests.
Female-Centered Ads
Marketing to Millennials means companies change their messages to appeal to a more broad, diverse audience. For instance, women- female-centered ads are now more prolific than ever. Recently, while watching Peyton Manning make his march toward another Super Bowl (I hope), two interesting commercials caught my eye. Two macho brands, Chevrolet and the NFL, both had commercials directly speaking to female viewers amidst the ultra-masculine sport of football. The Chevrolet truck commercial shows a cowgirl and “Her Horse” (the horse, the Chevy truck, or both) amidst a crowd of men cheering for her. This commercial also was present during the Golden Globes. The second commercial shows a female starving artist, Heidi, winning Super Bowl tickets by sharing “Why she loves football.” Heidi’s love of football allows her to paint illustrative pictures of her favorite New England Patriots, a far cry from a typical NFL fan’s love of football. Look for more female-centered media now (especially during the Super Bowl) and throughout 2014.
