How can you keep up with social media trends? As a field that is in constant change, what used to work a few months back might be already obsolete. If digital marketing is part of your marketing strategy, here are the latest social media trends of 2017 you should be up to date with.
Why it is important to keep up with social media trends?
As a business owner, you want to get your business in front of as many people as possible. Social media is a great marketing tool that can help you achieve that faster than any other traditional channels of communication.
Probably the easiest way to be on top of your game is to have a pre-planned digital strategy. A social media calendar can make a huge difference in the amount of time you spend dealing with digital marketing. And we all know time management is crucial to any business owner – so the more time you can save, the better.
Let’s take a look at a few more tips that can help you keep up with social media trends in 2017:
1. Create a list of top trending hashtags
Hashtags are the fastest way to search for the latest news and trends on social media. Once you have a Twitter account, you can easily search for popular hashtags like #socialmedia or #smchat and find the top trending posts on the topic.
[ctt template=”7″ link=”bzyoC” via=”no” ]Hashtags are the fastest way to search for the latest news and trends on social media.[/ctt]
Even better, you can create a stream of hashtags on Twitter so when you want to search for a specific topic, you can just choose the appropriate hashtag from your stream.
Here is how to do it:
- Search for the hashtag you are interested in using the search bar in the top-right corner of the Twitter homepage
- On the results page of your Twitter search, tap the gear icon and select “Save this search”.
- Next time you head to the Twitter search bar, your saved search will appear for you to easily click and start reading the latest news that use your hashtag. Easy!
Bonus Tip: Instagram also gives you an option to explore trending topics in the Explore Tab. You can search for terms like “social media” or hashtags like #socialmediamarketing and see the latest news on the topic.
You may also be interested in: How To Create Your Digital Marketing Strategy: A Step-By-Step Guide
2. Make a list of top industry influencers
Social media makes it so much easier now to connect with people everywhere.
Influencers hang out on Twitter a lot. They discuss all the industry hot topics, so following them is an easy way to ensure you are up to date with the most important events in your industry. When searching for top influencers to follow, search for the latest news: they are most probably talking about it.
Tip: Make a list with the top influencers in your field and follow their posts. Do not be afraid to initiate conversations and ask them questions.
3. Set up Google Alerts
Google Alerts can help you stay informed about new topics or emerging trends influencers are talking about. It works by sending you email alerts when new content is posted on a topic of your interest.
Choose up to three topics or three influencers you want to receive regular updates from and set up Google Alerts for them. You can get these alerts once a day so your inbox does not get overloaded and you can thus stay up to date with the latest news and trends that interest you.
Here is how to set up Google Alerts:
- In Google Alerts, type your search term into the search box
- Select the frequency for your alerts. Done!
4. Join groups on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is another great platform where you can find a lot of social media professionals who share their tips, tricks and discuss trends or latest news.
LinkedIn Groups is also a good way to network and connect with other professionals in your field. It is the perfect place to ask questions and initiate conversations.
Here are a few groups about social media marketing you can join:
- Social Media Marketing
- Social Media Marketing Strategies for Business Professionals
- Social Media Today
5. Subscribe to social media blogs
Social media blogs are a great resource for your ongoing digital marketing education. You can learn about new social media trends, as well as get tips and tricks on the best social media practices.
As time is of uttermost importance, you do not want to waste hours scrolling through these websites’ content. Designate a couple of minutes each day to skim through the latest titles. Bookmark the most important articles and read them in more detail when you have time: usually the best time to read them and set up action steps is during the weekend, or on a day of the week when you are not under a lot of pressure at work.
Discipline and short intervals of study time can go a long way.
Here are a few websites you can follow:
6. Attend social media conferences
Make it a priority to attend at least one social media conference a year. These conferences are an excellent way to learn from social media experts, hang out with industry professionals, ask questions and connect with people you probably would not have the chance to meet elsewhere.
If you feel this is something that will not work for your schedule right now, you always have the option of attending virtual conferences. A lot of the conferences nowadays make their seminars available online; some of them are free, others are paid. The main benefit is that you can listen to presentations at your own pace, from the comfort of your office or home.
INBOUND is a social media conference that covers social media trends and hot topics. You can follow their 2017 content using the #INBOUND17 hashtag.
7. Listen to podcasts
Social media podcasts have been around for a while but their effectiveness is way undervalued.
You can listen to podcasts while you are on your way to work, coming home from work, driving, jogging, at the gym etc.
Here are a few social media and digital marketing podcasts you can subscribe to:
Social media has now become a part of everyone’s lives. With people spending more and more time on their smartphones, you want to make sure your business is visible online – and that it looks amazing. However, with the ever changing trends in digital marketing, you may find it overwhelming to deal with social media on a regular basis, on your own.
This is where the specialists at Shuriken Digital can help you make a difference in the way your business looks, acts and communicates online. Our digital specialists at Shuriken can help you with all your social media and digital marketing inquiries. Get in touch today.
