As you look to stay ahead of the social media curve in the new year, there are two key words to keep in mind: Images and Mobile.
- Images
If there is one resounding theme that marketers have learned from social media in 2012, it's the power of an image. With the sudden explosion of image-based platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram, it is now clearer than ever that people respond to images more than words. Even Facebook's news feed algorithm places images and videos at the top of an individual's news feed over simple text postings. This may be why Facebook was willing to pay over one billion dollars to acquire Instagram, which has quickly risen to be the second most popular social media platform. According to mediabistro.com, over five million Instagram photos are uploaded everyday
What does this mean for you?
Businesses need to be heavily involved in these image-based platforms. Pinterest recently rolled out business pages that allow brands to take advantage of group boards, private boards and track user statistics. Even Instagram, a long-time mobile platform, took the leap to desktops by creating user web profiles, and it's only a matter of time before they offer business profiles like other major platforms.
- Mobile
Now more than ever, people are using mobile devices that are just as powerful (in some cases more powerful) than most personal computers. HubSpot recently reported that over 1/3 of Facebook's users and 50% of Twitter users login using a tablet or smartphone. A recent Neilson report revealed that 54.9% of US mobile phone owners have a smartphone and that smartphone sales rose 58% last year. These numbers will only increase in 2013.
What does this mean for you?
Companies need to ensure their websites and social media pages are optimized for mobile devices. Gone are the days of flash animation and dial-up internet, fast-foward to today with responsive websites and mobile apps. Re-evaluating your social media designs to ensure that they are being seen as they were intended on mobile devices is a great step towards ensuring that your social media pages enter 2013 with a BANG!