Take a look at what we believe are the key social media marketing trends for 2020 that marketers need to be aware of in order to ensure their marketing strategy is up-to-date and as effective as possible.

Social media has now become synonymous with digital marketing, going hand-in-hand with most – if not all – digital campaigns. However, social media is far from static and what worked a few months ago may not get you the same good results now. Habits change, platforms evolve, and new platforms come into existence. All of this influences how people use and react to social media marketing, as well as how marketers are able to reach their audience.

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It is more important than ever before for marketers to understand and stay ahead of the curve when it comes to social media. Doing so ensures you have the right tools at your disposal, an up-to-date strategy,…

Messenger now requires Facebook account, US military bans TikTok, YouTube adds new copyright feature, Facebook and Twitter announce latest account removals

Welcome to our first news roundup of 2020! Unsurprisingly, things were fairly quiet over the festive and New Year period, but there are still a few interesting updates we believe its worth knowing about. To start with, Facebook has now removed the ability to sign up for a Messenger account without an associated Facebook account. [si_blog_banner_cta] The end of December saw the US military follow in the US navy's footsteps and ban personnel from adding TikTok to government-issued devices due to data security concerns. YouTube is making it easier for creators to deal with any content that becomes subject to copyright claims with the launch of a new feature. Finally, Facebook and Twitter have announced the latest work undertaken to remove accounts that have been found to be involved in political manipulation on the platforms. Get…

Facebook admits to location data tracking, digital advertising needs a watchdog says CMA, Facebook advertising price rises, Instagram anti-bullying tools, new Snapchat interactive ad and change to Twitter lists.

2019 is almost over but there's enough time left before we close ready for Christmas for one last news roundup. First up is the news that Facebook has admitted that it tracks user location data even if individuals have opted out of Locations Services. The CMA has said that there is a strong argument for the creation of a digital advertising watchdog to monitor the online ad space. [si_blog_banner_cta] Almost half of marketers are concerned that they could be priced out of Facebook advertising as costs have increased by 90% year-on-year. Instagram has seen some success with its anti-bullying tools and is now rolling out an extension for one of them. Snapchat has launched a new interactive ad type and is currently using it to advertise film trailers. Finally,…

Storytelling helps form connections and captivate your audience, making them an effective part of your social media strategy

Who doesn’t love a good story? Whether it’s as toddlers, captivated by Maurice Sendak’s Wild Things book, or as adults watching our favorite movie, we love to get to know the characters, see how the story plays out and maybe experience an unexpected 'plot twist.' If you love stories so much in your personal life, why not craft and share some in your digital marketing work? Doing so will not only turn more of your passive visitors into engaged followers - and eventually paying customers - but your team will have some fun in the process. [si_blog_banner_cta] This post shares how best to do this via your social media channels. But first I’ll explain what a story is, which types of stories to tell at each stage in your buyer’s journey and how to measure the…

Instagram introduces age check, creative professionals more productive 'on-the-go', Facebook suing over malicious ads, YouTube updates on borderline content efforts, Facebook announces new anti-discrimination ad measures

This week has seen Instagram change its policy to bring it in-line with Facebook. The platform will now request the date of birth of those signing up, in a bid to limit younger users from accessing inappropriate content. New research from Vodafone has revealed that the office is not the place for creative individuals, with many saying they are more productive when working flexibly. Facebook is making sure that those who break its rules face real-world consequences, starting with a company and two individuals who are accused of creating malicious adverts on the platform. [si_blog_banner_cta] YouTube has provided an update on its efforts to reduce the spread of misinformation and borderline content, just in time for the 2020 US election campaigns to heat up. Finally, Facebook has introduced two new…

Systems and processes to ensure you’re running a successful campaign

When you're running paid social media ads, there may be a hundred different aspects that you're tweaking and testing to get things just right. You can change everything from your ad copy, images, videos, to your post time and target audience, but one thing you shouldn't change is how you manage your campaigns. An effective management structure is the most important aspect of any paid media campaign, whether you're dipping your toe into paid social for the first time or you're trying to optimize your current ads. To get your next campaign started on the right foot, here are the four key aspects of effectively managing your ad campaigns. [si_quick_block id="147064" title="How to optimize your Facebook and Instagram ads" description="Use our Quick Win to learn actionable advice for optimizing your ads on Facebook and Instagram."]

Documenting the performance of your ads

Facebook makes it easy for…

Chart of the Week: 57% of people in the UK spend most of their time on social media or messenger apps, but Facebook is no longer the favourite app.

Facebook is no longer as indispensable as it once was, with an increasing number of people saying it is the app they most consider quitting. Throughout the last two years, it has fallen from being the most important app in the majority of markets to one that is failing to keep its audience. As well as people getting rid of their accounts as part of a digital detox, younger audiences are turning to new social media platforms rather than Facebook. Although this means more people opting for Facebook-owned apps like Instagram and WhatsApp, it shows just how volatile the world of social media and apps currently is. [si_blog_banner_cta] We’ve taken a look at AudienceProject’s new app and…

Twitter VP reveals new features for 2020, Pinterest posts positive Q3 results, Facebook reveals Groups data breach, YouTube launches new desktop look

This week's marketing news mostly revolves around social media platform updates. To start with, Twitter's VP of Design and Research has revealed five new features that could be added to the platform in the new year. Pinterest has posted its Q3 results, which show massive growth in active users and revenue, showing that the platform is going from strength to strength. Facebook reveals an issue with data from its Groups, which is likely to lower trust in the platform even more. Finally, YouTube is launching a new look for its homepage for desktop and tablet users, which should improve usability. We've explored all of these stories in detail with this week's roundup.

Twitter VP announces new features for 2020

Usually, we don’t get a…

Managing your own social media accounts is one thing, but you need to pay attention to the social media presence of others as well

Social media marketing is sometimes overlooked by B2B companies. However, even when you’re targeting huge companies in your marketing efforts, it's important to remember that the decisions are made by people, people who - just like everyone else - use social media. Statistics say that 84% of C- and VP-level buyers check social media before making a purchasing decision. Social media for B2B companies can be a communication channel, a platform for raising brand awareness and even a source of leads. Managing your own social media accounts is one thing, but you need to pay attention to the social media presence of others as well. From your audience to your competitors, there are a lot of insights you can get from monitoring social media. [si_blog_banner_cta] B2B companies…

Social media competition is fierce and your budget is limited – so you need to make the most of your time and resources in order to make sure your efforts are actually paying off

When it comes to social media marketing, you need all the help you can get to stand out and get results. The competition is fierce and your budget is limited, so you need to make the most of your time and resources in order to make ensure your efforts are paying off. You need to find out what strategies actually work. Where your audience is online. What your audience actually wants to hear from you. And so, so much more. You can do much of this with one simple "trick": leveraging UTM tracking links. In this blog post, I’m going to show you how to use UTM tracking links on social media to help boost your results. [si_guide_block id="90657" title="Download our Premium Resource –…