With 58.4 percent of the world's population using social media for an average of two hours and 27 minutes a day, it should go without saying that strategically representing your company on social media is very important. And yet, social media is always changing with new platforms, new features, and new trends constantly emerging.
Of course, there isn't enough time to invest in every feature of every platform, so you need to know to learn about what’s out there to determine how, with more choice than ever, social media can serve you.
Here are the latest trends interior designers and business owners must know about, including how to use them to their advantage:
1. Tik Tok is For Real
What it means: Facebook is still the largest social media platform (for now), but the list of key players is shifting with TikTok transitioning from newcomer to social media titan. The app of choice for Gen Z, Tik Tok is also exploding in popularity with older demographics as well. An in-depth report from Exploding Topics shows that TikTok videos are exceptionally effective for marketing products, with nearly 40 percent of Gen Zers reporting that TikTok is where they go to learn about and buy new products.
How to use it: The rapidly growing power of Tik Tok can not be overlooked. Its surging popularity means that if you’re not on the platform yet, you should strongly think about it and be prepared to represent yourself as a person, interior designer, and business owner, on this platform.
2. Short-Form Video Content is King
What it means: Tik Tok ignited the short-form video craze when it launched in 2016, and Instagram and YouTube jumped on the bandwagon in 2020 with Reels and Shorts, respectively. Research shows that video posts perform better than static photo posts on social media, with Cisco showing that Instagram videos received twice as much engagement as photo posts.
How to use it: While a traditional social media strategy for interior designers would prioritize highly polished static images, that is no longer viable: Video gets users’ attention. Instead of working to only show perfectly staged and edited photos, designers should show spaces using video. You may want professional videography of your projects for your portfolio, but for social media, don’t be afraid to also shoot your own casual videos. People want to connect with the imperfection of reality.
3. Social Media Commerce is Booming
What it means: Social commerce is growing in pervasive ways. You can have seamless retail experiences on many of the major social media platforms, and Accenture predicts that by 2025 social shopping will become a $1.2 trillion conduit, via Sprout Social. The GWI Social Report showed that 28 percent of internet users typically find out about new products and brands via social media ads, and nearly 80 percent of users say they turn to social media when they’re looking for information about brands.
How to use it: Unless you have an e-design or e-commerce business for products, social commerce may seem irrelevant to you as an interior designer. But it’s important to recognize the massive shift that is occurring in the world of commerce. Will you one day use social media to transact with vendors? Needless to say, the days of manually processing checks and swiping credit cards through an imprinter are over.
4. The Rise of Social Audio
What it means: Hootsuite’s 2022 Social Media Trends survey brought to light the strong emergence of a new category of social media, social audio. As broken down by Influencer Marketing Hub, more than 74 percent of businesses are planning to invest in audio-only content in the next year and hosting an audio live stream as a thought leader was the most popular marketing strategy.
How to use it: Do you want to blog for your business website, but can’t keep up with it? Try creating audio bites that you release in regular intervals — mini-podcasts, if you will. People enjoy listening to content so if speaking your thoughts is easier than writing them, get your message out with social audio. As your confidence grows, you can work up to live recordings.
5. Live Streaming is Very Popular
What it means: Live-streaming exploded in popularity during the pandemic, adding to Tik Tok’s popularity and giving a boost of relevance to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Platforms will continue to upgrade live streaming capabilities and features.
How to use it: Live streaming adds excitement to your content. Try interacting with the community through live q&a’s (Ask Me Anything sessions, or “AMAs”), live tours of projects, or sharing anything else on brand in a scenario where you feel confident nothing can go majorly wrong.
The world of social media is changing faster than ever, but interior designers who take advantage of the latest trends can build their brands, reach new audiences, and find new customers.