Last year, for the first time, the Move Digital team made social media prediction for the coming year. Hey, we spend A LOT of time researching, listening to, and watching experts and industry peers to stay ahead on all things social media. It’s a lot of work to be this knowledgeable!
So, for fun, we decided to put our big brains full of information to the test.
First, read our 2018 Social Media Predictions here.
Then, see if you agree with our grades below.
Checking In On Our 2018 Predictions
1. REAL-TIME CONTENT WITH A SHORT LIFESPAN
A-
This prediction, from Amy Jones, proved to be a good call. Instagram Stories alone has grown to over 400 million daily users.
But, she get’s a slight markdown for picking a pretty obvious prediction. We all knew that short lifespan content was going to be big. In fact, she even put it, albeit in a different way, as her 2019 prediction.
2. RISE OF PERSONALIZATION & ADVANCED TARGETING
A+
With so much data available for businesses using social media, you can’t afford not to provide a personalized approach. We’ve even put Larkin Grant’s prediction into practice with our clients. We are better able to target their social media ad content and lower overall costs.
Facebook even makes it so much easier to retarget, with more new audience options and collaborative tools rolling out with almost every update.
3. INFLUENCER MARKETING
B+
In the original post, Charity Stewart predicted that businesses would be more selective about who they partnered with in 2018. And some of them did! But not all.
There are still a lot of brands using anyone and everyone who is an “influencer” even if the product fit seems off, and not at all authentic.
4. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
A+
Most online blogs discussing quality over quantity will frame it as a debate, or make a case for one over the other. Well, we put Laurie Heard’s prediction into practice, with clients and with ourselves, and can confirm that QUALITY wins out!
Facebook itself is working on newsfeed changes that reward good quality content and further dissuade spam and content overload.
If you need to re-think this for yourself in 2019, here’s what Laurie said –
“If you’re focused more on your posting frequency and less on sharing engaging content, you need to rethink your social strategy. Spend more time understanding and defining your target audience. Revisit your content calendar and ensure your posts are timely and relevant to your audience. Craft fewer and better posts. Remember: quality over quantity.”
