As 2017 ends, we hope you were able to achieve all that you wanted your business to achieve. We hope you created a great brand value and your social media was abuzz with the latest news and product releases.

What do you plan to do in 2018? Do more with our Social Media App trend predictions for the forthcoming year.

What to expect in 2018 from your social media app?

2018 is going to be a disruptive year for social media. Several technological headways are slated to go mainstream; these will largely affect the way audience views social media feed.

Explore with us, as we take you through the future:

• Instagram will remain in vogue

  According to a survey, over 200 million users share stories on Instagram on a monthly basis. Considering that Instagram is just a year old baby, it is already ahead of Snapchat by about 50 million users. Tech gurus predict that nearly half of Instagram’s total users will be using stories towards the end of 2018. If you’re considering Instagram for business, you are doing the right thing. If this is not a great way for brands to connect with users, we don’t know what is!
  

• Rethinking Twitter for Marketing

  2017 was a disappointing year for Twitterati. It saw a considerable disappointment in its followers in this year. Considering the pace by which Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, all have grown in terms of followers, Twitter was unable to amass large number of people signing up as new users. It’s actually time for the management and businesses to see if Twitter can work for their business sales.
  
  Some of the suggested transformations to Twitter universe include introducing paid subscriptions, changing advertising options and handing over the company reigns to private investors.

• Marketing with Augmented reality will take your app places

  The recently launched iPhone X and iPhone 8 allow users to experience extraordinary augmented reality. With more and more phone manufacturers opting to add more features to newly released smartphones, augmented reality will surely bring about drastic changes in the way we perceive mobile apps. While the initial impact will largely be on gaming apps, social media platforms are projected to follow the suite soon.
  For instance, Instagram may add a feature which allows you to take selfies with friends or celebrities projected through augmented reality. As the practice becomes popular, brands will come up with ways to protect their products in the homes of users via augmented reality marketing.

• Influencer marketing will continue to attract eyeballs

  According to Linqia’s Marketing Influencers report 2017, 90% marketers who employ influencer marketing to connect with new audiences find it successful with better business ROI. Brands such as Rolex and Hubspot, swear by influencer marketing for business to improve engagement with existing audiences and for driving new engagements.
  
  The traditional marketing strategies struggled to keep their social media audience connected. In 2018, brands are more likely to embrace and test out the power of influencer marketing for reaching out to customers.

• The magnet of live streaming

  Live streaming was once used by people who had nothing to do. Considering how successful this gimmick has become; today, it is the in-thing for brands out there.Brands have increased their reach with live streaming and compelling content on various social media channels in 2017 and in 2018, marketing gurus predict that more brands will realize the untapped potential of live streaming and strive for live chat app development.

• Increased brand presence on messaging platforms

  It’s a noteworthy thing that messaging platforms have over 2.5 billion users. Social media channels are a great place to kick-start new businesses, but your app can benefit immensely from messaging platforms as well. Combine your app to leverage the power of messaging platforms such as Kik, Messenger and WhatsApp with artificial intelligence, chatbots and voice assistants for giving personalized shopping services to your customers.

• Make use of governance policies

  In the wake of the recent settlement on net neutrality, social media platforms are likely to adopt a more hands-on approach in 2018. The governance policies are likely to become more stringent, making brands able to connect more with customers. The impact of this decision is yet to show the real-life implications, however, bigger conglomerates get a headstart for being more visible with their social media apps.

• Increased focus on Generation Z

  According to a study by Goldman Sachs, Generation Z is more valued by organizations than millennials. The oldest of the generation is 22 years old and are just about to enter the labor force. Their buying power is likely to last for some time. Brands have started recognizing this and this has called for a shift in social media strategy. If you’re thinking to create a social media app, then bear in mind that a majority of your young customers will be Generation Z. if you ensure your platform is loved by them, your business is likely to flourish.

Social media is a dynamic ocean. Trends keep coming and going. Businesses who adapt to what their customers want get a head start. Since the year has just begun, you can experiment with our predicted trends and decide what works for you and what doesn’t. Additionally, you can explore new platforms to give your brand a makeover or start anew. As always, BluEnt’s experts are here to help you out. Just drop us a line and we’d be happy to get back to you!

Maximum value. Achieved.