8 Social Media Trends For 2020 by Kimberly Jean Fricke & Kim Fricke
Ephemeral Content Ephemeral content is content that is only available for a limit period of time. The "now you see it, now you don’t" temporary nature of such content plays on the FOMO (fear of missing out) complex in order to elicit immediate responses from viewers. Such content is only set to become more popular in 2020 following the success of Snapchat and Instagram stories in 2019.
TikTok TikTok is unlikely to be going away anytime soon. One recent survey reported that users on the platform spend an average of three-quarters of an hour on the app each day. The platform has achieved much of its traffic without any advertising, so it's forecast to explode in 2020 when it becomes more known to mainstream internet users.
Videos Video content is set to keep becoming more popular as more and more people gain access to high speed internet connections. After all, most people prefer to watch a 45-second video as opposed to reading a long post of text. Think about how popular YouTube has become with thousands of hours of video content uploaded every minute.
Live Streaming Live video features are soon to become available on all of the main social media platforms for all users. Since Facebook enabled live broadcasts, the number of such broadcasts has doubled on an annual basis for the last three years. The main reason live streams have taken off is that they allow businesses and personalities to interact with the audience in real-time. Live streams that are available to watch back after the event also attract lots of views.
Artificial Intelligence The development of more sophisticated AI bots for social media platforms is certain to be a major trend in 2020. AI-driven customer service is going to be sought-after by businesses around the world. Many brands have already started to deploy AI-driven communication bots to improve engagement with potential customers around-the-clock. There are already approximately a third of a million bots in Facebook Messenger.
Real-Time Communication In 2020, it's going to become more important for businesses to respond to every like, comment, or share in some way. Customers now expect businesses to be available 24/7 and will quickly switch to competitors if they are not feeling heard or appreciated by a business.
Integrated Selling Tools Social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, are set to release more efficient, integrated selling options in 2020. It's possible that users will be able to pay for products and services without leaving the social media app. A simplified buying process is going to provide businesses with lots of selling opportunities next year.
A Social Media Network For Podcasts? The podcast marketplace has exploded over the last 10 years and is certain to continue to thrive. At the moment, however, podcasts don't have a dedicated social space for hosting, sharing and discussions. In 2020, many predict that social media platforms will make it easier for podcasters to distribute content and promote discussion between listeners.