In 2021, Facebook has officially change their name to Meta which signaled a shift in their branding strategy and they are looking to focus on building"me a taverse"; a virtual space that will in future years take over the mobile platform.
As part of how technological advancement is taking over the internet, particularly augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), CEO of Meta’s; Mark Zuckerberg, in his interview mentioned that they are looking to level up their video and Reels experience with more actual liveness and connected experiences in the near future. That would mean businesses would soon have to put more thought into curating video content that has an immersive experience.
What is Meta Verse?
It is more than a social network. Meta Verse provides a venue for the virtual experience (think about augmented reality); a recent paradigm online shift that has spiked dramatically just like how cryptocurrency and NFTs are taking over the internet.
As consumers are drawn to shorter and relatable content, brands would now have to adapt and evolve from the static posts and consider what really engages potential customers.
Today’s AR technology has evolved to more than just fun filters or adding virtual content to our physical world. It allows brands to leverage on the advancement to create a perception that customers can immerse in a wholesome experience in three dimensions. This changes the lifecycle marketing as we see AR helping to expedite the path to purchase.
“Augmented reality is absolutely, undeniably coming for the future of digital marketing.” - Think Google
On September 8, the first virtual influencer named AYAYI was born from Alibaba Group. She gained 3 million views on her first post and approximately 40,000 followers. Engaging KOL is now a mandatory marketing strategy and today, AYAYI has participated in numerous marketing activities.
Another virtual Character, Liu Yexi releases her first Douyin video on October 31. She was launched as “A virtual beauty expert who can catch demons” and she gained 2 million followers overnight.
Meta has also consistently changed its algorithm to provide a better user experience as well as to keep up with the social media trends. With the iconic announcement that Facebook will be prioritizing posts from family, friends, and groups, businesses find it harder to gain organic reach. Nevertheless, Facebook is still a good advertisement space for mass outreach, and here are the top 3 trends businesses can look out for on Meta in 2022.
Top 3 trends businesses can leverage to up their social media strategy
Brand Collaboration
Staying true to your mission and vision is important as it resonates with your business value and what your customers stand for. However, this can be further enhanced by collaborating with other brands in a different industry that will help to further establish deeper branding identity, improve brand goodwill and reach out to a different target audience.
Starbucks collaborated with a few brands such as Line Friends, to launch a series of merchandise. This will potentially attract and convert non-existing Starbucks customers.
Knowledge Sharing
Customers are no longer interested in content that brings no value to their feed and businesses are seeing an obvious decrease in engagement. Aside from posting content that only showcases the products and services that your company is offering, you can start sharing knowledge relevant to your industry that will pique audience interest.
For example, fashion brands can share styling tips, bakeries can post content relating to cake decorations, and social media management companies can provide marketing tips.
Community Building
Last but not least, companies need to start having conversations with their customers. Customers want to be involved in both the process and progress. They want their voice to be heard and they want a say.
A conversation is beyond asking for their feedback. It is about treating them as equal, building a genuine connection, and showing your customers that they matter.
Note
Aside from adding video content to stay relevant, businesses can also recreate the same content for other trending platforms such as Tik Tok (or Dou Yin). For 2022, companies should also take note that live streaming will add brand value when created appropriately.
About SODA Global Marketing
SODA Global Marketing aims to connect overseas companies with the consumers in China; by helping them to launch and develop a market here. We provide a comprehensive range of services including all aspects of business incubation, brand strategy, company registration, and every element of demand generation.
Our mission is to build a full ecological business environment for the Chinese market and to develop a community of successful companies that can then provide assistance to new entrants. Click here to read more about the full suite of services we provide.