Social media networking in 2014

In 2013 we’ve seen incredible novelties in the social media sector, starting with the consolidation of Pinterest as referent traffic source to the great boost of Instagram as a platform that creates brand awareness, Twitter’s IPO (initial public offering) or LinkedIn’s content strategy changes and their new showcase pages for businesses.

But what does lie ahead of social media networking in 2014? Let’s see:

1. 1. Social networks will consolidate their role as ways to boost sales and stimulate customer approach. Social networks have turned into channels of direct communication, customers’ natural habitat, where brands must interact with their customers at the same level.

1. 1. In 2014 social networks will really show their ROI. On internet there’s a way to measure all kinds of things and social media shouldn’t be an exception. There are several tools that allow brands to measure the impact of their social media strategies. This year the number of these tools will double.
   2. Twitter will strive to maintain and expand its influence as second screen. The integration of social networks and television broadcasting is already here. Users combine both activities in a natural way. This entails a great opportunity for both. They can combine media to get to their target audience and use 2.0 media to promote engagement in real time.

1. 1. Social networks will continue fighting to conquer the reign of instant messaging. Facebook has recently improved its version of Messenger, which allows to know contacts’ status and make direct calls. Twitter, on the other hand, already allows attaching photos to direct messages. Instagram also introduced its own messenger – Direct, a new way to send photo and video messages to friends. Google’s Hangouts and Microsoft’s Skype are also joining the competition.
   2. Smartphones and tablets will become users’ favorite devices to access their social media accounts. More than half of the worldwide population have smartphones, devices that allow them accessing information anytime and anyplace. This promotes social interactions, which together with geolocation, opens up a large field of opportunities to get to clients at the right moment.

1. 1. The power of image will flood social media. We have seen how in 2013 Twitter allowed previewing pictures and how Facebook also made several modifications with regard to the size of the wall publications where it clearly gives more importance to pictures. Images are also Pinterest and Instagram’s key to success. The basis of interactions and engagements on social media lies in being able to create messages with great visual appeal.

1. Social networks will position themselves as yet another marketing strategy tool. Their power to segment the message together with their metrics and their facility to reach the target audience in a more personal and direct way has turned these 2.0 media into direct bridges to customers’ hearts.
2. Google won’t settle for the second place. The internet giant won’t miss any chance to gain even more importance in the 2.0 media world. It’s going to reinforce the YouTube integration, broadening its presence in Google, the search engine par excellence. It will use Authorship to be able to stay in the battlefield.

By: silvia