6 Social Media Trends to Track in 2016

The New Year is quickly approaching, and there some changes expected to take place when it comes to digital marketing with social media. Networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, will continue to dominate our everyday lives, but according to Forbes Magazine, you can expect to see a few emerging trends gain traction.1.       In-the-moment updatesThis point is especially important to digital marketing professionals. Normally we plan social media posts weeks in advance, but as we’ve seen with Snapchat where it’s all about in-the-moment updates, users will want to see brands with ultra-time sensitive posts.2.       Buy buttons everywhere!Facebook and Pinterest have already introduced “buy now” buttons to their platforms, and experts feel that Instagram isn’t too far behind. By the end of 2016, most major social media network will offer buy buttons as an element to advertising campaigns.3.       Greater in-app functionalityFacebook is the king of in-app functionality. Go to your newsfeed and look at all it has to offer. From news and product reviews to photos and messaging, Facebook works hard so you don’t have to visit other sites. You can expect more social media network to roll out similar initiatives. 4.       Additional publication optionsNot too long ago, the only way you could publish detailed content to Facebook is if it linked back to a different site. That’s no longer the case. With Facebook’s Instant Articles, full-length features can be housed on Facebook, and Twitter also recently announced a new way to present material to the public. 5.       More competition for organic visibilityMore businesses have figured out the benefit of a strong social media presence, which will clutter the marketplace. Organic visibility will be much harder to achieve in 2016, but with the right social media campaign, you’ll still stand out. 6.       Tightening market shareThere were two major trends in social network startups in 2015. Startups either close up shop in the blink of an eye or get acquired by one of the big boys. As such, expect to see fewer new social networks making an impact.