Top 10 list for what's trending in 2019 for small business social media marketing.

1. Social Media
What’s Trending
for 2019?
CHRISTINA WILLIAMS,
SAVVY TECH CONSULTING & TRAINING
2019 © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

2. Social Media “Stories”
Disappearing Content is going to play a major role in your Social Media Marketing in 2019. The
“Stories” feature is available on multiple Social Sites like Instagram and Facebook.
This Disappearing Content is only available for 24 hours, which highlights the urgency of an offer.
Short lived content is everywhere, you just need to find a purpose to use these Stories feature to
your small business advantage.
Stories are:
easy to create
fun and engaging
spontaneous or they don’t necessarily require much
editing before uploading them
Authentic
Keep your content stored in one place
NEW
NEW SOCIAL MEDIA STORIES CLASS
Tuesday, January 22nd, 6 pm to 8 pm
Visit www.ncsbc.net and search for College
of the Albemarle Small Business Center –
Registration Required

3. “Live” Video
The Rise of Live! Live video makes it a powerful tool for marketers to engage with their audience
and strengthen relationships.
Live Video = Real-time video that is broadcast through a social network or online platform where
it can be viewed by the public. You can then save and reuse your live videos on other social
media platforms for later use.
Facebook Live
Instagram Live
YouTube Live
Periscope
NEW
NEW “Live” Video Marketing CLASS
Thursday, May 2nd, 6 pm to 9 pm
Visit www.ncsbc.net and search for College
of the Albemarle Small Business Center –
Registration Required

4. Artificial Intelligence Customer
Service & Chat Bots
Customers are demanding instant communication from companies they shop with. AI & Chat
bots will be the way to keep up with your customers who require immediate help/service.
Chat Bots are computer programs that mimic actual conversations. You can create your own
chat bot to answer most frequently asked questions and they can even deliver messages when
you tell them to. These chat bots will become a normal part of our social media marketing!
Messenger Apps and Chat Bots are fast becoming a trend in small business – why? Because of
the ease and convenience, allowing the bots to help “run” your business.
Chat Bots allow for engagement and the initiation for conversation, this will help minimize
consumer waiting time.
Check out Many Chat

5. Social Shopping
Social Shopping is on the rise! Customers will now be able to find products in images
throughout Social Media content, purchase right from your social page, and explore the social
channels for even more relatable products.
Social Shopping is an e-commerce option that is shared with social networks so that customers
and their friends can suggest, review, recommend and buy products within a social channel.
Ecommerce Sites to Check Out:
Shopify
Big Commerce
Woo Commerce
Ecwid
Wix/Weebly have options too
Social Shopping Platforms
Instagram – Create Shoppable tags/links. Explore
www.linktree.com to add more than the one link to your
Instagram Posts
Facebook – Open your Shop Section and you can use
Ecommerce to create shoppable posts.
Pinterest – create buyable pins and posts that link back
to your website.

6. Focus on Generation “Z”
Generation Z is made up of those people who were born from 1995 onwards. Most of these
young adults are just now joining the work force! They were born into technology!
Easily influenced by peers (Influencers are a big Social Media Trend too). These customers purchase
products because of a social media influencer or what their friends have shared across the networks.
(My daughter is 19, and she follows a lot of YouTube Influencers – I even bought a lot of merchandise
for her for Christmas)
Preferred Social Networks are: Instagram Snapchat, Twitter, and YouTube. Don’t post the same content
across all of your social channels if you are trying to reach Generation Z – they use each platform for
different purposes.
This generation wants to be a part of your marketing, User Generated Content. They want to be able to
share reviews and engage with you!

7. User Generated Content (UGC)
User Generate Content (UGC) is defined as any type of content (pictures, videos, blog posts,
reviews, etc.) that is created and promoted by users instead of the brand itself.
UGC puts customers front and center.
Customers crave authenticity – and seeing User Generated Content shared through a brand’s
content marketing campaign is important.
Customers want to feel a human connection to your brand before buying from you.
Take advantage of UGC by asking fans and customers to submit content as part of a
contest/giveaway.

8. User Generated Content (UGC)
Incorporate UGC in your Social media Content
Marketing to:
Increase Sales
Build customer loyalty
Strengthen customer relationships
Increase Social Followers
Boost Authenticity
Check out some hot UGC campaigns:
Lays Chips – “Do us a Flavor”
Burberry – “Art of the Trench”
ALS “Ice Bucket Challenge”
Disney “Share your Ears”

9. Videos – Everywhere!
Video Marketing is a huge advantage to Social Media Marketing! The rise of Social TV and
vertical videos is going to be a key part of your marketing.
IG TV (Instagram TV)
YouTube Channels & Live
Facebook Watch

10. Interactive Posts/Content
Relevant and Interactive will play a role in your Social Media Marketing in 2019. With these
types of content you can build engagement and nourish relationships.
Interactive Content on Instagram/Facebook:
Questions/Polls
Shopping Features
Stories (interactive stickers)
Live

11. Voice Search
Voice Search is users using their voice via a device
(phone, tablet, or home assistant device) to make
a query via a search engine or digital assistant.
When people perform a search using their voice,
they use very different search terms. Voice
Search Optimization is a specific technique
to optimize a website to respond to the new
trend for voice commands.
SEO will change, as brands will need to ensure
they rank for long-tail keywords and phrases that
match how people would search via voice.

12. Facebook Groups
Facebook Groups make it easy to connect
with specific sets of people, like family, co-
workers, professionals in the same field as
you, potential customers, and more. Groups
are dedicated spaces where you can share
updates, photos or documents and message
other group members.
Your Facebook Page is great, but we as small
business owners have a hard time reaching all
our customers due to Facebook’s algorithm,
simply stated we don’t always have the
marketing money to promote our business.
By creating groups, you can:
 Interact with your business team
 Create subscription based groups (pay to play)
 Get product/service feedback
 Party – hold direct sales Facebook Parties
 Offer specials, promotions, contents
 Participate in chats
 Create Video Watch Parties
 Upload and share all types of files.
 Create Events
 Share updates
 Create Polls

13. So…how will you use these ideas in 2019?

14. Thank you for watching! Please reach out!
Visit my landing page to direct you to all of
my social platforms! Hope to see you
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www.about.me/savvytechconsulting