TRENDS: Revitalizing Social Media
Exploring new social platforms and user-generated content
In 2014, we will see an increase in user-generated content contests. Brands are looking for co-created content to feature on social media channels, such as Instagram, Vine, and Twitter. This can include, photos, videos, or even caption contests. User-generated content offers mutual benefits – consumers want to participate to win something and see their photo or video shared with the company’s hundreds, thousands, or even millions of followers, and businesses like it because it gets followers engaged and lessens the load of content creation. It is a win-win situation.
“The cocktail party of social media has, up until now, been a Facebook bash,” said social media marketer Jim Tobin. “That party is definitely not over, but if you look carefully you’ll see that some of the cool people are getting their coats and saying their goodbyes.”
From 2009 until now, we were able to reach every demographic on Facebook, but now the younger demographics are leaving Facebook and moving to other social media channels, such as Instagram, Kik, and Snapchat. While this isn’t a big deal for hospitals and other healthcare organizations because their main demographics are 35-75, 2014 will likely show a Facebook backlash. We will likely see more organizations creating social media strategies for Instagram, Snapchat, and the next big social media platform.
Images & Video Gain in Social Channels
Short, shareable video content on the rise
While hospitals have begun to embrace inbound marketing and sophisticated content strategies, there is a parallel trend for concise, easily shared visual content as well. Social applications such as Vine (Twitter’s 6-second mobile video app), Instagram and Pinterest have grown in popularity for delivering quick, easy-to-digest images and video content. This format of content fits the busy lifestyles of young healthcare consumers and is well suited to sharing on mobile devices.
A 2013 study by the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project shows that 54% of internet users have posted original photos or videos to websites and 47% share photos or videos they found elsewhere online.
Healthcare marketers will benefit by integrating images and short video into their social marketing strategy in 2014. But what makes visual content compelling and shareable? The most memorable, shareable images and videos are: funny (really funny), emotional, surprising, short and/or thought provoking.
To read more, download the white paper, “Healthcare Marketing’s Top Trends for 2014” here.
Updated for 2018
The 2018 Healthcare Marketing Trends Playbook is available! It goes a step further than previous years, including ways to leverage each trend for quick wins and impactful, lasting influence on your organization. It also includes examples from leading marketers who are leveraging trends for maximum impact.