So, we're making a foray into the digital world to help you understand the social media trends and opportunities for 2021. Let's get at it!

1. Make a Connection with Live Streaming

Humans need to stay connected for personal and business reasons. When they can't do that face-to-face, technology is more than happy to step in and bridge the gap. Luckily, social media new trends have come to the rescue during this pandemic. Live streaming, a popular medium that only grew stronger in 2020, will continue to play a significant role in 2021.

People have become used to learning and exploring in live streams as they reach out to satisfy their need for social contact and engagement. So, one of our top tips based on social media trends for business in 2021...

Go live on social media at least once a week! And be sure to include a call to action that sells your audience something valuable at the end.

2. Give Away Something for Free

One of the most valuable outcomes of maintaining a social media presence besides nurturing relationships is list building. When you post on social media, you can use your call to action to build your list. Free offers help facilitate this process. Selling something valuable doesn't always mean a money exchange. Your list is gold-your treasure chest of potential new customers and sales.

People will exchange their contact information to obtain something they value. For instance, some folks don't have the time to read every word of your blog posts. A good blog article summary, or access to a hidden page on your site that provides summaries for your most significant blog posts, could appeal to some of your prospects.

Other free offers could include the following:

• Access to slides from a conference
• In-depth guides and tutorials
• Behind-the-scenes glimpses
• Free reports
• And more

3. Showcase Your Brand Personality with Video

Good news! There's still plenty of room to build your online presence, attract an audience, and build loyalty with videos. And before you say, "Really? Isn't the YouTube market saturated?", think again.

Yes, it's true. YouTube has grown exponentially and remains the top channel for video. But the doors are open for branding through personality-driven content. Your unique personality-how you communicate with your audience-differentiates you and helps you stand out. So, be authentic, be you, and have fun! Use videos to find and grow your tribe!

And don't stop with YouTube. Carve out your niche on other video channels. Here's a list to get you started!

• IGTV
• Instagram Reels
• Twitter Fleets - NEW in 2021!
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok
• Snapchat

4. Stand Out on LinkedIn and Instagram with Carousels

Let's continue to roll on into 2021 social media trends in marketing with engaging, movement-focused content ideas! Why settle for static LinkedIn posts when you can jazz things up with carousels? That's right! You can create and publish entertaining slide shows! These allow you to stand out in the sea of text-based LinkedIn posts and build awareness for your company page.

Not to be confused with LinkedIn carousel ads, you publish carousel posts for free. These posts draw attention and generate interest in eye-catching, dynamic visual displays that take up more real estate in a feed. So be sure to include a clear call to action at the end!

Plus, Instagram users get a huge benefit by using carousels in their feed. If a user doesn't like the lead image and scrolls past it, the second image displays on their feed. That gives you a second chance to gain engagement.

Ideas for Content to Share in LinkedIn Carousel Posts

• Statistics, infographics, and numbers
• Frameworks and step-by-step, how-to instructions
• Actionable business tips and lessons
• Conference slides and event content
• Snippets from your blog / listicle post

5. Emails & E-news Are Still Tried and True Methods

Let your audience know when you post something new: "This blog is going viral right now!" Yes, emails and e-news are still some of the best ways to grab attention for your articles and blog posts. So, keep growing that list! Then use social media to highlight the content your audience craves.

To gain permission-based subscriber list opt-ins, use creative calls to action (CTAs) that encourage your prospect to trade their contact information for the tips, how-to instructions, and entertainment they value.

With so many new social media trends, it can be tricky figuring out how to maximize their impact. Knowing that these social media trends for business exist and knowing how to use them to augment your strategy are two distinct concepts!

Let's go over some of the ways you can use social media marketing for your business!

6. Using Links vs. Audio-Visual Content

Whenever possible, use video, images, and audio to snag attention within social media platforms rather than redirecting them to your published content. Social channels want to keep people there where they can influence them with advertisers' campaigns.

Of course, you want them to get to your content, sign up for your free giveaways, and more. Here's a simple social media trends 2021 strategy: Try using the first comment under your post to post your link!

7. Engage with Your Tribe through Social Media Comments

Respond to comments on your social media content in a timely fashion. If people take the time to engage with you on social media, doesn't it make sense to-well-keep them engaged? That is the point, after all!

Don't allow comments on your posts to sit unattended. When you leave your prospects languishing, you risk losing their attention altogether. If you engage with them, this encourages future engagements which lead to relationships, trust, and sales!

8. It's All About the Timing

Traffic for your social media post depends on the first 10 minutes of the hour you post the content. Tag people and get the word out to increase traffic flow, especially if it's a live-streaming event. If you conduct a live stream every week, do it on the same day at the same time every week. That way, your audience can schedule it into their activities.

Are you presenting a one-off live stream? Get the word out multiple times in advance through various channels. Post your event details ahead of time via emails, e-newsletters, and posts. If you have connections with people who support your efforts, maximize those relationships and ask them to spread the word.

9. The Power of Social Media Comments & Bookmarks

One of your responsibilities to your audience is to curate helpful content. Whatever your industry, your audience looks to you for guidance, expertise, and resources. You can't create it all, so you need to find reputable sources for content to share. Social bookmarking sites provide the means to do just that!

And as social media platforms toy with the idea of doing away with likes (e.g., Facebook, Instagram), people need to find other ways to indicate their approval of the posts they enjoyed or found helpful.

Arguably, Instagram is one of the most popular visual-centric social media trends for business and has become increasingly influential in marketing. To build brand awareness, encourage people to save your Instagram posts (instead of merely "liking" them). Use a call to action in your image and text. A simple "Bookmark this!" could be the ticket.

How else can your business benefit from these saves?

7 Benefits of Social Media Bookmarks

• Save and organize resources you want to focus on at a later time.
• Share resources with your team or audience.
• Tag (label) content for easier referencing and searchability.
• Build backlinks from social media bookmarks to your website.
• Drive traffic to your website. (People find and click on content others have saved to their bookmarking sites.)
• Promote mentions you receive from others (bookmark articles that mention you and your content).
• Take advantage of SEO. (Search engines often bring up bookmarks in their search results.)

10. Ask Questions to Encourage Engagement on Social Media Posts

Want to encourage discussions and engagement on social media? To open the door for communication, remember the power of the question. Make it interesting. It would help if you posed a provocative question that leads people to want to share their thoughts. A vague "yes/no" question like "Agree?" doesn't spark discussion.

Examples of Discussion-Encouraging Questions

• I'm curious. Do you have a story to share about your experiences with _____? (Fill in the blank.)
• How have you benefited from ________? (Fill in the blank.)
• When was the last time you _________? (Fill in the blank.)
• What's your favorite memory of ________? (Fill in the blank.)
• Do you think there's a chance that _______? What leads you to that conclusion? (Fill in the blank.)

11. Ego I know... that's a pretty loaded term. But think about it. Influencers and industry leaders enjoy the spotlight. If they didn't, they wouldn't be influencers. Tag one or more influencers in your post and ask them to share.

12. Social Media Commerce

Social media has become increasingly more influential in consumer shopping choices. And some platforms have capitalized on this new social media trend by introducing shopping carts. Your customers can investigate and buy your products and services without ever leaving the social media platform.

Again, social media platforms want users to stay on them for as long as possible. Feel free to take advantage of the tools they offer. It's a win-win for you and the platform.

13. Humanized Brands-The Power of Authenticity

And, finally, you may have noticed this growing trend. People value transparency and authenticity in their relationships-and that ideal is spreading to how they feel about the brands they support.

The social media marketing trends of 2021 predictions from the pros indicate that your audience wants to know who you are and what you stand for. And businesses that align themselves with socially-conscious themes are viewed more favorably by their customers.

Lean into yourself and let your light shine. Tell your stories. You are who you are, and there's a tribe out there waiting to meet and support you and your business!