From chatbots to influencer marketing Forbes looks at the biggest social media trends from the past year.
Forbes outlines a number of major social media trends that change the game in 2017.
Topping the list was the use of influencer marketing, where brands engage with people who are already popular as a way of reaching a bigger audience.
Forbes noted that in 2017, the budgets allocated for influencer marketing were set to double, and in 2018 they are expected to continue to grow.
Brands also began targeting Generation Z—AKA those born during or after 1995, and began focusing on community-focused communication.
“Brands are increasingly investing time and energy on messaging platforms that allow for more individual interactions,” Forbes reported.
Chatbots became hugely popular in 2017 and digital hangouts emerged. Meanwhile, e-commerce integrations, such as Facebook Marketplace began to grow.
Content legitimacy was a major trend in 2017, following the 2016 election and reports of “fake news” on social media platforms.
Stay tuned for CSD’s upcoming January issue for more on what’s ahead for social media in 2018.