Jill Kurtz, Owner,Kurtz Digital Strategy

I’m doing a lot of reading and thinking about where social media marketing is headed. I offer these thoughts for your consideration.

Trust matters.

We’ve had headlines and even congressional testimony about security and privacy issues, and even fake news on social media. People no longer blindly trust that everyone they engage with online is legit and worthy of their trust.

To be successful, brands must earn trust. You need to be transparent in everything you do. You need to protect the privacy of the people who engage with you.

Be a strong and consistent brand.

Related to the trust issue, people will pay more attention to the sources of information. Brands they know (and trust) will win out over brands with no recognition.

Make this the year that you have a consistent brand and messaging online. Give yourself a strong identity that people will know and understand.

Tell your story.

Social media platforms are moving away from the concept of sharing news and toward telling stories. That’s because stories are what people read and understand. Humans have always been storytellers - stories around the campfire are now replaced with stories told to your social media tribe online.

Connect with people personally.

Everyone wants individualized attention. Marketers that take a personalized approach will be the most successful. Use tools that allow you to target your messages to very specific needs and interests.

Your audience is not a group of the same people. It is a collection of individuals. Success will depend on your ability to tap into differences and not just similarities.