Evolution of Social Media: Live Streams and SEO Trends
Social media is a true marvel! Look, in the 23rd year, social media took over. Firstly, updates occurred in the advertising cabinets of practically all popular social networks. The number of users increased on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. YouTube strongly competes for video traffic on social media, creating a real war between platforms.
Facebook also made significant changes. For example, they introduced a small CRM system for small businesses. This is great to use, especially if you don't have your own CRM or it is too expensive for you. Feel free to use Google's CRM, make notes for your leads.
TikTok changed its algorithm. Previously, they preferred short and entertaining videos, but now they like videos of two minutes. They also emphasized the importance of useful content and collaborations.
As for Instagram, things are always changing. This time, they focused on videos. Reels took priority over textual content, and accounts that actively use Reels get more attention from Instagram.
The gradual evolution of live streams has become a new stage in our online space. Memories of the times when TV shopping channels sparked excitement on the couch come to life in the new format of live streams. Now such broadcasts on TikTok sell well, confirming the insane statistics—eight-million sales via live stream have become a reality.
Live streams are flowing into other social networks, including Instagram, where now sales can be conducted. Facebook also highlights live streams, giving them priority. The changes are significant, and it's worth taking into account.
If generating texts and posts was easy before, now the task becomes more complex. It's important to consider updates from Google, which ranks content based on SEO and ICI queries. This also applies to TikTok—when writing descriptions, add ICI and SEO queries to get a high ranking in search.
Small businesses without their own website can compete by creating quality content, which is now the most crucial factor in this digital world. It not only captivates but also opens up significant opportunities for self-employed entrepreneurs and small businesses.
How SMM has Changed and New Approaches
The story I want to share is an example of how striking audiences can be achieved through short videos. Western bloggers decided to conduct an experiment by creating two identical YouTube accounts. On one, they posted 15 long videos, each ranging from 35 to 45 minutes, and on the other - 535 Shorts format videos. Afterward, they measured how many subscribers both channels gained in the same period of time.
The result was remarkable: the large channel gathered approximately 15,000 subscribers, while Shorts received 1.2 million subscribers. If you run a small business and use TikTok or Instagram Reels, you already know what to do. Transfer your content to YouTube and grow with a new audience.
YouTube is another powerful advertising channel that can be used with minimal expenses.
We don't always need to focus on large analytical systems or complex Google Analytics hacks. We are discussing how to ensure growth on a minimal budget, and social media now gives us this opportunity.
Content duplication, its easy modification, and creating unique elements can be key to success. This doesn't necessarily require significant financial investment - change a frame, use new filters, and you'll get unique content that can already be ranked in search. This is your opportunity to attract new customers through a powerful advertising channel without significant costs. I find this incredibly exciting.
In the modern world, there is a significant shift in the consumer approach to content. We, as consumers, are tired of idealized images. Mega-photoshopped models with perfect looks and advertising creatives no longer make the same impression. We want more humanity and reality.
This means that we want to see not only an ideally stylized product but also the process of its creation.
We are interested in how you produce your goods, how you solve problems, and how you respond to negative feedback. We want to ensure that your brand truly shares our values.
For businesses in the fashion industry, this means that you can openly talk about not only successes but also failures. About mistakes in choosing fabric or cutting patterns. You can show how easily your clothing can be combined with other items and whether it fits fashion trends. Share interesting stories from production and interaction with customers.
Such an approach allows you to build deep and long-lasting relationships with consumers. For example, in my own business, I talk about long-term partnerships with clients, where we not only collaborate but also share joy from personal events, such as a new four-legged friend. This makes communication with us more personal and unique.
So, in the new year, venture into the unknown, focus on connection, and build open relationships with your customers.
Don't be afraid of naturalness and openness in presenting your brand. You don't need sophisticated photo shoots or expensive backgrounds. Try to go beyond and take pictures of your product on the street. Show how your clothing looks in real life: a girl in your outfit buying coffee and strolling through the streets.
Live content and stories are powerful tools. Talk about yourself, your brand, and what you do. People appreciate your openness. Don't be afraid of your small or medium-sized company; even Google once started as a small project. People want to support you and follow your growth story.
Also, emphasize the content generated by your own users. Involve them in stories about you, your company, photo reviews, and usage experience. Your customers' stories can turn out to be real game-changers for your small company.
