Social networks are becoming leaders in content consumption and an indispensable tool for online marketing. Platforms are increasingly adapting to  consumer requests and offer new methods to promote business. Read about the latest SMM trends that will help  properly plan your marketing strategy for your MLM-проекта.

According to a study conducted by the We Are Social agency, 62.5% of the world's population uses the Internet. At the same time, the number of social network users in 2021 increased by 10% and reached 4.95 billion. For 54% of the audience, popular sites are one of the main channels for finding necessary goods and services.

Most successful MLM entrepreneurs use SMM to promote their personal brand, attracting the target audience and traffic to the site, promoting content and increasing sales.

Increase in the number of users Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok and the development of technology entails changes in social marketing trends. To succeed in this highly competitive market, it is important to follow current social media trends and skillfully use them to promote your business.

TOP SMM trends that rule the roost in 2022

№ 1.  Video content is on the rise

The video format confidently replaces text and visual. According to statistics, 96% of users watch at least one video a day, and commercials are a key factor in making a purchase decision or other targeted action. It is predicted that by 2025, video and live streaming will account for more than 80% of user Internet traffic.

The use of video content in SMM promotion allows:

• — more accessible to convey information about the company, products, business idea and benefits of cooperation;
• — increase traffic and stay time users on the page;
• — increase brand loyalty and trust;
• — warm up the interest of the audience and increase traffic to the site.
•  

Lately the trend is shifting towards shorter video content, which is instantly absorbed. In particular, the orientation towards “clip” audience mindset has become a major success factor TikTok и Instagram Reels.

With over a billion active users, TikTok is leading the way in terms of growth this year. The platform breaks records in terms of the number of app downloads and ad reach, offering a variety of promotional tools: targeting, special projects, shopping ads, filters, hashtag challenges, etc.

Inspired by the success of TikTok, other social networks are also implementing similar functionality to attract younger audiences and maintain market positions.

If you want to attract new users and keep the attention of existing ones, you need to learn to think outside the box and create bright, short, unique and most informative video content. 

№2. Promotion through micro-influencers

Until recently, many brands actively collaborated with top bloggers. – well-known opinion leaders, celebrities with a multi-million audience. Today more and more preference is given to micro-influencers who have greater potential fo network business promotion.

A small (up to 100 thousand) audience of micro-influencers is characterized by a high level of activity and involvement. Subscribers “star” bloggers tend to be passive. Moreover, there are often cases “накрутки” ( for example, with the help of contests where a prize is awarded for a subscription). Therefore, the share of really involved followers among celebrities is often ten times less.  

Recommendations of bloggers “of the people” more sincere and focused, based on personal experience in the niche and the needs of consumers, which inspires more trust. People willingly react to such publications: they like, repost and leave comments. Microinfluencers, in  in turn, can interact more frequently and directly with their followers – reply to direct messages, participate in discussions. 

According to research HelloSociety,advertising campaigns for bloggers with a small audience at a lower cost are 6 times more effective than those of “millionaires”, and engagement exceeds 60%. 

Of great importance in influencer promotion is the choice of a blogger who will become a full-fledged ambassador of your MLM project. Its audience must match your target audience, and the theme of the blog, personality, manner of communication and overall media image are ideally combined with the brand. The best option — блогер, which is an active partner of a network company and actively promotes the idea of ​​an MLM project through its channels. 

№3. Demand for user-generated content

When choosing products / services or business opportunities, people trust advertising less and less. Spontaneous purchases are gradually fading away, and consumers consider customers with real experience of cooperation with a particular company to be the most reliable sources of information. 

Therefore, more marketers are realizing the power of user-generated content. (User generated content), created by customers, partners and clients. Unlike expensive staged photos and videos, it is more original, creative and convincing.

Using UGC is beneficial for both MLM entrepreneurs and social media users. The former receive unique ideas and free fresh content for promotion, while subscribers get the opportunity to express themselves creatively, lucrative discounts and rewards  

Encourage your audience to leave reviews and comments, share the results of using the offered products and services, success as partners. This will help increase trust and brand loyalty, increase engagement and sales conversion.

To motivate subscribers, launch hashtag challenges and contests with prizes for winners, hold engaging seminars, webinars, chats, offer discounts and bonuses for reviews. Proper use of user-generated content in the SMM strategy can bring tangible benefits to the business.

No. 4. Openness and personalization are a priority

Social networks are oversaturated with a variety of content and promotional offers. In the struggle for the attention of the audience, brands that build the right communication with users and provide a high level of service will succeed.

Study your audience. Constantly monitor changes in tastes, interests, needs of potential customers and partners. To collect information, use all possible methods: built-in analytics tools, interactive content, direct communication with users. 

Understanding the audience will help you choose the best ways to interact with your audience, create personalized value propositions and reduce promotion costs. 

Be honest and open. This applies to both business and topics related to social, economic or political problems. Be frank about your views and goals, share business secrets, successes and failures, always answer questions, reviews and user comments (including negative ones).

MLM companies and leaders of structures that have a clear position, quickly adapt to the new reality and the demands of Internet users, are always relevant to their audience and are much more likely to attract truly loyal customers and partners.

No. 5. Preparing for the Metaworld

The emergence of content using virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) has made a splash in the world of social networks. Already today users Instagram могут использовать AR masks, virtual filters and online fittings. Facebook announced the transformation into a fundamentally new social network Metaverse, which will unite VR and AR technologies, smartphones and game consoles. 

Many well-known brands create their own metaverses in order to improve the quality of service and provide new user experience to their customers. 

For example, Microsoft is developing a new service for communicating in a virtual workspace,  Adidas launched an app in the sneaker fitting function (the user gets a 3D overview of the models). 

Although this direction is only developing (developmentFacebook will take about 5 years), brands should consider how they can use elements of the metaworld in the future and experiment with available tools. 

№6. Social commerce opens up new horizons for direct selling

Unlike e-commerce, selling through social networks —  it is an opportunity to directly interact with the audience and build trusting relationships with customers. 

Increasing the number of Instagram users, — a type of electronic commerce, the main difference of which is the use of social networks for the promotion and sale of goods/services.

That is, social networks are becoming the main sales channel, and not just one of the communication tools with the target audience. Using Instagram Shopping and Facebook Shop, subscribers can familiarize themselves with the product and immediately buy it without switching to third-party resources. 

Interaction with consumers in a limited environment allows you to take a potential client along the shortest path from the appearance of a need and obtaining information to personalized recommendations and ordering. 

Modern social commerce makes online shopping more interactive and customer-centric. At the same time, the number of actions that the buyer needs to perform is minimized. 

Incorporating social commerce tools into an MLM project promotion strategy will help you reap greater benefits in the future.

In an era when Internet users are becoming more sophisticated and selective, MLM entrepreneurs must keep abreast of global trends, try new methods of business promotion, not forgetting the quality of content. Do not be afraid to experiment, test the reaction of the audience and, perhaps, you will become the legislator of new SMM trends. 

For our part, we will advise you on how to optimize the promotion of your project and work with the partner structure. Contact our site manager Recruting.biz, to get a free consultation and recommendations of experts in the development of your business.