There was no shortage of changes to the social media industry last year, including several new features, consumer preferences and brand opportunities. Looking toward 2018, social media trends will continue to evolve and surprise us.

While it’s practically impossible to predict how the social media marketing landscape will change over the next year, but it’s possible to be certain that a few trends will last. For example, we are certain that AI and Instagram Stories were a smashing hit last year. We also saw the beginning of Instagram shopping and users can now purchase via Instagram too. Facebook and Twitter Chatbots were also a few noteworthy trends from last year.

That’s why we’re here to provide six social media trends in 2018 that marketers should keep an eye on:

Brand and customer engagement rates

One out of three consumers would mention a brand while sharing something on social media. The connection between the brands and customers on social media is getting closer by the day. They love sharing accomplishments on social media and brands are realizing the impact of social media engagement in creating lasting relationships with customers. In 2018, this kind of engagement will be on the rise.

Customizable Chatbots

2018 will see another period of the rise in the use of Chatbots that can automatically reply to the social messages your brand receives. Use of chatbots on social media e.g. Facebook Messenger has been shown to increase organizational productivity up to over three times. However, in 2018 – the customization of the chatbots will be the answer to answering very specific questions from customers.

Social listening tools

Social listening is a practice of tracking your conversations that revolve around specific phrases or words. You can then focus on those words or phrases to find new opportunities to create content specifically for those audiences. Social listening tools allow brands to analyze and reflect on their audiences actions. Additionally, organizations can track overall brand health, create better marketing campaigns and ultimately improve customer experiences. This helps you pay more attention to what your customers have to say and push your brand in the right direction.

In-platform messaging and Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories tops the list of social media trends that will rock 2018 because of it’s sheer ability to engage users. For businesses, it’s essential to reach these users where they spend their time.

More Augmented-Reality & Face Filters

Face filters or AI lenses are going to be popular in 2018 as well. Snapchat already had this feature and it was very popular. Instagram could be next in line to offer brands the chance to get users to interact with custom built filters.

Moving Forward

With 2018 here, it’s necessary to understand social trends and learn and reflect on what worked and what needed improvement last year to address the social landscape for the next year more effectively.