Today’s social media lifestyle requires you to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to brand loyalty and audience engagement. In 2020 it’s simply not enough anymore to put up an aesthetically pleasing image and expect the algorithm works its magic.
For many years, the Millennial generation has become ubiquitous with the social media era and defining influencer marketing strategies, but now it’s Gen-Zers that are redefining the terms – and with a global presence of 32% they have become the next key target demographic for marketers. Their usage towards social media has been noted as less self-centered and less professional as compared to the previous generation.
Being a content creator myself, I have to look beyond the conventional marketing strategies many brands follow in order to stay ahead of the “creator curve.”
Some of the strategy changes I’ve adopted have not just come from web articles and blogs, but also watching and following the trends “young” influencers incorporate into their IG feeds (something which has helped me boost my audience engagement.)
Forgoing the “Instagram Aesthetic”
Long gone are the days of perfectly-curated feeds and highly saturated photographs. For Gen-Zers it’s all about the authentic feed and it’s a trend that more content creators are establishing.
The “No-edit edit” is sweeping across feeds in 2020 in efforts to be less manufactured, making room for more genuine relationships. It’s now all about being as authentic as possible and showing a more real and vulnerable side of your brand/page. One of my favorite’s has been the “anti-Marie Kondo life” – posts that boast of messy bedrooms and unorganized spaces as backdrops in lieu of perfectly designed homes, making you more relatable to your audience.
Year of Sustainability and The Decline in #OOTD
2019 saw a jump in sustainability in social media as more people discussed changes in their lifestyle to reduce their carbon footprint. For many fashion Instagram accounts, #OOTD (“Outift of The Day”) posts saw a rise in fast-fashion consumerism and the “buy-and return” craze.
Incomparison for Gen Z users, climate change and sustainability are high on their list of values. They want to see brands produce clothing in ethical ways and make more environmental commitments. Sustainable fashion is here to stay with influencers now removing the faux-pas of getting seen repeating outfits and instead wearing the same outfit 2-3x a week and promoting a better relationship with purchasing clothing.
For me, this has helped re-promote the idea of a “capsule wardrobe” to my followers and educate them about buying responsibly instead of just for Instagram.
Having Multiple Accounts
Social media has become an integral part of our identity that similar to our multifaceted personalities, having one account is not enough anymore. Three-quarters (73%) of Gen Z adults (ages 18-23 years old) actively use Instagram, so for many youth influencers, the app has become a outlet for creative expression.
The terms “rinsta” (real instagram) and “finsta” (fake instagram) have been floating around a while for young users, but only recently embraced by brands and other influencers. Instagram endorsed this trend early and created a button that makes it easy for users to toggle back and forth between accounts.
While many have regarded this as excessive, it can actually come in handy. It allows users to create to a more private, personal account (finsta) where you can just follow a smaller group of people and let your personality shine through via fun photos and videos that won’t affect your brand account (rinsta).
For me, this is one of the biggest changes I’ll be making to my page. Having a separate account where I can be myself without worrying about numbers and how it affects my brand will help keep me creative, mentally stronger, and more real to my users.
There’s no doubt about it: Gen-Zers are reinventing how we use social media. With 2020 well under way, these new trends and features have only helped me become a better content creator for my followers. No longer just a platform to market yourself, it’s allowed me to look beyond just the content and instead dig deeper to find more meaningful ways to resonate with my audience.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.
Photo credit: Instagram – @catherinedayal