Each year blogging and social media sees huge changes. For 2015, Periscope, Meerkat, Blab and live video streaming apps were hot. Everyone and their mother bought a selfie stick. Where are things going for the New Year? Here’s a forecast for 2016 Blogging Trends and predictions. We want to hear what you think. Be sure to add your thoughts on what’s ahead in blogging, below in the comments.
Sponsored Posts
Traffic and Tracking – Brands are interested in numbers and reach but also measuring their ROI of a campaign. Don’t be surprised if you are asked to include a custom HTML code on sponsored posts so they can track number of visits your post received. This makes it easy for account reps to report back on just how far the sponsored message went.
Focus on subscribers – Your total reach, which includes the number of Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram followers you have is relevant for brands when it comes to selecting bloggers for campaigns. But brands and marketers also want to reach the people who sign up to get your content in their inbox. Subscribers are a great indication of engagement and are more loyal to you and your recommendations. Still need to build a list? If you haven’t provided your audience with a free printable, download, e-course, or exclusive offer as a thank you for subscribing – do it now! This is a great list building strategy.
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Brand ambassadorships – Look for longer relationship opportunities with brand ambassadorships. Instead of three to six month relationships, brands will look to connect with content creators on a long term basis. We expect brand ambassadorships to last upwards of six months to really nurture the relationship between the content creator and their audience on behalf of the brand.
Media appearances – Media savvy influencers have greater opportunities to speak as experts in their niche and on behalf of a brand. Community Member and former TV reporter Danielle Smith appeared on Good Morning America in December 2015 on behalf of HP.
Content
Live Video – While Periscope is available to anyone with a Twitter account, Facebook Live is rolling out slowly for celebrities and major media stars. Once it’s more widely used, expect Facebook live to be a key part of blogging in 2016 for sponsored content and connecting with your audience. Both Periscope and Facebook Live are going to continue to grow in users and capabilities.
Longer blog posts – Google considers blog content of 500 or more words more authoritative and brands will ask for longer blog posts. Consider adding more words, images and keywords to your most popular blog posts.
Longer Tweets – Twitter recently announced it will be increasing the number of characters available per tweet. Whether longer tweets will be launched in 2016 is unknown at the moment, however, this is sure to have an impact on how influencers and brands will use Twitter for campaigns.
Our Network
Our CEO Nadia Jones has already discussed changes to influencer campaigns for 2016, especially when it comes to live events and live streaming video. Changes to how Twitter parties are conducted also seem on the horizon.
To make sure you’re ready for 2016 campaigns, update your bios on your blog and social media channels. Also, don’t be afraid to dive into new channels or test out some new ideas on platforms you are comfortable with.
Check out the 2016 Media Marketing Predictions from the experts at Social Media Examiner. It covers everything from the importance of private groups for influencers and the importance of creating ideal visuals for each social media platform.
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