8 Data-Backed Recommendations for Social Media Marketers in 2022 [Insights from 300+ Professionals]

The start of the new year is an exciting time for marketers to re-evaluate their social media marketing strategies and take advantage of new opportunities as social platforms evolve.

From new features to algorithm updates and disruptive social apps, keeping up with these changes can be challenging, but also allows you to tap into exciting new possibilities to help your company grow better in 2022.

To help you get the most of your social media strategy in the new year, I recently published findings from the HubSpot Blog's Social Media Trends Survey, where I collected data from more than 300 B2B and B2C marketers to answer questions like:

• Which social media platforms are marketers currently leveraging?
• What type of content are marketers posting and which formats do they use most?
• Which platforms, content types, and formats have the best ROI?
• When is the best time and day of the week to post on social media?
• What challenges do social media marketers anticipate in 2022?
• What are marketers' plans and expectations going into 2022?"

I've taken a deep dive through our survey data and made a list of some of the key recommendations social media marketers should consider in 2022. Here are just a few suggestions, based on our data.

8 Data-Backed Social Media Marketing Recommendations for 2022

1. Champion your company values

Content that reflects your brand’s values is the most popular type of content among social

media marketers right now and has the 3rd highest ROI of any content type

This will continue growing in 2022 as 95% of those who leverage this type of content plan on increasing or maintaining their investment, and 21% plan to use it for the first time

This aligns with our previous marketing trends survey, where we found that social responsibility will be a top trend in 2022

Additionally, we found that social media marketers who say their social media strategy has been effective in 2021 are 21% more likely to leverage content that reflects their brand’s values than those who reported an ineffective social media strategy last year

2. Embrace funny, interactive, and relatable content.

Funny content has the highest ROI of any content type and is also rated the most effective by social media marketers

The use of funny content will continue to grow in 2022, with 33% planning to invest more in funny content than any other format.

Additionally, 56% of those who don’t use funny content plan to leverage it for the first time in 2022, while 95% of those who already use it will increase or maintain their investment this year

Interactive content is No. 2 when it comes to usage, ROI, and effectiveness, and will also grow significantly in 2022.

49% of those who don’t leverage interactive content plan to use it for the first time in 2022, while 97% of those who already use it plan to invest more or maintain their investment this year

On top of all that, we found that social media marketers who say their social media strategy has been effective in 2021 are 25% more likely to leverage interactive content than those who reported an ineffective social media strategy last year.

Relatable content will see increased investment among current users as well as first-time users.

54% of social media marketers who don’t leverage relatable content are planning to for the first time this year, while 93% of marketers who already leverage it plan to increase their investment or continue investing the same amount in 2022

3. Don’t choose influencers based on follower count.

Followers aren’t everything. Influencer marketers are placing an emphasis on quality of content first, then engagement rates, alignment with values, and aesthetic, followed by follower count at #5 on that list.

Social media marketers who say their social media strategy has been effective in 2021 are 26% more likely to consider the quality of influencers’ content when determining which influencers to partner with on social media than those who reported an ineffective social media strategy last year

Micro-influencers (10k-100k followers) are the most popular type of influencer marketers work with, but it isn’t necessarily because they are cheaper. The graph below shows that the amount companies pay influencers can vary greatly, even when we account for the size of their following. This supports our finding that follower count is not what marketers are prioritizing when looking to partner with influencers.

The quality of the influencer’s content, the rate at which their followers engage, and their alignment with your brand can be much more impactful metrics of how much an influencer partnership is worth.

Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are the most popular platforms marketers leverage when working with influencers.

Facebook has the best ROI for influencer marketing, followed by Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok.

4. Explore new or emerging social media platforms and features.

Social media marketers search for new or emerging social platforms to leverage often, with 86% searching at least once a quarter and many searching monthly (29%), weekly (22%) and 20% searching multiple times a week. Just 1% say they never search for new platforms.

The top new or emerging platforms social media marketers are investing in are Twitter Spaces, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Shops

At the same time, they are pulling their investment in lesser-known live audio platforms (Spoon, Riffr, Discord Stage Channels, Spotify Green Room) as more established ones like Twitter begin to incorporate live audio features.

5. Invest in building social media communities.

64% of marketers are leveraging social media communities, and this number will only keep growing, as 30% of those who don’t use social media communities plan to start in 2022.

Additionally, 96% of those who already leverage social media communities plan to invest more or continue investing the same amount this year.

Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Tumblr are the platforms marketers build communities on most.

6. Leverage research and data to reach their target audience.

In our survey, we asked marketers how effective or ineffective their social media strategy has been this year. I then examined our data through these two separate groups, the first being those who said their social media strategy was effective, compared to the second which rated their social media strategy as ineffective.

When trying to find their audience on social media, the effective group is:

• 21% more likely to use social listening
• 17% more likely to research the demographics of social media platforms
• 17% more likely to research relevant online communities
• 14% more likely to analyze demographic data their company already has

7. To reach younger audiences, create short-form video content that's funny, trendy, and reflects your brand’s values.

Younger audiences like Gen Z (6-24) and Millennials (25-40) prefer shorter video content that is funny, trendy, and reflects a brand’s values, making platforms with short-form video features like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram ideal for reaching them.

8. To reach older audiences, leverage interactive/educational content on Facebook.

Gen X (41-56) and Baby Boomers (57-75) prefer interactive/educational content, such as interviews/podcasts/expert discussions and live videos, and Facebook is their platform of choice.

More Data-Backed Marketing Insights

Want even more marketing and social media data? Many of the results from the Social Media Trends survey overlapped with the Blog's recent Marketing Trends survey, including the dominance of short-form video, the power of influencer marketing, the opportunity presented in “Live” video and audio chat rooms, and the top social media platforms.

Check out our detailed Social Media Marketing Report here or our Marketing Trends recommendations post here for more recommendations on these topics.

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/data-backed-social-media-marketing-recommendations

The start of the new year is an exciting time for marketers to re-evaluate their social media marketing strategies and take advantage of new opportunities as social platforms evolve.

From new features to algorithm updates and disruptive social apps, keeping up with these changes can be challenging, but also allows you to tap into exciting new possibilities to help your company grow better in 2022.

To help you get the most of your social media strategy in the new year, I recently published findings from the HubSpot Blog's Social Media Trends Survey, where I collected data from more than 300 B2B and B2C marketers to answer questions like:

• Which social media platforms are marketers currently leveraging?
• What type of content are marketers posting and which formats do they use most?
• Which platforms, content types, and formats have the best ROI?
• When is the best time and day of the week to post on social media?
• What challenges do social media marketers anticipate in 2022?
• What are marketers' plans and expectations going into 2022?"

I've taken a deep dive through our survey data and made a list of some of the key recommendations social media marketers should consider in 2022. Here are just a few suggestions, based on our data.

8 Data-Backed Social Media Marketing Recommendations for 2022

1. Champion your company values

Content that reflects your brand’s values is the most popular type of content among social

media marketers right now and has the 3rd highest ROI of any content type

This will continue growing in 2022 as 95% of those who leverage this type of content plan on increasing or maintaining their investment, and 21% plan to use it for the first time

This aligns with our previous marketing trends survey, where we found that social responsibility will be a top trend in 2022

Additionally, we found that social media marketers who say their social media strategy has been effective in 2021 are 21% more likely to leverage content that reflects their brand’s values than those who reported an ineffective social media strategy last year

2. Embrace funny, interactive, and relatable content.

Funny content has the highest ROI of any content type and is also rated the most effective by social media marketers

The use of funny content will continue to grow in 2022, with 33% planning to invest more in funny content than any other format.

Additionally, 56% of those who don’t use funny content plan to leverage it for the first time in 2022, while 95% of those who already use it will increase or maintain their investment this year

Interactive content is No. 2 when it comes to usage, ROI, and effectiveness, and will also grow significantly in 2022.

49% of those who don’t leverage interactive content plan to use it for the first time in 2022, while 97% of those who already use it plan to invest more or maintain their investment this year

On top of all that, we found that social media marketers who say their social media strategy has been effective in 2021 are 25% more likely to leverage interactive content than those who reported an ineffective social media strategy last year.

Relatable content will see increased investment among current users as well as first-time users.

54% of social media marketers who don’t leverage relatable content are planning to for the first time this year, while 93% of marketers who already leverage it plan to increase their investment or continue investing the same amount in 2022

3. Don’t choose influencers based on follower count.

Followers aren’t everything. Influencer marketers are placing an emphasis on quality of content first, then engagement rates, alignment with values, and aesthetic, followed by follower count at #5 on that list.

Social media marketers who say their social media strategy has been effective in 2021 are 26% more likely to consider the quality of influencers’ content when determining which influencers to partner with on social media than those who reported an ineffective social media strategy last year

Micro-influencers (10k-100k followers) are the most popular type of influencer marketers work with, but it isn’t necessarily because they are cheaper. The graph below shows that the amount companies pay influencers can vary greatly, even when we account for the size of their following. This supports our finding that follower count is not what marketers are prioritizing when looking to partner with influencers.

The quality of the influencer’s content, the rate at which their followers engage, and their alignment with your brand can be much more impactful metrics of how much an influencer partnership is worth.

Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are the most popular platforms marketers leverage when working with influencers.

Facebook has the best ROI for influencer marketing, followed by Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok.

4. Explore new or emerging social media platforms and features.

Social media marketers search for new or emerging social platforms to leverage often, with 86% searching at least once a quarter and many searching monthly (29%), weekly (22%) and 20% searching multiple times a week. Just 1% say they never search for new platforms.

The top new or emerging platforms social media marketers are investing in are Twitter Spaces, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Shops

At the same time, they are pulling their investment in lesser-known live audio platforms (Spoon, Riffr, Discord Stage Channels, Spotify Green Room) as more established ones like Twitter begin to incorporate live audio features.

5. Invest in building social media communities.

64% of marketers are leveraging social media communities, and this number will only keep growing, as 30% of those who don’t use social media communities plan to start in 2022.

Additionally, 96% of those who already leverage social media communities plan to invest more or continue investing the same amount this year.

Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Tumblr are the platforms marketers build communities on most.

6. Leverage research and data to reach their target audience.

In our survey, we asked marketers how effective or ineffective their social media strategy has been this year. I then examined our data through these two separate groups, the first being those who said their social media strategy was effective, compared to the second which rated their social media strategy as ineffective.

When trying to find their audience on social media, the effective group is:

• 21% more likely to use social listening
• 17% more likely to research the demographics of social media platforms
• 17% more likely to research relevant online communities
• 14% more likely to analyze demographic data their company already has

7. To reach younger audiences, create short-form video content that's funny, trendy, and reflects your brand’s values.

Younger audiences like Gen Z (6-24) and Millennials (25-40) prefer shorter video content that is funny, trendy, and reflects a brand’s values, making platforms with short-form video features like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram ideal for reaching them.

8. To reach older audiences, leverage interactive/educational content on Facebook.

Gen X (41-56) and Baby Boomers (57-75) prefer interactive/educational content, such as interviews/podcasts/expert discussions and live videos, and Facebook is their platform of choice.

More Data-Backed Marketing Insights

Want even more marketing and social media data? Many of the results from the Social Media Trends survey overlapped with the Blog's recent Marketing Trends survey, including the dominance of short-form video, the power of influencer marketing, the opportunity presented in “Live” video and audio chat rooms, and the top social media platforms.

Check out our detailed Social Media Marketing Report here or our Marketing Trends recommendations post here for more recommendations on these topics.

via Perfecte news Non connection

Virtual, Hybrid, or In-Person: Business Leaders Weigh In on the Future of Events

In 2019, Microsoft hosted their annual Ignite event in Orlando for one week. It was the most successful Ignite they'd ever had, with well over 27,000 attendees.

That is, until the fall of 2021 — when they hosted over 270,000 attendees in a virtual version of the same event.

A couple of years ago, the majority of businesses hosted in-person trade shows and conferences. Virtual conferences were a rarity.

But, post-pandemic, we're seeing a major shift towards virtual or hybrid events. In fact, HubSpot Blog Research found roughly 40% of marketers plan to increase their investments in virtual events, webinars, and conferences in 2022, followed by 39% who plan to spend the same amount as they did in 2021. A mere 16% plan on decreasing their investment.

Bob Bejan, Microsoft's Vice President of Global Events, is unsurprised by this shift towards virtual, and believes it was always destined to be the future of events.

He told me, "The pandemic is really just an accelerator of something that was going to be inevitable anyway, but probably would have taken five or six years instead of just two."

Here, I spoke with experts across industries to learn more about the surprising future of events — and whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid will become the norm. Plus, what it could mean for your business.

Let's dive in.

The Future of Events, According to Experts

The Case for Virtual

We all remember the challenges of in-person events: Shuffling from conference room to conference room, running to catch the last bus back to your hotel, feeling overstimulated by exhibition spaces full of businesses competing for your attention.

Simply put, in-person events can be incredibly stressful and frustrating experiences for attendees — particularly with larger gatherings.

As Microsoft's Bejan puts it, "The dirty little secret of in-person events is you're all competing for the biggest number — but the bigger the number, the worse the experience for the attendees."

Bejan adds, "The power and effectiveness of virtual events is just so convincing from a data perspective that it's hard to imagine they're ever going away. Virtual events at every dimension are so much more effective than in-person events."

Nowadays, you'll be hard-pressed to find a business leader who doesn't recognize the benefits of virtual events.

Among other things, virtual events can:

• Lower the price of admission, which can increase attendee count and enable businesses with smaller budgets to take part in your conference and offer unique insights.
• Lower the costs your business would typically pay for conference space, on-hand staff, catering, security, and more.
• Enable people across the globe to interact without needing to spend money on flights and hotels.
• Attract high-demand speakers who might not have the time to attend your event in-person, but are happy to share insights via video call or pre-recorded presentation.
• Provide you with the opportunity to create a product (recordings from your conference) that you can repurpose for future lead generation offerings.

And, as we saw in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the pandemic: Sometimes, virtual events are the only option, when unforeseen circumstances makes in-person events impossible.

Virtual events are incredibly powerful opportunities to reach new audiences and increase brand awareness. In fact, 80% of marketers are able to reach wider audiences and increase their ROI by hosting virtual events.

Virtual events have also come a long way since the early days of webinars. Nowadays, brands are upping the game by offering incredibly unique, immersive virtual experiences.

For instance, consider INBOUND 2021, which enabled attendees to network at virtual meetups, interact in real-time with attendees and speakers, and learn from renowned speakers like Oprah and Spike Lee — all from the comfort of their own homes.

For many brands, virtual events will be the only practical option for events well into the future. As Bejan posits, "If you're a small or medium-sized business and you're trying to reach people and deliver impressive experiences, our feeling is that there's no better way to spend your money than in the digital space."

However, if you're wary of virtual-only experiences, you're not alone. Many business leaders are unsure whether it's a wise idea to take away the in-person component entirely, particularly when so many attendees learn and network best in-person.

Enter: The hybrid event.

Why Hybrid Is a Powerful Alternative

Picture this: You're sitting on a beanbag chair, an iced coffee at your side, and you're looking up at a row of huge, circular screens with a variety of sessions happening concurrently.

You put your headphones on and dial into one session, while the person beside you — with whom you connected earlier, at the food station, and traded business cards — sits and listens to a different one.

While it might sound futuristic, it's not.

Prior to the pandemic, Bejan and his team worked on shifting Microsoft's event strategy towards one in which the primary offerings were always digital — known as the "digital core".

"And then," Bejan told me, "rather than making destinations — which is the way we used to do events — we would distribute that digital core, and simultaneously activate events around that digital core locally and regionally, so that we can deliver those special and unique things that you can only do in-person."

These spaces, known as 'hang spaces', were exactly as described in the example above. People would sit together in a rented conference space, watch Microsoft's pre-recorded or live digital sessions, and experience the very networking they craved.

If, alternatively, someone wanted to watch from home, they could do that, too.

This is one hybrid example, but there are many in various forms. Consider, for instance, Social Media Marketing World, an annual conference for social media managers.

As of 2022, the conference is now offered in-person at the San Diego Convention Center, or via remote live stream. If you want to attend the three day event in-person, you'll need to pay upwards of $1,700 (depending on whether you want an extra day and access to live stream, as well). Alternatively, the on-demand conference costs between $597 and $797.

With a hybrid strategy, you're solving the needs of two different subsets of people — those who actively seek out in-person experiences, and those who'd prefer to learn remotely. Ultimately, a hybrid strategy is a compelling option if you find your audiences' preferences are split between in-person and remote.

As ON24's VP of Strategy & Research Cheri Hulse puts it, "Hybrid has presented itself as a good midway point for marketers as they try to navigate global and regional regulations, audience preferences, and contractual obligations with venues."

Hulse adds, "Hybrid allows marketers to feel their bases are covered for delivering an event — no matter what is thrown at them leading up to the big day."

Penny Elmslie, Xero's GM for Brand & Community, told me that hybrid is an option that excites her as we enter a new era for events.

Elmslie says, "The beauty of a hybrid model is it allows our events to scale, while enabling us to connect with those who for physical, financial, or medical reasons may not be able to attend in person."

Elmslie adds, "In creating the right experience, we also purposefully make the hybrid delivery shorter and sharper to what you'd expect live, ensuring we respect our audience's time in front of screens."

Elmslie continues, "We've found the current environment has changed people's expectations, challenging us to ensure we're providing enough flexibility in our model to cater to all audiences. Fortunately, advancements in event technology and production skills have enabled us to continue to surprise and delight our audiences in new ways — even when they can't physically be with us."

Sarika Abraham, Media & PR Manager at Hexnode, is working on putting together her first hybrid event this year, Hexcon 22.

For her, the biggest challenges include the project management skills required to combine an in-person and virtual event into one seamless experience.

Abraham told me, "With twice the benefits comes twice the labor. Hybrid events are complex and require intricate management of both a physical platform and a virtual stream. I believe that managing the increased complexity, cost, and risks associated with integrating different platforms, tools, and technologies is the pivot of successfully conducting a hybrid event."

If you're interested in planning a hybrid event in 2022, you're in luck. Hulse shared her tips for marketers looking to plan their first hybrid event.

She told me, "My one tip for marketers planning hybrid events is to remain flexible and listen to feedback. When ON24 planned a hybrid event last year, we offered lots of options for attendees to select how they wanted to consume the experience: in-person or virtually."

Hulse adds, "This was critical as we saw attendees change their mind as the date neared and their situations changed. Ultimately, the success of the event was based on audiences consuming content and engaging with the experience — and we left it up to them to decide how they would do that."

Reachdesk's Global VP of Marketing Christy Steward also shared some key takeaways for marketers looking to plan hybrid events in 2022.

Steward told me, "The one piece of advice that I'd suggest for any business running their first hybrid event would be to make sure that you pay equal amounts of attention to both in-person and remote attendees. Although both groups will technically be at the same event, they'll be having very different experiences, so keep this in mind when planning."

Steward adds, "A smart gifting strategy can help create an equally memorable experience for every attendee. For example, if you're providing snacks and refreshments for in-person attendees, make sure you send virtual attendees a coffee voucher before the event or even better a box of coffee beans and something to nibble on during the event."

Additionally, to ensure your in-person and remote attendees feel equally included, consider how you might leverage unique tools. 

For instance, Airmeet's VP of Product, Vikas Reddy, told me, "Plan for opportunities that will make sure your virtual attendees feel heard through polls, bringing them on the stage, etc. Facilitate networking between in-person and virtual attendees through curated sessions like speed networking, breakouts, and 1-1 meetings."

Reddy adds, "Also, double down on mobile capabilities that will offer your in-person attendees a digital pocket guide, taking care of everything from navigation to networking. Make sure you capture data for both the set of audiences across all the above mentioned touchpoints. This can contribute valuable insights into what matters to each audience segment and thereby lay down the strategy for future hybrid events."

All of that is well and good … but what about the people who simply crave in-person experiences?

Let's explore the future of in-person events, next.  

For Some Brands, In-Person is Still Most Effective

Over the next couple years (and depending, of course, on health and public safety regulations), we'll begin to see some businesses return to hosting fully in-person events. And, for certain industries, in-person will always be the most effective.

Brittani Dinsmore, Head of Marketing at Moz, believes the reason 16% of marketers plan on decreasing their investment in virtual events in 2022 comes down to the need for in-person interactions.

Dinsmore says, "​​I think we're seeing a shift away from virtual events because there's a growing demand to return to face-to-face interactions. Zoom fatigue is a real thing. Many individuals are burnt out from conducting professional and personal meetings through a screen."

Dinsmore adds, "People can't experience the full scope of some events, like networking or a convention, from their living room. Live events, in particular, have a certain energy that can't be replicated virtually."

For instance, while MozCon, Moz's annual marketing conference, has been held online for the past two years, Dinsmore told me her team is tentatively planning on hosting MozCon 2022 in person again (as long as restrictions subside).

Along with the benefit of face-to-face connection, Dinsmore makes the point that it's often easier to generate meaningful leads and attract new sponsors in-person compared to virtual.

There's also real science behind the importance of in-person interactions. Consider, for instance, how 55% of the impact of our communication comes from body language, 38% from tone of voice, and just 7% from the words themselves.

In a virtual world, it can be difficult to pick up on nuances in body language and tone through a computer screen. Which means some meaningful connection will be lost in a world primarily focused on virtual interactions.

"The move back to in-person events will be gradual," Dinsmore says, "As new COVID variants pop up, companies will continue to hold hybrid events to serve the groups who feel comfortable meeting in-person and those who prefer attending functions from home."

Dinsmore continues, "But I think companies should consider sponsoring or engaging in smaller networking groups rather than hybrid events to ease back into things. Once the pandemic subsides, I foresee many planning a grand return to in-person events."

So ... What's right for you?

Ultimately, the choice of in-person, virtual, or hybrid is largely yours. As Hulse points out, "In the future, I expect to see a mix of event types in the B2B space. Between hybrid, physical, and digital events, it will be up to marketing leaders to calibrate the right mix of the three based on audiences needs and preferences, budget, and marketing priorities."

And if you do lean towards virtual or hybrid events in the future, consider how you might innovate on what's already been done. There's unlimited potential in the virtual and hybrid event space — and we're really just getting started.

As Bejan told me, "We had one big epiphany when we delivered a streaming version of our Las Vegas show, and found that the largest audience of people watching our keynotes watched from their hotel rooms. So that was an insight for us: As long as you make good, interactive television, you'll find success."

"And," Bejan adds, "in my almost 30 years of business … This is the most compelling work I've done in my career. It's really, really fun."

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/future-of-events

In 2019, Microsoft hosted their annual Ignite event in Orlando for one week. It was the most successful Ignite they'd ever had, with well over 27,000 attendees.

That is, until the fall of 2021 — when they hosted over 270,000 attendees in a virtual version of the same event.

A couple of years ago, the majority of businesses hosted in-person trade shows and conferences. Virtual conferences were a rarity.

But, post-pandemic, we're seeing a major shift towards virtual or hybrid events. In fact, HubSpot Blog Research found roughly 40% of marketers plan to increase their investments in virtual events, webinars, and conferences in 2022, followed by 39% who plan to spend the same amount as they did in 2021. A mere 16% plan on decreasing their investment.

Bob Bejan, Microsoft's Vice President of Global Events, is unsurprised by this shift towards virtual, and believes it was always destined to be the future of events.

He told me, "The pandemic is really just an accelerator of something that was going to be inevitable anyway, but probably would have taken five or six years instead of just two."

Here, I spoke with experts across industries to learn more about the surprising future of events — and whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid will become the norm. Plus, what it could mean for your business.

Let's dive in.

The Future of Events, According to Experts

The Case for Virtual

We all remember the challenges of in-person events: Shuffling from conference room to conference room, running to catch the last bus back to your hotel, feeling overstimulated by exhibition spaces full of businesses competing for your attention.

Simply put, in-person events can be incredibly stressful and frustrating experiences for attendees — particularly with larger gatherings.

As Microsoft's Bejan puts it, "The dirty little secret of in-person events is you're all competing for the biggest number — but the bigger the number, the worse the experience for the attendees."

Bejan adds, "The power and effectiveness of virtual events is just so convincing from a data perspective that it's hard to imagine they're ever going away. Virtual events at every dimension are so much more effective than in-person events."

Nowadays, you'll be hard-pressed to find a business leader who doesn't recognize the benefits of virtual events.

Among other things, virtual events can:

• Lower the price of admission, which can increase attendee count and enable businesses with smaller budgets to take part in your conference and offer unique insights.
• Lower the costs your business would typically pay for conference space, on-hand staff, catering, security, and more.
• Enable people across the globe to interact without needing to spend money on flights and hotels.
• Attract high-demand speakers who might not have the time to attend your event in-person, but are happy to share insights via video call or pre-recorded presentation.
• Provide you with the opportunity to create a product (recordings from your conference) that you can repurpose for future lead generation offerings.

And, as we saw in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the pandemic: Sometimes, virtual events are the only option, when unforeseen circumstances makes in-person events impossible.

Virtual events are incredibly powerful opportunities to reach new audiences and increase brand awareness. In fact, 80% of marketers are able to reach wider audiences and increase their ROI by hosting virtual events.

Virtual events have also come a long way since the early days of webinars. Nowadays, brands are upping the game by offering incredibly unique, immersive virtual experiences.

For instance, consider INBOUND 2021, which enabled attendees to network at virtual meetups, interact in real-time with attendees and speakers, and learn from renowned speakers like Oprah and Spike Lee — all from the comfort of their own homes.

For many brands, virtual events will be the only practical option for events well into the future. As Bejan posits, "If you're a small or medium-sized business and you're trying to reach people and deliver impressive experiences, our feeling is that there's no better way to spend your money than in the digital space."

However, if you're wary of virtual-only experiences, you're not alone. Many business leaders are unsure whether it's a wise idea to take away the in-person component entirely, particularly when so many attendees learn and network best in-person.

Enter: The hybrid event.

Why Hybrid Is a Powerful Alternative

Picture this: You're sitting on a beanbag chair, an iced coffee at your side, and you're looking up at a row of huge, circular screens with a variety of sessions happening concurrently.

You put your headphones on and dial into one session, while the person beside you — with whom you connected earlier, at the food station, and traded business cards — sits and listens to a different one.

While it might sound futuristic, it's not.

Prior to the pandemic, Bejan and his team worked on shifting Microsoft's event strategy towards one in which the primary offerings were always digital — known as the "digital core".

"And then," Bejan told me, "rather than making destinations — which is the way we used to do events — we would distribute that digital core, and simultaneously activate events around that digital core locally and regionally, so that we can deliver those special and unique things that you can only do in-person."

These spaces, known as 'hang spaces', were exactly as described in the example above. People would sit together in a rented conference space, watch Microsoft's pre-recorded or live digital sessions, and experience the very networking they craved.

If, alternatively, someone wanted to watch from home, they could do that, too.

This is one hybrid example, but there are many in various forms. Consider, for instance, Social Media Marketing World, an annual conference for social media managers.

As of 2022, the conference is now offered in-person at the San Diego Convention Center, or via remote live stream. If you want to attend the three day event in-person, you'll need to pay upwards of $1,700 (depending on whether you want an extra day and access to live stream, as well). Alternatively, the on-demand conference costs between $597 and $797.

With a hybrid strategy, you're solving the needs of two different subsets of people — those who actively seek out in-person experiences, and those who'd prefer to learn remotely. Ultimately, a hybrid strategy is a compelling option if you find your audiences' preferences are split between in-person and remote.

As ON24's VP of Strategy & Research Cheri Hulse puts it, "Hybrid has presented itself as a good midway point for marketers as they try to navigate global and regional regulations, audience preferences, and contractual obligations with venues."

Hulse adds, "Hybrid allows marketers to feel their bases are covered for delivering an event — no matter what is thrown at them leading up to the big day."

Penny Elmslie, Xero's GM for Brand & Community, told me that hybrid is an option that excites her as we enter a new era for events.

Elmslie says, "The beauty of a hybrid model is it allows our events to scale, while enabling us to connect with those who for physical, financial, or medical reasons may not be able to attend in person."

Elmslie adds, "In creating the right experience, we also purposefully make the hybrid delivery shorter and sharper to what you'd expect live, ensuring we respect our audience's time in front of screens."

Elmslie continues, "We've found the current environment has changed people's expectations, challenging us to ensure we're providing enough flexibility in our model to cater to all audiences. Fortunately, advancements in event technology and production skills have enabled us to continue to surprise and delight our audiences in new ways — even when they can't physically be with us."

Sarika Abraham, Media & PR Manager at Hexnode, is working on putting together her first hybrid event this year, Hexcon 22.

For her, the biggest challenges include the project management skills required to combine an in-person and virtual event into one seamless experience.

Abraham told me, "With twice the benefits comes twice the labor. Hybrid events are complex and require intricate management of both a physical platform and a virtual stream. I believe that managing the increased complexity, cost, and risks associated with integrating different platforms, tools, and technologies is the pivot of successfully conducting a hybrid event."

If you're interested in planning a hybrid event in 2022, you're in luck. Hulse shared her tips for marketers looking to plan their first hybrid event.

She told me, "My one tip for marketers planning hybrid events is to remain flexible and listen to feedback. When ON24 planned a hybrid event last year, we offered lots of options for attendees to select how they wanted to consume the experience: in-person or virtually."

Hulse adds, "This was critical as we saw attendees change their mind as the date neared and their situations changed. Ultimately, the success of the event was based on audiences consuming content and engaging with the experience — and we left it up to them to decide how they would do that."

Reachdesk's Global VP of Marketing Christy Steward also shared some key takeaways for marketers looking to plan hybrid events in 2022.

Steward told me, "The one piece of advice that I'd suggest for any business running their first hybrid event would be to make sure that you pay equal amounts of attention to both in-person and remote attendees. Although both groups will technically be at the same event, they'll be having very different experiences, so keep this in mind when planning."

Steward adds, "A smart gifting strategy can help create an equally memorable experience for every attendee. For example, if you're providing snacks and refreshments for in-person attendees, make sure you send virtual attendees a coffee voucher before the event or even better a box of coffee beans and something to nibble on during the event."

Additionally, to ensure your in-person and remote attendees feel equally included, consider how you might leverage unique tools. 

For instance, Airmeet's VP of Product, Vikas Reddy, told me, "Plan for opportunities that will make sure your virtual attendees feel heard through polls, bringing them on the stage, etc. Facilitate networking between in-person and virtual attendees through curated sessions like speed networking, breakouts, and 1-1 meetings."

Reddy adds, "Also, double down on mobile capabilities that will offer your in-person attendees a digital pocket guide, taking care of everything from navigation to networking. Make sure you capture data for both the set of audiences across all the above mentioned touchpoints. This can contribute valuable insights into what matters to each audience segment and thereby lay down the strategy for future hybrid events."

All of that is well and good … but what about the people who simply crave in-person experiences?

Let's explore the future of in-person events, next.  

For Some Brands, In-Person is Still Most Effective

Over the next couple years (and depending, of course, on health and public safety regulations), we'll begin to see some businesses return to hosting fully in-person events. And, for certain industries, in-person will always be the most effective.

Brittani Dinsmore, Head of Marketing at Moz, believes the reason 16% of marketers plan on decreasing their investment in virtual events in 2022 comes down to the need for in-person interactions.

Dinsmore says, "​​I think we're seeing a shift away from virtual events because there's a growing demand to return to face-to-face interactions. Zoom fatigue is a real thing. Many individuals are burnt out from conducting professional and personal meetings through a screen."

Dinsmore adds, "People can't experience the full scope of some events, like networking or a convention, from their living room. Live events, in particular, have a certain energy that can't be replicated virtually."

For instance, while MozCon, Moz's annual marketing conference, has been held online for the past two years, Dinsmore told me her team is tentatively planning on hosting MozCon 2022 in person again (as long as restrictions subside).

Along with the benefit of face-to-face connection, Dinsmore makes the point that it's often easier to generate meaningful leads and attract new sponsors in-person compared to virtual.

There's also real science behind the importance of in-person interactions. Consider, for instance, how 55% of the impact of our communication comes from body language, 38% from tone of voice, and just 7% from the words themselves.

In a virtual world, it can be difficult to pick up on nuances in body language and tone through a computer screen. Which means some meaningful connection will be lost in a world primarily focused on virtual interactions.

"The move back to in-person events will be gradual," Dinsmore says, "As new COVID variants pop up, companies will continue to hold hybrid events to serve the groups who feel comfortable meeting in-person and those who prefer attending functions from home."

Dinsmore continues, "But I think companies should consider sponsoring or engaging in smaller networking groups rather than hybrid events to ease back into things. Once the pandemic subsides, I foresee many planning a grand return to in-person events."

So ... What's right for you?

Ultimately, the choice of in-person, virtual, or hybrid is largely yours. As Hulse points out, "In the future, I expect to see a mix of event types in the B2B space. Between hybrid, physical, and digital events, it will be up to marketing leaders to calibrate the right mix of the three based on audiences needs and preferences, budget, and marketing priorities."

And if you do lean towards virtual or hybrid events in the future, consider how you might innovate on what's already been done. There's unlimited potential in the virtual and hybrid event space — and we're really just getting started.

As Bejan told me, "We had one big epiphany when we delivered a streaming version of our Las Vegas show, and found that the largest audience of people watching our keynotes watched from their hotel rooms. So that was an insight for us: As long as you make good, interactive television, you'll find success."

"And," Bejan adds, "in my almost 30 years of business … This is the most compelling work I've done in my career. It's really, really fun."

via Perfecte news Non connection

10 New Instagram Features Marketers Should Be Using in 2022

With TikTok on its heels, Instagram is rapidly rolling out new features to benefit both brands and creators alike.

These upgrades come as no surprise — especially considering the competitive nature of social media. But for marketers, the volume of new features can be overwhelming.

Let’s look at these exciting upgrades and how to leverage them in your 2022 Instagram strategy.

10 New Instagram Features Marketers Should Be Using in 2022

1. Partnership Inbox

Image Source

Gone are the days of missed opportunities because of a busy inbox. Now, brands and creators can quickly find and manage their communications in one location — partnership messages.

Partnership messages is a sub-folder in the Direct Messages tab. These messages skip the request folder and get priority placement — making it easier than ever to find and manage branded content partnerships.

2. Story Links

Remember when story links were an exclusive feature to those with 10,000+ Instagram followers? Here's some good news — it's now available to everyone.

Image Source

No matter your follower count, you can use a link sticker to direct users to your website, product pages, blog posts, and more. This is a win for marketers who use the platform to increase traffic.

Here's how it works — after creating an Instagram story, click on the sticker icon, then tap the “Link” sticker. From here, enter the desired URL and voilà — you have a link in your story.

3. Add Yours

Image Source

You've likely seen this feature while browsing Instagram stories — but how does it work, exactly?

Add Yours is a new sticker for Instagram stories. It's fairly simple — someone writes a prompt and shares it to their story. Then other users can respond to the prompt with their own spin. When you click on the sticker, you can view everyone who has contributed to the thread.

For example, if you create an Add Yours sticker with the prompt "Outfit of the Day," other users can respond to it with a photo or video of their outfit.

This feature adds another layer of interactivity to the platform. Due to its shareability, it's known to kickstart trends and challenges. But for marketers, it's especially useful for sparking conversations and showcasing your brand's creative side.

4. Find Creators

Image Source

Instagram is officially playing matchmaker. The platform is testing a new suite of tools to help brands and creators connect.

Let's start on the creator side — users can add brands to a preferred brand list. Then, when a brand searches for creators to partner with, those who have the brand in their list will appear at the top of search results. This makes it easier for brands to find creators who already show an interest.

Brands can also filter creators by follower count, age, gender, and location — which Instagram believes will help brands “organize shortlists to easily manage multiple campaigns."

5. Story Auto-Captions

Image Source

If you're like me, you rarely watch Instagram stories with audio — which is why the new caption sticker is a game-changer.

This feature automatically converts what someone says in a video into text so that users can watch without sound. For some users, this feature is also available on Reels, its answer to TikTok.

Now, audiences can engage with your videos — with or without sound. This feature also takes a big step in making Instagram content more accessible.

6. Social Fundraising

Image Source

In response to the effect of COVID-19 on the economy, Instagram launched a new social fundraising feature. Users can create fundraisers for their business or a cause that's important to them. According to Instagram, it's seen "a large wave of digital activism responding to the global conversation around racial justice."

This feature aligns with a simple truth about today's consumers: they're belief-driven. These days, consumers are looking for brands that take a stand on the issues that matter to them. Now, it's easier than ever to create fundraisers directly on Instagram that benefit such causes.

Keep in mind that all fundraisers go through a review process. Once approved, you're ready to start raising money.

7. Collabs

Image Source

Instagram is testing a new feature that allows you to co-author content with a fellow Instagram user — meaning, whatever you post will appear on both of your profiles. You share likes, comments, and view counts on these posts.

For brands, the collabs feature opens up a new way to partner with influencers, boost brand awareness, and engage with another community in a meaningful way.

8. Calendar Tool

Image Source

Here's some exciting news if you have a business profile — Instagram is planning to double the data tracking period within Instagram Insights from 30 to 60 days.

Social media marketers can finally ditch the third-party apps that provide a longer tracking period. Instead, this information will be readily available within Insights. This is a great example of Instagram listening to feedback from users who have been requesting such an upgrade for months.

9. Subscriptions

Image Source

Instagram launched Subscriptions just this year – a feature that allows creators to charge a monthly subscription fee in return for exclusive content and benefits.

Here's how it works — creators set a monthly subscription price of their choice, and a "subscribe" button will appear on their profile. They can offer a range of benefits to subscribers — like exclusive livestreams and Stories.

It's part of a greater effort to help creators make a living on its platform – thus staying active on it. This also enables creators to develop deeper connections with their followers.

This new feature comes shortly-after Twitter recently announced a similar subscription model — Twitter Blue — and we suspect more social media platforms will follow.

10. Visual Replies on Reels

Image Source

Instagram recently announced a new way to respond to comments on Reels — with another Reel.

If you create short-form videos on Instagram Reels, you can now make visual replies to comments, which is similar to TikTok's reply function. It’s a highly engaging and interactive way to engage with both followers and leads, and vice-versa.

Final Thoughts

Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. However, the platform isn’t just growing – it’s also evolving. It only makes sense that your social media marketing strategy also evolves to leverage these new features.

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/new-instagram-features

With TikTok on its heels, Instagram is rapidly rolling out new features to benefit both brands and creators alike.

These upgrades come as no surprise — especially considering the competitive nature of social media. But for marketers, the volume of new features can be overwhelming.

Let’s look at these exciting upgrades and how to leverage them in your 2022 Instagram strategy.

10 New Instagram Features Marketers Should Be Using in 2022

1. Partnership Inbox

Image Source

Gone are the days of missed opportunities because of a busy inbox. Now, brands and creators can quickly find and manage their communications in one location — partnership messages.

Partnership messages is a sub-folder in the Direct Messages tab. These messages skip the request folder and get priority placement — making it easier than ever to find and manage branded content partnerships.

2. Story Links

Remember when story links were an exclusive feature to those with 10,000+ Instagram followers? Here's some good news — it's now available to everyone.

Image Source

No matter your follower count, you can use a link sticker to direct users to your website, product pages, blog posts, and more. This is a win for marketers who use the platform to increase traffic.

Here's how it works — after creating an Instagram story, click on the sticker icon, then tap the “Link” sticker. From here, enter the desired URL and voilà — you have a link in your story.

3. Add Yours

Image Source

You've likely seen this feature while browsing Instagram stories — but how does it work, exactly?

Add Yours is a new sticker for Instagram stories. It's fairly simple — someone writes a prompt and shares it to their story. Then other users can respond to the prompt with their own spin. When you click on the sticker, you can view everyone who has contributed to the thread.

For example, if you create an Add Yours sticker with the prompt "Outfit of the Day," other users can respond to it with a photo or video of their outfit.

This feature adds another layer of interactivity to the platform. Due to its shareability, it's known to kickstart trends and challenges. But for marketers, it's especially useful for sparking conversations and showcasing your brand's creative side.

4. Find Creators

Image Source

Instagram is officially playing matchmaker. The platform is testing a new suite of tools to help brands and creators connect.

Let's start on the creator side — users can add brands to a preferred brand list. Then, when a brand searches for creators to partner with, those who have the brand in their list will appear at the top of search results. This makes it easier for brands to find creators who already show an interest.

Brands can also filter creators by follower count, age, gender, and location — which Instagram believes will help brands “organize shortlists to easily manage multiple campaigns."

5. Story Auto-Captions

Image Source

If you're like me, you rarely watch Instagram stories with audio — which is why the new caption sticker is a game-changer.

This feature automatically converts what someone says in a video into text so that users can watch without sound. For some users, this feature is also available on Reels, its answer to TikTok.

Now, audiences can engage with your videos — with or without sound. This feature also takes a big step in making Instagram content more accessible.

6. Social Fundraising

Image Source

In response to the effect of COVID-19 on the economy, Instagram launched a new social fundraising feature. Users can create fundraisers for their business or a cause that's important to them. According to Instagram, it's seen "a large wave of digital activism responding to the global conversation around racial justice."

This feature aligns with a simple truth about today's consumers: they're belief-driven. These days, consumers are looking for brands that take a stand on the issues that matter to them. Now, it's easier than ever to create fundraisers directly on Instagram that benefit such causes.

Keep in mind that all fundraisers go through a review process. Once approved, you're ready to start raising money.

7. Collabs

Image Source

Instagram is testing a new feature that allows you to co-author content with a fellow Instagram user — meaning, whatever you post will appear on both of your profiles. You share likes, comments, and view counts on these posts.

For brands, the collabs feature opens up a new way to partner with influencers, boost brand awareness, and engage with another community in a meaningful way.

8. Calendar Tool

Image Source

Here's some exciting news if you have a business profile — Instagram is planning to double the data tracking period within Instagram Insights from 30 to 60 days.

Social media marketers can finally ditch the third-party apps that provide a longer tracking period. Instead, this information will be readily available within Insights. This is a great example of Instagram listening to feedback from users who have been requesting such an upgrade for months.

9. Subscriptions

Image Source

Instagram launched Subscriptions just this year – a feature that allows creators to charge a monthly subscription fee in return for exclusive content and benefits.

Here's how it works — creators set a monthly subscription price of their choice, and a "subscribe" button will appear on their profile. They can offer a range of benefits to subscribers — like exclusive livestreams and Stories.

It's part of a greater effort to help creators make a living on its platform – thus staying active on it. This also enables creators to develop deeper connections with their followers.

This new feature comes shortly-after Twitter recently announced a similar subscription model — Twitter Blue — and we suspect more social media platforms will follow.

10. Visual Replies on Reels

Image Source

Instagram recently announced a new way to respond to comments on Reels — with another Reel.

If you create short-form videos on Instagram Reels, you can now make visual replies to comments, which is similar to TikTok's reply function. It’s a highly engaging and interactive way to engage with both followers and leads, and vice-versa.

Final Thoughts

Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. However, the platform isn’t just growing – it’s also evolving. It only makes sense that your social media marketing strategy also evolves to leverage these new features.

via Perfecte news Non connection