Great Minds - Social Media 2022: Understanding the Attention Economy
Published on 1st May 2022In this online session, the McCann LIVE team explore the latest social trends, how social behaviour is changing and how brands can earn a meaningful role in people’s lives. Tom Grocott, Head of LIVE, and Joe Cronin, Head of Social at McCann Birmingham, guide us through the social ecosystem and offer practical advice and tips for brands looking to maximise the impact of their current social media activity.
This 50-minute live session took place on Thursday 27th January at 10 am. Missed it? Catch up below.
Social Media 2022: Everything You Need to Know
The social media landscape is still growing. There are now 4.62 billion social media users worldwide and they’re spending an average of two hours and 27 minutes on social media every single day.
With so many eyeballs out there, how can brands not only get the attention of audiences but also hold onto it?
Connection is more critical than ever, especially as users thumb through around 300ft of content every day. Creating a connection is, of course, much easier said than done when every other brand, influencer, creator, charity, friend and family member are all trying to do the same thing. To be successful, brands need to go back to basics to understand what a connection really is.
Connection = an emotional response
Emotional consideration is critical in decision making. Too many brands are making the mistake of being productised and forgetting the emotion in their social media activity.
Three ways to make a better emotional connection on social media:
Utilise Sound
For years, we’ve been told that users are watching with devices set to silent, but sound is rapidly becoming our best creative asset in social media. TikTok has reported that brands using their music-driven, sound-on ad solutions have seen a 120% awareness lift. But it’s not just about TikTok, voice notes are on the up and more social platforms, such as LinkedIn and Twitter, are launching audio-only features.
Have a distinctive brand personality
Twitter recently analysed 5,000 unprompted Tweets and found that conversations and engagements with brands are up double digits. Replies to brands alone have increased by 44%, but expectations are high and audiences are bored of seeing the same content over and over again. By creating a distinctive voice and personality, brands stand a better chance of being memorable and connecting with audiences.
Embrace the creator economy
Whilst distinctiveness is key, it’s nothing without authenticity. Content needs to resonate with audiences and content creators are often the best way to do that. Platforms such as Instagram are giving content creators more control over their audience as well as access to subscription options. As these models evolve, creators will have deeper and closer connections with their audiences. If creators aren’t in your social strategy already it’s worth considering how your brand can work with them.
