With every New Year brings new trends, and the world of social media is no different. Some trends come and go, but when it comes to constant changes that happen on social media, many of the trend predictions tend to come true. What does this mean for you?

As a business owner you rely on social media to help with brand awareness and increasing sales, and is why you will need to pay close attention to these three facets below when creating your 2017 social media strategy.

Facebook for Business

Over the past year we have seen Facebook launch a multitude of different tools for businesses. Between Facebook shop and the new marketplace, we have seen the consumer side of Facebook start to shift, and that is good news for local businesses. Since the good folks at Facebook are looking for ways to make the consumer experience easier, they are starting to connect everything to your business page. Meaning less jumping around to different sites, and more social media focus. This will affect your 2017 strategy and how you get your products to your customers.

Another trend that we predict will be huge in 2017, is the Facebook recommendations from friends. Yes, pretty soon Facebook users will be able to recommend your business, and since referrals are the best ways to generate new customers and leads…this will be epic for your local business.

The Rise and Decline of Twitter

Oh Twitter. Some love it, some hate it, and some businesses just don’t thrive on it. Unfortunately over the past year Twitter has been slowly pushed to the side. Consumers want more, and with Twitters 150 character count, it left little room to give the people what they want. Although they have made adjustments allowing you to post photos without having to impact your character count, it is still not the most desirable platform for B2C. We aren’t saying pull your Twitter account yet, but if you are deciding between Twitter or Instagram for your social media strategy, and there is only room for one…Twitter may not be the perfect choice anymore.

Visual Expansion

In 2017, expect your social media strategy to get more visual. This means more videos, 360 images and live posts. Facebook has already moved towards this visual expansion with the addition of the live stream, and businesses will soon have to fall in line. Consumers live for visual content, so the more your produce, the more engagement you will receive.

How will you add this visual expansion to your strategy? Plan a weekly live post to start. If you are a restaurant, try cooking up your weekly special on a live stream or mixing up your signature cocktail. This will help your target audience feel like they are a part of your brand and will inspire them to visit your business in the future for a taste.

The New Year promises to be an exciting one in regards to social media. There are many more opportunities coming from your favorite social platforms, just keep an eye out and be sure to adjust your social media strategy accordingly.