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Top social media trends for brands and small businesses in 2022 

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Social media is constantly changing. How we use it and the features available are continuously evolving. Every year social media platforms roll out new features, update layouts, and reshape how we use their platforms. Businesses benefit greatly from the digital age with the opportunity to connect and market their brands to global consumers right at their fingertips. However, to make the most of social media and utilize all its features, it’s important to keep up with the latest social media trends. 

Today we’ve compiled a breakdown of popular social media trends and features by platform that you can use to better market your brand and small business in 2022.

social media, facebook

Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash

Facebook 

Facebook is a huge platform for brands and small businesses with tons of opportunities for customer engagement, brand promotion, and advertising. Four top Facebook trends brands and businesses should be sure to utilize and incorporate into their marketing strategies are: User-generated Content, Longform Posts, Facebook Stories, and Facebook Groups. 

User-generated Content (UGC) is content created by customers that (with permission) you may re-share on your own feed. This type of content is fun for your audience to see their videos, photos, reviews and comments shared by the brands they love. By incorporating UGC into your marketing you’re showing your customers that you value their brand-loyalty and engagement and it creates a greater bond between brand and consumer while bolstering the community. Additionally, UGC is authentic content that is mutually beneficial for both the user and the brand. 

Longform Posts are usually used to promote long ad copies. Typically accompanied by a visual such as an image, banner, or video, longform posts have been shown to perform well. According to research conducted on this topic, long ad copies tend to see “a lower cost per action (CPA)” and provide audiences with more information before they click, leading to a higher chance of engagement. 

To utilize longform posts in your branding use some eye-catching emojis as bullet-points, include a visual and testimonials, and use the longform format to give your audience the full scope of your offerings. 

Facebook Stories are a great way to share quick, short-form content and share videos, images, or links to other content. With Facebook Stories you can easily cross-post your stories to Instagram as well and vice-versa. Facebook Stories also has tools to create unique, eye-catching designs and visual content. To utilize stories in your branding, upload videos, photos, boomerangs and more to create story-specific content for your brand’s Facebook marketing. 

Facebook Groups are a great way to build your brand’s community and promote engagement. Groups can be invite-only or available for anyone to join and use. Brands and small businesses can use Facebook Groups to share tips and tricks for using products or services, generate brand awareness and become a thought leader in your industry, and build a community of loyal customers and followers. 

social media, instagram

Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash

Instagram 

Like Facebook, Instagram is another top social media platform for brands and small businesses. However, unlike Facebook, where text posts and longform content is more prevalent, Instagram is largely dominated by visual media. More focused is placed on eye-catching photos and enticing videos. Three top Instagram trends to take advantage of in 2022 are Story Links, Social Justice, and Collaborative Albums. 

Story Links are a big new feature in 2022 for small businesses. In the past, swipe-up story links were only available to accounts with 10,000 followers or more. However, Instagram has recently lifted this restriction, allowing anyone to include links to content in Instagram Stories. This gives smaller brands the opportunity to direct traffic to other sites and platforms, increasing engagement and sales! 

To utilize Story Links,  just tap on the “add sticker” icon in create mode and select the “link” sticker. You’ll then be prompted to add the redirecting URL and have the option to customize the sticker text.

Social Justice is a hot-topic on social media right now. In 2022, the interest in activism, especially with Gen Z users is high, and social justice advocates are some of the most active users on Instagram. If your brand is connected or aligned with a social cause, charity, or non-profit, this is the perfect time to use your social media presence on Instagram to promote those causes. 

Collaborative Albums are a new interactive feature introduced to Instagram in the Fall of 2021. This feature asks users to share their own Story based on a specific theme. Anyone can create a new theme with “Add Yours” stickers. Brands can use this feature to create challenges or calls to action. Followers can then add their content to the collaborative album. Like User-generated Content on Facebook, Collaborative Albums allows consumers to be involved in the branding and promotion of the businesses they love.  

You might be interested: How Instagram is helping Latina entrepreneurs survive the pandemic

social media, twitter

Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash

Twitter 

Twitter is a platform best known for its short-form content and opportunities for engagement. On twitter, fans are able to interact with celebrities, and content is spread rapidly through re-tweets and hashtags. Brands and small businesses can make the most of Twitter’s features by incorporating the platform into their marketing strategy. Some latest Twitter trends to try out include: Livestream Announcements, Asking Questions, and Relevant Hashtags. 

Livestream Announcements help direct traffic to your latest stream. For brands with many followers this is a great way to get the word out about live virtual events. Brands can also use Twitter to Live Tweet during the streams, so viewers can interact with brands live as they watch. 

Asking Questions is another great strategy to implement on Twitter. Since Twitter is known for it’s quick, short content and “retweets” and “replies”, asking questions on Twitter is a great way to engage in conversation with customers. Ask relevant questions, use questions as an ice-breaker to get larger conversations started, or utilize poll features to better gauge the opinions of your followers. 

Relevant Hashtags are super important on a platform like Twitter where hashtags are used as doorways to new audiences. Users searching specific hashtags will come across your content and this can be a great way to draw in new followers. To best utilize hashtags on your content, be sure to use simple hashtags that aren’t generic and don’t overdo it. Using too many hashtags, especially ones that are not relevant to your content will annoy users and decrease your credibility.

You might be interested: Lights, camera, action! Key strategies every Youtube newbie needs to know

youtube

Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash

Other Useful Tips

Live Streaming – People enjoy engaging in live interactions, especially since the pandemic livestreaming has become a way for people to connect and socialize. Use your livestreams as an opportunity to build your community. Be consistent with your streams. Go live on social media at the same times each week or whenever you schedule your streams and be sure to include engaging calls to action for your audiences.

Free Giveaways – People love free stuff! And most will usually exchange contact information for a freebie such as their email. Building up your mailing list is important for any brand or small business, so consider offering something for free on social media to build up that list and potentially obtain some new customers too.

Popular Video Platforms to utilize – Visual media is becoming increasingly important in our lives since the pandemic. As we mentioned, livestreams have become more popular in the past few years, but stories and other short-form video content are also on the rise as social media trends in 2022. Be sure to incorporate some of these video platforms in your branding and marketing strategies this year.

  • IGTV
  • Instagram Reels
  • Twitter Fleets
  • Facebook
  • TikTok
  • Snapchat

Be sure to keep these social media trends in mind as you plan your marketing and branding strategies in 2022!

How Chavez Web Design is helping to grow small businesses

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Chavez Web Design, LLC is a one-stop-shop for all your digital marketing needs. They help small businesses create their logo, videos, business cards, website, Google Ads, Search Engine Optimization, and social media marketing. They understand that every business is different and are committed to helping small businesses grow and accomplish their goals.

Noemi Chavez, owner and founder of Chavez Web Design. (Photo courtesy Noemi Chavez)

As “Growth With Google” partners and SBDC (Small Business Development Center) consultants, they also work to educate the small business community on how to promote their business with Google, and run their business more efficiently. 

Their goal and mission is to help organizations reach their growth goals through effective digital marketing strategies.

Chavez Web Design’s small business roots 

Chavez Web Design was founded by Noemi Chavez in 2008 when she became pregnant with her first child. What began as a small side business to earn some extra money has now become a successful full-time family business that she runs with her husband, Luis. 

“I was excited about the idea of spending more time with my son and making some extra money to support our little family at the same time,” says Noemi. “I quickly discovered that owning a business was pushing me to grow and to create new opportunities to help other small businesses. My passion for helping others allowed us to help over 600 businesses with their website and digital marketing.” 

Noemi is driven by her clients’ success and she truly understands the struggles of starting a small business because she’s been there herself. 

“Opening a new business is hard,” she says, reflecting back on her own struggles.

When she first began, finding clients was not easy, especially being a Latina woman entering a male dominated field.  

“At first, every prospect I visited asked me for work samples, and at that time, I didn’t have any,” says Noemi. “In 2008, I was knocking on doors every day of every week, but still no clients. Keeping myself motivated was not easy after getting that much rejection.”

However, these setbacks did not stop her and finally, after many months, she got her first client and doors began to open. 

“He introduced me to his friends and I started getting some momentum. But the biggest breakthrough was when I got introduced to the local chamber. It was perfect for me because all of the small business owners were there! They had the opportunity to learn about what I do, and I was going to help them with their business.”

Luis and Noemi Chavez, accepting award. (Photo courtesy Noemi Chavez)

Since then, Chavez Web Design has grown and helped hundreds of businesses reach their goals and succeed. The success stories are what motivate and inspire Noemi. 

“Nothing is more satisfying than hearing our client’s success stories after helping them with their marketing strategies,” she says. “We love what we do and we bring the result to our clients. What makes our company unique is that I have a sincere interest in having your business excel.” 

You might be interested: 3 Marketing challenges Latina-owned businesses face

Grow your business: Plan your work and work your plan 

For Noemi, success is helping others succeed. She strives to make her business a warm and welcoming place for clients and takes the time to really get to know them and understand their needs so that she can help them create strong businesses that can survive any situation. She is also committed to promoting education in the small business community by providing them with access to one-on-one training and tools to grow their businesses.

Chavez Web Design, digital marketing

Chavez Web Design, specializing in digital marketing and design for small businesses. (Photo courtesy Noemi Chavez)

One story Noemi shared with us was of one of her students named Olga, who Noemi helped launch her dream business.

“I met Olga Duran in one of my Google classes,” says Noemi. “She was super excited to be there! She was working at an orange packing house for the last 25+ years but her dream was to open a flower shop. She started to follow my classes at every place I had a teaching event, even though she had never been 25 miles away from her city!”

“She finally found the courage to register her business and open the doors. In her first month, she doubled her salary by running a business that she loves! Stories like hers make us want to keep improving. We want to provide the best service to see dreams come true every day.”

Success stories like Olga’s remind us that our dreams are possible, we just need to take the leap and not be afraid to seek help.

Noemi says to any aspiring entrepreneurs, “Forget about the fear of starting a business and start getting educated. Find people and organizations that can guide you to make better decisions. Do not listen to people that have never run a business.” 

Too often we stop ourselves from making a move out of fear or lack of knowledge, but there are people out there like Noemi ready to help you navigate the world of business. Success is possible. Your dreams are possible.

“Start by creating a business plan. Remember to plan your work and work your plan,” Noemi says. “Set up the right expectation of what you are getting into and most important: Be flexible and adapt your strategies according to the results that you are getting. Don’t wait for the perfect moment because it will never arrive. Just work with what you have. And good luck! “

interactive media Stacey De Jesus

Latina entrepreneur Stacey de Jesus uses interactive media to celebrate people’s lives

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Stacey De Jesus is a Latina entrepreneur of Puerto Rican descent, working in interactive media where she helps clients build digital platforms for their businesses. A detailed, goal oriented Latina, Stacey always stays on task to deliver exactly what her clients want.

interactive mediaShe is a team player who not only is able to deliver results, but also knows when to listen and let others take the lead. She spends time speaking with her clients, listening to their ideas, thoughts, and opinions, so that together they can make something great.

At 43-years old, she recently earned her Master’s Degree in Interactive Media last August– being the first in her family to do so. She now she works in the field of interactive media, helping businesses as well as people create digital products and build strong online communities.

“Getting businesses digital is my goal,” says Stacey.

She achieves this through various methods including: online marketing strategies, web design, video/audio editing, as well as video promotions.

“My disciplined approach is to create online content, ensuring that the final product will be meticulous and expertly tailored to [my clients’] specifications,” Stacey explains.

Her career in interactive media has always been about helping others through her gifts and talents. Stacey’s decision to start a business in this field began 5-6 years ago at her local church, Trinity Christian Center in Elizabeth, NJ.

interactive media Stacey De Jesus

Stacey De Jesus (second from L) with EVE staff at their first Trinity Christian Center Women’s Conference

She worked there as Media Director, helping them with their online presence and making videos and digital resources for the church. She enjoyed this type of work, being able to create something for others, and she soon realized she was good at it too. From there Stacey decided to go back to university to pursue her Master’s in Interactive Media.

Interactive Media as a path to celebrate people’s lives
Stacey De Jesus hard work paid off with her Interactive Media degree

Stacey De Jesus hard work paid off with her Interactive Media degree

While at university she faced some financial struggles. Being a single woman, working full-time, while also being a student, it was difficult to juggle finances while also devoting time to her growing business. However, now that she has graduated, Stacey is putting all her efforts into creating and having a successful business.

Propelling her forward through the challenges and obstacles are the words of her mentor, Amanda Tapping, who always says, “Small ripples, make big waves.”

“You may think you’re taking small steps, but in the end, you may be having the biggest impact,” says Stacey.

This is what motivates her when it feels like things are going nowhere. Results and success are not always instantaneous. Everyone’s path is different but the smallest steps and actions can lead to great things.

Stacey’s favorite example of this is seeing how her own products impact her clients. She recalls how she once created two videos for two separate individuals, to celebrate a family member’s life. One was deceased and the other was celebrating their 75th birthday.

Her videos touched the family members of those two people and she was able to use her skills to help celebrate their lives. A seemingly small act– putting together two videos– created such an impact for two families.

Experiences like these motivate Stacey to continue to use her business to “bless others” with her gifts. She began her career in interactive media as a way to help her church and community and she continues it now to help even more people expand their businesses digitally and create digital products that will make an impact–from a small ripple, to a big wave.

digital marketing

Latina Millennial Vicky Llerena shares digital marketing unorthodox tips for success

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Digital marketing expert, CEO and Co-founder of Social Vibes Media Vicky Llerena found her journey as a Millennial Latina entrepreneur after feeling bored and unhappy with her corporate job. Her company, Social Vibes Media is a digital marketing agency focused on helping small businesses increase their brand presence and teaches entrepreneurs how to get online customers with unorthodox tips for success.

digital marketing

Vicky Llerena, co-founder and CEO of Social Vibes Media

“I’m a millennial,” she says, “so my idea of highly successful habits might seem quite unorthodox to some.” As for the unexpected, Vicky has some of her own tips for success that perhaps may seem a little unusual.

The highly subjective, ambiguous term “success” can be interpreted in many ways. Vicky’s interpretation is this: take care of the mind, the body, and the soul.

Here are her 4 habits for success:

1. Always take breaks. I can’t seem to sit still. I fidget and toss and turn. My legs itch, my head begins to twitch, and I feel uneasy if I sit for too long. This is the problem I had working in corporate. I almost felt forced to sit still. When I ventured into my business, I felt an ease in taking breaks. Step away from your laptop for 15 min, walk outside, and allow your muscles to relax.

2. Connect with others. I often found that the most interesting conversations happened during the most unexpected situations: on a train ride, at a coffee shop, in line at supermarket, etc. We love to connect with others; it’s part of our inherent human nature. Allow yourself to genuinely connect with strangers (of course, with precautions) because some of these folks might be potential prospects, business partners, or angel investors.

3. Mindful Meditation. Mediate when you are alone or even while typing on your laptop. Writing has been a therapeutic process for me as well. Allow your thoughts to flow in a stream of consciousness style (think James Joyce). Pray or mindful meditation reminds us that there is more to life than a lucrative business plan.

4. Hustle hard

Practicing these four habits will help enrich the mind, body, and soul, and when one is centered and content– both physically, mentally, and spiritually– success is sure to follow.

Entrepreneurial fever

Vicky Llerena, a Millennial Latina digital marketing expert

She began her business after many years working in the corporate world. But how does one suddenly decide to quit their stable corporate job to start their own business?

For Vicky it all started with an itch.

She would sit fidgeting restlessly at her desk. This was the first symptom of what she called “entrepreneurial fever.” Her corporate eight-to-five job just wasn’t satisfying her anymore. She craved more.

“I desired for work that created value in my life,” Vicky shares. She did not know exactly what she wanted to do yet, but she knew corporate was no longer the place for her.

At the time she worked for PRN, a corporate wire distribution service. There she learned about multimedia marketing and how technology worked to connect people to a company’s message. She moved up the corporate ladder from entering journalist information into a database to creating user guides and manuals as part of the editorial team. Loving the world of marketing and helping others build their brands, Vicky began to formulate an idea to start her own marketing agency.

Then one day the fever just took over.

“I told myself, ‘I really want to do this on my own. I think I could help friends and family that have small businesses.’ So, I saved for about a year and then quit my corporate job to launch Social Vibes Media!”

Learning the hard way 

digital marketing

winner of the Withum CPA Entrepreneurial #StrengthStory, Vicky Llerena of @SocialVibes

When Vicky began her venture the first thing she did was open up a business credit card.

“This was one of the biggest mistakes I made as a small business owner,” she says. She did not yet have the customer base to support herself and so quickly she accumulated debt and had to borrow money from her savings.

“You need to first bootstrap while you get your first few customers and start generating revenue,” Vicky explains. “Then, when you’re more confident, you can apply for a loan or borrow money or open up a credit card.”

Another issue she struggled with at the start was utilizing her resources. When the company began, they decided to start and in-house team of videographers, which meant spending money on very expensive equipment– from cameras and tripods to laptops and software. These purchases only added to her debt.

These first mistakes however have taught her a great deal about managing cash flow and being resourceful. She has learned to cut overhead expenses such as tools, software, and equipment, by outsourcing or working in partnership with another company that already has the resources.

“We quickly learned that there was a pool of really good freelance videographers, photographers, and directors that you can work with that have their own equipment, editing tools, and software.”

Art of business and digital marketing

Collaborating and seeking help from other professionals is all a part of the art of business. To be successful in business one must connect with and learn from others. From working in partnerships to saving money on resources to problem solving with a mentor, business is all about team work.

Vicky has found her mentors to be invaluable wells of wisdom and support. She urges aspiring entrepreneurs to develop mentors in their lives and to absorb as much information as possible from them.

“I can attribute mentorship to my growth and success,” she says. “My mentors have helped me develop habits, open resources, and create strategies that otherwise would be difficult to figure out.”

Mentors can be life long friends, professional colleagues, or even the author of a book you really enjoy.

Earlier this year Vicky got to meet one of her favorite authors that she had been “obsessing” over. Chris Voss, author of Never Split the Difference, reached out to her after she posted an Instagram picture of her favorite books she had recently read, which included his own.

“He’s a master at the art of negotiation,” she says. “The art of business and sales has everything to do with psychological strategies.”

The two met up for coffee in NYC and Vicky eagerly picked his sales negotiation skills like a sponge that day.

One truly never knows who will end up being a mentor, so it’s important to always be listening, reading, learning, and connecting with new people. Sometimes the best guidance is the most unexpected.

With over ten years of experience in her field, Vicky has worked at Univision and PRNewswire and with organizations such as Rising Tide Capital, Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of NJ, Fownders, Latinas In Business Inc. and Small Business Development Center.

She has been featured in NJBiz, Huffington Post, CEO Blog Nation, and many other media outlets. Some of her awards and recognition include: the 2017 Top 25 Brand Builder presented by Leading Women Entrepreneurs, the 2017 Withum CPA Strength Story Entrepreneur Award, 2017 Lead Hudson County Recognition, and in 2016 she was recognized by NJBiz as a growing woman and minority marketing agency.