With the current climate of COVID-19 continuing to hit the world hard, media spend on social advertising was up 50.3% during the holiday season according to Socialbakers Q4 2020 report.
The Christmas break saw a strong increase in video content and live streaming powered by new online shopping capabilities initiated in China by Generation Z. However, classic influencer marketing lost a bit of traction, with users responding more to innovation and the use of new technologies.
To no surprise, advertisers have directed more spend towards digital media advertising since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. With a user always connected to their phone, marketers would miss big opportunities if they were not investing in tactics that push their audience to shop during an unstable holiday period.
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other top platforms understood the new landscape and are now developing their retail offerings for advertisers to drive e-commerce sales through their platforms. Advertisers now need to watch the increase in popularity of live video content. In Q4 2020, Facebook Live was the most engaging format on the American social platform, whilst 18% of all Instagram posts were videos.
Livestream and direct shopping media are expected to grow fast in a foreseeable future due to the reduction in flagship stores. Walmart in the US has already moved forward by launching a pilot with a TikTok Live stream that lets the viewers tapping on products and buying items without living the app.
Walmart livestream activation was supported by popular creators which predicts a shift in influencer marketing however ad-sponsored posts remain strong with brands who are more open to working with influencers levelling at 100K followers.
All Response Media viewpoint
At All Response Media, we urge all advertisers to watch the digital space which is growing and changing by the minute. We are currently developing new social strategies for our client set so do not hesitate to reach out to your ARM team if you need help in adapting your marketing strategies.
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