Another year is here, so why not bring some new challenges in with it!
It happens every year. January hits, and the world goes crazy. New year, new me. We’ve all heard it. Most of us have probably said it, but what if we flip the tables on the stereotypical expression. Rather than focusing on building a new you this new year, try and focus on your work and the company that employs you. What can you do to help them progress in the new year? I’ll give you one hint: it all starts with the willingness to try something new.
In our workplace, it’s all about marketing…obviously, so for us, trying something new is second nature. Technology and trends change so frequently in the world that it makes it impossible to remain stagnant in our workplace. The good news, however, is that we don’t always have to rely on new things to find us. We have to be progressive in order to stay ahead, so follow along as we outline a few new things marketers can try this new year that will help build their brand and keep them in the conversation.
- TikTok
Let’s just get this one out of the way. TikTok is the social media giant that took the world by storm during the pandemic but has only grown since. Each day you can log on and scroll through video, after video, after video, after – you get the point. So this new year, we challenge you and your company to join the scroll.
For companies, TikTok is the new Facebook. When Facebook first hit it big, businesses were flooding to it, because that is where they needed to be. It was undeniable that Facebook wasn’t going anywhere, so people and businesses adapted to it. TikTok is no different.
With its speedy influx of users, TikTok has become the ‘it’ place to be. It seems that each day a new influencer is created from the platform, and more influencers means more ways to advertise. Right now TikTok is in its golden age. Because it is so young and so very popular, the paid advertising channels aren’t necessarily there. With Facebook, you have to pay to play. You must advertise in order to reach a large group of people. With TikTok, it’s all in the algorithm. Relevant hashtags, trending topics, and of course dance videos are what will help to send your businesses TikTok to the next level.
All of this is said, however, with the fair warning that not every single video of yours is going to be seen by the masses. It really does take the right formula of posting with trending sounds, uploading content at the right time, and gaining a following to help grow your TikTok. But don’t let any of that discourage you. Nothing worth having was easy to get, so download TikTok and get to creating! You never know what may come of it.
Much like TikTok, Instagram has their own platform called Instagram Reels where you can go and post bite-sized video content in hopes of reaching the masses. If TikTok seems too daunting for you, dip your toe in the Reels pond first. Is it seemingly the same thing? Yes; however, with Instagram, odds are you already have a page, which means you’ll spend less time growing your audience, and more time spreading your key messaging. That’s why we challenge you to start creating Instagram Reels in 2023.
In 2022, we dove head first into the Instagram Reels pool, and we have to say, it really paid off. The exposure this type of content can give you, far exceeds that of a static image. The good news about producing content such as a Reel or a TikTok is that you can have fun with it. For Rethink, we work hard to create content that is funny and relatable, but that, most importantly, is relevant to who we are and what we do. Much like TikTok, Reels are waiting for you. Go ahead and dip that toe in. We dare you.
Pinterest is oftentimes thought of as the social media site for women. It’s where women go to find recipes, DIY ideas, outfit inspo. You name it, Pinterest has got it. But there is more to Pinterest than that. In 2023, we challenge your business to utilize Pinterest’s new Idea Pins. These are essentially a slideshow of products, but in one nice, neat package. Created as a way to bring more inspiration to Pinterest users, Idea Pins are a great tool for any business.
When you log into Pinterest, you’re met with dozens of photos of whatever it is you’ve built your algorithm into. These Idea Pins want to meet you where you are, without bombarding you with more and more imagery right off the bat. The Idea Pin will have a small icon with a number in the top left-hand corner of the pin. This icon will have a number next to it to indicate how many slides are located within that one pin. These are a great tool for hairdressers trying to show off a new do, for boutique owners looking to showcase their new styles, or for any business owner that has something they’re wanting to sell. In today’s day in age, it’s important to meet people where they are, and these Pinterest Idea Pins do just that.
- BeReal
Ding! It’s time to BeReal! It’s everyone’s new, favorite social media site, and ladies and gentleman, it’s here to stay. For those who may not know, BeReal is an exciting new app that invites authenticity into your social sharing experience. With the notification coming through on your phone to ‘BeReal’, you have a short window to drop what you’re doing a snap and in the moment photo. The photo captures both a forward and an outward facing photo to give you a more in depth look into the lives of those you follow. Interesting right? So interesting that you want to try it for your business in 2023? We challenge you to do so!
What makes BeReal so unique is the encouragement of authenticity and real time posting. How long do you think it takes the average marketer to edit the perfect image before sharing it for their company? We can answer that…it takes a long time! BeReal is urging people to throw those needs of perfectionism out the window and just go with the flow. It’s an interesting concept, but it’s one that is ringing true with younger generations.
In recent years, Millennials and Gen Zers alike have been requesting more authenticity and realism from the brands they follow and support. BeReal is the perfect way to give an inside look into who you are as a company and what the day to day around the office looks like. We understand that the timing isn’t always right to post in the moment. We certainly would never recommend you interrupt a meeting so that everyone can ‘BeReal’, but we are recommending that you at least try it this new year. Keeping it real is a whole lot easier, and more fun, than we think.
2023 is shaping up to be a record year here at Rethink, and we want all of your 2023’s to be record years, too. We hope that you take at least one of these new trends and adapt them this year. With a little help from these up and coming apps, who knows what this new year could hold for you and your company.