To say that Facebook is a constantly evolving, ahead-of-the-curve, trendsetting corporation is a total understatement. 2015 was a big year for the social media conglomerate, but 2016 looks to take the company and the platform to a whole new level.
Predicting where Facebook will go in 2016 is entirely dependent on where it went in 2015 and these are three predictions that seem most likely.
More videos: Facebook has long coveted the video market and seeks to dethrone YouTube as the internet’s main video provider. Though it is unlikely Facebook will surpass the video behemoth in near future, Facebook has continuously made it easier to both post and watch videos. In terms of marketing, look for business pages to share plenty of short videos with their audiences in 2016.
Another interesting possibility is the complete emergence of live video on Facebook. Periscope, a live video sharing service, blew up in 2015, and Facebook looks to tap into their concept moving forward. “Facebook Live” is their answer to the live video demand on social media. Businesses will be able to take full advantage of Live by letting their audience know that they will be broadcasting on Facebook at a certain date and time.
Unfortunately, live video means no editing. Slips in speech or unpredicted moments will be unavoidable, but I don’t expect this to scare marketers and businesses away.
A dentist, for example, could encourage her audience to send in questions about dental hygiene and then read her responses in a scheduled live-stream on Facebook. This would be a great way to stimulate engagement and personalization with her audience.
One concern is that there might not be a large audience willing to tune into something like that, but there are certainly ways to promote an audience (ex; the dentist will announce the winner for a free teeth whitening at the end of the stream).
First live video at Facebook HQ
Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Monday, September 14, 2015
Spike in advertising: Haven’t noticed the increase in ads on Facebook? That probably means that their system is working. Facebook’s ability to deliver ads to its users at such a high rate, without irritating them, epitomizes its real value.
Facebook already has one of the best online advertising systems on the market, and it’s a big reason why their advertising revenue increased 33.5% in 2015. Expect that trend to continue in 2016.
We posted an article back in September that highlighted the importance of advertising on Facebook. For businesses, big or small, advertising on Facebook makes more sense than advertising on TV, radio or print. Facebook is with us all day, everyday, no matter where we are due to the mobile takeover, so marketers have found the new best way to reach their audience.
The already in-depth targeting capabilities are continuously growing, and the price flexibility make it among the most affordable. Trends indicate further growth in 2016, and it is likely going to become unavoidable for marketers and businesses of all sizes.
Mobile domination: With 1.39 billion monthly active users and 894 million daily active users on Facebook (as of November 11, 2015), it’s clear that Facebook has perfected the mobile concept of their product. Of their users, 47% of them only log-in via mobile. This is a very large percentage that is likely to grow even larger in the new year.
With the continued dominance of mobile, aspects of the Facebook landscape can expect to see some changes. The shareability of content from a mobile device is much quicker and more convenient and will likely play a role in the continued evolution of Facebook.
A video, for example, can be recorded on a phone and instantly uploaded to Facebook. The same can be said for a picture. These instances compound Facebook’s efforts to be as convenient as possible.
The unquestioned presence of Facebook in the mobile realm also means that marketers are sure to set their sights on the platform. As of November 4, 2015, mobile ads accounted for 78% of Facebook’s entire advertising revenue. It’s hard to imagine that number rising, but given the certain growth of Facebook’s mobile dependency, it is almost a certainty.
Between videos, advertising and mobile growth, Facebook will offer so much more to users, businesses, and marketers alike in the new year.
For businesses that are looking to tap into Facebook’s future, look no further than NEXT! Ad Agency for your social media needs!
