The State of in 2021

White Paper

April 29, 2021 Introduction

The ever-evolving state of is not always an easy one to keep up with. Within the past year, social media behaviors have shifted as a result of a global pandemic, new networks emerging, top-ranking networks rolling out major updates, and more.

Enter Ignite Social Media. Since 2007, social media marketing has been all that our team focuses on, leading some of the biggest to success through our customized social media strategies. We earned our nickname, the original social media agency, because we literally wrote the book on it – two books, in fact.

Today, an essential part of our job is to stay on top of the constantly changing social landscape and prepare our clients for what’s next before it happens.

Based on our experience and research, we’ve compiled this comprehensive white paper as a resource for other brands and marketers in the industry seeking information about the current state of social media marketing and what their social media teams should be preparing for in 2021 and beyond.

Within these pages, you’ll find the following detailed information:

• Where to find your audience on social media;

• What motivates different audiences to use social media today;

• Which features are currently the most popular across the different networks;

• The current state of organic reach across different social networks;

• How to prepare for the demise of third-party cookie tracking later this year; and

• New features and opportunities networks plan to roll out throughout 2021. 2 10 Important Social Media Statistics for 2021

Let’s begin with a few key data-points on where the social media space currently stands in 2021.

1) TikTok was the most downloaded app in the U.S. in 2020 (89M), followed by (62M), (53M), (51M), and (31M). (eMarketer)

2) , the new “rising star” in social media, has amassed 3.2M U.S. downloads as of March 2021, 13M downloads worldwide. (App Annie)

3) Organic reach across social networks continues to decline, as the average reach per post on Facebook is 2.2%, on LinkedIn is 5.3%, and on Instagram is 9.4%. (Ignite Social Media)

4) The average consumer uses 3-6 social media networks/messaging apps. (GWI)

5) U.S. social ad spending is expected to increase 11.4% this year ($40B), and 21.3% in 2022 ($49B). (eMarketer)

6) 71% of businesses intend to increase their influencer spending throughout 2021 (Linqia) and while TikTok influencers are on the rise, Instagram is still the preferred platform for partnerships. (SocialPubli)

7) Daily time spent on social media networks is expected to decline on average 4% throughout the year, with Snapchat being the one exception. (eMarketer)

8) As of January 2021, 98.8% of social media users are accessing social networks via mobile devices. ()

9) Customer care on social media is vital, as 21% of consumers prefer to message brands on social versus calling, and 56% will unfollow a brand who then delivers poor customer service on social networks. (Smart Insights)

10) Of the top 5 social networks and messaging apps in the U.S., Facebook owns 4. (Statista)

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Out of those statistics listed on the previous page, which stood out to you the most? Organic reach across social The decline of organic reach and increase in spend makes sense to us, but what’s networks surprising about those data points is how much time continues to and money we still see brands put into organic content strategies, planning and publishing content decline, as the daily across social media platforms. average reach per post on Mind you, when the audience sees the post isn’t factored into the calculation here. It could be several Facebook is days from the original posting date that audiences 2.2%, on are shown a brand’s post in the feed. So, knowing LinkedIn is that only 2,200 of 100,000 followers on average are going to see a brand post on Facebook, many 5.3%, and on brands are reevaluating their organic content Instagram is strategy. Feel free to dive more into our recent study on organic reach and best practices for 9.4%. implementation here.

4 How Social Audiences Have Changed Heading into 2021

For every social strategy we develop for our clients, we leverage Forrester’s POST methodology, which starts with understanding the people we’re trying to reach on social. GWI (formerly known as GlobalWebIndex) is one of our most trusted research partners that helps our teams understand target audience behaviors within social media. Our expert teams dove into the Q4 2020 data (released in early 2021) to analyze not only which channels certain audiences were favoring, but insights into why they’re using certain channels, and which features they favor the most.

Key Insights by Age (GWI)

• Younger audiences (Gen Z and younger Millennials) over index for using Snapchat, TikTok, , and Instagram.

• Older audiences (45+) slightly over index for using LinkedIn and .

• While every generation has a presence on Facebook (they are after all, the most popular globally), audiences in the age range of 45-55 are as likely to use this network as the general population.

• Instagram ages range across the board, but the younger audiences make up most of the users. This insight could be one of the many reasons Facebook is working on developing a new version of Instagram for audiences under the age of 13. 5 How Social Audiences Have Changed Heading into 2021 continued Key Insights by Gender (GWI)

• Male users over index on social channels such as Reddit, , and LinkedIn, while Female users over index on all the remaining networks, most notably Nextdoor and Pinterest.

• Although Pinterest has touted a 40% global growth in male users, the above data shows that male audiences only make up approximately 1/4 of users versus females, indicating female usage still largely dominates the network.

Reasons for Using Social Media (GWI)

• Research shows the main motivator for using social media (55%) is to "Keep in Touch with Friends/Family" followed by "Filling Spare Time" (35%).

• Less popular reasons include work-related networking/research (13%), supporting good causes (13%), following celebs/influencers (14%) and making new contacts (15%).

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Key Insights on Social Media Actions/Features (GWI)*

• Video is King, Depending on the Type of Video 82% of all Watching a video is one of the top two activities social media users partake in across the majority of social consumer channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, traffic Twitter, and Reddit. will come from The above statement, however, excludes Facebook online videos Watch videos, as this type of video-on-demand content by 2022. is a much less commonly used feature on Facebook, (SocialMediaToday) alongside Live videos and using Facebook Dating (a very underutilized feature that launched in late 2019).

Seeing as TikTok is a video-centric platform, liking/commenting on video content or sharing videos with others is among the top actions users take on the platform.

• Instagram Winning the War

While most social networks now have a Stories feature of some sort, Instagram seems to be winning the war as 3 out of the 4 top activities on this platform relate to Stories. Good news for brands, it’s also on this platform that audiences are more likely to click on the “swipe-up feature” or react to poll/questions in Stories (although posting polls/questions is a lower utilized activity).

Snapchat activities also rank highly when it comes to Stories, however using the swipe-up feature is not as highly utilized by audiences on this platform.

• Clicks on Sponsored Content Surprisingly Low

Audiences reported clicking on a sponsored/promoted posts or ads as one of the three least common *See appendix for all activities across the majority of platforms, including GWI charts related to Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Twitter, and “Key Insights on Social Reddit. Media Actions/Features”

7 How Social Audiences Have Changed Heading into 2021 continued Key Insights on Social Media Actions/Features (GWI) continued

• Discover Features Underutilized

Instagram and Snapchat are both known for their Discover feeds. However, on both networks this action was ranked near the bottom of actions taken on the respective platforms.

• LinkedIn a Go To for Job Hunting, a No Go for Education

As many people lost jobs last year due to the pandemic, utilizing LinkedIn for job searches and networking was among the top activities on the platform. That said, users are less likely to participate in LinkedIn Learning courses or attend webinars/events on this channel. This could, however, change later this year with the introduction of social-audio events on the platform.

• TikTok Users Are More About Consumption vs Participation

While TikTok usage is at an all-time high, it’s less likely the average user is creating their own content, specifically when it comes to participating in trends or brand-initiated challenges.

• Pinterest Users Focus on Recipes and DIY

Another less surprising insight that’s still worth noting, the pandemic led brides across the country to halt their wedding-related activities on Pinterest. Instead, audiences have been more focused on using the platform for inspiration related to food/meal ideas as well as home décor as people try to make their homes a more enjoyable atmosphere during lockdowns.

8 How Social Audiences Have Changed Heading into 2021 continued

In addition to the GWI data, our team at Ignite Social Media Thisconducted may be a some survey interesting in March call 2021-out of 1,000 consumersthat should to see be how highlighted. social media Quote behaviors – shiftedFact as a – resultIndustry of -thefirst pandemic finding, etc. and other major 80% of survey events that unfolded over the past 12 months. (Note: respondents this survey was a follow up to a study we conducted one year prior). While the full survey analysis is here, are below we’ve outlined some key insights that can be comfortable beneficial to a brand’s social media strategy. with brands • Advertising on Social Can Resume as Normal, advertising on Barring Major Events social media right now.

That said, there are still going to be case- by-case scenarios where brands need to evaluate pausing social media ads. When a critical event occurs, such as a mass shooting or a natural disaster, an When the pandemic originally took hold of the evaluation needs to country, most marketers began to question if they be quickly conducted should be running ads on social media. Over a year and a modified later, the majority (80%) of our recent survey strategy rolled out to respondents are comfortable with brands running your social channels. ads right now. About a fourth of those who are comfortable with ads feel there are still some restrictions brands should be mindful of, for example, only running ads if their product is essential or if the message is sensitive.

9 How Social Audiences Have Changed Heading into 2021 continued

• Consumers Somewhat Open to Trying New Platforms

The majority of respondents haven’t ventured on to any new networks (69%). That said, of those audiences that have chosen to explore other platforms, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram stand out, with audiences 2X as likely to join Instagram.

Gen Z is more likely than others to try out a new network. While they’re known for dominating TikTok, they’re also 2X as likely than others to start using Instagram or YouTube. Also, when compared to a year ago, respondents in this category showed a 5X increase in .

Millennials are more recently infiltrating the TikTok space. Additionally, although Pinterest recently touted their year-over-year growth among the Gen Z market, our data shows that over the past year the Millennial audience became 7X more likely than before to consider using Pinterest.

The biggest change in new network consideration from 2020 to 2021 comes from our 65+ age bracket. While still the least likely of all ages to join a new network, they’re 7X more likely to join a new network today (compared to one year ago) – and these chances increase to 10X more likely when considering TikTok, Twitter, or Pinterest (which was practically non-existent last year).

10 How Social Audiences Have Changed Heading into 2021 continued

• People are Posting Less on Social Media Today

While over 50% of respondents said they’re publishing about the same amount of content since the pandemic began, we saw a 52% increase in respondents saying they’re creating less content today.

• Political Content a Top Motivator for Unfollowing Brands and Influencers

As a result of the many controversial events from 2020 that continue into 2021, brands have struggled and debated if they should be participating in potentially controversial topics online or if it was best that they not get involved. When asked if they unfollowed a brand for potentially controversial reasons, the majority of respondents (over 65%) selected “none of the above” implying they didn’t unfollow accounts for potentially controversial topics. However, of those that did, politics was the main motivator, specifically if the brand or influencer took a political stance that the user disagreed with. 11 Privacy Concerns Win Out Over Attribution: Media Buying Challenges and Adjustments in 2021

Later this year, advertisers on social (and digital in general) may find themselves with fewer insights and This year, ways to target as third-party cookies begin to phase major out. Currently, most marketers are leveraging social browsers network pixels or tags (such as the Facebook Pixel, Twitter Tag, Pinterest Tag, or LinkedIn Insight Tag), to including manage and optimize their social media advertising Chrome will be tactics, but this web-browser based targeting method blocking third loses its luster once cookies are eliminated. party cookie Major browsers including Chrome are blocking third tracking while party cookie tracking while Apple in iOS 14.5 has Apple in iOS blocked the ability of most apps to track users without their express consent. 14.5 has blocked the The majority of social networks don’t seem to be too concerned about the upcoming adjustments because of ability of most the way their systems are built. Facebook, however, apps to track has begun rolling out an entirely new targeting users without methodology to counteract the changes with the goal of creating something that’s even more powerful than the their express Facebook Pixel alone. It’s likely the other networks will consent. follow suit shortly, but no announcements have been made. Introducing the Conversions API This new method is known as the Facebook Conversions API. The Conversions API is a measurement and performance tool offered alongside the Facebook Pixel. With the API, brands can send web, offline, or CRM data from their server directly to Facebook servers without the use of web browsers or third-party cookies. This setup gives brands more control as they decide what data is shared with Facebook and when it’s shared. Since sharing is through servers, the data can be more reliable than web browsers, which may crash or have an ad blocker enabled.

12 Privacy Concerns Win Out Over Attribution: Media Buying Challenges and Adjustments in 2021 continued

This may be some interesting call-out The pixelthat and should Conversions be highlighted. API drive Quote successful – conversionFact –optimizationIndustry-first efforts finding, on etc. Facebook, so without this information, tracking sales from social can be eCommerce difficult, media dollars may be spent on those with no brands will purchase intent, and lower funnel optimization may not want to ensure be achieved. For brands who want to continue using they have a these tools when tracking online activity is no longer available, we recommend considering shifting from the plan in place to Facebook Pixel to the Conversions API as soon as begin utilizing possible. the Before making this shift, there are a few things to keep Conversions in mind. Implementing the Conversions API requires API as soon as technical knowledge of . For those who do not possible as it have an in-house developer team and need to outsource the work, moving to the API will require only assists setup and management costs. This can be a tough sell with as the Facebook Pixel is easy to set up and oftentimes conversion requires very little technical knowledge or an outside tracking at this partner. time. This process may also take time as brands decide on the best fit for their business, whether it’s using an in- house developer (existing or new hire) or partnering Additionally, with an organization through the Facebook partner Facebook program or elsewhere. The Facebook program recommends connects brands with vetted partners to assist in using the two technical services including the pixel, SDK, dynamic ads, and Conversions API. tools, the Facebook Pixel and the Conversions API, for optimal advertising.

13 Social Media Opportunities for Brands in 2021

Now that we’ve gotten through the fun data surrounding the current state of social media marketing, here are some additional insights and opportunities to come in 2021 our team has compiled. Look into a Social-Audio Strategy, Not a Clubhouse Strategy Clubhouse didn’t make too much of a splash during its initial launch in 2020, but since the beginning of this year, social audio is all anyone can talk about. We feel that Clubhouse has now paved the way for what’s likely to be the next big evolution in social media, but that the app alone won’t stand a chance against its upcoming competitors. (We predict Clubhouse will perish, similar to the fate of and that paved the way for on social.) Companies such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Spotify, and others have already made major advancements in the social-audio space, with Twitter leading the pack and rolling out Space in April of 2021 to all major applications and eventually desktop users as well.

Twitter’s Making a Play to Be #1 Aside from Twitter Fleets, there hasn’t been much change in the platform since they doubled the character limit for Tweets. However, all that seems set to change this year as the company has announced a series of changes to the platform that are worth keeping an eye on. Some of the new features that are headed to Twitter (or already arrived) are unique to the platform, ideas they’ve had in order to continue pushing the market forward, such as Birdwatch and eCommerce Twitter Cards. Several of the other ideas are clearly a result of the platform not wanting to be left behind in a changing social media landscape, ideas that have been implemented successfully on other platforms, such as Super Follows and Communities. For a full breakdown of these new and expected features, check out our post here.

14 Social Media Opportunities for Brands in 2021 continued

Livestreaming on the Rise for Retailers Walmart recently announced they're working with TikTok on another exclusive livestream shopping event after the success of their pilot program in December 2020, but they're not the only retailer seeing success with these QVC-like events. Both and Nordstrom have also reported success with their own versions of livestream shopping. If your brand is looking to capitalize off this growing trend, make sure you have the right influencer partners lined up as co-hosts and the right budget to accommodate the length of your livestream. Have You Considered Reddit Advertising? While Reddit's total ad revenue isn't at Facebook's level yet, the platform's year- over-year growth is more than double that of Facebook. As the #2 News app in the App Store, U.S. users are spending tons of time within the app. If you've yet to capitalize on Reddit's advertising capabilities, here's a breakdown of features and best practices from our media buying experts. Don't Forget About Snapchat While marketers continue to buzz over newer networks, Snapchat continues to thrive as one of the top social media networks. This year they will celebrate their 10-year anniversary and it’s likely some major announcements may follow. Until then, make sure your teams are considering Snapchat as part of their social strategy and looking into many of their overlooked features.

15 Closing

As you can see, your social media marketing strategy is never finished. It is not only important to revisit your strategy for optimizations annually, but to also have your teams evaluating opportunities on at least a quarterly basis. Take a moment to share this report with your social team and gear up for the remaining months ahead. Create a checklist of items that need to be addressed immediately and a separate list of items to keep an eye on for later this year.

Good Luck!

About Ignite Social Media, The Original Social Media Agency®

Social media is part of our DNA. Unlike ad agencies, PR firms, digital shops and media companies who added social media to their mix of pre-existing services, we built Ignite Social Media from the ground up starting in 2007 to focus 100% on delivering social media marketing. That means our team of strategists, content creators, analysts, community managers and influencer specialists work together in our Team Circle model to provide brands with a holistic approach.

Say hi to us!

To talk to us about anything in this paper or to inquire about working with us contact Lisa Braziel at [email protected] The State of Social Media Marketing in 2021

Appendix

April 29, 2021 GWI Insights on Social Media Actions/Features Per Social Network (pages 7 & 8)

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