SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS 2017 Social Trends for 2017 Graduations, Weddings, Births, Holidays, Star Wars … Introduction yawn. Let’s get to the good stuff for the coming year that’s going to shape your marketing strategy.

Obviously content continues to rule the day by providing the fuel that drives social networks. But is there a growing wrinkle in the hierarchy? Social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk believes so. “If content is king,” he suggests, “context is god.” In a world where everybody is a media company, Vaynerchuk suggests a simple philosophy: “Respect the platform, respect your audience, and finally, take your agenda, and make it third.” It’s all about gaining deeper empathy in an attempt to raise your status to a “likable brand”.

Simple … right?

On that thought – ladies and gents kindly take your seats as we present …

Our top 10 digital predictions for 2017!

2 | | 3 Two Big Ears Social Acquisitions May 23, 2016 Feb 4, 2016 VR Audio Machine Learning for HRs Will discreet little Pinterest finally company plans to transform its grow a pair for 2017? If so, it three core features (chat, images, Eye Groove Runhop could signal a major strategy and discover) into independent, Aug 8, 2016 May 5, 2016 shift. According to Kantar Media, revenue-producing businesses. Musical selfie app Online Content Distribution Pinterest spent 26-times less Point Drive on advertising in the U.S. 2015 LinkedIn, on the other hand, is Nascent Objects Inc Jul 26, 2016 than Twitter, and 20-times less striving to raise the standard Sep 19, 2016 Social Selling than Facebook. During that of its content feed and expand Hardware design, circuitry, same time period, Facebook the functionalities of its Sales 3D printing and modular electronics and Twitter increased their U.S. Navigator solution. To facilitate Curator & Co advertising spending by 81% and the process, they made two key Crowtang Apr 21, 2016 167% respectively, while Pinterest acquisitions, Point Drive and Nov 11, 2016 Visual tool for creative slashed its advertising by 23%. Connectifier. The first is a sales- Social Media tracking tool thinking But this year, shy little Pinterest oriented application that helps has begun to show its teeth a bit improve content sharing, and the FacioMetrics URX more. In less than 12 months, it has latter makes it easier for human Nov 16, 2016 May 3, 2016 worked below the radar to broker resources professionals to discover Face Recognition Mobile Advertising Technology six company acquisitions. Pinterest and engage top talent. Fleksy has always been about sales, but Jun 15, 2016 if social commerce keeps gaining The micro-blog giant Twitter has Peer Smart keyboard app momentum, Pinterest stands to faced all sorts of challenges this Apr 7, 2016 make tremendous progress in the year … and none of them, as yet, Tote Employee & manager near future. have been resolved. Their recent Jun 22, 2016 feedback tool acquisitions of Employee (a Influencer-driven curated Facebook, never to be out-hustled, manager feedback tool) and Peer, Magic Pony Technology app continues to press its position are quite puzzling to say the least. Jun 20, 2016 MathCamp at the head of the curve. It has But the new year does bring hope Machine learning Jul 15, 2016 effectively evolved its function for Twitter in the form of video, technology Mobile Discovery as a social network to include including ‘first-run’ programming. hardware. With projects such as Instapaper the solar-powered Aquila drone Also, their past acquisitions from Vurb Aug 23, 2016 and the Oculus Rift virtual reality big data analysis companies may Aug 15, 2016 News-Bookmarking headset, and the procurement help them extract more value from Mobile contextual search engine of Nascent Objects, Facebook is their data and highlight wide-scale aggressively pursuing its hardware behavior trends and shifts. Obvious Engineering objectives. Just look at Spotify. They enjoy Jun 3, 2016 Snapchat is following a course tremendous success with their blog 3D photo app maker similar to Facebook’s, starting by gathering and crunching data Bitstrips with the launch of its rebranded about member platform usage. Mar 24, 2016 Snap in September. CEO Evan As for the rest of Twitter’s decisions Personalized emojis known Spiegel has made it clear that his … we’ll have to wait and see. as bitmojis 4 | | 5 Snap & Facebook: Just try to live without them Big Brands are Shedding the “Social” and Elevating their game

Facebook boasts more than usages: segment and conquer, as Research study, Facebook time patting themselves on 11.7 billion monthly active users they say. And it worked. (including Messenger) remains the back. They’re repositioning (MAUs).The crazy thing … that’s Zuckerberg’s strategy cemented the most popular social their brand as a camera just the tip of the iceberg. Facebook as the world’s platform among Americans maker and diversifying beyond undisputed social leader. But in the 12-24 years old, with 32% their flagship app (just like In 2013, younger demographics digital world, things can change at saying they use Facebook Facebook). began deserting Facebook in the speed of a swipe, a tap, or a most. Snapchat registered droves – seeing it as “uncool”. click … second with 26%. But here’s the As CEO Evan Spiegel explained Mark Zuckerberg responded troubling news for Facebook: in a recent blog post, “Now by loosening the platform’s Indeed, growing media giant while Snapchat leapfrogged that we are developing other attachment to the Facebook label, Snapchat could well spice-up past Instagram by gaining 11% products, like Spectacles, we effectively “unbranding” the social the social landscape. Sure, its in just one year, Facebook lost need a name that goes beyond media giant. user base is only about 20% of 11% over that same period. just one product – but doesn’t Facebook’s. But Snapchat makes lose the familiarity and fun At the time, its acquisitions – up for its size disadvantage with There may be more tumultuous of our team and brand.” This including Instagram, WhatsApp, engaging video content that seas ahead as the current could pave the way for serious and Oculus VR ProGeo OY resonates with the 18 – 24 year old generation continuously seeks- new lines of business for this – continued to function as demographic. It’s an environment out new platforms to satisfy ambitious young company. standalone apps, without any that Facebook has struggled to their whims. apparent connection to Facebook. secure. Snapchat’s strategy is The idea was to diversify by Regardless of their recent representative of a growing breaking all the activities into According to the latest Edison gains, Snapchat is not wasting trend as networks ditch their

6 | | 7 “social” tag. Pinterest is now social networks could take to a “catalogue of ideas,” rather achieve that level of importance. than a social network. Even They could merge into existing Twitter followed suit. In April, they conglomerates (LinkedIn acquired switched their designation from by ) build their own a “Social Network” to a “News” empire through diversification app in the Apple Store. What’s (Facebook or Snap), or try existing behind the shift in social strategy? as small “outsiders”. One thing is It’s about certain: they evolving are building social momentum media’s role as big digital from a fun Snapchat’s brands. And as distraction, fragmented as to a vital strategy is the landscape everyday was, the time behavior representative of consolidation … just like has arrived. breathing. of a growing There are several trend as routes that networks ditch their “social” tag

8 | | 9 Ride the wave of “Super reality” Connecting people to the flow of the ambient web

Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, Gear line between the physical and Thanks to their acquisition of tame compared to Zuckerberg’s VR, HTC Vive … they may not be the digital. This wildly popular Two Big Ears (a spatial audio medium-range goal of … 2household names just yet, but app gave players just a taste of company) Facebook is creating teleportation by 2025. You read these Virtual Reality (VR) headsets augmented reality … and left them an ambient information that right. will be knocking at your door soon starving for more! environment. Here, people will enough. tap into the experience so easily But Facebook isn’t the only And, of course, there’s mega- that it will flow through their lives one with bold plans. Snapchat For the uninitiated, VR is an influencer, Facebook. At like electricity or blood through has always used augmented immersive experience in which Facebook’s annual developer their veins. reality inspired filters. And now your head movements are tracked conference, the F8 conference, they’re rumoured to have big in a three-dimensional world, back in April, Facebook unveiled Zuckerberg recently announced plans moving forward. First, thanks to the use of headsets and its roadmap for the next 10 years. that the future VR headsets they purchased smart eyeglass mobile devices. And this year, As expected, it’s heavily focused will be the size of a normal developer Vergence Labs in 2014. ALL the major players from the on artificial intelligence (AI), pair of glasses, and will handle And then there is the launch of GAFAs (, Apple, Facebook, augmented reality (AR) and VR. augmented and virtual reality Spectacles in September and it’s ) to Mainstream Media at the same time. It’s a path rebranding to Snap. Even Twitter, like want a With the acquisition of Oculus that resonates with Google CEO seemingly mum on the subject, bite of this juicy market! Rift, Mark Zuckerberg is already Sundar Pichai as well. “In the hired a Director of VR and AR to making good on his Virtual Reality long run,” Pichai pointed out, “Empower us all in the spatial Speaking of juicy, you probably ambitions. And there’s plenty more “we will evolve from a mobile computing revolution” (courtesy heard of a little game called to come. first world to an AI first world.” of the director’s LinkedIn profile). PokemonGo that blurred the But even that sounds rather

10 | | 11 What’s the key takeaway for brands? Social networks are no longer standalone. They are becoming more like electricity – less visible and yet more deeply embedded in people’s lives. Brands will need As Dan Lynch (Interop and SRI International) to adapt to this wrote, “The most useful impact new “ambient is the ability to connect people. information From that, everything flows.” Brands will need environment” to adapt to this new “ambient by integrating information environment” by integrating new new technologies technologies such as VR, AR, and AI. such as VR, AR, The challenge and AI for brands lies in creating “electronic empathy” in order to connect humans in a deeper, more profound way.

12 | | 13 Content Distribution becomes the life of the party Pushy narratives are out. Engaging Experiences are IN.

The lines move, the uses are Facebook Instant Articles and we communicate and create In August 2015, Buzzfeed created changing. This is even more true in LinkedIn Pulse are just some content. It’s no longer just about a new team called "Distributed 3the flow of information. examples of how social media pushing narratives through BuzzFeed" - twenty employees has become a true media and content. It’s about using content creating original content for social With online platforms now looking publisher in and of itself. as a vehicle to deliver memorable media platforms such as Tumblr, to become hosts of content, as Furthermore, and immersive Imgur Instagram, Snapchat, opposed to middlemen sharing as messaging experiences. Facebook etc. links, the content landscape is apps and To navigate this In other words, Buzzfeed has a changing. artificial new channels fragmented team of employees producing intelligence world, brands and content that will never be Before, content distribution used to boom, new are completely news publishers published on Buzzfeed.com. be pretty simple. Media and brands content need to have It’s vital to remember that published on their website and or chatbot reshaping the way dedicated teams. only a specialized approach blog and this was shared on social strategies and So called “platform can add value by segmenting networks. The process has evolved augmented wranglers” content based on audiences and in a big way. Obviously brands and reality apps we communicate or platform channels. Regurgitating the same media can still publish on their are hitting ambassadors old content across platforms website and blogs, but this is no the scene as well. Whether it’s are already popping-up with simply won’t cut it anymore. longer the main channel. There are mobile gaming (familiar with prominent media companies. The key to attracting, engaging, now several channels, each which PokemonGO?) or dedicated Their role? To establish and own and motivating your audience requires specific content and an news apps like New York Times the relationship with major is original content created individual approach. VR, these new channels are content platforms and provide exclusively for each platform. completely reshaping the way editorial strategy direction. Simple.

14 | | 15 Chatbots have ARRIVED … but they’re not alone

Shedding light on “Dark Social”

As consumers dump traditional communication with users. Thanks with a balanced approach: cultivate a more personalized 4networks in favor of messaging to Chatbots, it is now possible to AI and Human. For instance, human connection, while apps, brands are taking notice … order an Uber, manage dinner Facebook’s assistant M employs maintaining the privacy of their reservations, and secure airline human-powered interactions. audience. 2014 marked the first time brands tickets. Convenient, fast, and This produces a more authentic reached out to consumers via accessible via smartphones, bots glimpse of its users’ desires than The key takeaway? Chatbots are messaging apps. Companies may well revolutionize online sales just automated chatbots could. valuable, but they can’t do it all. such as Feeligo promote the use and give birth to “conversational Brands need diverse forward- of “branded stickers” in private e-commerce” – a whole new social Chatbots as a Co-star: thinking marketing strategies. conversation areas, for advertisers AI customer service. As chatbot With all the expectations, Adidas is an excellent example of to connect with their audiences. technology develops on messaging 2 it’s worth noting that a brand completely redefining its These customized digital stickers platforms, we expect it to become Chatbots are but one tool influencer marketing through dark immerse consumers in the universe much more prominent in 2017. in your marketing arsenal. When channels. of the brand, and are available free targeting the “Dark Social World” within the platforms. But before you put all your eggs in (sharing which takes place in In May, Adidas launched one basket, it’s prudent to consider private), it is no longer the brands communities for hyper-connected In 2016, Service Chat Bots emerged the following: that initiate dialogue with their football obsessives. These “Tango as another major trend to watch. consumers, but users who initiate Squads” (about 200 members Chatbots are applications that The human Connection: a dialogue with the brands. This each and growing) operate on reproduce codes of a conversation There is strong evidence flips marketing strategy on its direct messaging apps such as in order to generate automated 1 that brands are best served head. And it forces brands to Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp,

16 | | 17 and Line. They are managed by more authentic if distributed to an Adidas in-house team that 500 kids with 2,000 followers shares exclusive content and each, than if it’s delivered to one product news with the squads global influencer with a million before it is publicly revealed followers. through Adidas official channels. Why the bold move by Adidas?… It’s a major strategy shift for large brands, but there’s no Their global brand arguing with the results. And if communications director, Florian brands of all sizes wish to grow Alt, put it this way: “It’s not their relevance with desirable about sheer reach, what the demographics, they must follow hyper-connected kids bring is suit and tap into the world of mass awareness. These are the dark social. guys who will push out your stories and content. They give it Chatbots are longevity and valuable, but they authenticity, because they can’t do it all. are talking in a private messaging environment. If it comes as a referral from your mate, you’re much more likely to pick it up than if it comes from a brand.” Alt went on to argue that content is perceived as far

18 | | 19 Q&A sheds its shackles and dives into deep engagement Celebs & Influencers at your service

Every year, one of our new gives netizens private sessions respond to curated topics it could soon be expanded to trends comes from Asia, and with experts in a variety of established by LinkedIn’s include more users. This would 5this year is no exception. China industries. editorial team, or you can give a healthy boost to thought has recently seen massive start your own topic. For the leadership programs through adoption of new Q&A services. The West seems to be taking moment, it is only available for employee ambassadors and Wildly popular “Ask Me the same path. Traditional LinkedIn’s 500 influencers. But brand advocates. Anything” sites like Fenda (分 Q&A platforms like Quora and 答) and Zhihu Live (知乎Live), Jelly have been around for allow anyone to ask celebrities many years. But certain new anything. entries into the market are more inspired by their Chinese Wang Sicong (China’s richest Fenda users ask celebrities counterparts. questions for a fee. The son), raised over US $45,000 celebrity’s response is delivered Tiptalk, like Fenda, pays celebs via a recorded audio file. Wang to text or video message on Fenda simply by answering Sicong (China’s richest son), with fans. While Wiselike, is a raised over US $45,000 on Q&A knowledge platform for Fenda simply by answering professionals similar to Zhihu. questions regarding his questions regarding his personal gossip. LinkedIn recently launched personal gossip. a standalone iOS app called Zhihu Live represents the “Record”. It lets you use evolution of ‘text live chat’. It 30-second video clips to

20 | | 21 Influencer Programs – trendy gamble or wise investment? Finding the right friend in the trust economy

Brand identities have own personas being attached to up all over the world and serving brands make the most of their transformed. They are no longer a score or reputation. to further professionalize the Instagram or Pinterest presence 6just about your message, but influencer role. to turn images into purchases. about the collective experiences In China (always a hotbed Thought leaders, on the other of the consumers and fans of digital innovation), social In France, YouTube and L’Oreal hand, will go for more targeted who follow your brand. But celebrities, called “Wang launched BeautyTube, a professional networks like old marketing techniques are Hong”, are becoming popular new online school for beauty Twitter. inadequate to achieve this investments in the KOL (Key Vlogging. Here, a select group type of connection. That’s why opinion learders) landscape. of students spend 6 months The next step in the evolution influencer marketing is set to For instance, Papi Jiang, a self- learning the marketing aspects of influencers, is likely a shine in 2017 with trust as its made cyber celebrity, raised 12 of influencer success including standardized set of rates biggest star of all. million yuan (HK $14.4 million) video production and social based on established metrics to promote her content on engagement techniques. like audience engagement. The modern language of trust is social media and build a self- This may signal the end of big a slick user interface and above sustaining business model. Some Graduates of these schools, brands throwing money at all, it is fed by great reviews, Wang Hong are in such demand will lend their skills to specific influencers based on buzz and ratings, and influence. that they must enlist agencies social media depending upon gut instinct alone. to manage their business affairs their industry and the category Trust may soon be a commodity for them. It’s a trend that is of influencer they represent The key takeaway? The that consumers demand from spreading across the globe. (advocate, employee, journalist, time is here to restructure their brands AND from the affiliate, thought leader, or your branding around trust people with whom they interact. To help meet the surging customer). and influence and to feed it It won’t just be about customers demand for influencers, For example: Beauty or organically with the praise of reviewing brands, but about our “Influence Schools” are popping fashion advocates will help your customers.

22 | | 23 Content. Chatter. Connection Social media enters the live streaming space

Social networks have always broadcast windows. In Spain networks. Twitter.com, Twitter’s mobile app, shared a bond with TV and it was 54% and in Brazil 55%. Facebook Live has jumped on the and three apps – Apple TV, Amazon 7video content. Now, “Social TV” Digging deeper, in the UK we trend and taken live streaming to Fire TV, and Microsoft's Xbox One. marks the union of television examined the subscription a new level in terms of popularity and social media, whereby video services Netflix and and ease of consumption. Once While Twitter has provided live TV millions of people on social Amazon. We found that, out you have the Facebook app, commentary and conversation media share their TV experience of the UK channels and these there’s no need for an additional for nearly a decade, the Bills – with other viewers. subscription services, Netflix app to access the live video. It’s Jets game was the first time live now readily football was streamed alongside Our Kantar Twitter TV Ratings available a live feed of tweets. And it was track Twitter TV conversations Social networks are also even to the the first time viewers got the full around-the-clock. In every masses experience of content and chatter location where this service who aren’t on the same screen. is live (The UK, Spain, the implementing new behaviors necessarily Philippines, Turkey, and adapters of You can bet there’s going to be lots Brazil), we discovered that series including Stranger other platforms like periscope. of opportunities (and ad revenue) conversations out of the Things and Narcos receive high to maximize Social TV and live broadcast window had become amounts of Twitter coverage. Other social networks are also streaming as brands, media larger than conversations implementing new behaviors and owners and platform operators during the broadcast window. With audiences discussing announcing new ways to watch leverage the opportunities For instance, the UK data from programmes beyond the live programming. In September, available to them in this expanding last September, showed only broadcast window, video and the American football game arena. 43% of the Tweets about TV TV continue to extend and between the Buffalo Bills and the programmes took place during are amplified across social New York Jets, was available via

24 | | 25 Speak Up! Personal Assistants are driving conversational “answer engines”

Voice queries doubled from 2014 box as it evolves into a highly- Concierge services represents yet One thing we know for sure: voice to 2015 as “traditional” web flexible “answer engine”. another challenger for search queries are 30-times more likely searches move toward a highly engine supremacy. But there’s to be action oriented than typed 8conversational approach. For its part, concern that queries. Therefore, we can expect Facebook such services this format to deliver tons of This basic idea is not new. For aims to would disrupt opportunities for capable brands. years, Google has been developing provide a Facebook aims to the entire updates that provide contextual research search model dimension, and even predictive and starting with results. Google’s 2012 “Venice” question- provide a research and the ad format. update enabled users to customize and- I don’t believe the results based on geographical answer question-and-answer that’s the position: just type “hotel” or service case. “maid”, without adding the city, that will service that will out- and the algorithm will deliver local out- Ads would results. perform simply any other perform any other become more The “Hummingbird” update in search contextual 2013, aimed to better understand engine. search engine. and useful for the intent of search users. Early the user. So if Meaning, it was not necessarily I am looking looking for pages that contain your speculation indicates a switch from for a restaurant, for example, my keywords, but pages that feature its clumsy graph search, and a search assistant could offer me the answers to your questions. This new focus on Facebook’s Personal a “natural” result in addition to a may signal the end of the search assistant “M” voice search. “sponsored” suggestion.

26 | | 27 Social Commerce – Can yesterday’s goat become tomorrow’s gold? Pinterest stakes its claim to the throne

Social commerce was also a hot Many social networks are following In the end, discrete little Pinterest Brown reported that 96% of topic in 2016. But the “buy” button Facebook’s lead by expanding could well turn out to be the visitors to Pinterest used the site 9craze from a couple of years ago their use of social buying tools. For ultimate commerce hot spot. to plan for a purchase, and that failed to cultivate reflex purchasing Instagram, that means a focus on After all, its main focus is about 87% actually made a purchase and never lived up to expectations. direct conversion tools : until now, discovering new products, and after seeing something they liked. This has forced brands to brands had to rely on the link bio or saving and planning future So Pinterest’s ability to convert experiment with alternate third party companies like Chirpify, purchases. This year it has sales is a key differentiator for their approaches and with more tools to Soldie, and liketoknow. rolled out many features to platform. drive organic product discovery. accommodate each stage of the it to bridge the gap between customer purchase cycle including Keep your eye on little Pinterest Facebook recently announced new browsing and purchasing but an updated recommendation in 2017! It may seem like a quaint tools to facilitate online purchases Instagrams new shoppable photo engine, buyable pins, enriched and unassuming little company for its original Facebook platform tags will make the shopping pins, a shopping bag, and more. (bravo to their marketing), but it and for Facebook Messenger. experience easier. may well become the new go-to It has also begun testing an However, despite massive efforts, Research firm Kantar Millward platform for social commerce. experimental feature which allows the truth is that in-channel businesses running Pages to tag purchasing is still disappointing their products. When a tagged and complex. Why? Because at its product is clicked, users land on a core, platforms like Facebook are However, despite massive efforts, the dedicated page featuring relevant focused primarily on connecting and engaging content. people not on generating sales. truth is that in-channel purchasing is still disappointing and complex

28 | | 29 Meet Facebook Workplace… your new coworker Social Tools square- off for control of your office

On 10th October 2016, software development. Yammer communication as the best way messaging, and Facebook Facebook announced the is another tough competitor to break down communication features such as groups, walls, 10release of Workplace, its battling to make ground in this barriers, especially in large and profiles. This all-in-one social collaboration tool kit space, but they do have one businesses. It’s a trend that package presents Facebook that claims to compete with advantage. They’re owned by signals a growing role for social with significant opportunities intranets and mailboxes by Microsoft, and the tech giant is media and chat bots in modern for new revenues. speeding up communication incorporating Yammer into their business. between employees. Objective: productivity suite. The key takeaway? Expect to reach the last dimension of Nasi Jazayeri, executive vice massive adoption of social your life that escaped him; your Despite a handful of standout president of Chatter Salesforce communication tools and job. performers, the digital division, says “You see one a revolution in the way we workplace remains fragmented, platform that is connecting effectively chatter at work. If In a crowded social suffering from a lack of employees, that is connecting you’re not already onboard, it’s collaboration market, Slack has compatibility between tools. employees with customers, time tap your inner-Millenial emerged as a promising player, Also, many businesses have that is connecting employees and catch up. And it’s best already boasting more than 3 yet to adopt social tools at with partners … That is the real you do it now, before the curve million active users. Meanwhile, all, still viewing them as mere future of social collaboration.” lurches out of reach and carries the popular communication recreational distractions. your competitors with it. tool, HipChat has carved However, the growing Millennial Workplace is the first option its own niche among tech workforce is driving new interest to deliver a comprehensive companies. Many of these tech in social communication tools communication solution for company adapters also use for business applications. In businesses. It incorporates HipChat’s sister services for fact, many Millennials see social Facebook Live, Skype, Instant

30 | | 31 For more information:

Europe Emma Trim [email protected]

International Marie Dollé [email protected]

US Rachel Gursky [email protected] About Kantar Media

Kantar Media is a global leader in media intelligence, providing clients with the data they need to make informed decisions on all aspects of media measurement, monitoring and selection. Part of Kantar, the data investment management arm of WPP, Kantar Media provides the most comprehensive and accurate intelligence on media consumption, performance and value. For further information, please visit us at www.kantarmedia.com

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