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AREA: FASHION CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

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AREA: FASHION CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

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AREA: FASHION CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

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AREA: FASHION CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

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"Growth is slowing – people are spending less time on some of the major platforms

Advertising rates and revenues continue rising

The average digital ad cost has risen 12% in 2  yrs, but digital ad expenditure rose 42%

Visits to those advertisers on social media have risen only 11%

People are overwhelmed with volume of non-differentiated content

Advertising overload might be hurting engagement

Less than 2 secs on average looking at its ads on mobile feeds (appeared too often)

Typical route to reach a large audience on existing platforms is to either build followers organically or borrow followers using influencers — both these routes are starting to wobble

Influencer marketing engagement rate for sponsored posts on Instagram dropped from 4% in Q1 2016 to 2.4 percent in Q1 2019

Facebook’s (0.37%) and Twitter’s (0.05%) numbers are even worse

Top trend shaping the fashion industry within the next 12 months will be a rise in the importance of “storytelling” and marketing strategies that resemble media productions"

(Amed et al., 2019)

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

To thrive in this environment, companies must think strategically, sharpen their decision making, and keep their fingers on the pulse of customer demand. They need to get digital right and to address consumers increasingly concerned by the climate-change agenda. At the same time, they must cater to local tastes across multiple markets and cultures. One size will not fit all.

These are some of the findings from our latest report, The State of Fashion 2020, written in partnership with The Business of Fashion (BoF). This fourth in our annual series analyzes major themes around the fashion economy and breaks new ground to explain the dynamics driving the industry. Our survey of 290 global fashion executives and interviews with thought leaders and pioneers have helped us identify ten key themes that will set the agenda in the year ahead. The latest reading of the McKinsey Global Fashion Index (MGFI), meanwhile, reveals new insights into fashion-company performance by category, segment, and region.

A darkening mood

For many in the fashion industry, the glass is half empty. The mood among respondents to our executive survey is sober across geographies and price points, and the pockets of optimism seen last year in North America and the luxury segment have steadily evaporated (Exhibit 1).

The MGFI forecasts that growth will slow to 3 to 4 percent in 2020, slightly below the predicted rate for 2019. Strikingly, only 9 percent of respondents think conditions will improve next year, compared with 49 percent who said the same last year.

Economic profit grew for the second year running in 2018, following consecutive annual declines from 2012 to 2016 (Exhibit 2). The 16 percent year-on-year rise came largely from improved operating margins driven by cost cutting. The average industry EBITA margin was 10.8 percent, a tick up on 2017 and the highest since 2014.

One reason that executives are not breaking out the bunting is that the outlook for the global economy is less rosy than it was a year ago. Against this background, fashion-industry fortunes are highly polarized. For an exclusive group of "Super Winners," the sun is shining (Exhibit 3); by economic profit, these 20 companies added more to the industry bottom line in 2018 than all others combined. The Super Winners include three new entrants-Anta Sports, Heilan Home (HLA Corporation), and Lululemon-reflecting the strength of sportswear and the growing influence of Chinese players. In luxury, Kering made an impressive rise through the ranks, driven by Gucci's double-digit sales growth and strong performance in Asia-Pacific markets such as Japan. Not only are leading companies highly value-creating, they are also at the cutting edge of innovation. They are also most successful in attracting funding and talent, often leaving the rest to fight over scraps.

Alongside public companies, we also identified a group of "hidden champions." These privately owned gems often dominate their category areas and generate significant revenues. Some are household names, while others are less visible but still pack a punch. Among the well-known brands, Chanel is a significant player, with revenues of more than $10 billion, while Rolex is one of the few large independent and private luxury watch brands remaining. At the opposite end of the price spectrum is Primark, whose commitment to its core value proposition has made it a formidable competitor. These players show that there is a great deal of industry value outside the spotlight, and the "hidden champions" too have much to offer alongside their listed counterparts.

Of course, for every success, there are also relative failures. A growing number of publicly traded and private companies have become "value destroyers." The midmarket in particular is in the doldrums, generating negative returns for shareholders. For some, the abyss beckons.

Ten themes for 2020

What will define the industry in the coming year? Based on our executive survey, the words on everyone's lips are sustainability, digitization, and innovation (Exhibit 4).

When it comes to sustainability, the industry's track record remains a source of concern. The textile sector still represents 6 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution, and fashion accounts for 20 to 35 percent of microplastic flows into the ocean. Consumers are increasingly waking up to this reality and demanding change. In August 2019, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault spearheaded an industry-wide pact to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. According to McKinsey's 2019 Apparel Chief Purchasing Officer Survey, while the absolute number of sustainable fashion products remains low, there has been a fivefold increase over the past two years.

Looking forward, we see more research into sustainable materials and technologies, as well as the circular economy. This should lead to a move beyond 2019's focus on transparency toward real commitment. That's great news for consumers and for companies that can make sustainability real. However, given the scale of investment required, it means nervous times for small and midsize players.

Equally, consumers and advocates are calling for the industry to become more inclusive. We see 2020 as being a watershed for "Inclusive Culture," with diverse races, genders, and sexual orientations increasingly present across organizations and in leadership roles.

Digital disruptors will face more cautious investors in the year ahead. Stock-market valuations of tech players have reached dizzying levels, reminiscent of the dot-com boom of the early 2000s, while a number of private companies have reached unicorn status. The trick in 2020 will be to prove to investors they can turn potential into profit. At the vanguard, we are seeing a new breed of direct-to-customer companies. Asia in particular is emerging as a fertile ground for small and midsize enterprises that leverage e-commerce to reach out from the factory floor.

At the forefront for many is the future role of brick-and-mortar stores. Although they are written off by some as "too 20th century," we take a more constructive view. We see local stores in particular building a role as partners in the digital revolution, helping customers touch, feel, and experience in convenient locations as they browse online and offline.

It's time to rewire the fashion system: State of Fashion coronavirus update

The bottom line? The coming year will be tough, as the digital shakeout gathers pace, customers demand more on sustainability, and slower growth puts pressure on margins. However, there will be opportunities. Brands that can align with the dominant trends and continue to innovate are most likely to ride the challenges and emerge ahead of the pack.

About the author(s)

Anita Balchandani is a partner in McKinsey's London office, where Shrina Poojara is a consultant; is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office; Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office; and Felix Rölkens is an associate partner in the Berlin office. Imran Amed is the founder, editor-in-chief, and CEO of The Business of Fashion.

The authors wish to thank McKinsey's Tiffany Chan and Marilena Schmich, as well as The Business of Fashion's Robb Young, for their contributions to this article.

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The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating uncertainty

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

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"Evolved in a quick timeframe - barely existed a decade ago --> now a inescapable necessity

Primarily focused on driving sales

Evolution was driven by:

Technology and consumer expectation advancements

Customer's voice is now louder than the company's

Data caught up with hunches"

(Yeater, n.d.)

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One of the most amazing things about social media marketing is how much it has evolved in such a quick timeframe. Something that barely existed a decade ago has become an inescapable necessity. One of the easiest ways to track this evolution is through the metrics used to measure marketing success over the years.

A decade ago, social media was largely uncharted territory-essentially free digital real estate for anyone to claim. Businesses that were on social media had a focus on narrow KPIs, such as obtaining more followers and growing their network, or simply just keeping their online profiles up-to-date.

As social media channels grew and increased in variety, content marketing gained more popularity amongst online marketing professionals. The social media strategy of businesses started to move from "vanity metrics" as marketers felt the pressure to demonstrate an ROI for their online efforts. Content marketing, such as blog posts and other content forms, were used to entice people back to the company website, where they could be turned into leads and sales. This meant the metric of choice was conversions, and the focus was more on sales.

The next big evolution in social media marketing happened in the last few years. As both small and large businesses joined in on social media, a new strategy emerged. In this new way of thinking, how many followers you have, and overall conversion numbers are still important, but our measurements go even further. In addition to those numbers we now look at true engagement on social media - how many people are interacting with the different elements created by your social media strategy (often in the form of actual conversations). This evolution was driven by three important changes in how we interacted with social media.

Ten years ago, social media was less mobile-people needed to access their social media accounts via awkward feature phones or regular computers. Times have changed. 1. Both technology and customer expectations have advanced: According to Pew Research, only 35% of Americans owned smartphones in 2011, and that number has now risen to 77%. Customer expectations have advanced in tandem with the technology, with 42% of customers who complain on social media expecting a response within an hour. Has your social media strategy kept pace with your audience's expectations?

2. The customer's voice is now as loud (or louder) than your company's voice: In the early days of social media, companies were the broadcasters and customers were the audience. Now, the customer has a voice as loud as yours, and what used to be your audience has become your conversation partners. With the changes in algorithms on channels such as Facebook, your announcements get downgraded in visibility, but your conversations with your audience are still included in their message alerts (and the feeds of all their friends and followers). Basically, friendly is the new social media strategy.

3. Data caught up with hunches: Many people had hunches about the value of customers, but you can now prove that engaged customers are worth significantly more to your company over time than your unengaged ones. Data and numbers are the heart of any good social media strategy. It turns out that being friendly and conversational is an amazing marketing tactic, as it builds engagement in your audience.

The impact of true engagement on social media is priceless. Your customers and leads help you find other customers and leads-growing your audience and your revenues. Are you ready to start measuring how engaged your customers really are?

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One of the most amazing things about social media marketing is how much it has evolved in such a quick timeframe. Something that barely existed a decade ago has become an inescapable necessity. One of the easiest ways to track this evolution is through the metrics used to measure marketing success over the years.

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"Idea of social media has been around since the 70s

Chat rooms, live journals, photo and video sharing"

(Hix and Knopp, n.d.)

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"1970s - 1980s: Dating sites and online forums

E.g. Six Degrees, Livejournal, and Friendster (earliest form of social media)

2003 - 2004 - customer’s favorable attitude towards social media marketing changed

From aggressively-proactive outbound marketing to more reactive inbound marketing

Facebook, LinkedIn and My Space"

(Yahoo Small Business, 2013)

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"First email was sent in 1971

First solely social interaction site was Six Degrees in 1997"

Linkedin (2002), Facebook (2004), YouTube (2005), Twitter (2006), Instagram (2010), Snapchat (2011)"

(Milner, 2016)

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The growth of social media has created a need for platforms to evolve with consumers demands for something new and entertaining. Over the years there have been many networks that have been slow to implement changes or unable to adapt their platform to demands of consumers.
On a daily basis we check our phones on average 150 times, here in #TheLab it is the first thing we do in the morning, the last thing we do at night and continually throughout the day, social media marketing is everywhere. Over the years there have been many social platforms that have successfully developed their brand to accommodate the needs of consumers, but of course where there are successes there are failures, and many platforms have failed to stay relevant in an ever changing climate.
Believe it or not social media did not start with Facebook, the idea of social media began in the early 1970's as a result of aspects like e-mail, the first e-mail being sent in 1971. With the first solely social interaction site developing in 1997, Six Degrees.

The importance of understanding the history of social media marketing is not only the development of the platforms but how they also offer something unique for the customers and offer a personal, yet sometimes interruptive form of advertising for businesses. Knowing how to use social media marketing for your business properly and acknowledge upcoming platforms as well as out-of-date sites gives you advantage over others. At the moment Video is a hot trend but images do still have more engagement on social media, so be sure to use the right method for your business. There are so many different trends available and with the platforms continually updating it is more important than ever to make sure that you are creating content that your audience will see. Your audiences are now more accessible than ever with the help of these social media sites providing advertising and specific targeting opportunities.
The majority of the sites that are still relevant are using Paid Advertising on their platforms, this is increasingly important as businesses want to be where consumers are, and if your platform is good enough it will have the people. Using Paid Advertising on social media allows you to target specific demographics, choosing the right social media marketing strategy will determine the success of your campaign. For example, Facebook's demographic has shifted over the years and now 73% of 30-49 year old's are using the social network! If you are wishing to target this audience, it would be illogical to put money into advertisements on Instagram for example where the demographic is much younger.
As well as primarily using social networks to advertise, they will allow you to monitor audience trends and adapt to them. Social networks also let you to communicate with your audience directly, by doing this you are making your brand more personable; breaking down the impression that your accounts are being run by corporate robots. Overall, social networks allow you to get your name out there, by interacting with your target demographic this can create a chain effect in growing your business.
If you are unsure of whether you are up to date on the social media marketing platforms available for you business or if you are unsure that you are using them correctly for your business, get in touch for a no obligation conversation.
What our client say... "Richard and his team took a lot of time out of his day to come and visit us, see our products, see what we're about and understand our industry. The results, they speak for themselves really."

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The growth of social media has created a need for platforms to evolve with consumers demands for something new and entertaining. Over the years there have been many networks that have been slow to implement changes or unable to adapt their platform to demands of consumers.

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"The term digital marketing was first used in the 1990

Digital age took off due to the internet and development of the Web 1.0

Then Web 2.0 - users became more active participants rather than remaining passive (ability to interact with other users and businesses)

Cookies: used to tailor promotions and marketing collateral to user tastes"

(Monnappa, 2020)

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In a world where over 170 million people use social media on a regular basis, every working professional is expected to be familiar with at least the core tenets of Digital Marketing. In simple terms, Digital Marketing is the promotion of products over the internet or any form of electronic media. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, "Digital Marketing is the use of digital channels to promote or market products and services to targeted consumers and businesses."

People are consuming digital content on a daily basis. Very soon, traditional marketing platforms will disappear, and the digital market will completely take over. There are a number of advantages in Digital Marketing. Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing is more affordable.

You can reach a larger audience in a shorter time period. Technological advances have resulted in considerable attrition of the customer-base of traditional marketing agencies & departments. People have moved on to tablets, phones, and computers, which are the areas where digital marketers have gained the most ground.

Do you want to master the essential disciplines in digital marketing? Check out the Digital Marketing Certification Course now!

The term Digital Marketing was first used in the 1990s. The digital age took off with the coming of the internet and the development of the Web 1.0 platform. The Web 1.0 platform allowed users to find the information they wanted but did not allow them to share this information over the web. Up until then, marketers worldwide were still unsure of the digital platform. They were not sure if their strategies would work since the internet had not yet seen widespread deployment.

In 1993, the first clickable banner went live, after which HotWired purchased a few banner ads for their advertising. This marked the beginning of the transition to the digital era of marketing. Because of this gradual shift, the year 1994 saw new technologies enter the digital marketplace. The very same year, Yahoo was launched.

Also known as "Jerry's Guide to the World Wide Web" after its founder Jerry Yang, Yahoo received close to 1 million hits within the first year. This prompted wholesale changes in the digital marketing space, with companies optimizing their websites to pull in higher search engine rankings. 1996 saw the launch of a couple of more search engines and tools like HotBot, LookSmart, and Alexa.

1998 saw the birth of Google. Microsoft launched the MSN search engine and Yahoo brought to the market Yahoo web search. Two years later, the internet bubble burst and all the smaller search engines were either left behind or wiped out leaving more space for the giants in the business. The digital marketing world saw its first steep surge in 2006 when search engine traffic was reported to have grown to about 6.4 billion in a single month. Not one to get left behind, Microsoft put MSN on the backburner and launched Live Search to compete with Google and Yahoo.

Then came Web 2.0, where people became more active participants rather than remain passive users. Web 2.0 allowed users to interact with other users and businesses. Labels like 'super information highway' began to be applied to the internet. As a result, information flow volumes -including channels utilized by digital marketers- increased manifold, and by 2004, internet advertising and marketing in the US alone brought in around $2.9 billion.

Soon, social networking sites began to emerge. MySpace was the first social networking site to arrive, soon followed by Facebook. Many companies realized all these fresh new sites that were popping up were beginning to open new doors of opportunities to market their products and brands. It opened fresh avenues for business and signaled the beginning of a new chapter to business. With new resources, they needed new approaches to promote their brands & capitalize on the social networking platform.

The cookie was another important milestone in the digital marketing industry. Advertisers had begun to look for other ways to capitalize on the fledgling technology. One such technique was to track common browsing habits and usage patterns of frequent users of the internet so as to tailor promotions and marketing collateral to their tastes. The first cookie was designed to record user-habits. The use of the cookie has changed over the years, and cookies today are coded to offer marketers a variety of ways to collect literal user data.

Products marketed digitally are now available to customers at all times. Statistics collected by the Marketingtechblog for 2014 show that posting on social media is the top online activity in the US. The average American spends 37 minutes a day on social media. 99% of digital marketers use Facebook to market, 97% use Twitter, 69% use Pinterest and 59% use Instagram. 70% of B2C marketers have acquired customers through Facebook. 67% of Twitter users are far more likely to buy from brands that they follow on Twitter. 83.8% of luxury brands have a presence on Pinterest. The top three social networking sites used by marketers are LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

The digital market is in a constant state of flux. A Digital Marketing professional must find ways to keep up with this change. They need to be able to keep an eye out for emerging trends and the development of newer and smarter Search Engine Algorithms. After all, nobody can afford to get left behind in this race.

Check out our Digital Marketing Course sensing an opportunity, Google began to expand, introducing such products as AdWords, which are 3 line ads that show up at the top or to the right of search engine results, and AdSense -which is a cost-per-click advertising scheme. In time, Google realized the value of analyzing the content they received and then target ads based on the interests of the users, and thus became a major player in the world of business.

Join our webinar with bestselling author and email expert Matt Bailey and gain a refresher on what email activities are ethical, borderline, or illegal, especially a year into the mandate for GDPR compliance.

Here is a video explaining how can you become a Digital Marketing Specialist. Hope you find it beneficial. Also, prepare yourself for SEO interview question s to land at your dream job!

Learn for free! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel & Be a Part of 400k+ Happy Learners Community.

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The History and Evolution of Digital Marketing

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In a world where over 170 million people use social media on a regular basis, every working professional is expected to be familiar with at least the core tenets of Digital Marketing. In simple terms, Digital Marketing is the promotion of products over the internet or any form of electronic media.

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"1400s - Introduction of printing press allowing our ability to communicate on a mass scale (businesses able to target consumers)

First print ad in 1450s

First radio ad in 1922

First television ad in 1942"

(Marketing Evolution, 2020)

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The philosophy behind marketing products or services to consumers has been around for centuries. Since the introduction of the printing press in the 1400's solidified our ability to communicate on a mass scale, businesses have been targeting consumers to convince them to purchase their goods.

While we all have some idea of the big shifts in the history of marketing since the digital revolution, what was marketing like before then? How did marketers leverage the tools and techniques available to them across the centuries to convey value and engage with audiences? More importantly, how did marketers develop measurements to help them optimize their efforts before the digital revolution?

A Brief History of Marketing Before Digital

While the philosophy surrounding marketing as we know it didn't come about until the early 20 th century , marketing in one form or another has existed for centuries. The introduction of the printing press in the mid 1400's revolutionized our ability to communicate, and ever since, we've been looking for new ways to connect consumers with the products and services they need.

The power of print media and its ability to reach more people faster did not go unnoticed. Within a decade of the introduction of the printing press, the first recorded print advertisement was made in the 1450's. From there, use of print skyrocketed, and with it, came more sophisticated advertisements. From the first magazine ad in Benjamin Franklin's General Magazine in 1742, to the introduction of direct mail advertisement in 1862, advertising the number of print ads during this time skyrocketed.

By the time radio advertising entered the marketing landscape, it didn't take long for radio ad spend to overtake print . Similarly, the introduction of Television ads in 1942 added even more opportunity for brands to reach consumers across a growing media landscape.

Marketing as a Focused Discipline

As more brands began leveraging mass communication to advertise their products and services, it didn't take long to recognize the need to understand the effects of their advertising efforts and how they could be optimized. In fact, need for focused, professional marketing efforts was noted back in 1902, when the University of Pennsylvania offered the first marketing course, dubbed, " The Marketing of Products ."

When broadcast media entered the scene, it was the first time marketers needed to manage a then, large number of marketing channels. Brands were spending millions of dollars on print, radio, and television advertising, and as a result, they needed to understand where and when those channels performed. In order to generate the most ROI for advertising dollars, marketers began to shy away from engaging consumers with generic messaging and set out to understand the consumer . As a result, modern marketing measurement was born.

The Birth of Marketing Measurement

Soon after the introduction of broadcast media, the marketing landscape was saturated with advertisements from the scores of brands vying for the attention and business of consumers. In turn, marketers had to develop strategies that went outside of traditional, "spray and pray" methods of sending advertising to as many people as possible. As a result, the first modern marketing measurement concept, " marketing mix ," was introduced to the marketing industry.

First coined in 1952 and made popular in 1964 by Neil Borden, the marketing mix focused on outlining the key ingredients needed to understand what a product or service provides consumers, how marketers can best align those ingredients to market products and services effectively. It was in this marketing mix strategy that the first iteration of the "marketing mix four Ps" was realized.

In his initial marketing mix outline, Borden identified product, promotion, place, and price as the four key ingredients for marketing success. In other words, the marketers that could understand the demand for the product, the price consumers would pay for it, the promotions that got their attention, and the place those promotions could be put in front of consumers, would have the most successful marketing campaigns. Over the years, this concept was expanded upon, eventually leading to the first modern marketing measurement strategy marketing mix modeling (MMM) .

When MMM was first created, the marketing mix used to engage audiences was limited to print, broadcast, and out-of-home advertising. This made it possible for marketers to collect long-term, aggregate data that could determine the relationship between marketing mixes and their overall impact on sales.Taking into consideration the four Ps of marketing, marketers could then aim their efforts toward placing the right message, in front of the right consumer, at the right time.

Final Thoughts

Since gaining the capabilities for mass communication, marketing efforts have gone from simple, rudimentary messages that "intruded" on the consumer, to a more refined process aimed at understanding the consumer. In this effort, marketing mix model was developed, and remained a staple measurement marketers could rely on up until the digital takeover.

For more information on the history of marketing analytics, stay tuned for our next article, A History of Marketing Analytics: The Digital Revolution .

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A History of Marketing Analytics: Before the Digital Takeover

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The philosophy behind marketing products or services to consumers has been around for centuries. Since the introduction of the printing press in the 1400's solidified our ability to communicate on a mass scale, businesses have been targeting consumers to convince them to purchase their goods.

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"Facebook led in driving marketers to social

2010s most notable for turning social media marketing from an advanced level tactic to a fundamental must have

Steady decline in organic reach

Ads transformed social media from being driven by personal communication to being largely motivated by paid, targeted advertising"

(Geek Chicago, 2017)

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It's hard to imagine a world without social media, but the reality is that this massive internet force - one that has launched revolutions, connected families, and generated billions of dollars in revenue for brands all across the world - is younger than you might think.

In fact, if social media were a human, it would still need to wait a year before being legally allowed to order a drink.

You see, the story of social media - and the impact it has had on the marketing and advertising industries - really begins just 20 years ago, in 1997. Let's take a look at the evolution of social networking; maybe along the way, we'll get a feel for how it blossomed from "interesting idea" to "marketing juggernaut."

The Seeds Are Sown: 1997 - 2003

Tim Berners-Lee, widely hailed as "the father of the internet," once said that,

"The original idea of the web was that it should be a collaborative space where you can communicate through sharing information."

Indeed, what we now know think of as the "world wide web" was initially largely used to share information among academics and professional agencies. As the technology became more widely available and accessible with home computers in the 1980s and '90s, people began to view the internet in more social terms; if everyone was using it, after all, couldn't it be used to connect everyone?

That thinking led to the birth of the first true social media network, known as SixDegrees. Launched in 1997 and based around the concept of "six degrees of separation," the service allowed users to invite others to join their list of friends and family on the site and externally; contacts could be arranged in terms of first, second, and third degrees, allowing every user to see how they connected to every other user on the site and send messages or post bulletin board updates.

Next up came Friendster and MySpace; launched in 2002 and 2003, respectively, these two networks honed in on the idea of sharing content among connections even further, largely by emphasizing the customizable personal profile, which allowed users to truly put their identity online for the first time. LinkedIn also came into being at the same time; the business networking behemoth first launched in 2003, allowing for the "networking" that had always gone on over breakfast or after-work drinks to migrate online for the first time.

Most of these sites have come and gone (with LinkedIn as the notable exception); today, we remember them most for shepherding in...

The Social Media Explosion: 2004 - 2010

Most of the social networks that dominate our lives today all arose during the mid-aughts: Facebook, for instance, was launched in 2004, reaching a million users in just ten months. SMS-inspired microblogging service Twitter was founded in 2006, and introduced the hashtag in 2007; social scrapbooking site Pinterest was first conceptualized in 2009, while Instagram was launched (and gained its first million users) in 2010, before being bought out by Facebook in 2012.

This six year span is inarguably the most important in the history of social media, notable not just for the sheer number of networks launched during the period, but also for what they each managed to accomplish.

As these sites competed (or collaborated, or bought each other out) for users and revenue, they helped irreversibly shape the digital landscape into the one we inhabit today.

For a start, this period saw Facebook launch its mobile version (circa 2006) and iPhone app (c. 2008); Twitter, meanwhile, was influenced by the rise of texting culture, and Instagram was designed for a mobile-first experience. In all, we can look at the expansion of social media to mobile devices as a byproduct of our cultural shift to smartphones and tablets during this period. Today, the majority of our online usage actually occurs on mobile devices, and it would be hard to overstate how much this massive mobile boom - aided by the burgeoning popularity of social media - has forever changed our culture (case in point - how many of you are reading this on a smartphone right now?).

This period also marked a major breaking point away from the social networks of the past; whereas the earliest platforms placed all of their emphasis on individuals, the social networks of the mid-2000 saw gold in using their platforms to connect individuals with brands.

Facebook, in particular, led the charge in driving marketers to social; it launched its first self-service ads platform and branded pages all the way back in 2007, allowing the network to reach $150 million in ad revenue within a year. Other networks followed suit, with Twitter launching promoted content and accounts in 2010. But no competitor really managed to unsettle Facebook, which still had its biggest marketing innovations in the holster...

The Modern Era: 2011 - 2017

The 2010s have seen social media continue to solidify its place in our culture; the elder statesmen have become media institutions, and new upstarts, like Snapchat (launched in 2011) have continued to keep the game exciting by appealing to younger audiences and further heightening the importance of mobile design and innovation.

Thanks to Snapchat and Periscope, the look and feel of our social networks has changed across the board, as has fundamental functionality: Today, there is more emphasis on streaming video, GIFs, and limited-run "stories" than ever before, turning social media from a primarily text-based landscape to a primarily image- and video-driven one.

From a digital marketing perspective, the '10s are most notable for turning social media marketing from an advanced level tactic to a fundamental must-have. Business pages are all well and good, but the game has also changed enormously.

For one thing, there's just a lot more money in social marketing than ever before - Facebook's ad revenue, for instance, has just kept growing and growing by leaps and bounds, booming from $10 billion in 2014 to more than $25 billion in 2016. Remember that young upstart Snapchat? Its ad revenue had already reached $50 million by 2015; in that same year, Instagram ad revenue topped $500 million.

At the same time, rates of social ad spending increased; social media accounted for more than 20% of total digital ad spending across brands by 2016.

This growth in ad spend (and, subsequently, ad revenue for the social networks themselves) isn't an accident; social media channels have pulled out all the stops in "corporatizing" themselves, launching platform after platform designed to make marketing easier - and more lucrative - for businesses. Facebook, as always, was originally at the forefront of the pack, launching its "preferred marketing developer" program in 2011, followed by sponsored stories, and then mobile ads in 2012.

Today, just about every social service has similar tools in place; the widespread adoption of these ad tools - along with the steady decline of organic reach - has transformed social media from a marketing platform driven by personal communication to one largely motivated by paid, targeted advertising. Social media is also more important for reputation management than ever before, as reviews and testimonials become more important (particularly on Facebook), driven by the rise of sites like Yelp.

The underside of all of this progress? The increased competition to be visible on social media (preferably for as little money as possible) has spawned a culture in which many are turning to black hat tactics to succeed; such tactics include buying fake followers and encouraging the rise of bots, which have been used to spread falsified information and even hack users on Facebook and Twitter.

The End

So, that's how we got from SixDegrees to Snapchat, how Facebook grew from a dorm room joke to a $400 billion company that could well one day provide free WiFi to the entire world (oh, we didn't mention that little plan?).

Of course, there's still a long way to go! The story of social is still being written every day by countless users, brands, advertisers, and developers eager to craft the next big thing. If you want to be on the front lines, don't hesitate to reach out to Geek Chicago! Our team is always here and ready to chat about what it takes to compete - and innovate - with your social media marketing efforts!
We hope you enjoyed this little look at the past, present, and future of social media marketing, one of the most important facets of a comprehensive digital marketing campaign. This is part one of a multi-part series designed to spotlight the history and evolution of digital marketing as we know it; be sure to check back in the next few weeks for looks into the history of SEO and email marketing!

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The Evolution of Digital Marketing: Social Media Marketing

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It's hard to imagine a world without social media, but the reality is that this massive internet force - one that has launched revolutions, connected families, and generated billions of dollars in revenue for brands all across the world - is younger than you might think.

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"In a short period of time, digital technologies have become pervasive and deeply embedded in all that we do

Unwinding them completely is neither possible nor desirable”

(Wharton, 2019)

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In little more than a decade, the impact of social media has gone from being an entertaining extra to a fully integrated part of nearly every aspect of daily life for many.

Recently in the realm of commerce, Facebook faced skepticism in its testimony to the Senate Banking Committee on Libra, its proposed cryptocurrency and alternative financial system. In politics, heartthrob Justin Bieber tweeted the President of the United States, imploring him to "let those kids out of cages." In law enforcement, the Philadelphia police department moved to terminate more than a dozen police officers after their racist comments on social media were revealed.

And in the ultimate meshing of the digital and physical worlds, Elon Musk raised the specter of essentially removing the space between social and media through the invention - at some future time - of a brain implant that connects human tissue to computer chips.

All this, in the span of about a week.

As quickly as social media has insinuated itself into politics, the workplace, home life, and elsewhere, it continues to evolve at lightning speed, making it tricky to predict which way it will morph next. It's hard to recall now, but SixDegrees.com, Friendster, and Makeoutclub.com were each once the next big thing, while one survivor has continued to grow in astonishing ways. In 2006, Facebook had 7.3 million registered users and reportedly turned down a $750 million buyout offer. In the first quarter of 2019, the company could claim 2.38 billion active users, with a market capitalization hovering around half a trillion dollars.

"In 2007 I argued that Facebook might not be around in 15 years. I'm clearly wrong, but it is interesting to see how things have changed," says Jonah Berger, Wharton marketing professor and author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On. The challenge going forward is not just having the best features, but staying relevant, he says. "Social media isn't a utility. It's not like power or water where all people care about is whether it works. Young people care about what using one platform or another says about them. It's not cool to use the same site as your parents and grandparents, so they're always looking for the hot new thing."

Just a dozen years ago, everyone was talking about a different set of social networking services, "and I don't think anyone quite expected Facebook to become so huge and so dominant," says Kevin Werbach, Wharton professor of legal studies and business ethics. "At that point, this was an interesting discussion about tech start-ups.

"Today, Facebook is one of the most valuable companies on earth and front and center in a whole range of public policy debates, so the scope of issues we're thinking about with social media are broader than then," Werbach adds.

Cambridge Analytica, the impact of social media on the last presidential election and other issues may have eroded public trust, Werbach said, but "social media has become really fundamental to the way that billions of people get information about the world and connect with each other, which raises the stakes enormously."
Just Say No
"Facebook is dangerous," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) at July's hearing of the Senate Banking Committee. "Facebook has said, 'just trust us.' And every time Americans trust you, they seem to get burned."

Social media has plenty of detractors, but by and large, do Americans agree with Brown's sentiment? In 2018, 42% of those surveyed in a Pew Research Center survey said they had taken a break from checking the platform for a period of several weeks or more, while 26% said they had deleted the Facebook app from their cellphone.

A year later, though, despite the reputational beating social media had taken, the 2019 iteration of the same Pew survey found social media use unchanged from 2018.

Facebook has its critics, says Wharton marketing professor Pinar Yildirim, and they are mainly concerned about two things: mishandling consumer data and poorly managing access to it by third-party providers; and the level of disinformation spreading on Facebook.

"Social media isn't a utility. It's not like power or water where all people care about is whether it works. Young people care about what using one platform or another says about them."-Jonah Berger

"The question is, are we at a point where the social media organizations and their activities should be regulated for the benefit of the consumer? I do not think more regulation will necessarily help, but certainly this is what is on the table," says Yildirim. "In the period leading to the [2020 U.S. presidential] elections, we will hear a range of discussions about regulation on the tech industry."

Some proposals relate to stricter regulation on collection and use of consumer data, Yildirim adds, noting that the European Union already moved to stricter regulations last year by adopting the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). "A number of companies in the U.S. and around the world adopted the GDPR protocol for all of their customers, not just for the residents of EU," she says. "We will likely hear more discussions on regulation of such data, and we will likely see stricter regulation of this data."

The other discussion bound to intensify is around the separation of Big Tech into smaller, easier to regulate units. "Most of us academics do not think that dividing organizations into smaller units is sufficient to improve their compliance with regulation. It also does not necessarily mean they will be less competitive," says Yildirim. "For instance, in the discussion of Facebook, it is not even clear yet how breaking up the company would work, given that it does not have very clear boundaries between different business units."

Even if such regulations never come to pass, the discussions "may nevertheless hurt Big Tech financially, given that most companies are publicly traded and it adds to the uncertainty," Yildirim notes.

One prominent commentator about the negative impact of social media is Jaron Lanier, whose fervent opposition makes itself apparent in the plainspoken title of his 2018 book Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now. He cites loss of free will, social media's erosion of the truth and destruction of empathy, its tendency to make people unhappy, and the way in which it is "making politics impossible." The title of the last chapter: "Social Media Hates Your Soul."

Lanier is no tech troglodyte. A polymath who bridges the digital and analog realms, he is a musician and writer, has worked as a scientist for Microsoft, and was co-founder of pioneering virtual reality company VPL Research. The nastiness that online existence brings out in users "turned out to be like crude oil for the social media companies and other behavior manipulation empires that quickly came to dominate the internet, because it fuelled negative behavioral feedback," he writes.

"Social media has become really fundamental to the way that billions of people get information about the world and connect with each other, which raises the stakes enormously."-Kevin Werbach

Worse, there is an addictive quality to social media, and that is a big issue, says Berger. "Social media is like a drug, but what makes it particularly addictive is that it is adaptive. It adjusts based on your preferences and behaviors," he says, "which makes it both more useful and engaging and interesting, and more addictive."

The effect of that drug on mental health is only beginning to be examined, but a recent University of Pennsylvania study makes the case that limiting use of social media can be a good thing. Researchers looked at a group of 143 Penn undergraduates, using baseline monitoring and randomly assigning each to either a group limiting Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat use to 10 minutes per platform per day, or to one told to use social media as usual for three weeks. The results, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, showed significant reductions in loneliness and depression over three weeks in the group limiting use compared to the control group.

However, "both groups showed significant decreases in anxiety and fear of missing out over baseline, suggesting a benefit of increased self-monitoring," wrote the authors of " No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression."
Monetizing a League (and a Reality) All Their Own
No one, though, is predicting that social media is a fad that will pass like its analog antecedent of the 1970s, citizens band radio. It will, however, evolve. The idea of social media as just a way to reconnect with high school friends seems quaint now. The impact of social media today is a big tent, including not only networks like Facebook, but also forums like Reddit and video-sharing platforms.

"The question is, are we at a point where the social media organizations and their activities should be regulated for the benefit of the consumer?"-Pinar Yildirim

Virtual worlds and gaming have become a major part of the sector, too. Wharton marketing professor Peter Fader says gamers are creating their own user-generated content through virtual worlds - and the revenue to go with it. He points to one group of gamers that use Grand Theft Auto as a kind of stage or departure point "to have their own virtual show." In NoPixel, the Grand Theft Auto roleplaying server, "not much really happens and millions are tuning in to watch them. Just watching, not even participating, and it's either live-streamed or recorded. And people are making donations to support this thing. The gamers are making hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Now imagine having a 30-person reality show all filmed live and you can take the perspective of one person and then watch it again from another person's perspective," he continues. "Along the way, they can have a tip jar or talk about things they endorse. That kind of immersive media starts to build the bridge to what we like to get out of TV, but even better. Those things are on the periphery right now, but I think they are going to take over."

Big players have noticed the potential of virtual sports and are getting into the act. In a striking example of the physical world imitating the digital one, media companies are putting up real-life stadiums where teams compete in video games. Comcast Spectator in March announced that it is building a new $50 million stadium in South Philadelphia that will be the home of the Philadelphia Fusion, the city's e-sports team in the Overwatch League.

E-sports is serious business, with revenues globally - including advertising, sponsorships, and media rights - expected to reach $1.1 billion in 2019, according to gaming industry analytics company Newzoo.

"E-sports is absolutely here to stay," says Fader, "and I think it's a safe bet to say that e-sports will dominate most traditional sports, managing far more revenue and having more impact on our consciousness than baseball."

It's no surprise, then, that Facebook has begun making deals to carry e-sports content. In fact, it is diversification like this that may keep Facebook from ending up like its failed upstart peers. One thing that Facebook has managed to do that MySpace, Friendster, and others didn't, is "a very good job of creating functional integration with the value they are delivering, as opposed to being a place to just share photos or send messages, it serves a lot of diversified functions," says Keith E. Niedermeier, director of Wharton's undergraduate marketing program and an adjunct professor of marketing. "They are creating groups and group connections, but you see them moving into lots of other services like streaming entertainment, mobile payments, and customer-to-customer buying and selling."

"[WeChat] has really instantiated itself as a day-to-day tool in China, and it's clear to me that Facebook would like to emulate that sort of thing."-Keith Niedermeier

In China, WeChat has become the biggest mobile payment platform in the world and it is the platform for many third-party apps for things like bike sharing and ordering airplane tickets. "It has really instantiated itself as a day-to-day tool in China, and it's clear to me that Facebook would like to emulate that sort of thing," says Niedermeier.

Among nascent social media platforms that are particularly promising right now, Yildirim says that "social media platforms which are directed at achieving some objectives with smaller scale and more homogenous people stand a higher chance of entering the market and being able to compete with large, general-purpose platforms such as Facebook and Twitter."
Irreplaceable - and Damaging?
Of course, many have begun to believe that the biggest challenge around the impact of social media may be the way it is changing society. The "attention-grabbing algorithms underlying social media ... propel authoritarian practices that aim to sow confusion, ignorance, prejudice, and chaos, thereby facilitating manipulation and undermining accountability," writes University of Toronto political science professor Ronald Deibert in a January essay in the Journal of Democracy.

Berger notes that any piece of information can now get attention, whether it is true or false. This means more potential for movements both welcome as well as malevolent. "Before, only media companies had reach, so it was harder for false information to spread. It could happen, but it was slow. Now anyone can share anything, and because people tend to believe what they see, false information can spread just as, if not more easily, than the truth.

"It's certainly allowed more things to bubble up rather than flow from the top down," says Berger. Absent gatekeepers, "everyone is their own media company, broadcasting to the particular set of people that follow them. It used to be that a major label signing you was the path to stardom. Now artists can build their own following online and break through that way. Social media has certainly made fame and attention more democratic, though not always in a good way."

Deibert writes that "in a short period of time, digital technologies have become pervasive and deeply embedded in all that we do. Unwinding them completely is neither possible nor desirable."

His cri de coeur argues: that citizens have the right to know what companies and governments are doing with their personal data, and that this right be extended internationally to hold autocratic regimes to account; that companies be barred from selling products and services that enable infringements on human rights and harms to civil society; for the creation of independent agencies with real power to hold social-media platforms to account; and the creation and enforcement of strong antitrust laws to end dominance of a very few social-media companies.

"Social media has certainly made fame and attention more democratic, though not always in a good way."-Jonah Berger

The rising tide of concern is now extending across sectors. The U.S. Justice Department has recently begun an anti-trust investigation into how tech companies operate in social media, search, and retail services. In July, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced the award of nearly $50 million in new funding to 11 U.S. universities to research how technology is transforming democracy. The foundation is also soliciting additional grant proposals to fund policy and legal research into the "rules, norms, and governance" that should be applied to social media and technology companies.

Given all of the reasons not to engage with social media - the privacy issues, the slippery-slope addiction aspect of it, its role in spreading incivility - do we want to try to put the genie back in the bottle? Can we? Does social media definitely have a future?

"Yes, surely it does," says Yildirim. "Social connections are fabrics of society. Just as the telegraph or telephone as an innovation of communication did not reduce social connectivity, online social networks did not either. If anything, it likely increased connectivity, or reduced the cost of communicating with others."

It is thanks to online social networks that individuals likely have larger social networks, she says, and while many criticize the fact that we are in touch with large numbers of individuals in a superficial way, these light connections may nevertheless be contributing to our lives when it comes to economic and social outcomes - ranging from finding jobs to meeting new people.

"We are used to being in contact with more individuals, and it is easier to remain in contact with people we only met once. Giving up on this does not seem likely for humans," she says. "The technology with which we keep in touch may change, may evolve, but we will have social connections and platforms which enable them. Facebook may be gone in 10 years, but there will be something else."

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The Impact of Social Media: Is it Irreplaceable?

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Social media as we know it has barely reached its 20th birthday, but it's changed the fabric of everyday life. What does the future hold for the sector and the players currently at the top? ...Read More

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"The mass adoption of the internet into everyday life is the single biggest event that has affected marketing over the last three decades

Drivers: big data, smartphones, transparency, personalisation"

(DigitalMarketingInstitute, n.d.)

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Over the past three decades, marketing has had to keep up and contend with leaps in technology and our relation to it ever since. While the Sales Era witnessed the invention of the telephone, swiftly followed by the rise of television and the Marketing Department Era. The industry evolution of the Marketing Company Era saw arguably the biggest change in the history of marketing: the first commercially available personal computers.

But what do these developments mean for the future of marketing? Our new Digital Skills report found that many marketing professionals are unsure of their future and believe that digital marketing will be critical to their organization over the next two years. Despite this when marketers were asked about their roles in 30 years' time, 68% in the USA and 61% in the UK believe that their current digital role will definitely or probably still exist in its current form.

Without a crystal ball, it's impossible to see what the future holds, but to look forward, we need to look back. Here, we look at the three major technological developments that have changed the way we look at marketing: the internet, big data and smartphones and predict how they can set the scene for the future.

The advent of the internet

The mass adoption of the internet into everyday life is the single biggest event that has affected marketing over the last three decades. Although early desktop publishing software in the first PCs caused a surge in print marketing in the 1980s, the computers were little more than a glorified typewriter. Launched by Tim Berners-Lee and his team in 1991, the World Wide Web project didn't really take off until the first successful mass-market browser, Netscape, was released in 1994. In the following two years, the number of people using the web soared from 16 million to 70.

As users increased, the landscape evolved, from email to search engines like Yahoo! (1994) and Google (1997) and e-commerce sites like Amazon (1994) and eBay (1995). For marketing, this was a goldmine. Email became a new outbound marketing tool, joining the traditional arsenal of TV, radio and print advertisements and telephone sales. While search engines cataloged the new websites that were being created and allowed users to find the information, products and services they desired from the comfort of their own home.

Marketers used early SEO techniques like keyword stuffing, excessive tagging and backlinks to generate high rankings. One successful company at the time, renowned for its aggressive marketing tactics was Razorfish. Now one of the biggest interactive media agencies, Razorfish was a key player in early SEO, as well as a pioneer of the "server push" possibilities of the Netscape browser.

Big data

All this online activity was - and still is - stored as digital information. A 2000 study found that digital information was the most rapidly growing type of unique information produced, with most text-based information "born digital." This information is also known as big data.

Why? Because there's so much of it! In 2000 it was already replacing its physical counterparts: paper, film and optical (DVD and CD). New discoveries in data recording and storage technology made big data a new and irreplaceable resource for marketing departments.

After the early hype of the internet, the dot-com bubble burst in 2001 and marketing tactics shifted. A greater emphasis was then placed on inbound marketing through information sharing, user- centered design and collaboration. The introduction of social media sites LinkedIn (2002), Myspace (2003), Facebook (2004) and Twitter (2007) made this all the more possible as internet users started sharing more and more personal data online.

Big data has made it possible to track patterns and trends of human behavior, and its role in marketing is only set to increase. Data-driven marketing has gathered enough momentum that a number of companies have emerged that specialize in harnessing this technology, such as Domo, Oracle and Optimove.

For example, Optimove specializes in digital precision marketing using the power of predictive analytics. Its marketing cloud uses big data to acquire the emotional intelligence necessary to connect with customers more effectively and at all times. This has allowed marketers to come up with better strategies that strengthen customer relationships.

Smartphones

Where would we be without smartphones and tablets? These new devices have exploded in the last decade and marketing departments are still catching up. Today, smartphones have overtaken personal computers as the primary digital device for going online with the daily time U.S. adults spend with mobile media on the increase from 46 minutes in 2011 to 258 minutes in 2017.

To evolve into the smart devices that they are today, the early cellphones of the 1970s and 1980s were mainly meant for use in cars while attempts at hand-held computers throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s never really made it. The first true modern smartphone was produced by BlackBerry in 2003 and supported email, text messaging, phone calls and web browsing, but were mainly used by business professionals. It was not until 2007 that smartphones entered the mass market following the ground-breaking release of the iPhone. Look to today and smartphone ownership in the UK alone was 76%, with rapid increases in the proportion of 4G users and a quarter of smartphone owners making no traditional voice calls.

The world has moved online and into our pockets. So, where do we go from here? A future of transparency, personalization and agile marketing.

Transparency

Information is everywhere. According to Unilever's Senior Vice-President of Marketing, Marc Mathieu, marketing used to be about creating a myth and selling it and is now about finding a truth and sharing it.

Customers are now smarter and able to research products in seconds, easily comparing competitors and reviews and unearthing any myths along the way. For sales professionals, this shift is proving a challenge as 70% of the buyer's journey is complete before a buyer even reaches out to sales. SEO improvements have made keyword stuffing and spammy backlinks a thing of the past, paving the way for real value and good content to become the new marketing style.

The need for transparency is obvious when you look into customer perception of brands. Across social media, 19% of consumers find it easy to tell the difference between marketing communications, advertising and branded content and non-commercial content on social media, while 30% have little or no trust in the content they see on Facebook.

In an era where customers are in the driving seat, marketers need to engage consumers in an ongoing conversation, creating real relationships and brand loyalty.

"When consumers get used to transparency, they're also more interested in the quality of what you sell, and are more likely to willingly pay extra. And once people start moving in that direction, the cost of being an unethical provider gets so high that you either change your ways or fade away." - Seth Godin

Personalization

Sharing is everything. It is a huge part of the new internet landscape and the upcoming generation of digital natives is changing the way information is viewed and shared. As the first truly mobile-first generation, Gen Zers as they are known, place a big emphasis on personalization and relevance. Their habits have also evolved compared to Millenials who currently interact with three screens on average, compared to Gen Zers who use five: a smartphone, TV, laptop, desktop, and iPod/iPad.

Personalization can be achieved through using big data or user-generated content. While big data can be used to create a unique experience for individuals, user-generated content empowers customers. This form of content marketing gives marketers an infinite supply of creative input while creating a bond between brand and consumer. Millennials are especially influenced by user generated content campaigns with 84% reporting that user generated content on company websites has at least some influence on what they buy.

A successful example of a user generated campaign is GoPro's Photo of the Day social media campaign, where GoPro features a customer's photo on their social media sites every day to prove to a wider audience the merits of the camera. The public can then vote for their favorite on the GoPro Award page, incentivising people to send in their photos and driving engagement.

Agile marketing

Agile marketing is a measure of how efficient an organization is at achieving its marketing goals. A marketing team that is agile provides a lot of strategy and theoretical results to their stakeholders with a view to executing it quickly. ROI is also a key factor, with agile marketers realizing that new business is more important than new material. In essence, it's about the speed in which new products can be developed or finessed to capitalize on an opportunity and drive a business forward.

One of the reasons for agile marketing being on the rise is social media, where brands have spent the last few years figuring out how to communicate on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. These channels have provided insight into what can work and the type of content that resonates. In addition, many established brands have a personality on social media in terms of tone and voice along with fostering that all-important transparency for consumers. The speed of social media has also shown organizations that a quick response - if done correctly - can be very effective across a range of mediums.

An example of this type of marketing is at the Superbowl when the lights went out. Using this as an opportunity, a few brands took to Twitter to promote their products on the back of the SuperBowl's temporary misfortune. Enter Oreo and Tide.

This type of marketing is on the up and with consumers having an expectation of immediacy, it could go a long way to cultivating conversations and creating a user-brand relationship. Marketers can run real-time dialogues with their customers and are able to listen and connect in ways that feel relevant to their audience.

While the internet has changed everything, it is worth remembering that the old forms of marketing still carry weight. Despite the growth in digital advertising, TV still takes a third of ad spend in the US and continues to grow, albeit at a slower rate. Embracing digital trends does not mean discarding traditional marketing methods. Keep up with the trends while integrating the old for solid marketing success.

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The Evolution of Digital Marketing: 30 Years in the Past & Future | Digital Marketing Institute

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The Evolution of Digital Marketing: 30 Years in the Past & Future page on the Digital Marketing Institute Blog, all about keeping you ahead in the digital marketing game.

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Social Class
Social media has led to improved social equality in regard to access to information
Now everyone has smartphones (use social media) vs. Past magazines only for the wealthy

"Smartphones are not just for middle-income populations anymore

Key driver of inter access in rural/less wealthy populations is manufacturers offering affordable phones"

(Westbrook and Angus, 2020)

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Businesses must be agile, adaptable and aware of consumer trends to retain market share. Organisations that identify these trends before their competitors will ultimately achieve long-term viability.

Be the first to learn how consumer behaviour will evolve in 2020.

Discover 10 consumer trends that will impact every industry

Learn how to target consumers based on what they value in products, brands and companies

Identify competitive strategies for growth in 2020 and beyond

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Businesses must be agile, adaptable and aware of consumer trends to retain market share. Organisations that identify these trends before their competitors will ultimately achieve long-term viability. Be the first to learn how consumer behaviour will evolve in 2020.

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"Social media users have passed the 3.8 billion (2020)

Nearly 60% of the world’s population is already online

Predicted that more than half of the world’s total population will use social media by the middle of 2020"

(Kemp, 2020)

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Our new Digital 2020 reports - published in partnership with - show that digital, mobile, and social media have become an indispensable part of everyday life for people all over the world.

More than 4.5 billion people now use the internet, while social media users have passed the 3.8 billion mark. Nearly 60 percent of the world's population is already online, and the latest trends suggest that more than half of the world's total population will use social media by the middle of this year.

Some important challenges remain, however, and there's still work to do to ensure that everyone around the world has fair and equal access to life-changing digital connectivity.

You'll find our full Digital 2020 Global Overview Report in the SlideShare embed below, but read on to find our summary of this year's key headlines, numbers, and trends.

Just before we dig into our analysis, we'd like to say a huge thank you to our data partners, without whom many of the best slides in this year's reports wouldn't be possible:

Please also note that some of the underlying sources and reporting methodologies for some of our core data points have changed since last year, so various numbers in our Digital 2020 collection will not be comparable to similar data points in previous reports. See individual report slides for more details.

Digital in 2020: the essential headline numbers
Digital's role in our lives has reached new heights, with more people spending more time doing more things online than ever before:

The number of people around the world using the internet has grown to 4.54 billion, an increase of 7 percent (298 million new users) compared to January 2019.

Worldwide, there are 3.80 billion social media users in January 2020, with this number increasing by more than 9 percent (321 million new users) since this time last year.

Globally, more than 5.19 billion people now use mobile phones, with user numbers up by 124 million (2.4 percent) over the past year.

You'll probably spend more than 100 days online this year
The average internet user now spends 6 hours and 43 minutes online each day. That's 3 minutes less than this time last year, but still equates to more than 100 days of connected time per internet user, per year. If we allow roughly 8 hours a day for sleep, that means we currently spend more than 40 percent of our waking lives using the internet.

What's more, the world's internet users will spend a cumulative 1.25 billion years online in 2020, with more than one-third of that time spent using social media. However, the amount of time that people spend online varies from country to country, with internet users in the Philippines spending an average of 9 hours and 45 minutes per day online, compared to just 4 hours and 22 minutes per day in Japan.

Getting to full access: connecting the unconnected
More than 2 billion people have come online since the first mention of 'The Next Billion', but just over 40 percent of the world's total population - roughly 3.2 billion people - remains unconnected to the internet.

More than 1 billion of these 'unconnected' people live in Southern Asia (31 percent of the total). Countries in Africa account for 27 percent of the total, with 870 million people yet to come online across the continent as a whole.

Age plays a significant role in determining levels of internet access across these regions: more than half of Africa's total population is below the age of 20, and there are more than 460 million people below the age of 13 across Southern Asia.

Mobile now accounts for half of internet use
GlobalWebIndex finds that mobile phones now account for more than half of all the time we spend online, with the company's data putting mobile's share of internet time at 50.1 percent.

With 92 percent of the world's internet users now connecting via mobile devices, this figure may be lower than some might expect, but various data points confirm that computers continue to play an important role in our connected lives.

Despite mobile's ubiquity, three-quarters of internet users aged 16 to 64 still go online via laptop and desktop computers. Furthermore, data from Statcounter reveal that roughly 53 percent of all web page requests now come from mobile phones, but that computers still account for 44 percent of the total.

All of this data points to the fact that most people still use a variety of different devices to go online. As a result, a balanced device strategy is still essential. Moreover, people use different devices at different times and for different needs, so marketers must go beyond technical considerations to understand the various use cases and contexts for each device when building their plans.

Our love affair with apps shows little sign of slowing either, despite the rise of ' progressive web apps '. App Annie that the world's smartphone users downloaded more than 200 billion mobile apps in 2019, spending a total US$120 billion on apps and app-related purchases over the past 12 months. Combined with recent from Ericsson, these figures suggest that the average user now spends an annual average of more than US$21 per connected smartphone.

We really are social animals
Roughly half of the 3.7 hours that people spend using mobile phones each day is spent using social and communications apps, meaning that these platforms account for the same share of our mobile time as all of our other mobile activities put together .

Across mobile devices and computers, GlobalWebIndex reports that we now spend an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes per person, per day using social media, up by 2 minutes per day since this time last year.

Once again, the story varies by country. Filipinos are still the world's most 'social' people, with the average internet user aged 16 to 64 spending almost 4 hours per day on social platforms. It's a very different picture at the other end of the scale though, with internet users in Japan spending an average of just 45 minutes per day using social media.

But where exactly are we spending all of that social time - and just how big is TikTok? All will be revealed below...

Facebook still dominates
Despite various challenges over the past few years, Facebook is still top of the pops when it comes to social. Trends in user numbers reported in the company's earnings announcements suggest that the platform should have already passed the historic 2.5 billion monthly active users (MAU) mark, and user numbers continued to grow steadily across most countries during 2019.

However, for various reasons, marketers can't reach all of these users using Facebook advertising, and the platform's own self-service advertising tools indicate that the total addressable Facebook audience now stands at 1.95 billion, or roughly 80 percent of total MAUs.

Facebook has seen a few audience declines over the past year too. Its self-service advertising tools reported notably lower reach figures for India, Spain, and South Korea at the start of 2020 compared to just a few months earlier. However, overall, Facebook's audience reach has grown by 1 percent in the past 3 months alone.

First up, there's no denying it: TikTok is . 800 million monthly active users big.

However, 500 million of these active users - more than 60 percent of the total - live in China. That means that the platform has roughly 300 million monthly active users outside of China.

Regardless of country differences, however, TikTok climbed to sixth place in the global mobile app rankings by monthly active users for 2019. For context, TikTok is still behind WhatsApp, Facebook, WeChat and Instagram, but it's already ahead of all the other social platforms.

However, it's important to stress that the data do not indicate that TikTok's success has come at the expense of any of the Western social networks. In fact, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat have all reported increases in their advertising audience reach over the past few months, even amongst users aged 13 to 17.

Strong growth isn't limited to TikTok
While the media has been distracted with all the hype surrounding TikTok, some other social platforms have been posting some impressive numbers that seem to have slipped under the radar.

Top of the growth charts is Reddit, whose reported monthly active user numbers have surged by 30 percent (100 million new users) since this time last year, with the company's latest reports revealing that the platform now attracts 430 million users each month.

The company has also added a number of new countries to its advertising targeting options, resulting in a quarter-on-quarter increase in reported potential advertising reach of 12 percent between October 2019 and January 2020.

Sina Weibo has also been enjoying impressive growth, with recent trends suggesting that the platform's MAU numbers should pass the half-billion mark within the next few months. The 497 million MAUs that the platform reported in November was buoyed by an annual increase of 51 million new users, equating to year-on-year growth of 11 percent.

However, it's not just China's ecommerce sites that are breaking through at a global level:

Baidu, China's top search engine, ranks fifth in Alexa's latest list, and fourth in a similar ranking from SimilarWeb .

, a popular messenger platform owned by WeChat's parent company, Tencent, currently claims the sixth spot in Alexa's rankings

Seventh spot in Alexa's rankings is occupied by , a popular online portal that offers news, search, gaming, and various other services.

, a Chinese internet security company that is best known for its antivirus software, popular web browser, and mobile app store, takes Alexa's tenth spot.

For context, Eastern and Southeastern Asia account for roughly one-third of the world's total internet user population at the start of 2020 (1.5 vs 4.5 billion). What's more, with more than 50 million new users coming online for the first time in the region over the past 12 months, these audiences will play an increasingly influential role in shaping the next phase of the internet's growth - in Asia and beyond.

However, it's important to stress that the rise of voice isn't only about the use of smart speaker devices. One in three global internet users now use voice interfaces on their mobile phones each month, but these figures are even higher in Asia: 40 percent of Indian internet users say they used a voice interface on their phone in the past month, compared to 42 percent in China, and an impressive 48 percent in Indonesia.

With these countries home to some of the world's largest internet populations, expect voice control to find its way into an increasing number of mobile apps over the coming months, especially because people around the world are increasingly using voice search as part of their shopping journey.

The worried wide web
Privacy remains an important issue for internet users around the world, and the latest research finds that we're more concerned today than we were this time last year. GlobalWebIndex reports that 64 percent of internet users are worried about how companies use their data, up from 63 percent at the start of 2019.

However, it's worth highlighting that GlobalWebIndex's survey respondents cite frustrations with the sheer number of adverts on the internet as their primary motivation for using ad blocking tools, ahead of motivations related to privacy concerns.

Moreover, various data points in this year's reports highlight what we might call a 'digital privacy paradox'. There's little doubt that many of us really are increasingly concerned about our digital privacy, but we're also increasingly likely to adopt devices and technologies that are specifically designed to create and share even more intimate data about our lives.

Games are a serious business
More than 4 in 5 internet users aged 16 to 64 around the world play video games every month, which would equate to a total global gaming community of more than 3.5 billion people if we applied that figure to the total internet user population. The majority of gamers play games on their smartphones (69 percent of all internet users), but 25 percent of internet users also report playing games on dedicated gaming consoles.

These more 'dedicated' gamers spend an average of 70 minutes per day playing console games, but this rises to more than 90 minutes per day for console gamers in Thailand, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia.

Video is still the one to watch
The latest from Ericsson suggest that the world's mobile internet users will consume more than half a trillion gigabytes of mobile data during 2020, with roughly two-thirds of that total being used to stream and download video content. Fun fact: if you tried to store all of that data on 3½" floppy disks , you'd need a stack of disks that stretched from the Sun to somewhere beyond Jupiter.

Video's scale isn't just about data consumption, either. GlobalWebIndex reports that 90 percent of internet users aged 16 to 64 now watch online videos each month, which would translate to more than half of the world's total population if we applied that figures across all of the world's internet users.

However, the number of people streaming TV content via the internet also continues to rise. GlobalWebIndex's latest data show that two-thirds of internet users aged 16 to 64 now watch TV content via some form of subscription service (e.g. Netflix).

No stopping shopping
Roughly three-quarters of the world's internet users aged 16 to 64 buy something online each month, with GlobalWebIndex finding that ecommerce adoption rates are highest amongst internet users in Indonesia, Thailand, and Poland.

The distribution of adoption across geographies suggests that economic development is not the primary determinant of ecommerce use, and that other factors are more important, such as sites that cater to the language needs and cultural preferences of local shoppers.

Worldwide, ecommerce consumers are more likely to purchase through a mobile device than through a laptop, although the data reveal that most people use both devices for their online shopping, depending on the type of product they're buying and the context of their shopping activities.

Online purchases of Furniture & Appliances saw the fastest year-on-year growth, with 2019 worldwide consumer revenues of US$316.7 billion marking a 19 percent jump compared to 2018 spend. The Fashion & Beauty and Electronics & Physical Media categories also saw impressive gains, with consumer ecommerce revenues in both categories increasing by 18 percent between 2018 and 2019.

At a global level, the average ecommerce shopper now spends almost US$500 on online purchases of consumer goods each year, although Statista reports that this varies significantly by country, from an average of US$1,441 per person in South Korea, to just US$20 per person in the Philippines.

Average annual revenues per user (ARPU) grew by 9 percent over the past 12 months, but growth in Southern Asia was much faster. The latest data show that average ecommerce spend on consumer goods in India has increased by 43 percent compared to 2018 figures, but is still below US$50.

As we detailed above, China's ecommerce websites are already amongst the world's most-visited online destinations, so it might not come as a surprise that China leads the way in GDP-adjusted ARPU rates. However, despite relatively low figures for absolute ecommerce ARPU, Egypt and Indonesia both rank highly for these GDP-adjusted averages, while Ghana, Kenya, and India also find themselves much higher up the rankings.

Shopping is a journey, not a destination
"Omnichannel" has become a buzzword in the retail industry, and rightly so: all the evidence indicates that the world's shoppers are making less and less of a distinction between 'online' and 'offline' when it comes to their shopping. Blended behaviours such as 'click and collect' are on the rise, and showrooming - where consumers visit physical world stores before buying products online - is also an increasingly common practice.

Overall, GlobalWebIndex reports that search engines are the primary source of discovery for new brands and products for the world's internet users, slightly ahead of television adverts.

Social media's role in the purchase journey continues to expand, with 43 percent of internet users around the world aged 16 to 64 now saying that they use social networks when researching things to buy.

The authors go on to note that,

The key takeaway here is that there is no silver bullet when it comes to "closing a sale", and marketers would do well to consider the full scope of the consumer purchase cycle - from initial discovery through to purchase, and even post-purchase activities - when devising their plans.

Moreover, marketers would do well to stop thinking in terms of 'online' and 'offline'. With most shoppers demonstrating that they're equally happy to engage with connected devices and physical-world properties in equal measure - often simultaneously - it's increasingly clear that these 'lines' only exist in marketers' heads and budgets.

And finally...
Every year when we're producing these reports, we spot something fun in the data. In previous editions that's been which emoji people use most on Twitter (we've included that in this year's report too), or the discovery that Yahoo! is still more popular than porn (spoiler alert: it still is).

However, this year's fun fact goes to the very heart of why the internet exists, and marks a fundamental shift in the internet's centre of gravity that's arguably as radical as the rising influence of the East.

If you've been online since the 90s (ahem), you may know that the internet was invented to share pictures of kittens . However, recent trends in some of our most cutting-edge data reveal that things may be changing.

Data from Google Trends reveals that people searched for dogs almost twice as frequently as they searched for cats in 2019. For reference, the average search index for 'dog' in 2019 was 90, compared to an average of 52 for 'cat'.

Similarly, Twitter's ad targeting tools report that more than 250 million of the platform's users are "interested" in dogs, compared to just 250,000 who are interested in cats - that's a thousand-fold difference.

However, there's still hope for cat lovers: a Google search for 'dog' at the start of 2020 delivered a total of 6.76 billion results, but a search for 'cat' returned a total of 6.82 billion.

We'll share updates on this important story as and when we get them. Let the debates commence.

Looking ahead
We'll publish a few more articles that dig deeper into some of the more nuanced findings in this year's reports over the coming weeks, and we'll also share more detailed data for local countries starting in mid-February.

But how can we translate these findings into more efficient and effective plans? Let's finish with three top tips.

Go beyond your bubble
Internet behaviours are changing, with influences from around the world shaping the expectations and preferences of people in all corners of the globe. It's no longer enough to watch what's going on in your own backyard (or valley); global marketers who want to stay ahead of the curve need to broaden their horizons, and look to other parts of the world for insight and inspiration.

Our 240+ local country reports will be a good place to start, but you can also take simpler, more everyday steps to learn. Digital and social platforms make it easier than ever to connect with - and learn from - people all over the world, whether they're domain experts on LinkedIn and Twitter, or everyday people on Instagram.
Top tip: Don't just rely on research; go out onto the web and into social media and watch what's happening for yourself.
Prioritise people
Many of the marketers I speak with around the world ask me whether TikTok will overtake Facebook, whether VR will become "a thing", or whether the data I see point to a "next big thing."

We strive to offer insight on all of these issues through our regular Global Digital Reports, but my answer to all of these questions is the same: focus your attention on people, not technology.

Almost without exception, the companies and brands that succeed over the long-term are those that successfully satisfy people's wants, needs and desires - not those who've jumped on a bandwagon, created an isolated 'viral' campaign, or jumped at every shiny new toy without a clear strategy.

Understanding people will serve you well regardless of the latest trends in technology, fashion, or business.

My advice here is similar to the advice I shared above: take a few minutes each day to go onto public social media platforms and learn about what your audience cares about. You don't need creepy, invasive data for this - just search for a few relevant hashtags on Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and you'll quickly start to learn what really matters to your audience.

Don't just search for product-related hashtags, though. Try exploring cultures too, by constantly asking yourself what's different about what you're seeing compared to what you expected.

Focus
Staying on top of the latest tech trends is one of the biggest causes of stress for marketers everywhere. Hopefully, our Global Digital Reports help, but maybe a better answer is less, not more.

Do you really need to try that niche new platform with a couple of million users, or might you be better focusing your efforts (and budgets) on one or two proven platforms with billions of active users?

Will that shiny new toy really propel your brand to perpetual success, or is it just a pleasant distraction from quarterly planning? More importantly, is it a sustainable solution that justifies a steep learning curve (VR, anyone?)

On the flip-side, can you really justify ignoring the big trends, just because they don't appeal to you on a personal level? Gaming, voice interfaces, and esports are all hugely popular with global audiences, yet continue to be underrepresented in the media coverage, in marketing plans, and in brands' budgets.
Top takeaway: In 2020, use data-driven insights to identify a handful of technologies and platforms that really matter to your brand's success, and not simply to add the latest fads to your roadmap.
--
This article was originally written by our consultant, Simon Kemp, for TheNextWeb.

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Digital 2020: 3.8 billion people use social media - We Are Social

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Our new Digital 2020 reports - published in partnership with - show that digital, mobile, and social media have become an indispensable part of everyday life for people all over the world. More than 4.5 billion people now use the internet, while social media users have passed the 3.8 billion mark.

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Social: More connected (Web 2.0)
“Social media has become really fundamental to the way that billions of people get information about the world and connect with each other, which raises the stakes enormously”
(Wharton, 2019)

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In little more than a decade, the impact of social media has gone from being an entertaining extra to a fully integrated part of nearly every aspect of daily life for many.

Recently in the realm of commerce, Facebook faced skepticism in its testimony to the Senate Banking Committee on Libra, its proposed cryptocurrency and alternative financial system. In politics, heartthrob Justin Bieber tweeted the President of the United States, imploring him to "let those kids out of cages." In law enforcement, the Philadelphia police department moved to terminate more than a dozen police officers after their racist comments on social media were revealed.

And in the ultimate meshing of the digital and physical worlds, Elon Musk raised the specter of essentially removing the space between social and media through the invention - at some future time - of a brain implant that connects human tissue to computer chips.

All this, in the span of about a week.

As quickly as social media has insinuated itself into politics, the workplace, home life, and elsewhere, it continues to evolve at lightning speed, making it tricky to predict which way it will morph next. It's hard to recall now, but SixDegrees.com, Friendster, and Makeoutclub.com were each once the next big thing, while one survivor has continued to grow in astonishing ways. In 2006, Facebook had 7.3 million registered users and reportedly turned down a $750 million buyout offer. In the first quarter of 2019, the company could claim 2.38 billion active users, with a market capitalization hovering around half a trillion dollars.

"In 2007 I argued that Facebook might not be around in 15 years. I'm clearly wrong, but it is interesting to see how things have changed," says Jonah Berger, Wharton marketing professor and author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On. The challenge going forward is not just having the best features, but staying relevant, he says. "Social media isn't a utility. It's not like power or water where all people care about is whether it works. Young people care about what using one platform or another says about them. It's not cool to use the same site as your parents and grandparents, so they're always looking for the hot new thing."

Just a dozen years ago, everyone was talking about a different set of social networking services, "and I don't think anyone quite expected Facebook to become so huge and so dominant," says Kevin Werbach, Wharton professor of legal studies and business ethics. "At that point, this was an interesting discussion about tech start-ups.

"Today, Facebook is one of the most valuable companies on earth and front and center in a whole range of public policy debates, so the scope of issues we're thinking about with social media are broader than then," Werbach adds.

Cambridge Analytica, the impact of social media on the last presidential election and other issues may have eroded public trust, Werbach said, but "social media has become really fundamental to the way that billions of people get information about the world and connect with each other, which raises the stakes enormously."
Just Say No
"Facebook is dangerous," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) at July's hearing of the Senate Banking Committee. "Facebook has said, 'just trust us.' And every time Americans trust you, they seem to get burned."

Social media has plenty of detractors, but by and large, do Americans agree with Brown's sentiment? In 2018, 42% of those surveyed in a Pew Research Center survey said they had taken a break from checking the platform for a period of several weeks or more, while 26% said they had deleted the Facebook app from their cellphone.

A year later, though, despite the reputational beating social media had taken, the 2019 iteration of the same Pew survey found social media use unchanged from 2018.

Facebook has its critics, says Wharton marketing professor Pinar Yildirim, and they are mainly concerned about two things: mishandling consumer data and poorly managing access to it by third-party providers; and the level of disinformation spreading on Facebook.

"Social media isn't a utility. It's not like power or water where all people care about is whether it works. Young people care about what using one platform or another says about them."-Jonah Berger

"The question is, are we at a point where the social media organizations and their activities should be regulated for the benefit of the consumer? I do not think more regulation will necessarily help, but certainly this is what is on the table," says Yildirim. "In the period leading to the [2020 U.S. presidential] elections, we will hear a range of discussions about regulation on the tech industry."

Some proposals relate to stricter regulation on collection and use of consumer data, Yildirim adds, noting that the European Union already moved to stricter regulations last year by adopting the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). "A number of companies in the U.S. and around the world adopted the GDPR protocol for all of their customers, not just for the residents of EU," she says. "We will likely hear more discussions on regulation of such data, and we will likely see stricter regulation of this data."

The other discussion bound to intensify is around the separation of Big Tech into smaller, easier to regulate units. "Most of us academics do not think that dividing organizations into smaller units is sufficient to improve their compliance with regulation. It also does not necessarily mean they will be less competitive," says Yildirim. "For instance, in the discussion of Facebook, it is not even clear yet how breaking up the company would work, given that it does not have very clear boundaries between different business units."

Even if such regulations never come to pass, the discussions "may nevertheless hurt Big Tech financially, given that most companies are publicly traded and it adds to the uncertainty," Yildirim notes.

One prominent commentator about the negative impact of social media is Jaron Lanier, whose fervent opposition makes itself apparent in the plainspoken title of his 2018 book Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now. He cites loss of free will, social media's erosion of the truth and destruction of empathy, its tendency to make people unhappy, and the way in which it is "making politics impossible." The title of the last chapter: "Social Media Hates Your Soul."

Lanier is no tech troglodyte. A polymath who bridges the digital and analog realms, he is a musician and writer, has worked as a scientist for Microsoft, and was co-founder of pioneering virtual reality company VPL Research. The nastiness that online existence brings out in users "turned out to be like crude oil for the social media companies and other behavior manipulation empires that quickly came to dominate the internet, because it fuelled negative behavioral feedback," he writes.

"Social media has become really fundamental to the way that billions of people get information about the world and connect with each other, which raises the stakes enormously."-Kevin Werbach

Worse, there is an addictive quality to social media, and that is a big issue, says Berger. "Social media is like a drug, but what makes it particularly addictive is that it is adaptive. It adjusts based on your preferences and behaviors," he says, "which makes it both more useful and engaging and interesting, and more addictive."

The effect of that drug on mental health is only beginning to be examined, but a recent University of Pennsylvania study makes the case that limiting use of social media can be a good thing. Researchers looked at a group of 143 Penn undergraduates, using baseline monitoring and randomly assigning each to either a group limiting Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat use to 10 minutes per platform per day, or to one told to use social media as usual for three weeks. The results, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, showed significant reductions in loneliness and depression over three weeks in the group limiting use compared to the control group.

However, "both groups showed significant decreases in anxiety and fear of missing out over baseline, suggesting a benefit of increased self-monitoring," wrote the authors of " No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression."
Monetizing a League (and a Reality) All Their Own
No one, though, is predicting that social media is a fad that will pass like its analog antecedent of the 1970s, citizens band radio. It will, however, evolve. The idea of social media as just a way to reconnect with high school friends seems quaint now. The impact of social media today is a big tent, including not only networks like Facebook, but also forums like Reddit and video-sharing platforms.

"The question is, are we at a point where the social media organizations and their activities should be regulated for the benefit of the consumer?"-Pinar Yildirim

Virtual worlds and gaming have become a major part of the sector, too. Wharton marketing professor Peter Fader says gamers are creating their own user-generated content through virtual worlds - and the revenue to go with it. He points to one group of gamers that use Grand Theft Auto as a kind of stage or departure point "to have their own virtual show." In NoPixel, the Grand Theft Auto roleplaying server, "not much really happens and millions are tuning in to watch them. Just watching, not even participating, and it's either live-streamed or recorded. And people are making donations to support this thing. The gamers are making hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Now imagine having a 30-person reality show all filmed live and you can take the perspective of one person and then watch it again from another person's perspective," he continues. "Along the way, they can have a tip jar or talk about things they endorse. That kind of immersive media starts to build the bridge to what we like to get out of TV, but even better. Those things are on the periphery right now, but I think they are going to take over."

Big players have noticed the potential of virtual sports and are getting into the act. In a striking example of the physical world imitating the digital one, media companies are putting up real-life stadiums where teams compete in video games. Comcast Spectator in March announced that it is building a new $50 million stadium in South Philadelphia that will be the home of the Philadelphia Fusion, the city's e-sports team in the Overwatch League.

E-sports is serious business, with revenues globally - including advertising, sponsorships, and media rights - expected to reach $1.1 billion in 2019, according to gaming industry analytics company Newzoo.

"E-sports is absolutely here to stay," says Fader, "and I think it's a safe bet to say that e-sports will dominate most traditional sports, managing far more revenue and having more impact on our consciousness than baseball."

It's no surprise, then, that Facebook has begun making deals to carry e-sports content. In fact, it is diversification like this that may keep Facebook from ending up like its failed upstart peers. One thing that Facebook has managed to do that MySpace, Friendster, and others didn't, is "a very good job of creating functional integration with the value they are delivering, as opposed to being a place to just share photos or send messages, it serves a lot of diversified functions," says Keith E. Niedermeier, director of Wharton's undergraduate marketing program and an adjunct professor of marketing. "They are creating groups and group connections, but you see them moving into lots of other services like streaming entertainment, mobile payments, and customer-to-customer buying and selling."

"[WeChat] has really instantiated itself as a day-to-day tool in China, and it's clear to me that Facebook would like to emulate that sort of thing."-Keith Niedermeier

In China, WeChat has become the biggest mobile payment platform in the world and it is the platform for many third-party apps for things like bike sharing and ordering airplane tickets. "It has really instantiated itself as a day-to-day tool in China, and it's clear to me that Facebook would like to emulate that sort of thing," says Niedermeier.

Among nascent social media platforms that are particularly promising right now, Yildirim says that "social media platforms which are directed at achieving some objectives with smaller scale and more homogenous people stand a higher chance of entering the market and being able to compete with large, general-purpose platforms such as Facebook and Twitter."
Irreplaceable - and Damaging?
Of course, many have begun to believe that the biggest challenge around the impact of social media may be the way it is changing society. The "attention-grabbing algorithms underlying social media ... propel authoritarian practices that aim to sow confusion, ignorance, prejudice, and chaos, thereby facilitating manipulation and undermining accountability," writes University of Toronto political science professor Ronald Deibert in a January essay in the Journal of Democracy.

Berger notes that any piece of information can now get attention, whether it is true or false. This means more potential for movements both welcome as well as malevolent. "Before, only media companies had reach, so it was harder for false information to spread. It could happen, but it was slow. Now anyone can share anything, and because people tend to believe what they see, false information can spread just as, if not more easily, than the truth.

"It's certainly allowed more things to bubble up rather than flow from the top down," says Berger. Absent gatekeepers, "everyone is their own media company, broadcasting to the particular set of people that follow them. It used to be that a major label signing you was the path to stardom. Now artists can build their own following online and break through that way. Social media has certainly made fame and attention more democratic, though not always in a good way."

Deibert writes that "in a short period of time, digital technologies have become pervasive and deeply embedded in all that we do. Unwinding them completely is neither possible nor desirable."

His cri de coeur argues: that citizens have the right to know what companies and governments are doing with their personal data, and that this right be extended internationally to hold autocratic regimes to account; that companies be barred from selling products and services that enable infringements on human rights and harms to civil society; for the creation of independent agencies with real power to hold social-media platforms to account; and the creation and enforcement of strong antitrust laws to end dominance of a very few social-media companies.

"Social media has certainly made fame and attention more democratic, though not always in a good way."-Jonah Berger

The rising tide of concern is now extending across sectors. The U.S. Justice Department has recently begun an anti-trust investigation into how tech companies operate in social media, search, and retail services. In July, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced the award of nearly $50 million in new funding to 11 U.S. universities to research how technology is transforming democracy. The foundation is also soliciting additional grant proposals to fund policy and legal research into the "rules, norms, and governance" that should be applied to social media and technology companies.

Given all of the reasons not to engage with social media - the privacy issues, the slippery-slope addiction aspect of it, its role in spreading incivility - do we want to try to put the genie back in the bottle? Can we? Does social media definitely have a future?

"Yes, surely it does," says Yildirim. "Social connections are fabrics of society. Just as the telegraph or telephone as an innovation of communication did not reduce social connectivity, online social networks did not either. If anything, it likely increased connectivity, or reduced the cost of communicating with others."

It is thanks to online social networks that individuals likely have larger social networks, she says, and while many criticize the fact that we are in touch with large numbers of individuals in a superficial way, these light connections may nevertheless be contributing to our lives when it comes to economic and social outcomes - ranging from finding jobs to meeting new people.

"We are used to being in contact with more individuals, and it is easier to remain in contact with people we only met once. Giving up on this does not seem likely for humans," she says. "The technology with which we keep in touch may change, may evolve, but we will have social connections and platforms which enable them. Facebook may be gone in 10 years, but there will be something else."

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The Impact of Social Media: Is it Irreplaceable?

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Social media as we know it has barely reached its 20th birthday, but it's changed the fabric of everyday life. What does the future hold for the sector and the players currently at the top? ...Read More

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Social: More connected (Web 2.0)

“Any person can see how the other side lives

In this ever-more interconnected society, the internet has made the world flat, thereby exposing the inequality in wealth and human experience

Has both democratised power and enabled groups of people to organise movements around messages"

(Skandul, 2019)

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Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the rise of globalization has made promises of prosperity, and the advent of the internet has provided hope for democratization.

But while globalization has made the world wealthier and decreased poverty, it has also left many behind. Likewise, while the web has made societies more open, it has also increased instability. This openness has benefited many communities, but it has also keyed up growing tensions between elites and populists. If this discord continues, it could pave the way for more equitable economic systems-or tailspin into more unrest and global instability.

At no other point in history have the underclasses of society better understood how the wealthy live. The chimera of life's material desires is everywhere thanks to the prismatic filters of Instagram and Snapchat. They range from the infinitely absurd- stacks of cash on yachts moored in Monaco-to the mundane made exotic, like lattes sprinkled with gold flakes. This is the currency of social media: the privilege of enviable experience hoarded by the already rich and influential.

Take, for example, the civil war raging in Syria. In 2013, while the country was torn apart by bombshells and marauding factions in pick-up trucks, wealthy teenagers partied to house music not far from Damascus in the beach town of Latakia, swimming and taking selfies.

Their images became digitally imprinted as the " Rich Kids of The Internet." While they were posting images of themselves frolicking in sun-streaked opulence, grainy YouTube videos of people finding shelter in the barrage of shellings were making headlines in a different corner of the web. It's an unalloyed contrast between privilege and survival.

"Any person can see how the other side lives," said the former president of Latvia, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, at the Global Baku Forum in March. "For a long time, the stability of the societies was due to the fact that there was a public face of power-a public face of wealth." What is concerning, according to her, isn't just the "level of glitziness, of glamor, of power, and wealth that others are often displaying in a rather tasteless and ostentatious way," but the degree to which disparities are externalized and made worse by a connected world. Globalization was supposed to level the playing field, not make superstars out of some players.

In this ever-more interconnected society, the internet has made the world flat, thereby exposing the inequality in wealth and human experience. It was economist Thomas Friedman who first described this flattened world in the early aughts, saying it was a result of innovation "without emigration," as well as the potency of the internet and technology. The tools for creative destruction were now in everyone's hands-opportunity was everywhere.

In 2005, venture capitalist and internet entrepreneur Marc Andreessen chimed in, reaffirming that "today, the most profound thing to me is the fact that a 14-year-old in Romania or Bangalore or the Soviet Union or Vietnam has all the information, all the tools, all the software easily available to apply knowledge however they want." Nearly 15 years later, that same inequality-unmasking technology has lifted the lid on an old political movement: populism.

Social media as a catalyst for movements and populism

Exposure to the internet has given rise to a world interpreted through filters, where the lenses are distorted and often exaggerated. For the less fortunate, the social media display of neighbors vacationing in exotic locations gives rise to envy and resentment; images of parades of private jets in Davos this past year take this natural response to whole new heights.

The internet has come to display the perks and rewards of economic status. With inequality now staring us in the face via our phone screens, this transparency materializes as social uprising, often precipitated through hashtags and social media groups. It has helped spark revolutions like the Arab Spring, movements like Occupy Wall Street, and more recently the yellow vest protests in France.

The web emboldens left- and right-wing leaders as they play emotions "like a violin."

Whether we approve or not, the internet is also globalizing populism. The web emboldens left- and right-wing leaders as they play emotions "like a violin," as Vike-Freiberga noted at Baku. India's Narendra Modi, for instance, used Twitter to galvanize supporters and sidestep his own party, and the recent president-elect of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, is a comedian-turned-politician whose YouTube videos numbered more than his appearances at rallies.

The right-wing populists are playing the same notes as the liberal uprisers-anti-elitist, anti-corporate-but they differ in their normative perspective of the world. The populists yearn for the past, while those on the left compare their current state to what they ought to have in the future. The performance that plays out is local, but with global consequences; the marionetting spreads on stages and then online.

Consider the exasperation of middle-class America. The deal that many Americans presumed to have secured in the post-WWII era-of good paying jobs, a house with a white picket fence, a disposable income-was dissolved in the era of globalization. "They took that deal. Then their jobs moved overseas or the coal mine shut down," Kerry Kennedy of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation said at the Global Baku Forum. When running for US president, Donald Trump used this long-forgone ideal as his running platform, "Make America Great Again."

Today's generations face equally menacing economic challenges as their grandparents, in the forms of education, housing, health-care, and the attrition of labor wages. What's more, these economic retrogressions are consolidated as distinct messages by political figures on both ends of the political spectrum. Attitudes that have laid dormant are triggered by political pugilists who bend narratives of the root causes of economic injustices. They turn to Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube and reinforce populist messages.

Inequality therefore now exists in the form of a stark notification every time we scroll through our news feed. In this great reveal, it has both democratized power and enabled groups of people to organize movements around messages. It may very well continue to embolden populists globally-or we can take back the original promises of the web and use it as an opportunity to solve some of the greatest crises of our time.

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Inequality is a notification we see every time we scroll through our news feed

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Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the rise of globalization has made promises of prosperity, and the advent of the internet has provided hope for democratization. But while globalization has made the world wealthier and decreased poverty, it has also left many behind.

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Gender: Women > Men

"76% of Female population are internet users

74% of Male population are internet users

74% of internet users utilise social media

Females are more active on  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest

Men are more active on LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube"

(Quicksprout, 2019)

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Last Updated on April 19, 2019

Have you ever wondered who uses social media more often: men or women? It may not seem like an important stat, but if the majority of your customers are of one specific gender, it will affect which social sites you'll need to target.

In order to save you time, I've analyzed all the popular social sites to see who uses them more frequently. This way you won't waste your time marketing your business on a social site that isn't used by your target audience.

Here's what I learned.

Conclusion

If you are looking to target women, you should focus your efforts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you are targeting men, focus your energy on LinkedIn, Google Plus, and YouTube.

Most of my revenue comes from men, and LinkedIn is my highest converting channel. I've also tried other social media channels. I tried Pinterest, for example, but I was unsuccessful at generating revenue from it.
What are your favorite social channels and why?

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Who Is More Active on Social Media? Men or Women?

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Last Updated on April 19, 2019 Have you ever wondered who uses social media more often: men or women? It may not seem like an important stat, but if the majority of your customers are of one specific gender, it will affect which social sites you'll need to target.

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Gender: Women > Men

"Women have always impacted buying habits

Currently, female consumers control approximately 85% of purchases in the US"

(Jones, 2019)

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Lead generation marketing comes in many shapes and sizes. In some instances, businesses prefer to have generic outreach solutions that encourage the people who navigate to specific websites to enter their contact information. The action builds a solid lead list, but it does not always grab the attention of the most qualified spenders. What's more, when targeting specific consumers, this tactic does not always work. There needs to be a clearly defined strategy to reach out to the ideal candidates in your audience, as some demographics offer more spending power than others.

Throughout history, women have always impacted buying habits. Currently, female consumers control approximately 85 percent of purchasing in the United States, according to Sheconomy. With so many women consumers willing to purchase products from brands that speak to their needs, you might want to ramp up your efforts to appeal to these buyers, especially if your products or services are predominantly used by this audience.

While you may try and send these buyers specific mailings or create advertising campaigns that appeal to them on larger marketing channels, social media could be the most cost-effective and beneficial tool you can wield.

Women are often more present on social media than men, reports a recent Mashable article. For example, on Facebook alone, females are 55 percent more engaged than males. Additionally, nearly 55 percent of women are also more likely to purchase products or services from the brands they interact with on Facebook. While you don't want to alienate an entire gender from your marketing, you should become aware of how to communicate to certain audiences, and where those people spend the bulk of their time online.

Do your products appeal to women more than men? If this is the case, make sure you are using social media marketing to reach female audiences.

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Studies show women engage on social media more than men

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Lead generation marketing comes in many shapes and sizes. In some instances, businesses prefer to have generic outreach solutions that encourage the people who navigate to specific websites to enter their contact information. The action builds a solid lead list, but it does not always grab the attention of the most qualified spenders.

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Gender: Women > Men

"Women use social media to share more personal information than men, revealing more about their personal lives

Women are more vocal, expressive and willing to share - women are biologically wired for social networking"

(Vermeren, 2015)

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Age: Millennials and Gen Z

"Social media is deeply embedded into lives of Gen Zs and Millennials

Millennials born into a lifestyle-rich environment - sharing the reaching of lifestyle goals through their social media

Gen Z grew up in a  financially cautious era - never known a society without constant access to social media

Quicker to jump onto the next thing than older counterparts"

(McEvoy, n.d.)

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Shane McEvoy here has never really been any doubt that social media is deeply embedded into the lives of both Generation Z (born 1995-2012) and the Millennial Generation (born 1980-1994). According to research by the Pew Research Center, 92% of all millennials have a mobile device and connection to a single social media platform is a thing of the past, today's younger generations are plugged into an average of four social media networks, using them extensively for social, leisure, networking, purchase and business.

All of this connectivity takes time and, the further down the generations we look, the more the connection with social media increases, with millennials spending and average of 6.19 hours a week checking their social media (Neilsen) and 38% of American teens checking in more than once an hour (Common Sense Media). . Social media is in a constant state of flux and millennials, who, according to Forbes, will make up 35% of the global workforce by 2020, and Generation Z (24% by 2020) , are far quicker to jump onto the next thing than their older counterparts.

As far as they are concerned, the more visual, connective and fast-moving the experience, the better. Small wonder that the older generations are pedalling fast to keep up! We have the low-down on the up and coming social media trends that are currently being driven by millennials and Generation Z.

How millennials and Generation Z are using social media Understanding that these two key generations are inseparable from their social media is one thing but grasping exactly how they use them and how this influences social media trends is quite another. Social media platforms are not all made equal and it is often the quality of connection experience that millennials and Generation Z get from them which depicts their rise or fall.

It is important to remember here that, because of fast-moving developments in popular social media technology, these two generations do not view their social media with exactly the same eyes. Millennials were born into a lifestyle-rich environment that endorsed the rise of the mobile internet, this means that they have tendencies towards high lifestyle expectations and are used to publicly sharing the reaching of lifestyle goals through their social media.

Those belonging to Generation Z however, grew up in a more financially cautious era and have never known a society without constant access to social media. These combined factors have

made them more relaxed about their lifestyles and therefore less easy to sell to, they are also more aware of the constraints of a life led publicly through the internet and more likely to have strong opinions about privacy.
Predicted future social media trends Deeper levels of personalisation
Of all the social media marketing trends, personalisation in online advertising has perhaps had the most dichotomised of results. On one hand it works and we are now impatient with adverts that are not tailored to our interests but on the other hand, the depth of personalisation experienced is often viewed as intrusive or even unnerving.

This latter is particularly true for our technology-savvy millennial and Generation Z groups who are more exposed to personalised advertising because of their increased levels of social media time. The challenge is on for marketers to write algorithms that reflect a user's true interests and add value to, rather than detract from, the social experience.

Image recognition technology on visual social media platforms such as Instagram is set to play a big part in this, as are browsing habits and observable interests.
Now you see me, now you don't
Whoever first had the idea for ephemeral content, i.e. social media content with a limited time span, was a genius. It is easy to imagine them initially being laughed out of the design office, after all, the idea of putting effort into marketing material only for it to disappear almost immediately seems ludicrous.

Ephemeral content, rather confusingly, is here to stay and its catch-on rate is all down to that most human of emotions, the fear of missing out. FOMO is a big factor for millennials with their love of lifestyle but it is the lack of paper trail left by ephemeral content that has sold it to privacy-loving Generation Z.

Snapchat was leading the way with disappearing content for a while but the big players, Facebook and Instagram, have more recently stepped in with their Stories and stolen a bit of the Snapchat thunder.
We're bored with reality, more augmentation please!
Augmented reality provides opportunities to enhance the day-to-day world and, if there is one thing our younger generations love, it is a bit of enhancement. AR can go down the education route but, for millennials and Generation Z, anything quirky or funny that will encourage interaction is a definite winner. Augmented reality technology is still expensive but over the next few years, it will pay to join in with what others are doing as well as taking the same kind of fun approach yourself.
When it comes to influencer marketing, relationships are everything
If you are down in the grass roots, you are in the right place. Both Generation Z and millennials feel strong connections with You Tubers and other influencers they perceive to be, 'just like me'. These generations won't be fooled by inauthenticity or put up with irregularity. Influencer content needs to be snappy, talented and quick to catch their interest. Especially if you are in a space like an escape room franchise.
The power of user-generated content
Generation Z want more from their advertising than their millennial cousins. Instead of being content with passive advertising, they want a piece of the action and user-generated content gives them exactly that, as well as offering proven gains when it comes to social media engagement. Photo competitions, opinion polls, game level creation, selfie campaigns and clever hashtags have all been used but put a clever spin on them and you will be welcomed into Generation Z heaven.
Current and upcoming social media platforms
Before considering the rise and fall of social media platforms, it is worth considering their various pedigrees. Facebook continue to add to its collection of acquisitions and, as well as Messenger (3rd most popular in both the UK and USA), owns the rising stars WhatsApp and Instagram.

Google (Alphabet) are also big players with YouTube (UK 2nd, USA 2nd) and amongst other, smaller social networks, Microsoft own the professional social network LinkedIn (ranked 10th in the UK and 8th in the USA) as well as Skype (UK 7th and USA 9th). In total, eight of the most popular networks belonging to three of the world's most powerful organisations. If that doesn't make you sit up and take notice of your social media marketing, we aren't sure what will.

Social media statistics are throwing up some interesting research results when it comes to the popularity of social media platforms. A 2018 social media study by We Are Flint has suggested that, in the UK and USA, 80% of adults now use at least some form of social media with Facebook, YouTube and Facebook Messenger topping the platform charts in both countries.

When it comes to the generation divide, there are clear trend indicators that suggest that millennials and Generation Z are moving away from the social media preferences of their parents. Although Facebook is used several times a day by around half of UK adults, it is the millennial generation who are its most ardent supporters whereas Generation Z are moving away from the platform in their droves.

Instagram on the other hand, has a clear slant towards both their millennial and Generation Z audiences, enhanced by state-of-the-art features such as Stories and Shopping. Snapchat has not had a great 2018 and has suffered at the hands of the launch of Stories across other platforms and poorly instigated sponsored content but, because of its popularity with the younger generations and innovations such as Spectacles, Snapchat should not be ignored.

Twitter has also seen a downtrend in the UK but there are hints that unpredicted numbers of Generation Z users are tweeting more regularly.
How to position your business for future social media growth Personalisation should add to the customer experience
Be aware of personalisation pitfalls and create advertising in different versions that can be used to micro-target distinct audiences. This is one area where it might not pay to lump Generations Y (millennials) and Z together as they are both savvy enough to see through base-level tactics.

There is a risk, for example, that a Gen Z user might leave a website that didn't anticipate their needs but conversely, this age group are also very aware of the issues surrounding data collection.

Gen Y have an equal level of expectation when it comes to personalisation but have more brand loyalty, which could place marketing barriers. Build a relationship with these groups and create a resonance through personalisation however, and you will be on to a good thing.
Appear then disappear, ephemeral content is the way to Generation Z hearts
The savvy marketer will already be looking for new and exciting ways in which to grab audience attention and ultimately loyalty, by making sure that their ephemeral content is getting the required, 'Did you see...?' responses. The key here is to encourage your young creatives to get them involved in the task. Traditional isn't going to cut it here, the quicker, quirkier and more quizzical the better if you want to use ephemeral content to bring in the crowds.

Remain platform aware Although it is unlikely that an independent is going to knock the Facebook bunch off the social media pedestal any time soon, it is definitely worth keeping a watchful eye on social media platform attributes and performance, particularly with regard to response from millennials and Generation Z. These guys are the current and future big spenders, and marketers who ignore their preferences do so at their peril.

With app development moving at a frenzied pace and both the millennial generation and Generation Z keen to grasp the latest and most exciting social media trends, the world of social media marketing is set to be one of excitement and breathtaking speed.

The savvy marketer will be keeping a close eye on generational developments and making sure that they have Generation Z, millennials and their preferred social media well in their sights.

With this tech-savvy bunch however, it is all going to be about the relationship, and social media platforms that fail to meet high moral expectations risk alienating the very consumers they are most keen to attract.

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Up And Coming Social Media Trends Driven By Millennials And Generation Z - Digital Future Times

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Shane McEvoy here has never really been any doubt that social media is deeply embedded into the lives of both Generation Z (born 1995-2012) and the Millennial Generation (born 1980-1994). According to research by the Pew Research Center, 92% of all millennials have a mobile device and connection to a single social media platform is a thing of [...]

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Age: Millennials and Gen Z

"Millennials divide their time across multiple platforms

Gen Zers focus  on mastering the platforms where their community exists"

(Cox, 2019)

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Although people tend to think of social media in terms of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the reality of the social media landscape is much more diverse. Other platforms such as YouTube, Pinterest, and, to a lesser extent, LinkedIn and Reddit are still popular but not among every generation.

As a whole, younger generations such as Generation Zers (ages 13-17), millennials (ages 18-34), and Generation Xers (ages 35-54) use social media more frequently than baby boomers (ages 55+). However, this is not the case for every social media channel.

Different generations are drawn to different social media platforms that correlate with the types of content people prefer and what they hope to gain from their time online.

The Manifest surveyed 627 social media users from across the U.S. to understand how social media use varies across generations and what types of content fuel their social media habits.

Businesses can use this report to better understand their consumers' social media habits and what types of content on which platforms might appeal most to their target audience.

Our Findings

More than 80% of every generation uses social media at least once per day making social media part of their daily routine.

The majority of Generation Zers (77%) and millennials (79%) use social media multiple times a day, but millennials are more likely to divide their time across a wider range of platforms, while Generation Zers spend more time on fewer platforms.

Images remain the most popular type of content: Around three-quarters of Generation Zers (77%), millennials (77%), and Generation Xers (72%), along with 52% of baby boomers, prefer posting images on social media.

Facebook's popularity is declining with younger generations with only 36% of Generation Zers use Facebook at least once a week, compared to 87% of millennials, 90% of Generation Xers, and 96% of baby boomers.

The majority of Generation Zers (89%), millennials (86%), Generation Xers (68%), and baby boomers (52%) use YouTube at least once a week to access video content.

Social Media Is Part of Every Generation's Daily Routine for Different Reasons

Social media was once associated with only the younger generations, but now, all generations use social media as part of their daily routines.

More than 80% of every generation uses social media at least once per day.

Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Generation Zers, 88% of millennials, 81% of Generation Xers, and 86% of baby boomers use social media daily, but why? Easy access to the internet and mobile devices is one reason.

"Our daily use of social media reflects what is happening culturally with mobile devices and everyone having such easy internet access," said Nicole Rados, social media director at Convertiv, a digital marketing agency. "Social media is such an easy way to get in touch with people, follow the news, and just stay up-to-date on culture and events."

What people hope to gain from their experience online drives their social media habits, and people use different platforms for various reasons such as:

Staying in touch with friends and family

Finding a sense of community

Searching for solutions to problems or information

Looking for ideas or inspiration

Entertainment

Promoting professional endeavors

Expanding professional network

Ultimately, people's social media habits are shaped by their individual preferences and interests, which are also influenced by their age and generation but not always.

"I'm a millennial, but so is my fiancé, and we both use social media very differently," said Anastasia Iliou, senior content manager at MedicarePlanFinder.com. "I'm more of a Facebook user ... My fiancé, on the other hand, pretty much exclusively uses Reddit. I genuinely believe that preferred social media platforms have nothing to do with age and everything to do with personality."

I genuinely believe that preferred social media platforms have nothing to do with age and everything to do with personality.

Discussing social media habits among generations is less about generalizing generational habits and more about thinking critically about the age of the generations, where they are in life, and what they hope to gain from their social media experience.

"Social media is driven by the interests of [a] specific individual," said Mark McIntyre, CEO of MaxAudience, a San Diego advertising and web design agency. "You just look at the generation, and each generation has a different personality ... [but] you don't think about it as just the generational personality. You also have to layer on the age of the folks in that generation."

Social media habits are driven by people's individual interests, but their age can play a role in which channels they are drawn to.

For example, a baby boomer may turn to Facebook to interact with others, while a Generation Zer may turn to Snapchat.

"I use Facebook daily because so many of my peers and older friends use Facebook, and I like to catch up on [updates]," said Catherine Callahan, a baby boomer social media user, health advocate, and owner of ICareHealthCare, a home health care agency in Santa Barbara, California.

Like many other baby boomers, Callahan uses primarily Facebook to interact with others because that's where her community is and where her target audience consumes content the most.

Callahan posts content related to health care to share information and tips with people searching for answers. She also uses Facebook to promote ICareHealthCare to those looking for in-home care.

As a baby boomer, Callahan not only uses Facebook but also Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube. However, she uses Facebook the most since that's where her community and target audience is.

Different needs and goals fuel each individual's daily social media habits.

Generation Zers Spend More Time on Fewer Platforms Compared to Millennials

Generation Zers (ages 13-17) and millennials (ages 18-34) use social media more often than older generations, but even younger generations' social media habits differ.

Although more than three-fourths of Generation Zers (77%) and millennials (79%) use social media multiple times per day, Generation Zers tend to spend more time on fewer platforms, while millennials tend to use a more diverse range of platforms.

At least 40% of Generation Zers report using three platforms at least once a week: YouTube (89%), Instagram (74%), and Snapchat (68%).

Conversely, at least 40% of millennials report using six platforms at least once a week: Facebook (87%), YouTube (86%), Instagram (71%), Snapchat (52%), Twitter (42%), and Pinterest (42%).

Generation Zers and millennials spend similar amounts of time on social media but use that time differently. Generation Zers focus on fewer platforms while millennials tend to use a greater variety of social media channels.

"Gen Zers are more targeted and know exactly what they want out of their social media use," said Joseph Rothstein, CEO of Social Media 55, a social media marketing agency. "They don't have the time to diversify the platforms they use because they're focused on mastering the ones they use."

While millennials divide their time across multiple platforms, Generation Zers focus more on mastering the platforms where their community exists.

Differences in how millennials and Generation Zers use social media may become more obvious as they both age and new platforms appear on the digital landscape, such as TikTok and Fortnite.

Facebook's Popularity Is Receding With Younger Generations

Facebook is often hailed as the king of social media success, but its reign might one day come to an end if Generation Zers' use of the platform is any indication.

Only 36% of Generation Zers use Facebook at least once a week, compared to 87% of millennials, 90% of Generation Xers, and 96% of baby boomers.

Baby boomers and Generation Xers report using Facebook most frequently, followed by millennials and then Generation Zers.

This gap signals Facebook's declining popularity with younger generations.

"Facebook came out with a Gen X and millennial age group when it hit its peak in terms of users joining at a fast rate," Rados said. "A lot of older people in the past [few] years have made up the majority of the newly joined user base on Facebook, and Generation Z wants to have its own network and place to engage with their friends that isn't part of the older adult population."

Although the age group of Facebook's user base might be deterring younger generations, so might the type of content Facebook specializes in. Content on Facebook tends to be diverse, ranging from text-based to highly visual.

Some experts say this deters younger generations, who tend to only want to see content they are interested in.

"Snapchat and Instagram are cooler for younger generations because they have less content," McIntyre said. "You get to choose to see all the good stuff and none of the junk. It's way more image-based and way less text-based, and you don't get everyone's rant."

Platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram appeal more to younger generations because they're newer, tend to have a younger user base, and specialize in visual content, including short-lived content.

More than two-thirds of Generation Zers (68%) and 52% of millennials use Snapchat at least once a week compared to only 32% of Generation Xers and 5% of baby boomers.

Snapchat allows users to share and see only the content they want to see, giving them more control over their privacy.

Facebook's declining popularity with younger generations may also be linked to its recent data scandals.

"Younger generations are shifting back from everyone sharing everything on the internet," Rados said. "It seems younger generations are wanting to be more closed off and have their private groups ... with Snapchat specifically, they can select which friends see content and have smaller groups within the platform itself."

Snapchat allows users a private experience contained to their own network, but it also gives users the option of connecting with others around the globe. Snapchat's heat map features allow people to see where the most "snaps" are taken in a specific location.

Snapchat users can see the different sports events trending in the U.S., watch snaps from the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia, and view photos and videos from the Eiffel Tower.

"I used [the heat map] as a guide to find the most popular areas to visit while traveling," said Morgan Lathaen, a millennial social media user and marketing coordinator at Thumbprint, a branding agency. "I've also used it traveling to see where various monuments were based on my location."

Like Facebook, Snapchat is a versatile platform, but it allows its users more control over the content they see and when they see it.

Facebook has been the king of social media for a while, and although it remains the most-used platform, this may change in the future in light of younger generations' increased attention to privacy and content preferences.

All Generations Prefer Posting Images

People of all generations are visually driven and tend to post images more than other types of content.

More than 70% of Generation Zers (77%), millennials (77%), and Generation Xers (72%) prefer posting images.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of baby boomers also prefer posting images compared to other types of content such as updates, quotes, and opinions.

Lisa Dorenfest, a baby boomer, social media user, and circumnavigating sailor, said people prefer image content on social media because a good photo transports a viewer directly into the scene, stimulating the senses and generating a range of emotions.

"Words take more time to generate the same response effectively," Dorenfest said.

Dorenfest uses mainly Instagram to share her photography from around the world.

Dorenfest's images tell stories that she usually lets readers discern for themselves.

Posting images of her travels not only helps her connect with her audience but also helps her audience connect with places and cultures they may not ever experience themselves.

"Imagery tells a story that we can all fill in," said Jeremy Graves, CEO of Jeremy Graves Coaching and Consulting LLC which helps businesses with strategy and culture. "We don't have to read what someone else thinks. We can connect through imagery, and the story becomes our own instead of having to read someone else's script."

We can connect through imagery, and the story becomes our own instead of having to read someone else's script.

Images enable viewers to connect with scenes they've never seen in person.

They transport them to that moment while encouraging them to use their imagination to fill in the details that might not be reflected in the photo itself.

The Popularity of Visually-Driven Platforms Boosts the Influencer Market

The popularity of images and platforms such as Instagram has also given rise to social media influencers and influencer marketing.

For example, Dustin Tyler is a millennial social media influencer and tattoo model who uses his social media presence to promote products such as watches.

With more than 70K followers on Instagram, Tyler partners with companies to act as a brand ambassador and promote their products to his followers.

"Basically, I get paid to create content for certain companies and show that content to my audience and followers," Tyler said. "I know the content I created on social media was successful if my followers purchased the products I promoted."

Currently, Tyler relies on images but recognizes that video content can expand his network and open new opportunities for him as an influencer.

The power of images combined with the power of social media connects people to destinations and businesses through individuals' content.

YouTube Attracts Users of All Ages

Video content is also popular among all generations, and as the demand for video rises, so does the popularity of the platforms that support it - especially YouTube

More than 80% of Generation Zers (89%) and millennials (86%) use YouTube at least once a week.

More than half of Generation Xers (68%) and baby boomers (52%) also use YouTube weekly, signaling an increasing popularity in video content across generations.

While images can transport viewers to the scene by sight, video can engage more of their senses by showing them what the scene looked and sounded like.

"Video content is the richest form of visual content," Rothstein said. "Video leaves an impression on you. It allows you not only to remember the sounds but also the sights."

Video leaves an impression on you. It allows you not only to remember the sounds but also the sights.

Video content is versatile in that it gives social media users options to:

Watch and listen

Watch with no sound

Listen only to the audio

This versatility bodes well with an increasingly busy audience that appreciates the option to watch and listen, only watch, or only listen to a video, whether they're on YouTube for entertainment or looking for information.

For example, Jim Costa is a Generation X social media user and runs a video blog dedicated to helping senior citizens learn how to use technology to accomplish everyday tasks.

"I focus on senior citizens because while I'm fortunate enough to understand technology, I realize that many seniors aren't, so I do what I can to help," Costa said.

His series on Google Chrome, for example, helps senior citizens learn how to perform tasks such as tracking packages using Chrome so they can live more independent lives.

Other videos he produces explain how to download apps, offer iPhone tips, and discuss the meaning behind emojis - things that might seem second nature to younger generations but prove challenging to older social media users.

Video content's accessibility makes it one of the richest content types. Demand in video content has given rise to YouTube, especially among younger generations, and incentivized other platforms to cater their channels more toward video content, including short-lived content platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram stories.

Content Preferences Fuel Generational Social Media Habits

Most marketers and social media marketing agencies are aware that generations have different habits when it comes to social media. However, as generations age and new types of content are introduced to the social media landscape, marketers and businesses will need to stay up to date on the latest social media trends.

In 2019, more baby boomers are using Facebook weekly than Generation Xers, millennials, and Generation Zers.

Younger generations such as Generation Zers and millennials are more drawn to visually-driven platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat.

Every generation prefers posting images more than other types of content such as updates, opinions, and even video.

The majority of every generation use YouTube at least once a week.

Although people's generation plays a role in determining which platforms they use, content preferences and what individuals hope to gain from their time online play a larger role in determining their social media habits.

About the Survey

The Manifest surveyed 627 social media users in the U.S.

Most survey respondents were female (65%), and 35% were male.

About 14% of respondents are Generation Zers (ages 13-17); 36% are millennials (ages 18-34); 31% are Generation Xers (ages 35-54); and 19% are baby boomers and older (ages 55+).

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How Different Generations Use Social Media

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Although people tend to think of social media in terms of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the reality of the social media landscape is much more diverse. Other platforms such as YouTube, Pinterest, and, to a lesser extent, LinkedIn and Reddit are still popular but not among every generation.

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"Facebook - 86% ages 18-29, 77% ages 30-49, 51% ages 50-65, 34% 65+ years old

Instagram - 67% ages 18-29, 47%  ages 30-49, 23% ages 50-64, 8%  are 65+ years old

Twitter - 38% ages 18-29, 26% ages 30-49, 17% ages 50-64, 7% are 65+ years old

LinkedIn - 21% ages 18-24, 60% ages 25-34, 17% ages 35-54, 3% are 55+ years old

YouTube - 81% ages 15-25, 71% ages 26-35, 67% ages 36-45, 66% ages 46-55, 58% are 56+ years old

Snapchat - 53% ages 15-25, 34% ages 26-35, 18% ages 36-45, 11% ages 46-55, 4% are 56+ years old"

(Khoros, 2020)

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The 2022 Social Media Users Demographics Guide | Khoros

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Our 2022 Social Media Demographics Guide surfaces the demographic data, like age, gender, income, and device usage, you need to inform a smart strategy.

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Age: Millennials and Gen Z

"Facebook loosing younger demographics

41% of its users are 65+ yo

Younger prefer more visual interactive experiences offered by Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok"

(Digital Marketing Institute, 2020)

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Mental Health

“Social media is like a drug, but what makes it particularly addictive is that it is adaptive

It adjusts based on your preferences and behaviors, which makes it more useful, engaging, interesting, and addictive

Limiting the use of Social media reduces loneliness and depression (Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology)"

(Wharton, 2019)

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In little more than a decade, the impact of social media has gone from being an entertaining extra to a fully integrated part of nearly every aspect of daily life for many.

Recently in the realm of commerce, Facebook faced skepticism in its testimony to the Senate Banking Committee on Libra, its proposed cryptocurrency and alternative financial system. In politics, heartthrob Justin Bieber tweeted the President of the United States, imploring him to "let those kids out of cages." In law enforcement, the Philadelphia police department moved to terminate more than a dozen police officers after their racist comments on social media were revealed.

And in the ultimate meshing of the digital and physical worlds, Elon Musk raised the specter of essentially removing the space between social and media through the invention - at some future time - of a brain implant that connects human tissue to computer chips.

All this, in the span of about a week.

As quickly as social media has insinuated itself into politics, the workplace, home life, and elsewhere, it continues to evolve at lightning speed, making it tricky to predict which way it will morph next. It's hard to recall now, but SixDegrees.com, Friendster, and Makeoutclub.com were each once the next big thing, while one survivor has continued to grow in astonishing ways. In 2006, Facebook had 7.3 million registered users and reportedly turned down a $750 million buyout offer. In the first quarter of 2019, the company could claim 2.38 billion active users, with a market capitalization hovering around half a trillion dollars.

"In 2007 I argued that Facebook might not be around in 15 years. I'm clearly wrong, but it is interesting to see how things have changed," says Jonah Berger, Wharton marketing professor and author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On. The challenge going forward is not just having the best features, but staying relevant, he says. "Social media isn't a utility. It's not like power or water where all people care about is whether it works. Young people care about what using one platform or another says about them. It's not cool to use the same site as your parents and grandparents, so they're always looking for the hot new thing."

Just a dozen years ago, everyone was talking about a different set of social networking services, "and I don't think anyone quite expected Facebook to become so huge and so dominant," says Kevin Werbach, Wharton professor of legal studies and business ethics. "At that point, this was an interesting discussion about tech start-ups.

"Today, Facebook is one of the most valuable companies on earth and front and center in a whole range of public policy debates, so the scope of issues we're thinking about with social media are broader than then," Werbach adds.

Cambridge Analytica, the impact of social media on the last presidential election and other issues may have eroded public trust, Werbach said, but "social media has become really fundamental to the way that billions of people get information about the world and connect with each other, which raises the stakes enormously."
Just Say No
"Facebook is dangerous," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) at July's hearing of the Senate Banking Committee. "Facebook has said, 'just trust us.' And every time Americans trust you, they seem to get burned."

Social media has plenty of detractors, but by and large, do Americans agree with Brown's sentiment? In 2018, 42% of those surveyed in a Pew Research Center survey said they had taken a break from checking the platform for a period of several weeks or more, while 26% said they had deleted the Facebook app from their cellphone.

A year later, though, despite the reputational beating social media had taken, the 2019 iteration of the same Pew survey found social media use unchanged from 2018.

Facebook has its critics, says Wharton marketing professor Pinar Yildirim, and they are mainly concerned about two things: mishandling consumer data and poorly managing access to it by third-party providers; and the level of disinformation spreading on Facebook.

"Social media isn't a utility. It's not like power or water where all people care about is whether it works. Young people care about what using one platform or another says about them."-Jonah Berger

"The question is, are we at a point where the social media organizations and their activities should be regulated for the benefit of the consumer? I do not think more regulation will necessarily help, but certainly this is what is on the table," says Yildirim. "In the period leading to the [2020 U.S. presidential] elections, we will hear a range of discussions about regulation on the tech industry."

Some proposals relate to stricter regulation on collection and use of consumer data, Yildirim adds, noting that the European Union already moved to stricter regulations last year by adopting the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). "A number of companies in the U.S. and around the world adopted the GDPR protocol for all of their customers, not just for the residents of EU," she says. "We will likely hear more discussions on regulation of such data, and we will likely see stricter regulation of this data."

The other discussion bound to intensify is around the separation of Big Tech into smaller, easier to regulate units. "Most of us academics do not think that dividing organizations into smaller units is sufficient to improve their compliance with regulation. It also does not necessarily mean they will be less competitive," says Yildirim. "For instance, in the discussion of Facebook, it is not even clear yet how breaking up the company would work, given that it does not have very clear boundaries between different business units."

Even if such regulations never come to pass, the discussions "may nevertheless hurt Big Tech financially, given that most companies are publicly traded and it adds to the uncertainty," Yildirim notes.

One prominent commentator about the negative impact of social media is Jaron Lanier, whose fervent opposition makes itself apparent in the plainspoken title of his 2018 book Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now. He cites loss of free will, social media's erosion of the truth and destruction of empathy, its tendency to make people unhappy, and the way in which it is "making politics impossible." The title of the last chapter: "Social Media Hates Your Soul."

Lanier is no tech troglodyte. A polymath who bridges the digital and analog realms, he is a musician and writer, has worked as a scientist for Microsoft, and was co-founder of pioneering virtual reality company VPL Research. The nastiness that online existence brings out in users "turned out to be like crude oil for the social media companies and other behavior manipulation empires that quickly came to dominate the internet, because it fuelled negative behavioral feedback," he writes.

"Social media has become really fundamental to the way that billions of people get information about the world and connect with each other, which raises the stakes enormously."-Kevin Werbach

Worse, there is an addictive quality to social media, and that is a big issue, says Berger. "Social media is like a drug, but what makes it particularly addictive is that it is adaptive. It adjusts based on your preferences and behaviors," he says, "which makes it both more useful and engaging and interesting, and more addictive."

The effect of that drug on mental health is only beginning to be examined, but a recent University of Pennsylvania study makes the case that limiting use of social media can be a good thing. Researchers looked at a group of 143 Penn undergraduates, using baseline monitoring and randomly assigning each to either a group limiting Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat use to 10 minutes per platform per day, or to one told to use social media as usual for three weeks. The results, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, showed significant reductions in loneliness and depression over three weeks in the group limiting use compared to the control group.

However, "both groups showed significant decreases in anxiety and fear of missing out over baseline, suggesting a benefit of increased self-monitoring," wrote the authors of " No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression."
Monetizing a League (and a Reality) All Their Own
No one, though, is predicting that social media is a fad that will pass like its analog antecedent of the 1970s, citizens band radio. It will, however, evolve. The idea of social media as just a way to reconnect with high school friends seems quaint now. The impact of social media today is a big tent, including not only networks like Facebook, but also forums like Reddit and video-sharing platforms.

"The question is, are we at a point where the social media organizations and their activities should be regulated for the benefit of the consumer?"-Pinar Yildirim

Virtual worlds and gaming have become a major part of the sector, too. Wharton marketing professor Peter Fader says gamers are creating their own user-generated content through virtual worlds - and the revenue to go with it. He points to one group of gamers that use Grand Theft Auto as a kind of stage or departure point "to have their own virtual show." In NoPixel, the Grand Theft Auto roleplaying server, "not much really happens and millions are tuning in to watch them. Just watching, not even participating, and it's either live-streamed or recorded. And people are making donations to support this thing. The gamers are making hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Now imagine having a 30-person reality show all filmed live and you can take the perspective of one person and then watch it again from another person's perspective," he continues. "Along the way, they can have a tip jar or talk about things they endorse. That kind of immersive media starts to build the bridge to what we like to get out of TV, but even better. Those things are on the periphery right now, but I think they are going to take over."

Big players have noticed the potential of virtual sports and are getting into the act. In a striking example of the physical world imitating the digital one, media companies are putting up real-life stadiums where teams compete in video games. Comcast Spectator in March announced that it is building a new $50 million stadium in South Philadelphia that will be the home of the Philadelphia Fusion, the city's e-sports team in the Overwatch League.

E-sports is serious business, with revenues globally - including advertising, sponsorships, and media rights - expected to reach $1.1 billion in 2019, according to gaming industry analytics company Newzoo.

"E-sports is absolutely here to stay," says Fader, "and I think it's a safe bet to say that e-sports will dominate most traditional sports, managing far more revenue and having more impact on our consciousness than baseball."

It's no surprise, then, that Facebook has begun making deals to carry e-sports content. In fact, it is diversification like this that may keep Facebook from ending up like its failed upstart peers. One thing that Facebook has managed to do that MySpace, Friendster, and others didn't, is "a very good job of creating functional integration with the value they are delivering, as opposed to being a place to just share photos or send messages, it serves a lot of diversified functions," says Keith E. Niedermeier, director of Wharton's undergraduate marketing program and an adjunct professor of marketing. "They are creating groups and group connections, but you see them moving into lots of other services like streaming entertainment, mobile payments, and customer-to-customer buying and selling."

"[WeChat] has really instantiated itself as a day-to-day tool in China, and it's clear to me that Facebook would like to emulate that sort of thing."-Keith Niedermeier

In China, WeChat has become the biggest mobile payment platform in the world and it is the platform for many third-party apps for things like bike sharing and ordering airplane tickets. "It has really instantiated itself as a day-to-day tool in China, and it's clear to me that Facebook would like to emulate that sort of thing," says Niedermeier.

Among nascent social media platforms that are particularly promising right now, Yildirim says that "social media platforms which are directed at achieving some objectives with smaller scale and more homogenous people stand a higher chance of entering the market and being able to compete with large, general-purpose platforms such as Facebook and Twitter."
Irreplaceable - and Damaging?
Of course, many have begun to believe that the biggest challenge around the impact of social media may be the way it is changing society. The "attention-grabbing algorithms underlying social media ... propel authoritarian practices that aim to sow confusion, ignorance, prejudice, and chaos, thereby facilitating manipulation and undermining accountability," writes University of Toronto political science professor Ronald Deibert in a January essay in the Journal of Democracy.

Berger notes that any piece of information can now get attention, whether it is true or false. This means more potential for movements both welcome as well as malevolent. "Before, only media companies had reach, so it was harder for false information to spread. It could happen, but it was slow. Now anyone can share anything, and because people tend to believe what they see, false information can spread just as, if not more easily, than the truth.

"It's certainly allowed more things to bubble up rather than flow from the top down," says Berger. Absent gatekeepers, "everyone is their own media company, broadcasting to the particular set of people that follow them. It used to be that a major label signing you was the path to stardom. Now artists can build their own following online and break through that way. Social media has certainly made fame and attention more democratic, though not always in a good way."

Deibert writes that "in a short period of time, digital technologies have become pervasive and deeply embedded in all that we do. Unwinding them completely is neither possible nor desirable."

His cri de coeur argues: that citizens have the right to know what companies and governments are doing with their personal data, and that this right be extended internationally to hold autocratic regimes to account; that companies be barred from selling products and services that enable infringements on human rights and harms to civil society; for the creation of independent agencies with real power to hold social-media platforms to account; and the creation and enforcement of strong antitrust laws to end dominance of a very few social-media companies.

"Social media has certainly made fame and attention more democratic, though not always in a good way."-Jonah Berger

The rising tide of concern is now extending across sectors. The U.S. Justice Department has recently begun an anti-trust investigation into how tech companies operate in social media, search, and retail services. In July, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced the award of nearly $50 million in new funding to 11 U.S. universities to research how technology is transforming democracy. The foundation is also soliciting additional grant proposals to fund policy and legal research into the "rules, norms, and governance" that should be applied to social media and technology companies.

Given all of the reasons not to engage with social media - the privacy issues, the slippery-slope addiction aspect of it, its role in spreading incivility - do we want to try to put the genie back in the bottle? Can we? Does social media definitely have a future?

"Yes, surely it does," says Yildirim. "Social connections are fabrics of society. Just as the telegraph or telephone as an innovation of communication did not reduce social connectivity, online social networks did not either. If anything, it likely increased connectivity, or reduced the cost of communicating with others."

It is thanks to online social networks that individuals likely have larger social networks, she says, and while many criticize the fact that we are in touch with large numbers of individuals in a superficial way, these light connections may nevertheless be contributing to our lives when it comes to economic and social outcomes - ranging from finding jobs to meeting new people.

"We are used to being in contact with more individuals, and it is easier to remain in contact with people we only met once. Giving up on this does not seem likely for humans," she says. "The technology with which we keep in touch may change, may evolve, but we will have social connections and platforms which enable them. Facebook may be gone in 10 years, but there will be something else."

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The Impact of Social Media: Is it Irreplaceable?

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Social media as we know it has barely reached its 20th birthday, but it's changed the fabric of everyday life. What does the future hold for the sector and the players currently at the top? ...Read More

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Mental Health

"Social media is having negative effects on users’ self-esteem and mental health, especially among teenagers

Platform regulations that aim to protect users from abuse and bullying

Ways for users to filter the information they don’t want to consume"

(Barysevich, 2020)

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Every year the social media marketing community turns into fortune tellers - we collectively try to predict what trends, features, and innovations will take place in the upcoming year. Of course, trying to predict social media trends is much more trustworthy than fortune-telling even if you're using astrology as a framework for that.
Most social media predictions stand on the existing trends and , which makes them highly likely to actually be accurate. It's a common truth that social media platforms are constantly changing, they come up with new features, change algorithms, review their respective policies, and it all affects the way we do marketing on social. But it's not like these changes come out of nowhere - they are all the results of social media company's vision and business model or external circumstances.

To identify trends that will dominate social media this year we need to consider all of these internal and external circumstances. And that's exactly what I did to make up this list of five major trends that will be prominent in 2020. In addition to simply describing what to expect in 2020, I also give some recommendations on how to use these trends to your brand's advantage.

1. Let data analysis lead your strategy

Source: Screenshot from social listening tool, Awario

Knowledge is power, and social media companies want to empower their users and brands, or rather attract more investments. That's why they are giving social media managers more and more access to insights and data analytics. Facebook is constantly expanding Creator Studio's and Facebook Insights' functionality, Twitter is adding more insights to Media Studio, and Pinterest is adding Pinterest Trends to inform brands on user behavior.

This year we are likely to see more ways to access user trends on different platforms and tap into this data for marketing and social media research. At the same time, due to trend number three on this list, brands might have to change the way they used to do social media marketing , especially with targeted advertising. There are ethical and unethical ways to use data, and the upcoming year will probably be the time to rethink these terms. That may encourage brands to get more involved in the research of the publicly available data with the help of social listening, for example.

How to be on-trend

Make sure your social media strategy is based on insights gained through data research, not a blind guess. Use the insights provided by platforms like Facebook and Instagram Insights, Twitter Analytics, and so on to find what content performs best, when you should post, and what resonates with your audience. Your KPIs should respond to your goals - if you are raising brand awareness, pay attention to the number of followers, if you're focusing on community building, keep track of the engagement metrics.

Collect and analyze publicly available data, this is the most ethical way to conduct marketing research without invading anyone's privacy. Social monitoring and listening tools such as Awario or Brandwatch break down the sentiment, reach, demographics, and user behavior trends behind any phenomenon you want to research on social media.

2. Make your communication more private

In 2019 Mark Zuckerberg claimed that "the future is private" . This was a surprising turn of events for the company which started out as a service to meet people and connect strangers. Facebook's CEO announced that from now own the platform will prioritize ways to build and sustain smaller communities and tet-a-tet communication meaning more focus on Groups and Messenger as well as WhatsApp. And it's not just Facebook, social media apps have been introducing more privacy-driven features lately including Instagram's "Close Friends" list, various updates to DMs functionality for and , more ways for brands to manage social messaging. With the upcoming redesign of Facebook feed (expected to be fully rolled out in Q1 and the new ability to limit replies to your tweets, it's obvious that 2020 will be the year of private social media.

The turn to private communication is, of course, motivated by user behavior. People simply got much more into messaging their friends and interacting in small interest-based communities. Social media companies took notice of that and are now giving people what they want. However, taking into consideration how many privacy scandals we had in the last couple of years, it's easy to imagine that the turn to privacy was also prompted by the intent to improve ones' reputation, especially when we are talking about Facebook.

How to be on-trend

If you don't have a Facebook group for your customers yet, it's high time you start one.

Use the "Close Friends" list on your Instagram account to share exclusive content with your most engaged followers.

Go beyond the big three by looking into smaller communities on Reddit and Quora for better opportunities to engage with the audience.

3. Take up more social responsibility

This will probably be the most prominent theme in the news coverage of social media companies for 2020. Once again, it's not a new trend - the pressure to sort out the issues with spamming, misinformation, manipulation of the algorithm, and the social media impact on users' mental health has been there for a while.

In 2020 we can expect more regulations on ads, more sophisticated algorithms for discovering spammers and bots, and more ways for users to control what they are seeing on the timeline. In 2019 we saw some actions taken not just by the platforms themselves but also by the state - there were several court cases around creating fake engagement and selling followers and likes that could become precedents for creating legislation around this matter.

Both Facebook and Twitter CEOs publicly stated that the ultimate framework for dealing with misleading ads and handling users' data should come from the governmental actors and independent expert committees, not the social media companies. California Consumer Privacy Act is the first attempt at such legislation. This will certainly affect the way brands advertise on social and conduct marketing research (see trend number one).

Social media companies also face a bigger challenge - how to avoid locking people in their own social media bubbles and creating echo-chambers that skew their view of the world? Admittedly, this is a broader challenge for our society in general. However, we can't ignore the fact that social media contributes to exacerbating the political and social divide between people, and it might be the time for platforms to rethink the core functionality and algorithms behind them.

Another area where social media companies are encouraged to take on more responsibility is mental health. By now it is obvious (and confirmed by ) that social media can have a negative effect on users' self-esteem and mental health, especially among teenagers, and social media companies need to take notice of that. Some platforms have already made steps in the right direction by informing users about how much time they are spending on the app. The next big change will concern vanity metrics (see below). In 2020, it's expected that there will be more platform regulations that aim to protect users from abuse and bullying and more ways for users to filter the information they don't want to consume.

How to be on-trend

Make sure your ads comply with the platform regulations.

Discard sketchy growth hacks such as buying followers or using third-party tools for follow-unfollow tactics in favor of genuine engagement and community building.

To make interactions with your audience actually genuine, understand when those interactions are welcome. The best way to start engaging with people on the internet is by commenting and replying to their public posts: and of course, your comments should be meaningful and relevant. You can find people and posts to engage through social media monitoring - simply monitor keywords and phrases appropriate for your niche.

Use social listening, competitor and hashtag research to find accounts related to your niche and engage them in the comments. Offer your expertise or start conversations discussing relevant topics.

4. Focus less on vanity metrics

This trend is partly related to the previous one. In 2019, we saw several experiments around hiding vanity metrics, mainly like count, on Facebook and Instagram . Twitter's CEO has also been vocal about his desire to move away from vanity metrics . Moreover, both Instagram and Twitter have slightly tweaked their design to put less emphasis on the number of followers an account has. The rejection of like count is probably motivated both by moral and practical reasons, comparing your number of likes to someone else's is proven to damage one's self-esteem.

Hiding vanity metrics from anyone could eliminate the pressure of competition people feel and make social media less stressful. Instagram has also revealed that during the tests they discovered that discarding like count leads to more content on the platform and that's what any social media company wants.

That's the logical outcome of the previous point, if people feel less pressure to get the most likes, they will feel more at ease with posting. All in all, prepare to say goodbye to like counts in 2020.

How to be on-trend

For social media managers, discarding vanity metrics means new ways of doing competitor and influencer research. You can use Facebook's native functionality (Brand Collabs Manager, Insights) or social media analytics tools to compare your brand with your competitors or find and evaluate influencers relevant to your niche.

Track the number of followers, engagement rate, and ads placed on Facebook through " Pages to Watch" and " Ad Library".

Use social listening to compare your social media Share of Voice with your competitors.

Source: Screenshot from social listening tool, Awario

5. Try TikTok

In 2019 TikTok became one of the most downloaded apps in the app store. The swift rise of the social media app drew a lot of attention from social media marketers, and will surely draw even more attention this year. The greatest thing about TikTok is its feed algorithm which allows you to reach a significant number of users right from the get-go, without having to gain followers for a long time.

The platform is tailored for viral content: easy sharing, trends, and challenges enable you to easily create videos with a huge potential reach. Moreover, the platform is constantly developing its business capabilities, just recently TikTok rolled out the ability to run ads on the platform for everyone.

TikTok is the app to keep an eye on, as it is one of the fastest-growing social media networks, it surely has bigger plans for the upcoming year.

How to be on-trend

If you're not TikTok yet, create an account right now.

See what trends could be useful for your industry, check out what your competitors are doing, examine the latest trends. A lot of TikTok's content is focused on viral songs, dance challenges, and certain editing techniques. So you should research those if you want to create popular content.

Try advertising on TikTok! TikTok Ads is not the only way to promote your product, you can also partner up with TikTok creators to reach new audiences.

In conclusion

Social media trends don't just pop out of nowhere and it's not difficult to predict what will happen in the upcoming year. However, knowing something is only half the battle - you need to actually adjust your social media strategy to the ever-changing circumstances to get the best results.

In this article, I tried to demonstrate the broader trends but also shared actionable tips to implement in your work. Some of the trends that will play out in 2020 may seem like an impediment for social media marketers, you can't use targeting, you can't see how many likes an influencer gets, and people are getting harder to reach since they are all hanging out in private communities. But it's actually a chance for building genuine and trusting relationships with your audience - and you can do it by using these trends to your advantage.
Aleh is the Founder and CMO at SEO PowerSuite and Awario. He can be found on Twitter at .

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Five social media trends that are shaping 2020

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Every year the social media marketing community turns into fortune tellers - we collectively try to predict what trends, features, and innovations will take place in the upcoming year. Of course, trying to predict social media trends is much more trustworthy than fortune-telling even if you're using astrology as a framework for that.

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Mental Health

"The generation that was all but born with a device in their hand (18–24 yo) are four times as likely to feel lonely 'most of the time' compared to those over 70"

(Medium, 2019)

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Technology expands: we can instantaneously reach out to people a world away, connecting over passions, over challenges, over beliefs, over values. But it also constricts: the people closest to us can feel a world away. Instead of oceans, we're separated by screens.

We're more connected than ever. But many of us feel more disconnected - and more lonely - than ever.

This.
We need prayers.
Recently, a friend of mine was in a horrific accident. She was trapped in her car - submerged in icy water - for twenty-seven minutes. Twenty-seven minutes. How could she possibly survive? She was, for all intents and purposes, dead.

We got the word out. On social media, we asked for prayers from around the world. People heard us. God heard us. Today, you would never know that anything happened. Her recovery was nothing short of miraculous. Thank God!

And thank social media for giving us a platform to reach so many.

The Promise In Social Media: Meaningful Connection

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn... these platforms give us the opportunity to connect with people around the world. This is amazing!

We can connect with those who will work with us to make a difference - we leveraged LinkedIn's professional community, for example, to meet the people who helped launch FaithTech.

We can reach around the world to have impactful conversations. FaithTech is in communication with people in Bangkok, Thailand, about all things faith and tech. Separated by 13,000 kilometers and an expensive 17.5 hour flight, we can now talk any time - for free!

We can educate. Experts can train anyone, anywhere. We can diagnose. Medical professionals can listen to patients and create treatment plans - online.

Technology gives us the opportunity to get our message out to a much broader audience, to reach exponentially more eyes and ears and hearts. Sharing the good news of Jesus can be done to the ends of the earth from this very place I am writing this article from.

More people can lead to more impact. To real, authentic, powerful connection.

The Disconnect

While technology holds massive potential, we need to think critically about how we use it. The President of the United States is able to give on-demand thoughts at any time which is very cool in one sense. Very scary in another sense. Half-formed thoughts get the Presidential seal of approval, and hundreds of millions consume them.

All other issues aside, this underscores a troubling aspect of tech: it is designed to help you go wide. Not deep. Tech companies are concerned with networking more than relationship. At the end of the day these tech companies are for-profit corporations demanded by their stakeholders to have rapid growth predominantly by means of advertisements dollars. Advertisers spend money when eyes view their content or click on their product links. The more eyes, the more money.

It's easy to confuse the notion of whether we are more or less connected. We're certainly more networked. And more isolated. The generation that was all but born with a device in their hand - 18-24 year olds - are four times as likely to feel lonely "most of the time" compared to those over 70.

Think of all the celebrities you see on Instagram and other platforms: they must be greatly fulfilled, right? But their carefully curated digital personas often cover up true loneliness and isolation because they lack real relationships.

Therapist Olivia Assuncao explains:

We all desire to be validated and accepted. Social media, however, is a space where there is little or no emotional connection created, therefore it makes emotional validation increasingly difficult to obtain, leaving us feeling lonely, even with many 'friends and followers'... Celebrities are human and would have the same emotional experience on a much bigger scale as the general public.

Social media can make us into mini-celebrities. We have "friends" - but perhaps they're better described as our network. There is much less personal, deep, connection. This is why we can have 1000 friends and feel utterly alone.

Jesus' Followers

Let's put this into context: Jesus, the most widely known figure in all of history, did not have core relationships with millions. Not thousands. Not even hundreds. Jesus had 12 disciples. Twelve companions, with Peter, James, and John the closest of the close.

Always go back to Jesus. When we think about how we use social media, remember that He connected with a handful of people closely, personally, intensely. The 12 were Jesus' early adopters.

But He also knew the importance of reaching the masses. Throughout His three year ministry, He had many followers, who came and went. "Many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him" (John 6.66). He taught them, He spoke the truth, but He did not put in the same time and effort with the crowds then he did with the core group.

The twelve chosen went everywhere with Him. Ate with him. Slept by him. Sacrificed with Him.

The rest came and went, and Jesus Himself retreated from the masses. To get away and be with the Father. To rest. "When Jesus heard [that John the Baptist had been beheaded], he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place." (Matthew 14:13).

What's amazing about this verse is how Jesus dealt with sorrow. He took time to process it alone. To get away from the noise.

With social media, it's easy, and tempting, to take all our sorrows to the masses. But this is where we as Christians should be different. If all culture is in one place, we must decide if we should be present, absent, or impacting that space. If we are there intentionally, with the heart of Christ in us, with boundaries, than we can follow in His footsteps.

Deep or Wide?

The questions that we all must wrestle with are these: do we want to go wide or deep? And what role does technology play in helping us do this?

We have to go deep. We have to be intentional. We have to put the masses (culture in general) in its proper place. What is our purpose for being on Facebook? Instagram? Twitter? Is it to network? Or is it to connect? Is it to let tech influence us - or is it to be a source of positive influence?

We are more networked, and less connected. But we have the power to change that.

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Does Social Media Connect or Disconnect Us?

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Technology expands: we can instantaneously reach out to people a world away, connecting over passions, over challenges, over beliefs, over values. But it also constricts: the people closest to us can feel a world away. Instead of oceans, we're separated by screens. We're more connected than ever.

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Reduced Attention Spans of Millennials and Gen Zs

"Improved technology accessibility and usage = need to identify what is most relevant

Growing accustomed to shorter content - Catch Me in Seconds

Multisensory and quick for instant gratification"

(Westbrook and Angus, 2020)

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Businesses must be agile, adaptable and aware of consumer trends to retain market share. Organisations that identify these trends before their competitors will ultimately achieve long-term viability.

Be the first to learn how consumer behaviour will evolve in 2020.

Discover 10 consumer trends that will impact every industry

Learn how to target consumers based on what they value in products, brands and companies

Identify competitive strategies for growth in 2020 and beyond

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Businesses must be agile, adaptable and aware of consumer trends to retain market share. Organisations that identify these trends before their competitors will ultimately achieve long-term viability. Be the first to learn how consumer behaviour will evolve in 2020.

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Social Media has Changed the way we Consumer News

"Most people now get their news information online, specifically from social media

2.4 billion internet users, nearly 64.5% receive news on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram

An average visitor will only read an article for 15 secs or less and the average video watch time online is 10 secs

Lack of readers fact checking or reading more than the headline - authentic content is hard to come by = more fake news spreading"

(Martin, 2019)

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It's the age of "fake news" and gone are the days of waiting for the morning news for breaking stories or reading gossip magazines for the latest celebrity dirt. We now have all the information we need at the touch of an app and most people now get their news information online, specifically from social media.

Social media has become the main source of news online with more than 2.4 billion internet users, nearly 64.5 percent receive breaking news from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram instead of traditional media.

In a recent survey, 50 percent of Internet users surveyed said that they hear about the latest news via social media before ever hearing about it on a news station. Many internet users will see the breaking stories on their feed and go to the news sites to learn more. The survey found 57 percent increase in traffic to news sites referred from social media.

However, there has been a decrease in how much of an article that people read. Most people will just scroll through their newsfeed and stumble upon relevant news content but just read the headlines or a short video clip of the piece. An average visitor will only read an article for 15 seconds or less and the average video watch time online is 10 seconds.

However, social platforms have a control over what news and information we see. Our social media friends have become the "managing editors" deciding what we see. An article needs to be "liked" and shared multiple times before many people see it in their feed. Therefore social media and your social friends have control over what news pieces you see and what you do not. There are also many "fake news" websites that compete for attention with sensational headlines and ridiculous storylines that tend to get shared more often due to the lack of readers fact checking or reading more than the headline. That means that authentic content is hard to come by now. In fact, fake news is actually more likely to spread than the truth.

"Falsehood diffused significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth in all categories of information, and the effects were more pronounced for false political news than for false news about terrorism, natural disasters, science, urban legends, or financial information," the team, led by Sinan Aral of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in the journal Science.

Also, timely and sensational news does better like Buzzfeed who has 17.2 million subscribers. Content needs to be shareable and likable so often times it is overly exaggerated for social. Brands can pay more to appear in news feeds and get noticed. While syndication is nothing new, it is more prevalent in social media with so much information allowed to be given at once and 24/7.

News happens fast now. Today's story will be tomorrow's forgotten story. It is easy to miss things now because of how quick stories can get turned around and shared. While having so much information at our fingertips is great, it is worth always checking sources and not taking headlines as truth. With social media as our new news managers, it is up to us to be the new fact checkers for media.

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How Social Media Has Changed How We Consume News

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Social media has become the main source of news online with more than 2.4 billion internet users, nearly 64.5 percent receive breaking news from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram instead of traditional media. Here's how social media has changed how we consume news.

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Generation Z

"Hyper-connected, highly opinionated, activism,  acutely conscious of and concerned about world events

LGBTQ issues, body positivity, and mental health

Expected to account for about 40% of all consumers by 2020

Unlike any generation before them, they’ve grown up expressing themselves online"

(Ennis-O'Connor, 2020)

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To succeed on social media, it's essential to stay ahead of the curve and understand the latest social media trends.

Many of the trends we saw coming down the line 12 months ago are well established - although that's not to say everyone has adopted them as an everyday practice!

Others have been growing steadily, but haven't reached peak hype just yet.

So which social media trends will matter most this year?

I've identified 9 major trends that should claim our focus in 2020.

1. 2020 Will Be The Year Of The Voice Strategy

The majority of people searching for information on the web still trust search engines but the way people search for information online is changing.

Increasingly, people are using voice search on their smartphones, tablets or voice assistants (like the Amazon Echo or Google Home devices) to search for information on the internet.

According to comScore's forecasting, 50 percent of searches will be performed through voice functions in 2020 and the majority will be done without even looking at a screen.

Just as marketers have optimized content for web 2.0 and mobile, they will have to start optimizing content for voice search as well. To quote NewsCred, "If you're a marketer, "What's the Alexa strategy?" will be a question you'll be expected to answer."

Recommended Reading: What's Your Alexa Strategy? How To Optimise Your Content For Voice Search in 2020

2. Mobile Responsive Websites Are A Must

I can hardly believe I am still singing this same tune! But just in case, the message hasn't been 100% absorbed, let me say it again.

Without a mobile responsive site, not only are you losing out significantly in the organic search rankings, but Google has made it very clear that it will penalize sites that are not mobile responsive.

Google says 61 percent of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing with 40 percent visiting a competitor's site instead.

If you haven't implemented a mobile-first strategy yet, make it an urgent priority in the coming year.

3. Messenger Apps Will Continue To Evolve

Did you know that more users use social messaging than actually the social media itself - especially younger millennials?

There are now more people using the top four social messaging apps (WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, and Viber) than the top four social media apps (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn).

Facebook Messenger alone is on the phones of over 1.2 billion people, with Facebook saying that there are now more than 2 billion messages sent between businesses and people on Messenger each month.

As the use of social media messaging platforms grows, the potential for improving customer experience will also expand exponentially.

The combination of messaging platforms with chatbots powered by artificial intelligence (AI)will make it possible for companies to engage in more relevant, personalized and helpful customer conversations at scale.

4. Video Content Is Here To Stay

Video is long past the status of a hot new trend, but it still remains an important trend in social media marketing.

If a picture says a thousand words, a video tells a million.

Video marketing can help you tell your story in a more entertaining, educational and inspiring way so if it's not already part of your strategy, get on board with video this coming year.

5. TikTok Continues Its Meteoric Rise

With more than 800 million monthly active users and a median age of 16-24, TikTok continues its incredible rise.

To quote Hootsuite's social trends report for 2020: "Whether or not it lasts, TikTok's popularity brings valuable insight into the future of social culture, content, and collaboration. Social marketers should keep an eye on TikTok while using these insights to adapt their strategies on established networks for the next generation on social."
Recommended Reading: TikTok Publishes Top 10 Content Lists for 2019
6. Stories Will Continue to Grow In Popularity

Nowhere is the concept of stories more evident than on Instagram where over 400 million people use Stories daily. Introduced as a sort of successor to Snapchat's "self-destruct" style of content, stories are no longer seen as a novelty. At this point, they're a staple of Instagram itself.

Similar to Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories - user-generated slideshows and video collections - are short (around 20-seconds) pieces of content created on your smartphone and available for up to 24 hours.
Recommended Reading: Instagram Begins Rolling Out Collaborative Group Stories Option
According to Mari Smith's prediction "The Facebook and Instagram Stories format will continue to grow in popularity throughout 2020. So much so that regular feed content will noticeably slow down."

7. Niche Marketing Is Worth Exploring

"In 2020, the race isn't to be everywhere and reach everyone but to reach the right people with focused intent. It's about choosing the quality of engagements over the quantity of engagements." Peg Fitzpatrick

More and more people are becoming fatigued from the over-saturation of content on the main social media networks. They're moving increasingly towards platforms that help eliminate the noise and posts that aren't relevant to them.

Niche networks provide you with the opportunity to connect with a highly target and engaged community. Once you've connected with your audience, you can start to get to know them - how they think and act - and build closer relationships with them.
Here are some popular places to start your exploration.
Niche social networks are smaller and serve only those who want to be there which means rather than being a small fish in a big social pond, going niche allows you to focus your communication more precisely. You won't have to worry about beating any Facebook-like algorithms so you can increase the ability to get your content seen by a relevant audience.

There are plenty of niche social networks online catering to passionate users, united by specific topics or locations. Whether you're a film buff, a DIY enthusiast, a crafter or a baker, there's a niche network out there for you.

8. Micro-Influencers Hold Sway
Recommended Reading: The Smallest Viable Audience: How Micro-Influencers are Changing Marketing
Over the past few years, social media influencers have become a major trend. However, macro-influencers with their millions of followers command a high price and are out of the reach of many businesses. This is why we are seeing the rise of micro-influencers (those who have smaller followers) instead.

In choosing a micro-influencer - someone with fewer followers, but a more engaged community - you'll not only be increasing your chances of achieving stronger engagement, but you'll also be saving money. Your budget could stretch to multiple influencers, in different vertices, with different niche audiences, making the connections so much more relevant. Social Media Today
Recommended Reading: How to Market Your Business to Gen Z
9. We're Now Marketing to Generation Z

Aged between 13 and 22 years old, Gen Z is the hyper-connected, highly opinionated generation, moved to activism as the internet and social media landscape has made them acutely conscious of and concerned about world events. Social causes like LGBTQ issues, body positivity, and mental health are increasingly at the core. Gen-Zers are expected to account for about 40 percent of all consumers by 2020.

Unlike any generation before them, they've grown up expressing themselves online. Gen Z is the next generation of customers, so it's worth getting an understanding of the best way to include them in your marketing.

Final Thoughts

Social media is continually evolving. Every year, everything from algorithm updates to emerging trends shapes and informs the myriad ways we interact online.

As you plan your social media marketing for the coming year, consider how you can implement some or all of these trends in your online strategy. But remember - it doesn't make sense to jump on the latest marketing trend without first having a strategy in place!

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9 Top Social Media Marketing Trends To Pay Attention To In 2020

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To succeed on social media, it's essential to stay ahead of the curve and understand the latest social media trends. Many of the trends we saw coming down the line 12 months ago are well established - although that's not to say everyone has adopted them as an everyday practice!

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"Rise of micro-influencers

More engaged community

Increasing chances of achieving stronger engagement

Greater level of personalisation

Increasingly hard to excite and inspire audiences who are overwhelmed and overstimulated"

(Ennis-O'Connor, 2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
To succeed on social media, it's essential to stay ahead of the curve and understand the latest social media trends.

Many of the trends we saw coming down the line 12 months ago are well established - although that's not to say everyone has adopted them as an everyday practice!

Others have been growing steadily, but haven't reached peak hype just yet.

So which social media trends will matter most this year?

I've identified 9 major trends that should claim our focus in 2020.

1. 2020 Will Be The Year Of The Voice Strategy

The majority of people searching for information on the web still trust search engines but the way people search for information online is changing.

Increasingly, people are using voice search on their smartphones, tablets or voice assistants (like the Amazon Echo or Google Home devices) to search for information on the internet.

According to comScore's forecasting, 50 percent of searches will be performed through voice functions in 2020 and the majority will be done without even looking at a screen.

Just as marketers have optimized content for web 2.0 and mobile, they will have to start optimizing content for voice search as well. To quote NewsCred, "If you're a marketer, "What's the Alexa strategy?" will be a question you'll be expected to answer."

Recommended Reading: What's Your Alexa Strategy? How To Optimise Your Content For Voice Search in 2020

2. Mobile Responsive Websites Are A Must

I can hardly believe I am still singing this same tune! But just in case, the message hasn't been 100% absorbed, let me say it again.

Without a mobile responsive site, not only are you losing out significantly in the organic search rankings, but Google has made it very clear that it will penalize sites that are not mobile responsive.

Google says 61 percent of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing with 40 percent visiting a competitor's site instead.

If you haven't implemented a mobile-first strategy yet, make it an urgent priority in the coming year.

3. Messenger Apps Will Continue To Evolve

Did you know that more users use social messaging than actually the social media itself - especially younger millennials?

There are now more people using the top four social messaging apps (WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, and Viber) than the top four social media apps (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn).

Facebook Messenger alone is on the phones of over 1.2 billion people, with Facebook saying that there are now more than 2 billion messages sent between businesses and people on Messenger each month.

As the use of social media messaging platforms grows, the potential for improving customer experience will also expand exponentially.

The combination of messaging platforms with chatbots powered by artificial intelligence (AI)will make it possible for companies to engage in more relevant, personalized and helpful customer conversations at scale.

4. Video Content Is Here To Stay

Video is long past the status of a hot new trend, but it still remains an important trend in social media marketing.

If a picture says a thousand words, a video tells a million.

Video marketing can help you tell your story in a more entertaining, educational and inspiring way so if it's not already part of your strategy, get on board with video this coming year.

5. TikTok Continues Its Meteoric Rise

With more than 800 million monthly active users and a median age of 16-24, TikTok continues its incredible rise.

To quote Hootsuite's social trends report for 2020: "Whether or not it lasts, TikTok's popularity brings valuable insight into the future of social culture, content, and collaboration. Social marketers should keep an eye on TikTok while using these insights to adapt their strategies on established networks for the next generation on social."
Recommended Reading: TikTok Publishes Top 10 Content Lists for 2019
6. Stories Will Continue to Grow In Popularity

Nowhere is the concept of stories more evident than on Instagram where over 400 million people use Stories daily. Introduced as a sort of successor to Snapchat's "self-destruct" style of content, stories are no longer seen as a novelty. At this point, they're a staple of Instagram itself.

Similar to Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories - user-generated slideshows and video collections - are short (around 20-seconds) pieces of content created on your smartphone and available for up to 24 hours.
Recommended Reading: Instagram Begins Rolling Out Collaborative Group Stories Option
According to Mari Smith's prediction "The Facebook and Instagram Stories format will continue to grow in popularity throughout 2020. So much so that regular feed content will noticeably slow down."

7. Niche Marketing Is Worth Exploring

"In 2020, the race isn't to be everywhere and reach everyone but to reach the right people with focused intent. It's about choosing the quality of engagements over the quantity of engagements." Peg Fitzpatrick

More and more people are becoming fatigued from the over-saturation of content on the main social media networks. They're moving increasingly towards platforms that help eliminate the noise and posts that aren't relevant to them.

Niche networks provide you with the opportunity to connect with a highly target and engaged community. Once you've connected with your audience, you can start to get to know them - how they think and act - and build closer relationships with them.
Here are some popular places to start your exploration.
Niche social networks are smaller and serve only those who want to be there which means rather than being a small fish in a big social pond, going niche allows you to focus your communication more precisely. You won't have to worry about beating any Facebook-like algorithms so you can increase the ability to get your content seen by a relevant audience.

There are plenty of niche social networks online catering to passionate users, united by specific topics or locations. Whether you're a film buff, a DIY enthusiast, a crafter or a baker, there's a niche network out there for you.

8. Micro-Influencers Hold Sway
Recommended Reading: The Smallest Viable Audience: How Micro-Influencers are Changing Marketing
Over the past few years, social media influencers have become a major trend. However, macro-influencers with their millions of followers command a high price and are out of the reach of many businesses. This is why we are seeing the rise of micro-influencers (those who have smaller followers) instead.

In choosing a micro-influencer - someone with fewer followers, but a more engaged community - you'll not only be increasing your chances of achieving stronger engagement, but you'll also be saving money. Your budget could stretch to multiple influencers, in different vertices, with different niche audiences, making the connections so much more relevant. Social Media Today
Recommended Reading: How to Market Your Business to Gen Z
9. We're Now Marketing to Generation Z

Aged between 13 and 22 years old, Gen Z is the hyper-connected, highly opinionated generation, moved to activism as the internet and social media landscape has made them acutely conscious of and concerned about world events. Social causes like LGBTQ issues, body positivity, and mental health are increasingly at the core. Gen-Zers are expected to account for about 40 percent of all consumers by 2020.

Unlike any generation before them, they've grown up expressing themselves online. Gen Z is the next generation of customers, so it's worth getting an understanding of the best way to include them in your marketing.

Final Thoughts

Social media is continually evolving. Every year, everything from algorithm updates to emerging trends shapes and informs the myriad ways we interact online.

As you plan your social media marketing for the coming year, consider how you can implement some or all of these trends in your online strategy. But remember - it doesn't make sense to jump on the latest marketing trend without first having a strategy in place!

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9 Top Social Media Marketing Trends To Pay Attention To In 2020

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To succeed on social media, it's essential to stay ahead of the curve and understand the latest social media trends. Many of the trends we saw coming down the line 12 months ago are well established - although that's not to say everyone has adopted them as an everyday practice!

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"Users wont put up with inauthenticity or  irregularity

Influencer content needs to be snappy, talented and quick to catch interest"

(McEvoy, n.d.)

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Shane McEvoy here has never really been any doubt that social media is deeply embedded into the lives of both Generation Z (born 1995-2012) and the Millennial Generation (born 1980-1994). According to research by the Pew Research Center, 92% of all millennials have a mobile device and connection to a single social media platform is a thing of the past, today's younger generations are plugged into an average of four social media networks, using them extensively for social, leisure, networking, purchase and business.

All of this connectivity takes time and, the further down the generations we look, the more the connection with social media increases, with millennials spending and average of 6.19 hours a week checking their social media (Neilsen) and 38% of American teens checking in more than once an hour (Common Sense Media). . Social media is in a constant state of flux and millennials, who, according to Forbes, will make up 35% of the global workforce by 2020, and Generation Z (24% by 2020) , are far quicker to jump onto the next thing than their older counterparts.

As far as they are concerned, the more visual, connective and fast-moving the experience, the better. Small wonder that the older generations are pedalling fast to keep up! We have the low-down on the up and coming social media trends that are currently being driven by millennials and Generation Z.

How millennials and Generation Z are using social media Understanding that these two key generations are inseparable from their social media is one thing but grasping exactly how they use them and how this influences social media trends is quite another. Social media platforms are not all made equal and it is often the quality of connection experience that millennials and Generation Z get from them which depicts their rise or fall.

It is important to remember here that, because of fast-moving developments in popular social media technology, these two generations do not view their social media with exactly the same eyes. Millennials were born into a lifestyle-rich environment that endorsed the rise of the mobile internet, this means that they have tendencies towards high lifestyle expectations and are used to publicly sharing the reaching of lifestyle goals through their social media.

Those belonging to Generation Z however, grew up in a more financially cautious era and have never known a society without constant access to social media. These combined factors have

made them more relaxed about their lifestyles and therefore less easy to sell to, they are also more aware of the constraints of a life led publicly through the internet and more likely to have strong opinions about privacy.
Predicted future social media trends Deeper levels of personalisation
Of all the social media marketing trends, personalisation in online advertising has perhaps had the most dichotomised of results. On one hand it works and we are now impatient with adverts that are not tailored to our interests but on the other hand, the depth of personalisation experienced is often viewed as intrusive or even unnerving.

This latter is particularly true for our technology-savvy millennial and Generation Z groups who are more exposed to personalised advertising because of their increased levels of social media time. The challenge is on for marketers to write algorithms that reflect a user's true interests and add value to, rather than detract from, the social experience.

Image recognition technology on visual social media platforms such as Instagram is set to play a big part in this, as are browsing habits and observable interests.
Now you see me, now you don't
Whoever first had the idea for ephemeral content, i.e. social media content with a limited time span, was a genius. It is easy to imagine them initially being laughed out of the design office, after all, the idea of putting effort into marketing material only for it to disappear almost immediately seems ludicrous.

Ephemeral content, rather confusingly, is here to stay and its catch-on rate is all down to that most human of emotions, the fear of missing out. FOMO is a big factor for millennials with their love of lifestyle but it is the lack of paper trail left by ephemeral content that has sold it to privacy-loving Generation Z.

Snapchat was leading the way with disappearing content for a while but the big players, Facebook and Instagram, have more recently stepped in with their Stories and stolen a bit of the Snapchat thunder.
We're bored with reality, more augmentation please!
Augmented reality provides opportunities to enhance the day-to-day world and, if there is one thing our younger generations love, it is a bit of enhancement. AR can go down the education route but, for millennials and Generation Z, anything quirky or funny that will encourage interaction is a definite winner. Augmented reality technology is still expensive but over the next few years, it will pay to join in with what others are doing as well as taking the same kind of fun approach yourself.
When it comes to influencer marketing, relationships are everything
If you are down in the grass roots, you are in the right place. Both Generation Z and millennials feel strong connections with You Tubers and other influencers they perceive to be, 'just like me'. These generations won't be fooled by inauthenticity or put up with irregularity. Influencer content needs to be snappy, talented and quick to catch their interest. Especially if you are in a space like an escape room franchise.
The power of user-generated content
Generation Z want more from their advertising than their millennial cousins. Instead of being content with passive advertising, they want a piece of the action and user-generated content gives them exactly that, as well as offering proven gains when it comes to social media engagement. Photo competitions, opinion polls, game level creation, selfie campaigns and clever hashtags have all been used but put a clever spin on them and you will be welcomed into Generation Z heaven.
Current and upcoming social media platforms
Before considering the rise and fall of social media platforms, it is worth considering their various pedigrees. Facebook continue to add to its collection of acquisitions and, as well as Messenger (3rd most popular in both the UK and USA), owns the rising stars WhatsApp and Instagram.

Google (Alphabet) are also big players with YouTube (UK 2nd, USA 2nd) and amongst other, smaller social networks, Microsoft own the professional social network LinkedIn (ranked 10th in the UK and 8th in the USA) as well as Skype (UK 7th and USA 9th). In total, eight of the most popular networks belonging to three of the world's most powerful organisations. If that doesn't make you sit up and take notice of your social media marketing, we aren't sure what will.

Social media statistics are throwing up some interesting research results when it comes to the popularity of social media platforms. A 2018 social media study by We Are Flint has suggested that, in the UK and USA, 80% of adults now use at least some form of social media with Facebook, YouTube and Facebook Messenger topping the platform charts in both countries.

When it comes to the generation divide, there are clear trend indicators that suggest that millennials and Generation Z are moving away from the social media preferences of their parents. Although Facebook is used several times a day by around half of UK adults, it is the millennial generation who are its most ardent supporters whereas Generation Z are moving away from the platform in their droves.

Instagram on the other hand, has a clear slant towards both their millennial and Generation Z audiences, enhanced by state-of-the-art features such as Stories and Shopping. Snapchat has not had a great 2018 and has suffered at the hands of the launch of Stories across other platforms and poorly instigated sponsored content but, because of its popularity with the younger generations and innovations such as Spectacles, Snapchat should not be ignored.

Twitter has also seen a downtrend in the UK but there are hints that unpredicted numbers of Generation Z users are tweeting more regularly.
How to position your business for future social media growth Personalisation should add to the customer experience
Be aware of personalisation pitfalls and create advertising in different versions that can be used to micro-target distinct audiences. This is one area where it might not pay to lump Generations Y (millennials) and Z together as they are both savvy enough to see through base-level tactics.

There is a risk, for example, that a Gen Z user might leave a website that didn't anticipate their needs but conversely, this age group are also very aware of the issues surrounding data collection.

Gen Y have an equal level of expectation when it comes to personalisation but have more brand loyalty, which could place marketing barriers. Build a relationship with these groups and create a resonance through personalisation however, and you will be on to a good thing.
Appear then disappear, ephemeral content is the way to Generation Z hearts
The savvy marketer will already be looking for new and exciting ways in which to grab audience attention and ultimately loyalty, by making sure that their ephemeral content is getting the required, 'Did you see...?' responses. The key here is to encourage your young creatives to get them involved in the task. Traditional isn't going to cut it here, the quicker, quirkier and more quizzical the better if you want to use ephemeral content to bring in the crowds.

Remain platform aware Although it is unlikely that an independent is going to knock the Facebook bunch off the social media pedestal any time soon, it is definitely worth keeping a watchful eye on social media platform attributes and performance, particularly with regard to response from millennials and Generation Z. These guys are the current and future big spenders, and marketers who ignore their preferences do so at their peril.

With app development moving at a frenzied pace and both the millennial generation and Generation Z keen to grasp the latest and most exciting social media trends, the world of social media marketing is set to be one of excitement and breathtaking speed.

The savvy marketer will be keeping a close eye on generational developments and making sure that they have Generation Z, millennials and their preferred social media well in their sights.

With this tech-savvy bunch however, it is all going to be about the relationship, and social media platforms that fail to meet high moral expectations risk alienating the very consumers they are most keen to attract.

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Up And Coming Social Media Trends Driven By Millennials And Generation Z - Digital Future Times

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Shane McEvoy here has never really been any doubt that social media is deeply embedded into the lives of both Generation Z (born 1995-2012) and the Millennial Generation (born 1980-1994). According to research by the Pew Research Center, 92% of all millennials have a mobile device and connection to a single social media platform is a thing of [...]

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Self-Destruct/Short-Term/Ephemeral Content

“The Facebook and Instagram Stories format will continue to grow in popularity throughout 2020

So much so that regular feed content will noticeably slow down

Harder to stand out in established social media - need to understand how to gain traction on newer platforms

Increased exploration of and spend on new media platforms versus more 'traditional' platforms will be crucial"

(Westbrook and Angus, 2020)

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Businesses must be agile, adaptable and aware of consumer trends to retain market share. Organisations that identify these trends before their competitors will ultimately achieve long-term viability.

Be the first to learn how consumer behaviour will evolve in 2020.

Discover 10 consumer trends that will impact every industry

Learn how to target consumers based on what they value in products, brands and companies

Identify competitive strategies for growth in 2020 and beyond

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Businesses must be agile, adaptable and aware of consumer trends to retain market share. Organisations that identify these trends before their competitors will ultimately achieve long-term viability. Be the first to learn how consumer behaviour will evolve in 2020.

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Self-Destruct/Short-Term/Ephemeral Content

"FOMO is a big factor for millennials with their love of lifestyle

Lack of paper trail left by ephemeral content that has sold it to privacy-loving Generation Z

Originally snapchat – now Instagram and Facebook"

(McEvoy, n.d.)

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Shane McEvoy here has never really been any doubt that social media is deeply embedded into the lives of both Generation Z (born 1995-2012) and the Millennial Generation (born 1980-1994). According to research by the Pew Research Center, 92% of all millennials have a mobile device and connection to a single social media platform is a thing of the past, today's younger generations are plugged into an average of four social media networks, using them extensively for social, leisure, networking, purchase and business.

All of this connectivity takes time and, the further down the generations we look, the more the connection with social media increases, with millennials spending and average of 6.19 hours a week checking their social media (Neilsen) and 38% of American teens checking in more than once an hour (Common Sense Media). . Social media is in a constant state of flux and millennials, who, according to Forbes, will make up 35% of the global workforce by 2020, and Generation Z (24% by 2020) , are far quicker to jump onto the next thing than their older counterparts.

As far as they are concerned, the more visual, connective and fast-moving the experience, the better. Small wonder that the older generations are pedalling fast to keep up! We have the low-down on the up and coming social media trends that are currently being driven by millennials and Generation Z.

How millennials and Generation Z are using social media Understanding that these two key generations are inseparable from their social media is one thing but grasping exactly how they use them and how this influences social media trends is quite another. Social media platforms are not all made equal and it is often the quality of connection experience that millennials and Generation Z get from them which depicts their rise or fall.

It is important to remember here that, because of fast-moving developments in popular social media technology, these two generations do not view their social media with exactly the same eyes. Millennials were born into a lifestyle-rich environment that endorsed the rise of the mobile internet, this means that they have tendencies towards high lifestyle expectations and are used to publicly sharing the reaching of lifestyle goals through their social media.

Those belonging to Generation Z however, grew up in a more financially cautious era and have never known a society without constant access to social media. These combined factors have

made them more relaxed about their lifestyles and therefore less easy to sell to, they are also more aware of the constraints of a life led publicly through the internet and more likely to have strong opinions about privacy.
Predicted future social media trends Deeper levels of personalisation
Of all the social media marketing trends, personalisation in online advertising has perhaps had the most dichotomised of results. On one hand it works and we are now impatient with adverts that are not tailored to our interests but on the other hand, the depth of personalisation experienced is often viewed as intrusive or even unnerving.

This latter is particularly true for our technology-savvy millennial and Generation Z groups who are more exposed to personalised advertising because of their increased levels of social media time. The challenge is on for marketers to write algorithms that reflect a user's true interests and add value to, rather than detract from, the social experience.

Image recognition technology on visual social media platforms such as Instagram is set to play a big part in this, as are browsing habits and observable interests.
Now you see me, now you don't
Whoever first had the idea for ephemeral content, i.e. social media content with a limited time span, was a genius. It is easy to imagine them initially being laughed out of the design office, after all, the idea of putting effort into marketing material only for it to disappear almost immediately seems ludicrous.

Ephemeral content, rather confusingly, is here to stay and its catch-on rate is all down to that most human of emotions, the fear of missing out. FOMO is a big factor for millennials with their love of lifestyle but it is the lack of paper trail left by ephemeral content that has sold it to privacy-loving Generation Z.

Snapchat was leading the way with disappearing content for a while but the big players, Facebook and Instagram, have more recently stepped in with their Stories and stolen a bit of the Snapchat thunder.
We're bored with reality, more augmentation please!
Augmented reality provides opportunities to enhance the day-to-day world and, if there is one thing our younger generations love, it is a bit of enhancement. AR can go down the education route but, for millennials and Generation Z, anything quirky or funny that will encourage interaction is a definite winner. Augmented reality technology is still expensive but over the next few years, it will pay to join in with what others are doing as well as taking the same kind of fun approach yourself.
When it comes to influencer marketing, relationships are everything
If you are down in the grass roots, you are in the right place. Both Generation Z and millennials feel strong connections with You Tubers and other influencers they perceive to be, 'just like me'. These generations won't be fooled by inauthenticity or put up with irregularity. Influencer content needs to be snappy, talented and quick to catch their interest. Especially if you are in a space like an escape room franchise.
The power of user-generated content
Generation Z want more from their advertising than their millennial cousins. Instead of being content with passive advertising, they want a piece of the action and user-generated content gives them exactly that, as well as offering proven gains when it comes to social media engagement. Photo competitions, opinion polls, game level creation, selfie campaigns and clever hashtags have all been used but put a clever spin on them and you will be welcomed into Generation Z heaven.
Current and upcoming social media platforms
Before considering the rise and fall of social media platforms, it is worth considering their various pedigrees. Facebook continue to add to its collection of acquisitions and, as well as Messenger (3rd most popular in both the UK and USA), owns the rising stars WhatsApp and Instagram.

Google (Alphabet) are also big players with YouTube (UK 2nd, USA 2nd) and amongst other, smaller social networks, Microsoft own the professional social network LinkedIn (ranked 10th in the UK and 8th in the USA) as well as Skype (UK 7th and USA 9th). In total, eight of the most popular networks belonging to three of the world's most powerful organisations. If that doesn't make you sit up and take notice of your social media marketing, we aren't sure what will.

Social media statistics are throwing up some interesting research results when it comes to the popularity of social media platforms. A 2018 social media study by We Are Flint has suggested that, in the UK and USA, 80% of adults now use at least some form of social media with Facebook, YouTube and Facebook Messenger topping the platform charts in both countries.

When it comes to the generation divide, there are clear trend indicators that suggest that millennials and Generation Z are moving away from the social media preferences of their parents. Although Facebook is used several times a day by around half of UK adults, it is the millennial generation who are its most ardent supporters whereas Generation Z are moving away from the platform in their droves.

Instagram on the other hand, has a clear slant towards both their millennial and Generation Z audiences, enhanced by state-of-the-art features such as Stories and Shopping. Snapchat has not had a great 2018 and has suffered at the hands of the launch of Stories across other platforms and poorly instigated sponsored content but, because of its popularity with the younger generations and innovations such as Spectacles, Snapchat should not be ignored.

Twitter has also seen a downtrend in the UK but there are hints that unpredicted numbers of Generation Z users are tweeting more regularly.
How to position your business for future social media growth Personalisation should add to the customer experience
Be aware of personalisation pitfalls and create advertising in different versions that can be used to micro-target distinct audiences. This is one area where it might not pay to lump Generations Y (millennials) and Z together as they are both savvy enough to see through base-level tactics.

There is a risk, for example, that a Gen Z user might leave a website that didn't anticipate their needs but conversely, this age group are also very aware of the issues surrounding data collection.

Gen Y have an equal level of expectation when it comes to personalisation but have more brand loyalty, which could place marketing barriers. Build a relationship with these groups and create a resonance through personalisation however, and you will be on to a good thing.
Appear then disappear, ephemeral content is the way to Generation Z hearts
The savvy marketer will already be looking for new and exciting ways in which to grab audience attention and ultimately loyalty, by making sure that their ephemeral content is getting the required, 'Did you see...?' responses. The key here is to encourage your young creatives to get them involved in the task. Traditional isn't going to cut it here, the quicker, quirkier and more quizzical the better if you want to use ephemeral content to bring in the crowds.

Remain platform aware Although it is unlikely that an independent is going to knock the Facebook bunch off the social media pedestal any time soon, it is definitely worth keeping a watchful eye on social media platform attributes and performance, particularly with regard to response from millennials and Generation Z. These guys are the current and future big spenders, and marketers who ignore their preferences do so at their peril.

With app development moving at a frenzied pace and both the millennial generation and Generation Z keen to grasp the latest and most exciting social media trends, the world of social media marketing is set to be one of excitement and breathtaking speed.

The savvy marketer will be keeping a close eye on generational developments and making sure that they have Generation Z, millennials and their preferred social media well in their sights.

With this tech-savvy bunch however, it is all going to be about the relationship, and social media platforms that fail to meet high moral expectations risk alienating the very consumers they are most keen to attract.

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Up And Coming Social Media Trends Driven By Millennials And Generation Z - Digital Future Times

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Shane McEvoy here has never really been any doubt that social media is deeply embedded into the lives of both Generation Z (born 1995-2012) and the Millennial Generation (born 1980-1994). According to research by the Pew Research Center, 92% of all millennials have a mobile device and connection to a single social media platform is a thing of [...]

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Selling on Social

"Content creation needs to lead to sales, and social commerce is growing fast

By 2023, it could account for a fifth of all online sales in China — a staggering $166 billion

Social media platforms have been progressively incorporating commercial functions

Pinterest has its catalogue

Instagram has evolved its checkout and augmented reality functions

A wide range of messenger apps use chatbots to generate direct sales rather than just serving as a customer service channel

Nowhere, however, is as advanced in social commerce as China – Douyin

Brands must also be prepared to exploit the new sales-orientated functions of platforms, as well as develop chatbots in combination with messenger apps to generate more immediate online sales"

(Amed et al., 2019)

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

To thrive in this environment, companies must think strategically, sharpen their decision making, and keep their fingers on the pulse of customer demand. They need to get digital right and to address consumers increasingly concerned by the climate-change agenda. At the same time, they must cater to local tastes across multiple markets and cultures. One size will not fit all.

These are some of the findings from our latest report, The State of Fashion 2020, written in partnership with The Business of Fashion (BoF). This fourth in our annual series analyzes major themes around the fashion economy and breaks new ground to explain the dynamics driving the industry. Our survey of 290 global fashion executives and interviews with thought leaders and pioneers have helped us identify ten key themes that will set the agenda in the year ahead. The latest reading of the McKinsey Global Fashion Index (MGFI), meanwhile, reveals new insights into fashion-company performance by category, segment, and region.

A darkening mood

For many in the fashion industry, the glass is half empty. The mood among respondents to our executive survey is sober across geographies and price points, and the pockets of optimism seen last year in North America and the luxury segment have steadily evaporated (Exhibit 1).

The MGFI forecasts that growth will slow to 3 to 4 percent in 2020, slightly below the predicted rate for 2019. Strikingly, only 9 percent of respondents think conditions will improve next year, compared with 49 percent who said the same last year.

Economic profit grew for the second year running in 2018, following consecutive annual declines from 2012 to 2016 (Exhibit 2). The 16 percent year-on-year rise came largely from improved operating margins driven by cost cutting. The average industry EBITA margin was 10.8 percent, a tick up on 2017 and the highest since 2014.

One reason that executives are not breaking out the bunting is that the outlook for the global economy is less rosy than it was a year ago. Against this background, fashion-industry fortunes are highly polarized. For an exclusive group of "Super Winners," the sun is shining (Exhibit 3); by economic profit, these 20 companies added more to the industry bottom line in 2018 than all others combined. The Super Winners include three new entrants-Anta Sports, Heilan Home (HLA Corporation), and Lululemon-reflecting the strength of sportswear and the growing influence of Chinese players. In luxury, Kering made an impressive rise through the ranks, driven by Gucci's double-digit sales growth and strong performance in Asia-Pacific markets such as Japan. Not only are leading companies highly value-creating, they are also at the cutting edge of innovation. They are also most successful in attracting funding and talent, often leaving the rest to fight over scraps.

Alongside public companies, we also identified a group of "hidden champions." These privately owned gems often dominate their category areas and generate significant revenues. Some are household names, while others are less visible but still pack a punch. Among the well-known brands, Chanel is a significant player, with revenues of more than $10 billion, while Rolex is one of the few large independent and private luxury watch brands remaining. At the opposite end of the price spectrum is Primark, whose commitment to its core value proposition has made it a formidable competitor. These players show that there is a great deal of industry value outside the spotlight, and the "hidden champions" too have much to offer alongside their listed counterparts.

Of course, for every success, there are also relative failures. A growing number of publicly traded and private companies have become "value destroyers." The midmarket in particular is in the doldrums, generating negative returns for shareholders. For some, the abyss beckons.

Ten themes for 2020

What will define the industry in the coming year? Based on our executive survey, the words on everyone's lips are sustainability, digitization, and innovation (Exhibit 4).

When it comes to sustainability, the industry's track record remains a source of concern. The textile sector still represents 6 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution, and fashion accounts for 20 to 35 percent of microplastic flows into the ocean. Consumers are increasingly waking up to this reality and demanding change. In August 2019, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault spearheaded an industry-wide pact to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. According to McKinsey's 2019 Apparel Chief Purchasing Officer Survey, while the absolute number of sustainable fashion products remains low, there has been a fivefold increase over the past two years.

Looking forward, we see more research into sustainable materials and technologies, as well as the circular economy. This should lead to a move beyond 2019's focus on transparency toward real commitment. That's great news for consumers and for companies that can make sustainability real. However, given the scale of investment required, it means nervous times for small and midsize players.

Equally, consumers and advocates are calling for the industry to become more inclusive. We see 2020 as being a watershed for "Inclusive Culture," with diverse races, genders, and sexual orientations increasingly present across organizations and in leadership roles.

Digital disruptors will face more cautious investors in the year ahead. Stock-market valuations of tech players have reached dizzying levels, reminiscent of the dot-com boom of the early 2000s, while a number of private companies have reached unicorn status. The trick in 2020 will be to prove to investors they can turn potential into profit. At the vanguard, we are seeing a new breed of direct-to-customer companies. Asia in particular is emerging as a fertile ground for small and midsize enterprises that leverage e-commerce to reach out from the factory floor.

At the forefront for many is the future role of brick-and-mortar stores. Although they are written off by some as "too 20th century," we take a more constructive view. We see local stores in particular building a role as partners in the digital revolution, helping customers touch, feel, and experience in convenient locations as they browse online and offline.

It's time to rewire the fashion system: State of Fashion coronavirus update

The bottom line? The coming year will be tough, as the digital shakeout gathers pace, customers demand more on sustainability, and slower growth puts pressure on margins. However, there will be opportunities. Brands that can align with the dominant trends and continue to innovate are most likely to ride the challenges and emerge ahead of the pack.

About the author(s)

Anita Balchandani is a partner in McKinsey's London office, where Shrina Poojara is a consultant; is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office; Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office; and Felix Rölkens is an associate partner in the Berlin office. Imran Amed is the founder, editor-in-chief, and CEO of The Business of Fashion.

The authors wish to thank McKinsey's Tiffany Chan and Marilena Schmich, as well as The Business of Fashion's Robb Young, for their contributions to this article.

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The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating uncertainty

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

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Selling on Social

"Create a high level of interest through creative and engaging storytelling

Frictionless shopping experience where customers don’t need to leave the social media site to buy products

Shoppable posts, stories and links"

(Patel, 2019)

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9 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The last decade has seen social media solidify into thriving, multifaceted communities where more than 3.2 billion people worldwide are active daily. More than 90 percent of millennials regularly use at least one of these platforms, and more than 85 percent of Generation Zers learn about new products through social media. It's not hard to see why nearly three-fourths of marketers believe social media is an effective part of their business.

As we close this decade down, there's no doubt that social media will play a growing role in our lives for the foreseeable future. So, how should businesses, brands and even the average user anticipate the future for social platforms?

Here's a breakdown of some of the biggest trends we'll see evolving on social media in 2020 and years to come.

1. The death of the "like" button on Instagram.

It's no secret that brands (and even regular users) often fixate on "likes," comments and followers on social media as a measure of popularity and brand recognition. But this obsession is having a negative impact on our mental health and can actually stymie the free flow of engagement. We go along with the crowd, click a button and stop engaging in a meaningful way.
Related: 10 Laws of Social Media Marketing
Instagram is the latest in a long list of social media sites seeking to make likes less prominent. You will no longer be able to see the number of likes other Instagram posts get, although you can still see likes on your own posts.

The idea has been hailed as a way to "depressurize" Instagram and could also help combat fake likes and followers -- these padded numbers can make brands and influencers appear to have a wider reach then they actually do. However, if likes do go away, marketers, brands and influencers will need to find ways to adapt to these changes.

2. Less emphasis on "vanity metrics."

Losing the "like" button on Instagram is part of a broader trend to de-emphasize the use of "vanity metrics" on social media. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has said that follower counts are now meaningless, and in a TED conference talk, he said if he could go back, he wouldn't emphasize the "like" button so much.

For social media marketers and influencers, this should signal that it's time to start digging deeper into actionable metrics -- such as the rate and quality of user engagement on social media. Savvy marketers will take note, and begin exploring user demographics and relevant user data to better understand how to target potential customers.

3. Video story content is king.

Video continues to be one of the most important trends in the social media world. In fact, video will make up 82 percent of all internet traffic in 2020, according to Social Media Today. As social media platforms look for ways to further prioritize video content, marketers will increasingly zero in on videos as part of their overall strategies to target specific markets.

Keep a close eye on how this format reshapes marketing strategies. There will be an emphasis on creative, engaging storytelling that captures user attention in seconds. Brands will need to have a keen eye for how video stories engage users (especially on platforms where the like button goes away).

4. TikTok is disrupting social video.

The emphasis on video means that video-driven platforms such as TikTok, Lasso and byte will continue to grow in popularity. Of these platforms, TikTok is the social media disruptor currently leading the way, especially with Gen Z users.

The Chinese-owned social video app is well-positioned to shape this trend as it offers fertile ground for influencers, including micro-influencers (another trend we'll discuss).
Related: 5 Smart Ways to Use Social Media to Grow Your Business
TikTok is upping user engagement with its engaging, fresh and entertaining content that isn't overly focused on a hard sell. In short, TikTok is the antithesis of your mother's Instagram account because it shuns the overly curated and filtered view of life Instagram has become known for.

5. Social media audience segmentation.

Whether we're marketing a product or branding ourselves, we craft our social media posts with our audience in mind -- or at least who we think our audience is. The problem is, we don't always have a firm grasp on who exactly is in our niche, nor do we do a good job of tailoring our message to target specific audiences. This one-size-fits-all approach is missing the boat on audience segmentation.

Segmentation means to strategically divide your audience into meaningful groups based on individual preferences. Segmentation goes beyond basic demographics by allowing you to target and build rapport and a sense of community with specific audience members. In the coming years, segmentation will be a defining line between the savviest social media strategies and those that are just winging it.

6. Personalized video marketing will become a thing.

Audience segmentation goes hand in hand with an increasing level of personalized social media marketing. It makes sense that combining segmentation with our love of video will result in personalized video marketing -- think video content that is customizable and hyper-relevant to specific segments of your market.

Social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, are already pushing brands to produce video content through Story Ads, in part because these ad campaigns often see higher click-through rates than traditional News Feed ads. Twitter is also jumping into the fray with six-second video ads. Personalized content will take this trend to the next level.

7. Social shopping seamlessly incorporated into social platforms.

In the last 10 years, social platforms have played a significant role in expanding ecommerce into a multibillion-dollar industry in the U.S. The fact is, social shopping is now a big part of social media.

Users expect and want to have access to brands and products through social platforms -- the trick is to create a high level of interest through creative and engaging storytelling (which often relies on videos and influencer marketing). Another must is creating a frictionless shopping experience where customers don't need to leave the social media site to buy products.

There's no doubt this trend will continue to expand in the new year. Look for an increasing number of shoppable posts, stories and links across all social media sites. And while TikTok isn't yet being utilized in this way, it likely won't be long before this platform evolves and retailers begin homing in on ways to crack this platform open to shoppability.

8. Less public, more private interactions.

As our social media "friend" lists become more unwieldy, and concerns about information privacy grow, more users are turning to private groups and messaging apps to connect with others. Messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram Messaging allow us to create more intimate groups where we can feel secure in sharing intimate and detailed information with others.

This trend, which is really a return to direct communication, has the potential to be massive. In fact, messaging apps have outgrown social networks as the connective tools of choice for many users. The top messaging apps now combine for nearly 5 billion monthly active users. That's more users than traditional social networks have worldwide.

9. Audiences want meaningful connections.

As people become more wary of posting in the public social media domain, and interactions migrate away from public view, marketing will also need to follow suit.
Related: 10 Tools for Social Media Managers in 2020
Brands must find ways to create more private, intimate connections with their audiences without becoming overly intrusive. This will likely come down to building brand communities, or groups where your brand message is relevant, but where you are also receptive to direct messaging.

For instance, consider a 2018 Facebook survey of 8,000 people in which 69 percent of respondents said that directly messaging with a company helps them feel more confident about the brand. Other platforms, such as Instagram, offer a "List" feature that enables users to share posts and stories with a select group of friends. The goal is to give audiences more meaningful connections and a feeling of being in an exclusive and intimate environment.

10. Authentic content key to social selling.

When it comes to wooing would-be shoppers to ecommerce social media stores, users are more skeptical than ever. They want to hear insights from real people before they pull out a credit card and close the sale. This is where user-generated content and employee-generated content are critical, with the key being that these must be genuine.

User-generated content (think customer reviews) provide some proof the product may be worthy of trying. Employee-generated content is a bit broader and can include videos, images or blog posts, which may allude to their company's mission and values, and the overall benefits of the product or services. Employees are seen as trusted insiders and customers find those insights more believable than canned company posts or other generic forms of social media marketing.

11. Influencer marketing goes nano.

When it comes to influencer marketing, it's time to look beyond the old adage "go big or go home." For the biggest bang on social media, brands should consider the impact of micro- and even nano-influencers.

While there will likely always be a market for big-name influencers, don't underestimate the sway of micro-influencers, who have smaller, better-defined audiences. Influencers at this level offer a greater level of personalization and stronger audience engagement. Not only that, but users are more likely to follow an influencer they feel connected to than a faceless brand.

12. Social media is the place to nurture trust.

Brands would do well to remember that social media isn't just a platform for marketing and advertising; it's truly the best place to nurture trust and build a relationship with their audience. Social media offers the ultimate opportunity for communicating brand value and engaging with potential customers on their level.

Doing this requires brands to find ways to have a free flow of dialogue and let their hair down. Showing your brand's human side and increasing transparency will build confidence with audiences. Focus on fun, simple engagement, be responsive to customer communication, and find meaningful ways to show social responsibility and a deeper level of social interaction. Doing this will help you stay ahead of the curve on everything else on social media.

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9 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The last decade has seen social media solidify into thriving, multifaceted communities where more than 3.2 billion people worldwide are active daily. More than 90 percent of millennials regularly use at least one of these platforms, and more than 85 percent of Generation Zers learn about new products through social media.

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"Tik Tok is one of the most downloaded apps in the app store

Feed algorithm which allows you to reach a significant number of users right from the get-go

TikTok is the app to keep an eye on, as it is one of the fastest-growing social media networks

With those new platforms come new innovations in content including imbedded marketing, storytelling, UGC, AR, AI, marketing strategies that resemble media productions

Companies are making content generation a core function of their business"

(Barysevich, 2020)

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Every year the social media marketing community turns into fortune tellers - we collectively try to predict what trends, features, and innovations will take place in the upcoming year. Of course, trying to predict social media trends is much more trustworthy than fortune-telling even if you're using astrology as a framework for that.
Most social media predictions stand on the existing trends and , which makes them highly likely to actually be accurate. It's a common truth that social media platforms are constantly changing, they come up with new features, change algorithms, review their respective policies, and it all affects the way we do marketing on social. But it's not like these changes come out of nowhere - they are all the results of social media company's vision and business model or external circumstances.

To identify trends that will dominate social media this year we need to consider all of these internal and external circumstances. And that's exactly what I did to make up this list of five major trends that will be prominent in 2020. In addition to simply describing what to expect in 2020, I also give some recommendations on how to use these trends to your brand's advantage.

1. Let data analysis lead your strategy

Source: Screenshot from social listening tool, Awario

Knowledge is power, and social media companies want to empower their users and brands, or rather attract more investments. That's why they are giving social media managers more and more access to insights and data analytics. Facebook is constantly expanding Creator Studio's and Facebook Insights' functionality, Twitter is adding more insights to Media Studio, and Pinterest is adding Pinterest Trends to inform brands on user behavior.

This year we are likely to see more ways to access user trends on different platforms and tap into this data for marketing and social media research. At the same time, due to trend number three on this list, brands might have to change the way they used to do social media marketing , especially with targeted advertising. There are ethical and unethical ways to use data, and the upcoming year will probably be the time to rethink these terms. That may encourage brands to get more involved in the research of the publicly available data with the help of social listening, for example.

How to be on-trend

Make sure your social media strategy is based on insights gained through data research, not a blind guess. Use the insights provided by platforms like Facebook and Instagram Insights, Twitter Analytics, and so on to find what content performs best, when you should post, and what resonates with your audience. Your KPIs should respond to your goals - if you are raising brand awareness, pay attention to the number of followers, if you're focusing on community building, keep track of the engagement metrics.

Collect and analyze publicly available data, this is the most ethical way to conduct marketing research without invading anyone's privacy. Social monitoring and listening tools such as Awario or Brandwatch break down the sentiment, reach, demographics, and user behavior trends behind any phenomenon you want to research on social media.

2. Make your communication more private

In 2019 Mark Zuckerberg claimed that "the future is private" . This was a surprising turn of events for the company which started out as a service to meet people and connect strangers. Facebook's CEO announced that from now own the platform will prioritize ways to build and sustain smaller communities and tet-a-tet communication meaning more focus on Groups and Messenger as well as WhatsApp. And it's not just Facebook, social media apps have been introducing more privacy-driven features lately including Instagram's "Close Friends" list, various updates to DMs functionality for and , more ways for brands to manage social messaging. With the upcoming redesign of Facebook feed (expected to be fully rolled out in Q1 and the new ability to limit replies to your tweets, it's obvious that 2020 will be the year of private social media.

The turn to private communication is, of course, motivated by user behavior. People simply got much more into messaging their friends and interacting in small interest-based communities. Social media companies took notice of that and are now giving people what they want. However, taking into consideration how many privacy scandals we had in the last couple of years, it's easy to imagine that the turn to privacy was also prompted by the intent to improve ones' reputation, especially when we are talking about Facebook.

How to be on-trend

If you don't have a Facebook group for your customers yet, it's high time you start one.

Use the "Close Friends" list on your Instagram account to share exclusive content with your most engaged followers.

Go beyond the big three by looking into smaller communities on Reddit and Quora for better opportunities to engage with the audience.

3. Take up more social responsibility

This will probably be the most prominent theme in the news coverage of social media companies for 2020. Once again, it's not a new trend - the pressure to sort out the issues with spamming, misinformation, manipulation of the algorithm, and the social media impact on users' mental health has been there for a while.

In 2020 we can expect more regulations on ads, more sophisticated algorithms for discovering spammers and bots, and more ways for users to control what they are seeing on the timeline. In 2019 we saw some actions taken not just by the platforms themselves but also by the state - there were several court cases around creating fake engagement and selling followers and likes that could become precedents for creating legislation around this matter.

Both Facebook and Twitter CEOs publicly stated that the ultimate framework for dealing with misleading ads and handling users' data should come from the governmental actors and independent expert committees, not the social media companies. California Consumer Privacy Act is the first attempt at such legislation. This will certainly affect the way brands advertise on social and conduct marketing research (see trend number one).

Social media companies also face a bigger challenge - how to avoid locking people in their own social media bubbles and creating echo-chambers that skew their view of the world? Admittedly, this is a broader challenge for our society in general. However, we can't ignore the fact that social media contributes to exacerbating the political and social divide between people, and it might be the time for platforms to rethink the core functionality and algorithms behind them.

Another area where social media companies are encouraged to take on more responsibility is mental health. By now it is obvious (and confirmed by ) that social media can have a negative effect on users' self-esteem and mental health, especially among teenagers, and social media companies need to take notice of that. Some platforms have already made steps in the right direction by informing users about how much time they are spending on the app. The next big change will concern vanity metrics (see below). In 2020, it's expected that there will be more platform regulations that aim to protect users from abuse and bullying and more ways for users to filter the information they don't want to consume.

How to be on-trend

Make sure your ads comply with the platform regulations.

Discard sketchy growth hacks such as buying followers or using third-party tools for follow-unfollow tactics in favor of genuine engagement and community building.

To make interactions with your audience actually genuine, understand when those interactions are welcome. The best way to start engaging with people on the internet is by commenting and replying to their public posts: and of course, your comments should be meaningful and relevant. You can find people and posts to engage through social media monitoring - simply monitor keywords and phrases appropriate for your niche.

Use social listening, competitor and hashtag research to find accounts related to your niche and engage them in the comments. Offer your expertise or start conversations discussing relevant topics.

4. Focus less on vanity metrics

This trend is partly related to the previous one. In 2019, we saw several experiments around hiding vanity metrics, mainly like count, on Facebook and Instagram . Twitter's CEO has also been vocal about his desire to move away from vanity metrics . Moreover, both Instagram and Twitter have slightly tweaked their design to put less emphasis on the number of followers an account has. The rejection of like count is probably motivated both by moral and practical reasons, comparing your number of likes to someone else's is proven to damage one's self-esteem.

Hiding vanity metrics from anyone could eliminate the pressure of competition people feel and make social media less stressful. Instagram has also revealed that during the tests they discovered that discarding like count leads to more content on the platform and that's what any social media company wants.

That's the logical outcome of the previous point, if people feel less pressure to get the most likes, they will feel more at ease with posting. All in all, prepare to say goodbye to like counts in 2020.

How to be on-trend

For social media managers, discarding vanity metrics means new ways of doing competitor and influencer research. You can use Facebook's native functionality (Brand Collabs Manager, Insights) or social media analytics tools to compare your brand with your competitors or find and evaluate influencers relevant to your niche.

Track the number of followers, engagement rate, and ads placed on Facebook through " Pages to Watch" and " Ad Library".

Use social listening to compare your social media Share of Voice with your competitors.

Source: Screenshot from social listening tool, Awario

5. Try TikTok

In 2019 TikTok became one of the most downloaded apps in the app store. The swift rise of the social media app drew a lot of attention from social media marketers, and will surely draw even more attention this year. The greatest thing about TikTok is its feed algorithm which allows you to reach a significant number of users right from the get-go, without having to gain followers for a long time.

The platform is tailored for viral content: easy sharing, trends, and challenges enable you to easily create videos with a huge potential reach. Moreover, the platform is constantly developing its business capabilities, just recently TikTok rolled out the ability to run ads on the platform for everyone.

TikTok is the app to keep an eye on, as it is one of the fastest-growing social media networks, it surely has bigger plans for the upcoming year.

How to be on-trend

If you're not TikTok yet, create an account right now.

See what trends could be useful for your industry, check out what your competitors are doing, examine the latest trends. A lot of TikTok's content is focused on viral songs, dance challenges, and certain editing techniques. So you should research those if you want to create popular content.

Try advertising on TikTok! TikTok Ads is not the only way to promote your product, you can also partner up with TikTok creators to reach new audiences.

In conclusion

Social media trends don't just pop out of nowhere and it's not difficult to predict what will happen in the upcoming year. However, knowing something is only half the battle - you need to actually adjust your social media strategy to the ever-changing circumstances to get the best results.

In this article, I tried to demonstrate the broader trends but also shared actionable tips to implement in your work. Some of the trends that will play out in 2020 may seem like an impediment for social media marketers, you can't use targeting, you can't see how many likes an influencer gets, and people are getting harder to reach since they are all hanging out in private communities. But it's actually a chance for building genuine and trusting relationships with your audience - and you can do it by using these trends to your advantage.
Aleh is the Founder and CMO at SEO PowerSuite and Awario. He can be found on Twitter at .

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Five social media trends that are shaping 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Every year the social media marketing community turns into fortune tellers - we collectively try to predict what trends, features, and innovations will take place in the upcoming year. Of course, trying to predict social media trends is much more trustworthy than fortune-telling even if you're using astrology as a framework for that.

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"Increasing emphasis on nuance in content

More emphasis on the context and targeting

Social media content placement is becoming more complicated and segmented with new channels and additional content variations – strategic as well as tactical"

(Digital Marketing Institute, 2020)

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Less  Focus on Vanity Metrics

"2019, several experiments around hiding vanity metrics, mainly like count, on Facebook and Instagram

Twitter’s CEO has also been vocal about his desire to move away from vanity metrics

Instagram and Twitter have tweaked their design to put less emphasis on the number of followers an account has - “depressurize”

Motivated both by moral and practical reasons, comparing your number of likes to someone else’s is proven to damage one’s self-esteem

Eliminate the pressure of competition people feel and make social media less stressful

During the tests they discovered that discarding like count leads to more content on the platform"

(Barysevich, 2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Every year the social media marketing community turns into fortune tellers - we collectively try to predict what trends, features, and innovations will take place in the upcoming year. Of course, trying to predict social media trends is much more trustworthy than fortune-telling even if you're using astrology as a framework for that.
Most social media predictions stand on the existing trends and , which makes them highly likely to actually be accurate. It's a common truth that social media platforms are constantly changing, they come up with new features, change algorithms, review their respective policies, and it all affects the way we do marketing on social. But it's not like these changes come out of nowhere - they are all the results of social media company's vision and business model or external circumstances.

To identify trends that will dominate social media this year we need to consider all of these internal and external circumstances. And that's exactly what I did to make up this list of five major trends that will be prominent in 2020. In addition to simply describing what to expect in 2020, I also give some recommendations on how to use these trends to your brand's advantage.

1. Let data analysis lead your strategy

Source: Screenshot from social listening tool, Awario

Knowledge is power, and social media companies want to empower their users and brands, or rather attract more investments. That's why they are giving social media managers more and more access to insights and data analytics. Facebook is constantly expanding Creator Studio's and Facebook Insights' functionality, Twitter is adding more insights to Media Studio, and Pinterest is adding Pinterest Trends to inform brands on user behavior.

This year we are likely to see more ways to access user trends on different platforms and tap into this data for marketing and social media research. At the same time, due to trend number three on this list, brands might have to change the way they used to do social media marketing , especially with targeted advertising. There are ethical and unethical ways to use data, and the upcoming year will probably be the time to rethink these terms. That may encourage brands to get more involved in the research of the publicly available data with the help of social listening, for example.

How to be on-trend

Make sure your social media strategy is based on insights gained through data research, not a blind guess. Use the insights provided by platforms like Facebook and Instagram Insights, Twitter Analytics, and so on to find what content performs best, when you should post, and what resonates with your audience. Your KPIs should respond to your goals - if you are raising brand awareness, pay attention to the number of followers, if you're focusing on community building, keep track of the engagement metrics.

Collect and analyze publicly available data, this is the most ethical way to conduct marketing research without invading anyone's privacy. Social monitoring and listening tools such as Awario or Brandwatch break down the sentiment, reach, demographics, and user behavior trends behind any phenomenon you want to research on social media.

2. Make your communication more private

In 2019 Mark Zuckerberg claimed that "the future is private" . This was a surprising turn of events for the company which started out as a service to meet people and connect strangers. Facebook's CEO announced that from now own the platform will prioritize ways to build and sustain smaller communities and tet-a-tet communication meaning more focus on Groups and Messenger as well as WhatsApp. And it's not just Facebook, social media apps have been introducing more privacy-driven features lately including Instagram's "Close Friends" list, various updates to DMs functionality for and , more ways for brands to manage social messaging. With the upcoming redesign of Facebook feed (expected to be fully rolled out in Q1 and the new ability to limit replies to your tweets, it's obvious that 2020 will be the year of private social media.

The turn to private communication is, of course, motivated by user behavior. People simply got much more into messaging their friends and interacting in small interest-based communities. Social media companies took notice of that and are now giving people what they want. However, taking into consideration how many privacy scandals we had in the last couple of years, it's easy to imagine that the turn to privacy was also prompted by the intent to improve ones' reputation, especially when we are talking about Facebook.

How to be on-trend

If you don't have a Facebook group for your customers yet, it's high time you start one.

Use the "Close Friends" list on your Instagram account to share exclusive content with your most engaged followers.

Go beyond the big three by looking into smaller communities on Reddit and Quora for better opportunities to engage with the audience.

3. Take up more social responsibility

This will probably be the most prominent theme in the news coverage of social media companies for 2020. Once again, it's not a new trend - the pressure to sort out the issues with spamming, misinformation, manipulation of the algorithm, and the social media impact on users' mental health has been there for a while.

In 2020 we can expect more regulations on ads, more sophisticated algorithms for discovering spammers and bots, and more ways for users to control what they are seeing on the timeline. In 2019 we saw some actions taken not just by the platforms themselves but also by the state - there were several court cases around creating fake engagement and selling followers and likes that could become precedents for creating legislation around this matter.

Both Facebook and Twitter CEOs publicly stated that the ultimate framework for dealing with misleading ads and handling users' data should come from the governmental actors and independent expert committees, not the social media companies. California Consumer Privacy Act is the first attempt at such legislation. This will certainly affect the way brands advertise on social and conduct marketing research (see trend number one).

Social media companies also face a bigger challenge - how to avoid locking people in their own social media bubbles and creating echo-chambers that skew their view of the world? Admittedly, this is a broader challenge for our society in general. However, we can't ignore the fact that social media contributes to exacerbating the political and social divide between people, and it might be the time for platforms to rethink the core functionality and algorithms behind them.

Another area where social media companies are encouraged to take on more responsibility is mental health. By now it is obvious (and confirmed by ) that social media can have a negative effect on users' self-esteem and mental health, especially among teenagers, and social media companies need to take notice of that. Some platforms have already made steps in the right direction by informing users about how much time they are spending on the app. The next big change will concern vanity metrics (see below). In 2020, it's expected that there will be more platform regulations that aim to protect users from abuse and bullying and more ways for users to filter the information they don't want to consume.

How to be on-trend

Make sure your ads comply with the platform regulations.

Discard sketchy growth hacks such as buying followers or using third-party tools for follow-unfollow tactics in favor of genuine engagement and community building.

To make interactions with your audience actually genuine, understand when those interactions are welcome. The best way to start engaging with people on the internet is by commenting and replying to their public posts: and of course, your comments should be meaningful and relevant. You can find people and posts to engage through social media monitoring - simply monitor keywords and phrases appropriate for your niche.

Use social listening, competitor and hashtag research to find accounts related to your niche and engage them in the comments. Offer your expertise or start conversations discussing relevant topics.

4. Focus less on vanity metrics

This trend is partly related to the previous one. In 2019, we saw several experiments around hiding vanity metrics, mainly like count, on Facebook and Instagram . Twitter's CEO has also been vocal about his desire to move away from vanity metrics . Moreover, both Instagram and Twitter have slightly tweaked their design to put less emphasis on the number of followers an account has. The rejection of like count is probably motivated both by moral and practical reasons, comparing your number of likes to someone else's is proven to damage one's self-esteem.

Hiding vanity metrics from anyone could eliminate the pressure of competition people feel and make social media less stressful. Instagram has also revealed that during the tests they discovered that discarding like count leads to more content on the platform and that's what any social media company wants.

That's the logical outcome of the previous point, if people feel less pressure to get the most likes, they will feel more at ease with posting. All in all, prepare to say goodbye to like counts in 2020.

How to be on-trend

For social media managers, discarding vanity metrics means new ways of doing competitor and influencer research. You can use Facebook's native functionality (Brand Collabs Manager, Insights) or social media analytics tools to compare your brand with your competitors or find and evaluate influencers relevant to your niche.

Track the number of followers, engagement rate, and ads placed on Facebook through " Pages to Watch" and " Ad Library".

Use social listening to compare your social media Share of Voice with your competitors.

Source: Screenshot from social listening tool, Awario

5. Try TikTok

In 2019 TikTok became one of the most downloaded apps in the app store. The swift rise of the social media app drew a lot of attention from social media marketers, and will surely draw even more attention this year. The greatest thing about TikTok is its feed algorithm which allows you to reach a significant number of users right from the get-go, without having to gain followers for a long time.

The platform is tailored for viral content: easy sharing, trends, and challenges enable you to easily create videos with a huge potential reach. Moreover, the platform is constantly developing its business capabilities, just recently TikTok rolled out the ability to run ads on the platform for everyone.

TikTok is the app to keep an eye on, as it is one of the fastest-growing social media networks, it surely has bigger plans for the upcoming year.

How to be on-trend

If you're not TikTok yet, create an account right now.

See what trends could be useful for your industry, check out what your competitors are doing, examine the latest trends. A lot of TikTok's content is focused on viral songs, dance challenges, and certain editing techniques. So you should research those if you want to create popular content.

Try advertising on TikTok! TikTok Ads is not the only way to promote your product, you can also partner up with TikTok creators to reach new audiences.

In conclusion

Social media trends don't just pop out of nowhere and it's not difficult to predict what will happen in the upcoming year. However, knowing something is only half the battle - you need to actually adjust your social media strategy to the ever-changing circumstances to get the best results.

In this article, I tried to demonstrate the broader trends but also shared actionable tips to implement in your work. Some of the trends that will play out in 2020 may seem like an impediment for social media marketers, you can't use targeting, you can't see how many likes an influencer gets, and people are getting harder to reach since they are all hanging out in private communities. But it's actually a chance for building genuine and trusting relationships with your audience - and you can do it by using these trends to your advantage.
Aleh is the Founder and CMO at SEO PowerSuite and Awario. He can be found on Twitter at .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five social media trends that are shaping 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Every year the social media marketing community turns into fortune tellers - we collectively try to predict what trends, features, and innovations will take place in the upcoming year. Of course, trying to predict social media trends is much more trustworthy than fortune-telling even if you're using astrology as a framework for that.

# data[].attributes.body
"Majority of our online usage occurs on mobile devices

Traditional marketing platforms will disappear, and the digital market will completely take over"

(Monnappa, 2020)

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In a world where over 170 million people use social media on a regular basis, every working professional is expected to be familiar with at least the core tenets of Digital Marketing. In simple terms, Digital Marketing is the promotion of products over the internet or any form of electronic media. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, "Digital Marketing is the use of digital channels to promote or market products and services to targeted consumers and businesses."

People are consuming digital content on a daily basis. Very soon, traditional marketing platforms will disappear, and the digital market will completely take over. There are a number of advantages in Digital Marketing. Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing is more affordable.

You can reach a larger audience in a shorter time period. Technological advances have resulted in considerable attrition of the customer-base of traditional marketing agencies & departments. People have moved on to tablets, phones, and computers, which are the areas where digital marketers have gained the most ground.

Do you want to master the essential disciplines in digital marketing? Check out the Digital Marketing Certification Course now!

The term Digital Marketing was first used in the 1990s. The digital age took off with the coming of the internet and the development of the Web 1.0 platform. The Web 1.0 platform allowed users to find the information they wanted but did not allow them to share this information over the web. Up until then, marketers worldwide were still unsure of the digital platform. They were not sure if their strategies would work since the internet had not yet seen widespread deployment.

In 1993, the first clickable banner went live, after which HotWired purchased a few banner ads for their advertising. This marked the beginning of the transition to the digital era of marketing. Because of this gradual shift, the year 1994 saw new technologies enter the digital marketplace. The very same year, Yahoo was launched.

Also known as "Jerry's Guide to the World Wide Web" after its founder Jerry Yang, Yahoo received close to 1 million hits within the first year. This prompted wholesale changes in the digital marketing space, with companies optimizing their websites to pull in higher search engine rankings. 1996 saw the launch of a couple of more search engines and tools like HotBot, LookSmart, and Alexa.

1998 saw the birth of Google. Microsoft launched the MSN search engine and Yahoo brought to the market Yahoo web search. Two years later, the internet bubble burst and all the smaller search engines were either left behind or wiped out leaving more space for the giants in the business. The digital marketing world saw its first steep surge in 2006 when search engine traffic was reported to have grown to about 6.4 billion in a single month. Not one to get left behind, Microsoft put MSN on the backburner and launched Live Search to compete with Google and Yahoo.

Then came Web 2.0, where people became more active participants rather than remain passive users. Web 2.0 allowed users to interact with other users and businesses. Labels like 'super information highway' began to be applied to the internet. As a result, information flow volumes -including channels utilized by digital marketers- increased manifold, and by 2004, internet advertising and marketing in the US alone brought in around $2.9 billion.

Soon, social networking sites began to emerge. MySpace was the first social networking site to arrive, soon followed by Facebook. Many companies realized all these fresh new sites that were popping up were beginning to open new doors of opportunities to market their products and brands. It opened fresh avenues for business and signaled the beginning of a new chapter to business. With new resources, they needed new approaches to promote their brands & capitalize on the social networking platform.

The cookie was another important milestone in the digital marketing industry. Advertisers had begun to look for other ways to capitalize on the fledgling technology. One such technique was to track common browsing habits and usage patterns of frequent users of the internet so as to tailor promotions and marketing collateral to their tastes. The first cookie was designed to record user-habits. The use of the cookie has changed over the years, and cookies today are coded to offer marketers a variety of ways to collect literal user data.

Products marketed digitally are now available to customers at all times. Statistics collected by the Marketingtechblog for 2014 show that posting on social media is the top online activity in the US. The average American spends 37 minutes a day on social media. 99% of digital marketers use Facebook to market, 97% use Twitter, 69% use Pinterest and 59% use Instagram. 70% of B2C marketers have acquired customers through Facebook. 67% of Twitter users are far more likely to buy from brands that they follow on Twitter. 83.8% of luxury brands have a presence on Pinterest. The top three social networking sites used by marketers are LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

The digital market is in a constant state of flux. A Digital Marketing professional must find ways to keep up with this change. They need to be able to keep an eye out for emerging trends and the development of newer and smarter Search Engine Algorithms. After all, nobody can afford to get left behind in this race.

Check out our Digital Marketing Course sensing an opportunity, Google began to expand, introducing such products as AdWords, which are 3 line ads that show up at the top or to the right of search engine results, and AdSense -which is a cost-per-click advertising scheme. In time, Google realized the value of analyzing the content they received and then target ads based on the interests of the users, and thus became a major player in the world of business.

Join our webinar with bestselling author and email expert Matt Bailey and gain a refresher on what email activities are ethical, borderline, or illegal, especially a year into the mandate for GDPR compliance.

Here is a video explaining how can you become a Digital Marketing Specialist. Hope you find it beneficial. Also, prepare yourself for SEO interview question s to land at your dream job!

Learn for free! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel & Be a Part of 400k+ Happy Learners Community.

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The History and Evolution of Digital Marketing

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In a world where over 170 million people use social media on a regular basis, every working professional is expected to be familiar with at least the core tenets of Digital Marketing. In simple terms, Digital Marketing is the promotion of products over the internet or any form of electronic media.

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"Today there is more emphasis on streaming video, GIFs, and limited-run “stories” than ever before, turning social media from a primarily text-based landscape to a primarily image/video-driven one"

(Geek Chicago, 2017)

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It's hard to imagine a world without social media, but the reality is that this massive internet force - one that has launched revolutions, connected families, and generated billions of dollars in revenue for brands all across the world - is younger than you might think.

In fact, if social media were a human, it would still need to wait a year before being legally allowed to order a drink.

You see, the story of social media - and the impact it has had on the marketing and advertising industries - really begins just 20 years ago, in 1997. Let's take a look at the evolution of social networking; maybe along the way, we'll get a feel for how it blossomed from "interesting idea" to "marketing juggernaut."

The Seeds Are Sown: 1997 - 2003

Tim Berners-Lee, widely hailed as "the father of the internet," once said that,

"The original idea of the web was that it should be a collaborative space where you can communicate through sharing information."

Indeed, what we now know think of as the "world wide web" was initially largely used to share information among academics and professional agencies. As the technology became more widely available and accessible with home computers in the 1980s and '90s, people began to view the internet in more social terms; if everyone was using it, after all, couldn't it be used to connect everyone?

That thinking led to the birth of the first true social media network, known as SixDegrees. Launched in 1997 and based around the concept of "six degrees of separation," the service allowed users to invite others to join their list of friends and family on the site and externally; contacts could be arranged in terms of first, second, and third degrees, allowing every user to see how they connected to every other user on the site and send messages or post bulletin board updates.

Next up came Friendster and MySpace; launched in 2002 and 2003, respectively, these two networks honed in on the idea of sharing content among connections even further, largely by emphasizing the customizable personal profile, which allowed users to truly put their identity online for the first time. LinkedIn also came into being at the same time; the business networking behemoth first launched in 2003, allowing for the "networking" that had always gone on over breakfast or after-work drinks to migrate online for the first time.

Most of these sites have come and gone (with LinkedIn as the notable exception); today, we remember them most for shepherding in...

The Social Media Explosion: 2004 - 2010

Most of the social networks that dominate our lives today all arose during the mid-aughts: Facebook, for instance, was launched in 2004, reaching a million users in just ten months. SMS-inspired microblogging service Twitter was founded in 2006, and introduced the hashtag in 2007; social scrapbooking site Pinterest was first conceptualized in 2009, while Instagram was launched (and gained its first million users) in 2010, before being bought out by Facebook in 2012.

This six year span is inarguably the most important in the history of social media, notable not just for the sheer number of networks launched during the period, but also for what they each managed to accomplish.

As these sites competed (or collaborated, or bought each other out) for users and revenue, they helped irreversibly shape the digital landscape into the one we inhabit today.

For a start, this period saw Facebook launch its mobile version (circa 2006) and iPhone app (c. 2008); Twitter, meanwhile, was influenced by the rise of texting culture, and Instagram was designed for a mobile-first experience. In all, we can look at the expansion of social media to mobile devices as a byproduct of our cultural shift to smartphones and tablets during this period. Today, the majority of our online usage actually occurs on mobile devices, and it would be hard to overstate how much this massive mobile boom - aided by the burgeoning popularity of social media - has forever changed our culture (case in point - how many of you are reading this on a smartphone right now?).

This period also marked a major breaking point away from the social networks of the past; whereas the earliest platforms placed all of their emphasis on individuals, the social networks of the mid-2000 saw gold in using their platforms to connect individuals with brands.

Facebook, in particular, led the charge in driving marketers to social; it launched its first self-service ads platform and branded pages all the way back in 2007, allowing the network to reach $150 million in ad revenue within a year. Other networks followed suit, with Twitter launching promoted content and accounts in 2010. But no competitor really managed to unsettle Facebook, which still had its biggest marketing innovations in the holster...

The Modern Era: 2011 - 2017

The 2010s have seen social media continue to solidify its place in our culture; the elder statesmen have become media institutions, and new upstarts, like Snapchat (launched in 2011) have continued to keep the game exciting by appealing to younger audiences and further heightening the importance of mobile design and innovation.

Thanks to Snapchat and Periscope, the look and feel of our social networks has changed across the board, as has fundamental functionality: Today, there is more emphasis on streaming video, GIFs, and limited-run "stories" than ever before, turning social media from a primarily text-based landscape to a primarily image- and video-driven one.

From a digital marketing perspective, the '10s are most notable for turning social media marketing from an advanced level tactic to a fundamental must-have. Business pages are all well and good, but the game has also changed enormously.

For one thing, there's just a lot more money in social marketing than ever before - Facebook's ad revenue, for instance, has just kept growing and growing by leaps and bounds, booming from $10 billion in 2014 to more than $25 billion in 2016. Remember that young upstart Snapchat? Its ad revenue had already reached $50 million by 2015; in that same year, Instagram ad revenue topped $500 million.

At the same time, rates of social ad spending increased; social media accounted for more than 20% of total digital ad spending across brands by 2016.

This growth in ad spend (and, subsequently, ad revenue for the social networks themselves) isn't an accident; social media channels have pulled out all the stops in "corporatizing" themselves, launching platform after platform designed to make marketing easier - and more lucrative - for businesses. Facebook, as always, was originally at the forefront of the pack, launching its "preferred marketing developer" program in 2011, followed by sponsored stories, and then mobile ads in 2012.

Today, just about every social service has similar tools in place; the widespread adoption of these ad tools - along with the steady decline of organic reach - has transformed social media from a marketing platform driven by personal communication to one largely motivated by paid, targeted advertising. Social media is also more important for reputation management than ever before, as reviews and testimonials become more important (particularly on Facebook), driven by the rise of sites like Yelp.

The underside of all of this progress? The increased competition to be visible on social media (preferably for as little money as possible) has spawned a culture in which many are turning to black hat tactics to succeed; such tactics include buying fake followers and encouraging the rise of bots, which have been used to spread falsified information and even hack users on Facebook and Twitter.

The End

So, that's how we got from SixDegrees to Snapchat, how Facebook grew from a dorm room joke to a $400 billion company that could well one day provide free WiFi to the entire world (oh, we didn't mention that little plan?).

Of course, there's still a long way to go! The story of social is still being written every day by countless users, brands, advertisers, and developers eager to craft the next big thing. If you want to be on the front lines, don't hesitate to reach out to Geek Chicago! Our team is always here and ready to chat about what it takes to compete - and innovate - with your social media marketing efforts!
We hope you enjoyed this little look at the past, present, and future of social media marketing, one of the most important facets of a comprehensive digital marketing campaign. This is part one of a multi-part series designed to spotlight the history and evolution of digital marketing as we know it; be sure to check back in the next few weeks for looks into the history of SEO and email marketing!

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The Evolution of Digital Marketing: Social Media Marketing

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It's hard to imagine a world without social media, but the reality is that this massive internet force - one that has launched revolutions, connected families, and generated billions of dollars in revenue for brands all across the world - is younger than you might think.

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"Video has taken over the social media space

Native advertising is on the rise because of how personal the platforms are

Social channels are changing regularly, and so are audiences"

(Hix and Knopp, n.d.)

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Video Content

"Video will live on as an important trend

Video will make up 82% of all internet traffic in 2020

Emphasis on creative, engaging storytelling that captures user attention in seconds"

(Patel, 2019)

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9 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The last decade has seen social media solidify into thriving, multifaceted communities where more than 3.2 billion people worldwide are active daily. More than 90 percent of millennials regularly use at least one of these platforms, and more than 85 percent of Generation Zers learn about new products through social media. It's not hard to see why nearly three-fourths of marketers believe social media is an effective part of their business.

As we close this decade down, there's no doubt that social media will play a growing role in our lives for the foreseeable future. So, how should businesses, brands and even the average user anticipate the future for social platforms?

Here's a breakdown of some of the biggest trends we'll see evolving on social media in 2020 and years to come.

1. The death of the "like" button on Instagram.

It's no secret that brands (and even regular users) often fixate on "likes," comments and followers on social media as a measure of popularity and brand recognition. But this obsession is having a negative impact on our mental health and can actually stymie the free flow of engagement. We go along with the crowd, click a button and stop engaging in a meaningful way.
Related: 10 Laws of Social Media Marketing
Instagram is the latest in a long list of social media sites seeking to make likes less prominent. You will no longer be able to see the number of likes other Instagram posts get, although you can still see likes on your own posts.

The idea has been hailed as a way to "depressurize" Instagram and could also help combat fake likes and followers -- these padded numbers can make brands and influencers appear to have a wider reach then they actually do. However, if likes do go away, marketers, brands and influencers will need to find ways to adapt to these changes.

2. Less emphasis on "vanity metrics."

Losing the "like" button on Instagram is part of a broader trend to de-emphasize the use of "vanity metrics" on social media. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has said that follower counts are now meaningless, and in a TED conference talk, he said if he could go back, he wouldn't emphasize the "like" button so much.

For social media marketers and influencers, this should signal that it's time to start digging deeper into actionable metrics -- such as the rate and quality of user engagement on social media. Savvy marketers will take note, and begin exploring user demographics and relevant user data to better understand how to target potential customers.

3. Video story content is king.

Video continues to be one of the most important trends in the social media world. In fact, video will make up 82 percent of all internet traffic in 2020, according to Social Media Today. As social media platforms look for ways to further prioritize video content, marketers will increasingly zero in on videos as part of their overall strategies to target specific markets.

Keep a close eye on how this format reshapes marketing strategies. There will be an emphasis on creative, engaging storytelling that captures user attention in seconds. Brands will need to have a keen eye for how video stories engage users (especially on platforms where the like button goes away).

4. TikTok is disrupting social video.

The emphasis on video means that video-driven platforms such as TikTok, Lasso and byte will continue to grow in popularity. Of these platforms, TikTok is the social media disruptor currently leading the way, especially with Gen Z users.

The Chinese-owned social video app is well-positioned to shape this trend as it offers fertile ground for influencers, including micro-influencers (another trend we'll discuss).
Related: 5 Smart Ways to Use Social Media to Grow Your Business
TikTok is upping user engagement with its engaging, fresh and entertaining content that isn't overly focused on a hard sell. In short, TikTok is the antithesis of your mother's Instagram account because it shuns the overly curated and filtered view of life Instagram has become known for.

5. Social media audience segmentation.

Whether we're marketing a product or branding ourselves, we craft our social media posts with our audience in mind -- or at least who we think our audience is. The problem is, we don't always have a firm grasp on who exactly is in our niche, nor do we do a good job of tailoring our message to target specific audiences. This one-size-fits-all approach is missing the boat on audience segmentation.

Segmentation means to strategically divide your audience into meaningful groups based on individual preferences. Segmentation goes beyond basic demographics by allowing you to target and build rapport and a sense of community with specific audience members. In the coming years, segmentation will be a defining line between the savviest social media strategies and those that are just winging it.

6. Personalized video marketing will become a thing.

Audience segmentation goes hand in hand with an increasing level of personalized social media marketing. It makes sense that combining segmentation with our love of video will result in personalized video marketing -- think video content that is customizable and hyper-relevant to specific segments of your market.

Social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, are already pushing brands to produce video content through Story Ads, in part because these ad campaigns often see higher click-through rates than traditional News Feed ads. Twitter is also jumping into the fray with six-second video ads. Personalized content will take this trend to the next level.

7. Social shopping seamlessly incorporated into social platforms.

In the last 10 years, social platforms have played a significant role in expanding ecommerce into a multibillion-dollar industry in the U.S. The fact is, social shopping is now a big part of social media.

Users expect and want to have access to brands and products through social platforms -- the trick is to create a high level of interest through creative and engaging storytelling (which often relies on videos and influencer marketing). Another must is creating a frictionless shopping experience where customers don't need to leave the social media site to buy products.

There's no doubt this trend will continue to expand in the new year. Look for an increasing number of shoppable posts, stories and links across all social media sites. And while TikTok isn't yet being utilized in this way, it likely won't be long before this platform evolves and retailers begin homing in on ways to crack this platform open to shoppability.

8. Less public, more private interactions.

As our social media "friend" lists become more unwieldy, and concerns about information privacy grow, more users are turning to private groups and messaging apps to connect with others. Messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram Messaging allow us to create more intimate groups where we can feel secure in sharing intimate and detailed information with others.

This trend, which is really a return to direct communication, has the potential to be massive. In fact, messaging apps have outgrown social networks as the connective tools of choice for many users. The top messaging apps now combine for nearly 5 billion monthly active users. That's more users than traditional social networks have worldwide.

9. Audiences want meaningful connections.

As people become more wary of posting in the public social media domain, and interactions migrate away from public view, marketing will also need to follow suit.
Related: 10 Tools for Social Media Managers in 2020
Brands must find ways to create more private, intimate connections with their audiences without becoming overly intrusive. This will likely come down to building brand communities, or groups where your brand message is relevant, but where you are also receptive to direct messaging.

For instance, consider a 2018 Facebook survey of 8,000 people in which 69 percent of respondents said that directly messaging with a company helps them feel more confident about the brand. Other platforms, such as Instagram, offer a "List" feature that enables users to share posts and stories with a select group of friends. The goal is to give audiences more meaningful connections and a feeling of being in an exclusive and intimate environment.

10. Authentic content key to social selling.

When it comes to wooing would-be shoppers to ecommerce social media stores, users are more skeptical than ever. They want to hear insights from real people before they pull out a credit card and close the sale. This is where user-generated content and employee-generated content are critical, with the key being that these must be genuine.

User-generated content (think customer reviews) provide some proof the product may be worthy of trying. Employee-generated content is a bit broader and can include videos, images or blog posts, which may allude to their company's mission and values, and the overall benefits of the product or services. Employees are seen as trusted insiders and customers find those insights more believable than canned company posts or other generic forms of social media marketing.

11. Influencer marketing goes nano.

When it comes to influencer marketing, it's time to look beyond the old adage "go big or go home." For the biggest bang on social media, brands should consider the impact of micro- and even nano-influencers.

While there will likely always be a market for big-name influencers, don't underestimate the sway of micro-influencers, who have smaller, better-defined audiences. Influencers at this level offer a greater level of personalization and stronger audience engagement. Not only that, but users are more likely to follow an influencer they feel connected to than a faceless brand.

12. Social media is the place to nurture trust.

Brands would do well to remember that social media isn't just a platform for marketing and advertising; it's truly the best place to nurture trust and build a relationship with their audience. Social media offers the ultimate opportunity for communicating brand value and engaging with potential customers on their level.

Doing this requires brands to find ways to have a free flow of dialogue and let their hair down. Showing your brand's human side and increasing transparency will build confidence with audiences. Focus on fun, simple engagement, be responsive to customer communication, and find meaningful ways to show social responsibility and a deeper level of social interaction. Doing this will help you stay ahead of the curve on everything else on social media.

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9 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The last decade has seen social media solidify into thriving, multifaceted communities where more than 3.2 billion people worldwide are active daily. More than 90 percent of millennials regularly use at least one of these platforms, and more than 85 percent of Generation Zers learn about new products through social media.

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“The future is private”

Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO)

Facebook F8 2019, annual developer conference

(Looper, 2019)

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"The future is private," declared Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on stage at Facebook F8 2019, the company's annual developer conference. Only one problem - Facebook's track record when it comes to privacy isn't just spotty, it's terrible, and as such the company has a seriously long way to go before it can win back the trust of the public and the privacy-conscious.

Facebook's privacy push is a multi-tiered effort, and is unlikely to all manifest overnight. Not only that, but Facebook's emphasis on privacy won't just be on the main Facebook site either - it will also need to be in Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Oculus, and WhatsApp.

In other words, not only will Facebook need to make your browsing a little more private, it will need to make your messaging more private, too - and to further complicate the matter, the company is already trying to make its messaging services inter-operable.

At its F8 2019 keynote, Zuckerberg detailed six core pillars of what the new, privacy-focused Facebook will look like.

Private interactions

First up are private interactions. Gone are the days when Facebook wanted you to show off everything in and about your life in public - nowadays, a more mature Facebook recognizes that sometimes, you just want to keep some of your interactions with friends and family private, and shouldn't have to want to share everything publicly. In other words, according to the "new Facebook," users should have control over being able to share something with one or a few people, privately, and without prying eyes. And private interactions bleed over a little into encryption - after all, encryption is partly how user interactions will remain private.

So what does that mean for you? Well, hopefully much of ensuring an interaction is private will occur behind the scenes, but if nothing else it means you can have some assurance that Facebook isn't eavesdropping on your conversations.

Encryption

It's common to hear about "end-to-end encryption" when it comes to messaging, and one of Facebook's products - WhatsApp - already offers it. But WhatsApp isn't Facebook's only messaging service, and if Facebook wants to ensure that you can message across any app to anyone, then adding end-to-end encryption to Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct will be important. Facebook has said that it will make messaging in Messenger end-to-end encrypted - though it's not clear exactly when that will happen.

Of course, encrypting your activity elsewhere across Facebook products will also be important. Information like what web pages you're visiting, your location data from when you're using Facebook, and so on, should all also be encrypted.

But what will encryption allow for? Well, it will essentially ensure that no one can see activity you want to keep private, except for you, and that should include Facebook. Right now, though, Facebook can pretty such see everything you do within Facebook's services, but in a truly encrypted ecosystem that may no longer be the case.

Encryption is really the only way to ensure that users don't need to worry about their messages and other data being spied on by Facebook or other third parties.

Reduced permanence

Snapchat pioneered ephemeral messaging, and then Facebook took that concept and ran with it. But it looks like the company could expand on the concept even further in the future. The idea here is that Facebook wants users to be able to be themselves online now, without having to worry about the decisions they make online coming back to bite them in the future.

For the end user, this could take a few forms. Not only could Facebook expand on the concept of content automatically disappearing after a certain amount of time, but it could also make it easier to remove content if and when a user wants to. Facebook itself notes that the idea of reduced permanence includes not keeping messages or stories longer than it takes to deliver the content to its recipient.

Safety

It would be hard to describe the internet as a truly "safe" place, especially for children and vulnerable people. Not only that, but it can be difficult to imagine what would make the internet safe. After all, adding encryption and reducing data permanence are much clearer, more concrete steps that Facebook can take - but simply "making Facebook safe" is a little vague.

Still, there are a few obvious things Facebook could do. For starters, the company could aim to reduce online bullying, by doing things like adding tools for users to prevent people from targeting them online or being able to continue targeting them online. Part of making Facebook a little safer could tie into the reduced permanence of content.

There are obvious benefits to both the end user and to Facebook when it comes to ensuring the Facebook ecosystem is safe. After all, if people feel safe on Facebook's platform, they're more likely to come back to Facebook more often, and enjoy using it when they do. That's good for Facebook's bottom line.

Interoperability

Mark Zuckerberg made waves earlier in the year when he described a world in which you could message someone on Facebook Messenger, and they could get that message in Instagram - but this looks to be a world we'll one day live in. Facebook wants to tie all of its products together, and a big part of that is ensuring that its messaging services work well together. After all, if you have a Facebook account, post photos on Instagram, and message friends in WhatsApp, then you have no less than three messaging platforms, even if you don't use all of them for messaging. If, however, you do use them all for messaging, then things are even more complicated - and you may often find yourself having to switch between apps depending on the person you're messaging.

Facebook's plan for interoperability has so far been a little vague, so we'll have to wait and see exactly what it ends up looking like.

Secure data storage

Even encrypted data can be hacked, but the goal is to ensure that the data itself is physically as safe as possible - and for Facebook, that might mean being very careful where it stores everything. For example, Facebook may not want to store data in countries where human rights policies aren't as strong or where freedom of speech isn't a right - reducing the likelihood that the data will be accessed and used improperly.

Of course, this could be a little more difficult than it sounds. After all, while some countries obviously have a clearly spotty track record with human rights, how do you judge many others? Not only that, but countries change policies and governments all the time - will that affect where Facebook opens or maintains data centers?

Unanswered questions

Facebook's six core tenets for the future may all sound good, but there's still a whole lot we don't know about the future of the company. For starters, Facebook really didn't outline any changes to how it collects user data, and the fact that Facebook is a company built on advertising means that it will always have an interest in collecting information about you. That said, hopefully the company can come up with a few ways to restrict that data, and maybe automate the process entirely to limit its access to your data, and and to ensure your data isn't shared with others.

Only time will tell if Facebook can truly reinvent itself, and even if it does, there's no guarantee that it'll make for a Facebook that people want to use more. Still, Facebook has to do something - a recent study highlighted that the number of dead Facebook users could soon outnumber the living, and if Facebook does nothing, that's unlikely to change anytime soon.

Editors' Recommendations

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Facebook Says "The Future is Private," But What Does That Mean?

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At Facebook's F8 developer conference, the company emphasized its desire to take a more hands-on approach to privacy over the future. But what, exactly, will a more privacy-focused Facebook end up looking like? Here are the six core pillars that the company wants to base the "new Facebook" on.

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The Future is Private

"More privacy-driven features

Prioritise ways to build and sustain smaller communities

E.g. Instagram’s “Close Friends” list

Motivated by user behaviour

People simply got much more into messaging their friends and interacting in small interest-based communities + privacy scandals we had in the last couple of years"

(Barysevich, 2020)

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Every year the social media marketing community turns into fortune tellers - we collectively try to predict what trends, features, and innovations will take place in the upcoming year. Of course, trying to predict social media trends is much more trustworthy than fortune-telling even if you're using astrology as a framework for that.
Most social media predictions stand on the existing trends and , which makes them highly likely to actually be accurate. It's a common truth that social media platforms are constantly changing, they come up with new features, change algorithms, review their respective policies, and it all affects the way we do marketing on social. But it's not like these changes come out of nowhere - they are all the results of social media company's vision and business model or external circumstances.

To identify trends that will dominate social media this year we need to consider all of these internal and external circumstances. And that's exactly what I did to make up this list of five major trends that will be prominent in 2020. In addition to simply describing what to expect in 2020, I also give some recommendations on how to use these trends to your brand's advantage.

1. Let data analysis lead your strategy

Source: Screenshot from social listening tool, Awario

Knowledge is power, and social media companies want to empower their users and brands, or rather attract more investments. That's why they are giving social media managers more and more access to insights and data analytics. Facebook is constantly expanding Creator Studio's and Facebook Insights' functionality, Twitter is adding more insights to Media Studio, and Pinterest is adding Pinterest Trends to inform brands on user behavior.

This year we are likely to see more ways to access user trends on different platforms and tap into this data for marketing and social media research. At the same time, due to trend number three on this list, brands might have to change the way they used to do social media marketing , especially with targeted advertising. There are ethical and unethical ways to use data, and the upcoming year will probably be the time to rethink these terms. That may encourage brands to get more involved in the research of the publicly available data with the help of social listening, for example.

How to be on-trend

Make sure your social media strategy is based on insights gained through data research, not a blind guess. Use the insights provided by platforms like Facebook and Instagram Insights, Twitter Analytics, and so on to find what content performs best, when you should post, and what resonates with your audience. Your KPIs should respond to your goals - if you are raising brand awareness, pay attention to the number of followers, if you're focusing on community building, keep track of the engagement metrics.

Collect and analyze publicly available data, this is the most ethical way to conduct marketing research without invading anyone's privacy. Social monitoring and listening tools such as Awario or Brandwatch break down the sentiment, reach, demographics, and user behavior trends behind any phenomenon you want to research on social media.

2. Make your communication more private

In 2019 Mark Zuckerberg claimed that "the future is private" . This was a surprising turn of events for the company which started out as a service to meet people and connect strangers. Facebook's CEO announced that from now own the platform will prioritize ways to build and sustain smaller communities and tet-a-tet communication meaning more focus on Groups and Messenger as well as WhatsApp. And it's not just Facebook, social media apps have been introducing more privacy-driven features lately including Instagram's "Close Friends" list, various updates to DMs functionality for and , more ways for brands to manage social messaging. With the upcoming redesign of Facebook feed (expected to be fully rolled out in Q1 and the new ability to limit replies to your tweets, it's obvious that 2020 will be the year of private social media.

The turn to private communication is, of course, motivated by user behavior. People simply got much more into messaging their friends and interacting in small interest-based communities. Social media companies took notice of that and are now giving people what they want. However, taking into consideration how many privacy scandals we had in the last couple of years, it's easy to imagine that the turn to privacy was also prompted by the intent to improve ones' reputation, especially when we are talking about Facebook.

How to be on-trend

If you don't have a Facebook group for your customers yet, it's high time you start one.

Use the "Close Friends" list on your Instagram account to share exclusive content with your most engaged followers.

Go beyond the big three by looking into smaller communities on Reddit and Quora for better opportunities to engage with the audience.

3. Take up more social responsibility

This will probably be the most prominent theme in the news coverage of social media companies for 2020. Once again, it's not a new trend - the pressure to sort out the issues with spamming, misinformation, manipulation of the algorithm, and the social media impact on users' mental health has been there for a while.

In 2020 we can expect more regulations on ads, more sophisticated algorithms for discovering spammers and bots, and more ways for users to control what they are seeing on the timeline. In 2019 we saw some actions taken not just by the platforms themselves but also by the state - there were several court cases around creating fake engagement and selling followers and likes that could become precedents for creating legislation around this matter.

Both Facebook and Twitter CEOs publicly stated that the ultimate framework for dealing with misleading ads and handling users' data should come from the governmental actors and independent expert committees, not the social media companies. California Consumer Privacy Act is the first attempt at such legislation. This will certainly affect the way brands advertise on social and conduct marketing research (see trend number one).

Social media companies also face a bigger challenge - how to avoid locking people in their own social media bubbles and creating echo-chambers that skew their view of the world? Admittedly, this is a broader challenge for our society in general. However, we can't ignore the fact that social media contributes to exacerbating the political and social divide between people, and it might be the time for platforms to rethink the core functionality and algorithms behind them.

Another area where social media companies are encouraged to take on more responsibility is mental health. By now it is obvious (and confirmed by ) that social media can have a negative effect on users' self-esteem and mental health, especially among teenagers, and social media companies need to take notice of that. Some platforms have already made steps in the right direction by informing users about how much time they are spending on the app. The next big change will concern vanity metrics (see below). In 2020, it's expected that there will be more platform regulations that aim to protect users from abuse and bullying and more ways for users to filter the information they don't want to consume.

How to be on-trend

Make sure your ads comply with the platform regulations.

Discard sketchy growth hacks such as buying followers or using third-party tools for follow-unfollow tactics in favor of genuine engagement and community building.

To make interactions with your audience actually genuine, understand when those interactions are welcome. The best way to start engaging with people on the internet is by commenting and replying to their public posts: and of course, your comments should be meaningful and relevant. You can find people and posts to engage through social media monitoring - simply monitor keywords and phrases appropriate for your niche.

Use social listening, competitor and hashtag research to find accounts related to your niche and engage them in the comments. Offer your expertise or start conversations discussing relevant topics.

4. Focus less on vanity metrics

This trend is partly related to the previous one. In 2019, we saw several experiments around hiding vanity metrics, mainly like count, on Facebook and Instagram . Twitter's CEO has also been vocal about his desire to move away from vanity metrics . Moreover, both Instagram and Twitter have slightly tweaked their design to put less emphasis on the number of followers an account has. The rejection of like count is probably motivated both by moral and practical reasons, comparing your number of likes to someone else's is proven to damage one's self-esteem.

Hiding vanity metrics from anyone could eliminate the pressure of competition people feel and make social media less stressful. Instagram has also revealed that during the tests they discovered that discarding like count leads to more content on the platform and that's what any social media company wants.

That's the logical outcome of the previous point, if people feel less pressure to get the most likes, they will feel more at ease with posting. All in all, prepare to say goodbye to like counts in 2020.

How to be on-trend

For social media managers, discarding vanity metrics means new ways of doing competitor and influencer research. You can use Facebook's native functionality (Brand Collabs Manager, Insights) or social media analytics tools to compare your brand with your competitors or find and evaluate influencers relevant to your niche.

Track the number of followers, engagement rate, and ads placed on Facebook through " Pages to Watch" and " Ad Library".

Use social listening to compare your social media Share of Voice with your competitors.

Source: Screenshot from social listening tool, Awario

5. Try TikTok

In 2019 TikTok became one of the most downloaded apps in the app store. The swift rise of the social media app drew a lot of attention from social media marketers, and will surely draw even more attention this year. The greatest thing about TikTok is its feed algorithm which allows you to reach a significant number of users right from the get-go, without having to gain followers for a long time.

The platform is tailored for viral content: easy sharing, trends, and challenges enable you to easily create videos with a huge potential reach. Moreover, the platform is constantly developing its business capabilities, just recently TikTok rolled out the ability to run ads on the platform for everyone.

TikTok is the app to keep an eye on, as it is one of the fastest-growing social media networks, it surely has bigger plans for the upcoming year.

How to be on-trend

If you're not TikTok yet, create an account right now.

See what trends could be useful for your industry, check out what your competitors are doing, examine the latest trends. A lot of TikTok's content is focused on viral songs, dance challenges, and certain editing techniques. So you should research those if you want to create popular content.

Try advertising on TikTok! TikTok Ads is not the only way to promote your product, you can also partner up with TikTok creators to reach new audiences.

In conclusion

Social media trends don't just pop out of nowhere and it's not difficult to predict what will happen in the upcoming year. However, knowing something is only half the battle - you need to actually adjust your social media strategy to the ever-changing circumstances to get the best results.

In this article, I tried to demonstrate the broader trends but also shared actionable tips to implement in your work. Some of the trends that will play out in 2020 may seem like an impediment for social media marketers, you can't use targeting, you can't see how many likes an influencer gets, and people are getting harder to reach since they are all hanging out in private communities. But it's actually a chance for building genuine and trusting relationships with your audience - and you can do it by using these trends to your advantage.
Aleh is the Founder and CMO at SEO PowerSuite and Awario. He can be found on Twitter at .

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Five social media trends that are shaping 2020

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Every year the social media marketing community turns into fortune tellers - we collectively try to predict what trends, features, and innovations will take place in the upcoming year. Of course, trying to predict social media trends is much more trustworthy than fortune-telling even if you're using astrology as a framework for that.

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"Historically brands used social media for brand awareness

Organic reach is shrinking

Now use social media to deliver measurable return on investment - social performance marketing

Using social ads to achieve a specific conversion goal

Senior marketers (44%) stated 'driving conversions' was their top goal for social media

Balancing brand-building activities with sales activations”

(Newberry and Dawley, 2019)

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Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard

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Working in an industry that morphs faster than a Power Ranger can be tough - the social media landscape is always changing. If you're wondering what's hot, what's not, and how to fit new social media trends into your strategy... you're definitely not alone. But, don't worry, we have answers.

We looked at the 9 key trends outlined in Hootsuite's global Trends 2023 report, along with data from our survey of over 10,000 marketers, to bring you this list of 11 social media marketing trends that will dominate the industry in 2023 - and might even change the way you do your job.

The 11 most important social media trends for 2023

1 . TikTok will take over the world

In our social media trends for 2022, we predicted TikTok would become the most important social network for marketing, and we weren't wrong.

But this year, we're taking our prediction one giant step further.

A host of new feature releases in 2022 suggest that TikTok doesn't just want to be the number one social network for marketers. It wants to be the number one social network, period.

TikTok, long known for innovation (its fresh video format was the inspiration for Meta's Reels and YouTube Shorts, after all), has released at least 7 features this year directly inspired by other social media channels:

These new features, along with a partnership with Linktree, Shopify and Woocommerce, and speculation about a podcast app, suggest that TikTok is on a quest to become a " super app."

A super app is an all-in-one app that includes social media, messaging, services, payments, and basically anything else you would normally do on the internet.

TikTok is making moves into the non-digital world as well. Rumors are swirling that the Chinese-owned company is building fulfillment centers in Seattle and Los Angeles in an attempt to take on Amazon in the ecommerce business.

But will all these big bets be successful? All signs point to yes, mostly.

While TikTok continues to grow its user base ( 1.023 billion active users and counting as of Q3 2022), it's also consistently the #1 app in terms of time spent and overall positive sentiment.

Users spend 95 minutes per day on TikTok (#1)

Users spend 23.6 hours per month on TikTok (#1)

78.6% of internet users use TikTok to look for funny or entertaining content (#1)

Also, according to Google Trends, interest in TikTok Ads (which is a good indicator of business interest in the platform) has increased by 1,125% since 2020.

All this interest is for good reason. TikTok ads revenue is growing so fast that it's set to match YouTube's ad revenue by 2024. Though Google and Meta are still the biggest companies by far in the digital ad space, that's no joke for an internationally-owned social media company.

What does this all mean for businesses? Well, if your business isn't on TikTok yet, this is your sign to get on it, now.

To-do list

Grab an account handle for your brand

Explore TikTok so you can start feeling fluent on the platform and find some ideas

Sketch out the basics of your TikTok marketing strategy

Use a social media management tool like Hootsuite to easily schedule your TikToks, moderate comments, and measure your success on the platform from one handy dashboard.

Start exploring TikTok ads

2. The only new app that will matter will be BeReal

BeReal is a photo-sharing app that prompts users to post one unfiltered, unedited photo per day to a select group of friends. Photos taken outside of the two-minute time frame say how many minutes late they were posted.

The network launched in late 2019, but its popularity exploded in 2022. As of October 2022, it's the top social networking app on the App Store and has been installed roughly 29.5 million times.

Google Trends also shows that global searches for "What is BeReal" and "BeReal app" exploded mid-year in 2022.

Users skew female and young. The majority are below 25.

The app doesn't have ads or features for businesses yet, which many say is part of the appeal.

Source: Jacob Rickard on Twitter
BeReal gives the feeling of the early days of social media when users mainly posted photos to show their friends what they were up to - before it became the highly curated, ad-heavy space it is today.

Even BeReal's official communications sound like texts from your best friend. After a large outage on their app, the company simply tweeted "all good now." This is the opposite of the highly professional communications strategies of other major social media networks.

Speaking of outages, the surge in popularity seems to have caught the company unaware. Glitches and outages are frequent (with most users opening the app and posting pictures at the exact same time) and threaten to hinder the app's growth.

Users are also limited to 500 friends, meaning that your brand's usual marketing strategy won't work here.

Despite this, BeReal's popularity has caught the attention of brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics, Chipotle, and Pacsun. And TikTok and Instagram have both released clones of the dual camera feature (but we don't know anyone who's using them yet).

This is why we're making a big bet on BeReal's importance in 2023. Even if the app doesn't survive the year, its impact is already undeniable.

This is what Gen Z wants from social media: unfiltered, uncurated content that doesn't ask you to buy anything or make you feel bad about your life. It's a fun place to be. And at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

To-do list

Time will tell if BeReal caves to the pressure to monetize for business. But for now, just make sure you're paying attention.

Make a profile and get familiar with the platform

Experiment with the dual camera feature on a platform your brand already has a presence on (i.e., Instagram or TikTok) to see if it gets any traction with your audience

3. You will still have to make Reels

Instagram HQ seemed a wee bit chaotic in 2022, with multiple feature updates and Kardashian-inspired backpedaling. But, in our opinion, Instagram is still the reigning platform for brands.

Why?

Instagram has 1.5 billion daily active users (and 2+ billion monthly)

Reels grew by 220 million users between July and October 2022.

62% of Instagram users say they use it to research brands and products (Facebook takes 2nd place with 55%)

It's the preferred app among 16- to 24-year-olds (yes, it's still beating TikTok)

Its ad platform and in-app shopping tools have been around for years, meaning you're not gambling for ROI

Plus, Instagram is still pushing video hard. For instance, all Instagram videos are Reels now, and Reels are heavily prioritized by the recommendation algorithm. For marketers, this means that posting Instagram Reels are the best way to get in front of new eyeballs on the platform.

Google Trends shows interest in Reels reaching all time highs after Adam Mosseri's announcement that all videos on Instagram would be Reels (in July 2022).

Fortunately, with the rise of TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Amazon Video Shorts (??!), once you've made a short video, cross-posting is easy (though not officially encouraged). Just make sure you scrub off those logos and watermarks!

To-do list

4. Clubhouse will die and social audio will get more niche

Every now and then, a new social media app comes along that changes the way we create and consume content. Snapchat did it with disappearing content, then TikTok did it with short-form videos. In 2020, Clubhouse did it (or was supposed to do it) with social audio.

Once hailed as "the next big thing" in social media, Clubhouse is now competing against a new wave of copycat audio-based platforms. In fact, when was the last time you heard anyone mention Clubhouse?

Still racking your brain? Us too.

Nick Martin, Hootsuite's Social Engagement Specialist (whom we interviewed about Clubhouse when it first came out), puts it nicely:

"Clubhouse showed that social audio was a viable way to share content and then the bigger networks said 'thank you very much' and made their copycat features. Twitter Spaces rules the roost now and while Clubhouse is still around, it's not people's first choice."

According to Martin, Twitter Spaces has been more successful among businesses because it's in an app they already use, with an audience they've already built. At this point in social media history, it's just too big of an ask to build a following from scratch with an expensive media format on a brand-new app - unless that app is TikTok (see social media trend #1).

Downloads have slowed for Clubhouse since its original success in early 2021.

Another worrying signal? Some top Clubhouse executives are leaving the company.

For instance, Aarthi Ramamurthy, former Head of International and co-host of "The Good Time Show," not only left Clubhouse, she moved her show to YouTube. Not a great sign of confidence.

Social audio itself is still very much an experimental space with no clear winner:

Spotify Live (once Greenrooms) recently stopped funding their creator fund - an attempt to lure creators away from Clubhouse - saying simply, "We plan to shift toward other initiatives for live creators"

Facebook Live Audio Rooms has decided to "simplify" by folding the feature into Facebook Live

Twitter has reportedly shifted resources away from Spaces;

Amazon created Amp but then laid off 150 of the people working on it

And then there's the data showing that social audio isn't really resonating with users.

Only 2% of US teens and adults used Twitter Spaces as of January 2022

1% each used Clubhouse and Spotify Live

Though the data looks grim, some believe social audio might thrive with more niche audiences. For example, Twitter's Super Follows Spaces allows creators to host audio events exclusively for their paid subscribers. And Discord, the platform known for its niche communities, recently built its own social audio feature, Stage Channels.

To-do list

Unless you're trying to reach an extremely niche audience, hold off on investing in a social audio strategy

If you're a creator, explore the direct monetization possibilities offered by Twitter's Super Follows

5. LinkedIn will be about much more than jobs

Have you noticed your LinkedIn feed filling up with more and more personal posts lately? The kind of social media content you would normally expect to see on your Facebook feed?

You're not alone. From CEOs crying to overwhelmed parents posting photos of their kids to breastfeeding advice, the platform is remarkably more personal than it used to be. Some people are even using the platform to find dates. Why?
A viral post about a CEO's difficulty with breastfeeding sparks debate in the comments about whether it would be better suited to Facebook.
Has the LinkedIn algorithm changed to favor more personal posts? Or has the pandemic erased the boundaries between our personal and professional lives?

Could it be that trust in Facebook, where we would normally post this kind of content, is at an all-time low, while trust in LinkedIn remains high - along with engagement rates? Perhaps most of the other social networks feel so oversaturated that LinkedIn seems like an opportunity to grab attention?

In 2021 we noticed that, similar to Twitter, LinkedIn posts without links outperformed those with links, suggesting an algorithm change favoring content that entices people to stay on the platform longer. This still seems to be the case in 2022, with most viral posts containing a mix of long-form personal storytelling and photos (almost like blog posts) vs. links to content on other websites.

Whatever the reason, it doesn't seem like this markedly less "professional" trend is going anywhere soon.

LinkedIn invested $25 million in a Creator Fund, paying 100 creators $15,000 each to "share content, spark conversations, and build community." (The goal is notably similar to ones held by Instagram and Facebook, neither of which are explicitly professional platforms.)

It also launched LinkedIn Audio Events (a Clubhouse clone) and a podcast network.

It released carousels and reaction buttons - both originally found on Facebook and Instagram.

To-do list

Don't worry. We're not going to suggest you slide into the DMs of a potential soulmate on LinkedIn. For now, experiment with the following:

Change up your posting strategy to include some linkless posts, such as words of encouragement, cheesy jokes, or short personal anecdotes.

If you're dabbling in thought leadership on the platform, take the opportunity to dig deeper. Help your C-suite execs offer ideas and advice through a personal lens, showing your followers their human side. But keep it genuine and grounded in reality, or else you could risk backlash.

Consider hiring a ghostwriter to head your LinkedIn content strategy and avoid jargon in your posts.

Use Hootsuite to crosspost content you might typically post to Instagram and Facebook. Track if it performs well on LinkedIn.

Be careful not to overshare. Even though more personal content is trending, it's still very much a professional app with 6 people getting hired every minute.

6. Gen Z will redefine UGC

User-generated content (UGC) is usually defined as content created by regular people on social media rather than content made by brands. For example, instead of posting a product shot by a professional photographer, Nike might repost a photo from a happy customer wearing their new Nike kicks.

UGC is great for brands that care about increasing awareness and deepening relationships with their customers. It's authentic social proof and makes the UGC creator feel special, both of which increase brand loyalty.

All that said, it has recently come to our attention that Gen Z understands the term "UGC" in a whole different way: that is, as social media posts produced by freelance marketers or micro-influencers for businesses.

In Gen Z terms, brands pay " UGC creators " to produce content that looks like organic UGC.

Here's an example:

Unlike traditional influencers, who promote brands using their own channels, UGC creators hand over the content they make for distribution on the brands' own channels. They are less brand advocates than paid content creators.

We expect that UGC will hold both definitions for a while. But this all points to a larger social media trend: brands outsourcing their social media labor to the creator economy.

Last year, we wrote about the growing importance of influencer partnerships for marketers. And in 2023, businesses (especially large ones) will continue to look for help from social media creators in order to reach their ideal audience.
Source: Hootsuite Social Trends Report 2023
Hootsuite's 2023 Trends survey found that 42% of businesses with over 1,000 employees work with creators as compared to only 28% of small businesses (those with less than 100 employees).

But there's a new side to the creator economy to pay attention to: freelance content creators who aren't necessarily influencers but are just really good at social media and sell their services to brands.

This makes sense. Reels and TikToks are growing more popular. And they require a special mix of skills: technical acuity and professional-entertainer-level charisma. Not just anyone can make a watchable Reel or TikTok, believe us.

Further, traditional UGC isn't as valuable as it once was on social media. Sure, social proof is still important to potential customers, but with the social algorithms pushing videos over photos, it's not likely that a photo of the shoe I just bought will even make it to many people's feeds.

Lastly, with budgets for marketing campaigns at risk of cuts (*cough* recession), and businesses turning to cheaper means of content creation, using freelance creators for one-off videos seems like an obvious solution. We only see this social media trend increasing into 2023 and beyond.

To-do list

Try Fiverr or Upwork to find a freelance UGC content creator (particularly if you need help creating Reels or TikToks) or post a call on your social media feeds

Use Hootsuite to schedule these Reels and TikToks to go live at the best times

7. Social SEO will replace hashtags

According to Google's internal research, 40% percent of 18- to 24-year-olds are now using social media as their primary search engine. In September 2022, the New York Times even proclaimed that " For Gen Z, TikTok is the New Search Engine."

Globally, people of every age group use social media to research brands.

Meanwhile, our own internal research (a.k.a. the test we ran on one of our writer's Instagram accounts) found that using keyword-optimized captions instead of hashtags increased reach by 30% and doubled engagement.
Source: Hootsuite Social Trends Report 2023
And on top of that, Hootsuite's 2023 Trends report found that more internet users aged 16-24 use social media for researching brands they want to buy from than search.

So, what does this mean for social media pros?

It's time to add some keyword research to your social strategy. Rather than slapping hashtags into your copy after a post is finished, use keyword research to inspire you to make content that people are already searching for.

Even if you don't see a massive search-fueled jump in traffic and engagement, the worst-case scenario is that you get a bunch of ideas for new posts.

Another social search tip? Hootsuite's Social Media Marketing Lead, Brayden Cohen, says to think about your social media profiles as mini landing pages:

"Search is never going to be dead when it comes to Google. But people's habits are changing. They're using social to search for new products. Whereas beforehand, I think people were just coming to social for reviews or getting to know a brand, now they're going for social to actually buy... The main thing it's changed for me is my perspective. I treat our social pages like a mini landing page and website. I try to imagine using our social channels as the main point of purchase."

To-do list

Read our social SEO blog post to get the basics of keyword research down

Start incorporating SEO into all you're doing on social: add keywords to your bio, add alt-text to images, and sprinkle in relevant keywords as you write your captions

Add SEO to your content strategy: Use SEMrush or Google's Keyword Planner to choose some relevant keywords and make content that targets those keywords. Then track what happens (preferably with Hootsuite Analytics)

Since the dawn of time - or at least 2008 when Facebook and YouTube launched their mobile apps - social media users have been scrolling through videos on silent. As many as 85% of social media videos are watched without sound, especially in public places, according to multiple studies. And viewers are 80% more likely to watch a video to completion if it has captions.

Now that short-form video (ok, TikTok) has eaten the internet, in 2023, we predict that captions will be the default for all published video content. For three reasons:

Accessibility: not just for people watching on the bus, but also for people with hearing impairments

Engagement: captions keep people watching until the end

Discoverability: using keywords in captions is a crucial step in optimizing videos for search, increasing the number of people likely to see it

To-do list

Learn how to add closed captioning to your short-form AND long-form video

Make sure you're saying keywords out loud in your video so that they show up in the captions, too

If you're on TikTok and pressed for time, try the auto-captioning feature

9. Social commerce will continue to grow, despite confusing signals from networks

Last year, social commerce was one of the biggest social media trends. As sales blasted past $350 billion in China, North American and European marketers scrambled to position themselves to take advantage of a new way to make money directly on social.

But despite its success in China, North American and European consumers have been slower to catch up. Some social networks scaled back on shopping features (particularly ones to do with "live" shopping, which is a less common phenomenon in Western markets):

Does this mean the promising future of social shopping is further off than anticipated?

Maybe.
Source: Hootsuite Social Trends Report 2023
According to a survey of 10,000 global consumers performed by Accenture, many shoppers still don't trust the process of buying products through social media.

Their biggest concern is that their purchases won't be protected or refunded. They're also worried about the quality and authenticity of products and sellers on social media. And the third most common concern is not wanting to share financial information with social networks.
Source: Hootsuite Social Trends Report 2023
Hootsuite's Trends report asked survey respondents a similar question - what are the greatest barriers for social buyers? - with similar results.

Despite these results, eMarketer data forecasts that social commerce is still a huge and growing industry, even in the US.

Though growth in new shoppers has understandably slowed since the pandemic, by the end of 2022, existing consumers will have spent $110 more on purchases made on social in 2022 than in 2021, with most new buyer growth coming from TikTok. This suggests that, despite trust issues, audiences are starting to get used to social media as a shopping channel, using it more than ever before.

And while the live shopping experience may not have been a hit with Western audiences, it's not necessarily a signal that social commerce is over. Social commerce takes many forms, including shoppable posts/ads, AR shopping, referrals, and even second-hand marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, all of which are common tactics used in North America and Europe.

In fact, many believe that Instagram's removal of its Shop Tab (along with other organic shopping features like live shopping and affiliate links) is an effort to tie social commerce revenue more directly to ads, especially now that "recommended posts" are included in the feed algorithm. That means they want people to buy stuff on their platform, but through paid advertising, because they make more money that way.

To-do list

Retail and ecommerce businesses should still be paying very close attention to social commerce - and Western-focused businesses should be proactive about getting good at it before their competitors do.

Turn skeptical shoppers into buyers by offering easy returns and refunds, displaying ratings and reviews from other buyers, and keeping buyers notified about the status of their purchases throughout the customer journey.

Don't invest in live shopping if your audience is based in North America or Europe. Elsewhere, it's still worth experimenting with.

If you've got budget, spend it on shoppable Instagram and Facebook Ads.

If your budget is tight, the biggest opportunities for organic growth in social shopping are on TikTok. Post with the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt or wait for the TikTok Shop tab to come to the US.

Use Hootsuite to save time on customer service by responding to all your social DMs in one dashboard.

10. You will have to tell your millennial coworkers to stop using GIFs

It's gonna be tough to break it to millennials-especially the ones who are still mourning skinny jeans-but gifs are not only an inefficient technology that is older than the internet, they are ... not cool anymore.

Of all the trends on social media this year, this one truly breaks our hearts.

What's our evidence? Giphy, the search engine of gifs, has declined in value by 200 million USD since its peak in 2016. And according to Giphy itself: "There are indications of an overall decline in gif use due to a general waning of user and content partner interest in gifs... They have fallen out of fashion as a content form, with younger users, in particular, describing gifs as 'for boomers' and 'cringe'."

Just because reaction gifs are passé doesn't mean that all animated images are out, however. Using stickers as tools on your Instagram Stories isn't going anywhere anytime soon (yes, they are technically gifs.) And creating animations to demonstrate how-tos or product flows is still a much more nimble solution than asking someone to commit to a full video, according to Denea Campbell, Hootsuite's email marketing strategist.

To-do list

Break it to your elders gently

Help them get fluent in emoji, instead (although there are boomer-only emojis, too)

Remember that some gifs are practical and still ok

11. More billionaires will buy more social networks

Of all the social media trends in 2023, this is the one we have the most mixed feelings about.

Social media news in 2022 was a long parade of byzantine sagas as several billionaires set their sights on social. Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and the artist formerly known as Kanye West have each joined Donald Trump (Truth Social) and Jeff Bezos (who purchased Twitch in 2014) in funding, owning, or attempting to own, their very own social media platforms.

At the time of writing, Elon Musk has officially closed the deal on his 44 billion dollar Twitter purchase. Kanye West has proposed purchasing Parler (a right-wing free-speech social network with only 50k DAUs) in October 2022. And Peter Thiel backed Rumble, a conservative video platform, in 2021.

We predict this trend will only continue in 2023 as social media becomes an increasingly powerful force in society and business, and suspicions about the objectivity of algorithms increase (along with fears of censorship and fake news). We may even see more billionaires create their own social networks, a la former U.S. President Donald Trump.

But this is more unlikely, as Trump's network has largely failed to gain critical mass, and there is yet to be a successful model of a personality-driven, brand-new social network. Most likely, those with the money to do so will continue to try to grab a controlling slice of more established social networks.

However, if this is the way it's going to go, we really do hope that Rihanna will buy Snapchat and MacKenzie Scott will pick up Pinterest (and maybe Goodreads while she's at it).

To-do list

Businesses don't have a ton of control over which billionaires decide to buy which social media platforms. All you can really do is:
Save time managing your social media presence with Hootsuite. From a single dashboard you can publish and schedule posts, find relevant conversions, engage the audience, measure results, and more. Try it free today. Get Started With files from Konstantin Prodanovic.

Keep an eye on the news. New ownership could mean changes for ad revenues, network policies, and algorithms - and you'll need to be able to explain any sudden drops in performance or shifts in strategy to your boss.

Continue creating content that resonates with your audience. No algorithm change can get in the way of that (we hope).

Make sure your followers are following you on all your social channels (just in case one of them tanks overnight due to the ego-driven decisions of a new owner).

Keep educating yourself and your Uncle Steve about misinformation and critical thinking.

Take care of your mental health and protect yourself from trolls (here are our best tips for social media pros).

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The 11 Most Important Social Media Trends for 2023

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It can be hard to know which social media trends to pay attention to and which ones to ignore. Here are the ones that matter most in 2023.

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Personalised Content

"Finding a balance - we are now impatient with adverts that are not tailored to our interests but the depth of personalisation is often viewed as intrusive or unnerving

Challenge - write algorithms that reflect a user’s true interests and add value to, rather than detract from, the social experience

Image recognition technology - set to play a big part in this, as are browsing habits and observable interests"

(McEvoy, n.d.)

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Shane McEvoy here has never really been any doubt that social media is deeply embedded into the lives of both Generation Z (born 1995-2012) and the Millennial Generation (born 1980-1994). According to research by the Pew Research Center, 92% of all millennials have a mobile device and connection to a single social media platform is a thing of the past, today's younger generations are plugged into an average of four social media networks, using them extensively for social, leisure, networking, purchase and business.

All of this connectivity takes time and, the further down the generations we look, the more the connection with social media increases, with millennials spending and average of 6.19 hours a week checking their social media (Neilsen) and 38% of American teens checking in more than once an hour (Common Sense Media). . Social media is in a constant state of flux and millennials, who, according to Forbes, will make up 35% of the global workforce by 2020, and Generation Z (24% by 2020) , are far quicker to jump onto the next thing than their older counterparts.

As far as they are concerned, the more visual, connective and fast-moving the experience, the better. Small wonder that the older generations are pedalling fast to keep up! We have the low-down on the up and coming social media trends that are currently being driven by millennials and Generation Z.

How millennials and Generation Z are using social media Understanding that these two key generations are inseparable from their social media is one thing but grasping exactly how they use them and how this influences social media trends is quite another. Social media platforms are not all made equal and it is often the quality of connection experience that millennials and Generation Z get from them which depicts their rise or fall.

It is important to remember here that, because of fast-moving developments in popular social media technology, these two generations do not view their social media with exactly the same eyes. Millennials were born into a lifestyle-rich environment that endorsed the rise of the mobile internet, this means that they have tendencies towards high lifestyle expectations and are used to publicly sharing the reaching of lifestyle goals through their social media.

Those belonging to Generation Z however, grew up in a more financially cautious era and have never known a society without constant access to social media. These combined factors have

made them more relaxed about their lifestyles and therefore less easy to sell to, they are also more aware of the constraints of a life led publicly through the internet and more likely to have strong opinions about privacy.
Predicted future social media trends Deeper levels of personalisation
Of all the social media marketing trends, personalisation in online advertising has perhaps had the most dichotomised of results. On one hand it works and we are now impatient with adverts that are not tailored to our interests but on the other hand, the depth of personalisation experienced is often viewed as intrusive or even unnerving.

This latter is particularly true for our technology-savvy millennial and Generation Z groups who are more exposed to personalised advertising because of their increased levels of social media time. The challenge is on for marketers to write algorithms that reflect a user's true interests and add value to, rather than detract from, the social experience.

Image recognition technology on visual social media platforms such as Instagram is set to play a big part in this, as are browsing habits and observable interests.
Now you see me, now you don't
Whoever first had the idea for ephemeral content, i.e. social media content with a limited time span, was a genius. It is easy to imagine them initially being laughed out of the design office, after all, the idea of putting effort into marketing material only for it to disappear almost immediately seems ludicrous.

Ephemeral content, rather confusingly, is here to stay and its catch-on rate is all down to that most human of emotions, the fear of missing out. FOMO is a big factor for millennials with their love of lifestyle but it is the lack of paper trail left by ephemeral content that has sold it to privacy-loving Generation Z.

Snapchat was leading the way with disappearing content for a while but the big players, Facebook and Instagram, have more recently stepped in with their Stories and stolen a bit of the Snapchat thunder.
We're bored with reality, more augmentation please!
Augmented reality provides opportunities to enhance the day-to-day world and, if there is one thing our younger generations love, it is a bit of enhancement. AR can go down the education route but, for millennials and Generation Z, anything quirky or funny that will encourage interaction is a definite winner. Augmented reality technology is still expensive but over the next few years, it will pay to join in with what others are doing as well as taking the same kind of fun approach yourself.
When it comes to influencer marketing, relationships are everything
If you are down in the grass roots, you are in the right place. Both Generation Z and millennials feel strong connections with You Tubers and other influencers they perceive to be, 'just like me'. These generations won't be fooled by inauthenticity or put up with irregularity. Influencer content needs to be snappy, talented and quick to catch their interest. Especially if you are in a space like an escape room franchise.
The power of user-generated content
Generation Z want more from their advertising than their millennial cousins. Instead of being content with passive advertising, they want a piece of the action and user-generated content gives them exactly that, as well as offering proven gains when it comes to social media engagement. Photo competitions, opinion polls, game level creation, selfie campaigns and clever hashtags have all been used but put a clever spin on them and you will be welcomed into Generation Z heaven.
Current and upcoming social media platforms
Before considering the rise and fall of social media platforms, it is worth considering their various pedigrees. Facebook continue to add to its collection of acquisitions and, as well as Messenger (3rd most popular in both the UK and USA), owns the rising stars WhatsApp and Instagram.

Google (Alphabet) are also big players with YouTube (UK 2nd, USA 2nd) and amongst other, smaller social networks, Microsoft own the professional social network LinkedIn (ranked 10th in the UK and 8th in the USA) as well as Skype (UK 7th and USA 9th). In total, eight of the most popular networks belonging to three of the world's most powerful organisations. If that doesn't make you sit up and take notice of your social media marketing, we aren't sure what will.

Social media statistics are throwing up some interesting research results when it comes to the popularity of social media platforms. A 2018 social media study by We Are Flint has suggested that, in the UK and USA, 80% of adults now use at least some form of social media with Facebook, YouTube and Facebook Messenger topping the platform charts in both countries.

When it comes to the generation divide, there are clear trend indicators that suggest that millennials and Generation Z are moving away from the social media preferences of their parents. Although Facebook is used several times a day by around half of UK adults, it is the millennial generation who are its most ardent supporters whereas Generation Z are moving away from the platform in their droves.

Instagram on the other hand, has a clear slant towards both their millennial and Generation Z audiences, enhanced by state-of-the-art features such as Stories and Shopping. Snapchat has not had a great 2018 and has suffered at the hands of the launch of Stories across other platforms and poorly instigated sponsored content but, because of its popularity with the younger generations and innovations such as Spectacles, Snapchat should not be ignored.

Twitter has also seen a downtrend in the UK but there are hints that unpredicted numbers of Generation Z users are tweeting more regularly.
How to position your business for future social media growth Personalisation should add to the customer experience
Be aware of personalisation pitfalls and create advertising in different versions that can be used to micro-target distinct audiences. This is one area where it might not pay to lump Generations Y (millennials) and Z together as they are both savvy enough to see through base-level tactics.

There is a risk, for example, that a Gen Z user might leave a website that didn't anticipate their needs but conversely, this age group are also very aware of the issues surrounding data collection.

Gen Y have an equal level of expectation when it comes to personalisation but have more brand loyalty, which could place marketing barriers. Build a relationship with these groups and create a resonance through personalisation however, and you will be on to a good thing.
Appear then disappear, ephemeral content is the way to Generation Z hearts
The savvy marketer will already be looking for new and exciting ways in which to grab audience attention and ultimately loyalty, by making sure that their ephemeral content is getting the required, 'Did you see...?' responses. The key here is to encourage your young creatives to get them involved in the task. Traditional isn't going to cut it here, the quicker, quirkier and more quizzical the better if you want to use ephemeral content to bring in the crowds.

Remain platform aware Although it is unlikely that an independent is going to knock the Facebook bunch off the social media pedestal any time soon, it is definitely worth keeping a watchful eye on social media platform attributes and performance, particularly with regard to response from millennials and Generation Z. These guys are the current and future big spenders, and marketers who ignore their preferences do so at their peril.

With app development moving at a frenzied pace and both the millennial generation and Generation Z keen to grasp the latest and most exciting social media trends, the world of social media marketing is set to be one of excitement and breathtaking speed.

The savvy marketer will be keeping a close eye on generational developments and making sure that they have Generation Z, millennials and their preferred social media well in their sights.

With this tech-savvy bunch however, it is all going to be about the relationship, and social media platforms that fail to meet high moral expectations risk alienating the very consumers they are most keen to attract.

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Up And Coming Social Media Trends Driven By Millennials And Generation Z - Digital Future Times

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Shane McEvoy here has never really been any doubt that social media is deeply embedded into the lives of both Generation Z (born 1995-2012) and the Millennial Generation (born 1980-1994). According to research by the Pew Research Center, 92% of all millennials have a mobile device and connection to a single social media platform is a thing of [...]

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Personalised Content

Expert: Stephanie Frasco

"Personalisation is key

The more personal you can get and the better you know your audience and customers, the more success you will have"

(Frasco, 2019)

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20 Experts Predict the Future of Social Media Marketing | RankWatch

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We called on 20 industry experts to make their predictions about the future of social media marketing. Here's what they said...URL: https://www.rankwatch.com/infographic/future-of-social-media-marketing.html

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Personalised Content

Expert: Allison Stadd

"It’s clear that the one-on-one, personally tailored experience is where all social communication is headed

No more blasting from the marketing megaphone; we need to be thinking about customising on a person-to-person basis"

(Stadd, 2019)

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20 Experts Predict the Future of Social Media Marketing | RankWatch

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We called on 20 industry experts to make their predictions about the future of social media marketing. Here's what they said...URL: https://www.rankwatch.com/infographic/future-of-social-media-marketing.html

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"Asia is representative of the future and the west will follow

Lines between ecommerce, mobile and social have blurred, creating a broad convergence between online and offline retailing

‘Buy now’ functionality in social content - grow in scale and become more deeply embedded in new types of social spaces, like a shoppable 3D world for social users to hang out in

That though social, data and AI will increasingly dictate our experience of the world"

(McDonald, 2018)

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In our world, so much can change in a year, let alone a decade. Just consider the fact that, before 2009, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat didn't even exist. But what comes next? What will the next decade look like?

Many of the characteristics of today's social media landscape - from transparency concerns to the growing role of AI - demonstrate how social media is likely to evolve between now and 2028, and what it will mean for brands.

Also see: Facebook falls in BrandIndex global brand health ranking

For several years now, social media has been the hidden, interwoven fabric of the web, connecting people, brands and organisations. That in itself is not going to change. It's likely in the future, with the proliferation of the Internet of Things, that social media will be the starting point - a personalised hive mind - connecting objects, information and transactions, alongside people.

Just consider WeChat. The future is already here in China, and the West will follow suit. The lines between ecommerce, mobile and social have blurred, creating a broad convergence between online and offline retailing. In this way social media will become a platform for not just online growth but everything from brand building and customer engagement through to supply chain operations.

Already, social and retail are merging, with the growing abundance of 'buy now' functionality in social content. Looking ahead, brand activity will grow in scale and become more deeply embedded in new types of social spaces, like a shoppable 3D world for social users to hang out in.

Brands that want to stay relevant need to think about social as integral to their business, not just their marketing and communications. Disrupt yourselves, or be disrupted. Agencies slow to invest, innovate and evolve their social capability won't be able to keep up with their clients.

We need to prepare, too, for a fragmentation of our social world with varying levels of interaction across different social contacts. This will become necessary as the amount of content created by friends, family, colleagues, media and brands reaches critical mass.

For brands, cutting through the noise will grow all the more challenging as the deluge of data floods our various devices and realities. But with that comes abundant opportunity. AI-powered bots will play a greater role, continually learning about us in order to streamline our interactions with friends and brands.

With AI-optimised interactions, the data consumers generate will be of far more value to brands. However, consumers will better understand this value exchange. By 2028, people's desire and ability to monetise their own data and influence by selling, trading and transferring the personal information they share with brands and social platforms will be well established.

Data will become more political, and tighter regulation (whether imposed by government or industry) will limit the number of Cambridge Analytica-style data scandals, though it's unlikely to remove them completely. Scoundrels will always find a way.

The silver lining is that legally acquired data will provide a far richer picture to brands and their agencies, enabling precision targeting for paid social, a more personalised product experience, and interesting opportunities for content creators to tell stories crafted around individual interests.

This is, of course, barely a glimpse into what the future of social will mean for the marketing industry. But the most important thing we must remember, above all, is that though social, data and AI will increasingly dictate our experience of the world - and despite all the shiny toys - we must treat consumers like humans, and not just numbers on a screen.
Nathan McDonald is co-founder and group chief executive at We Are Social This article first appeared on PRWeek sister title Campaign

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What will social look like in the next 10 years?

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In our world, so much can change in a year, let alone a decade. Just consider the fact that, before 2009, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat didn't even exist. But what comes next? What will the next decade look like?

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Asian Market Will Lead Innovation

"It has become abundantly clear that the future of digital connectivity lies in Asia

Beyond the sheer number of “next-gen” social media platforms cropping up in Asia, it is the speed at which they evolve that stuns the average marketing executive"

(Amed et al., 2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

To thrive in this environment, companies must think strategically, sharpen their decision making, and keep their fingers on the pulse of customer demand. They need to get digital right and to address consumers increasingly concerned by the climate-change agenda. At the same time, they must cater to local tastes across multiple markets and cultures. One size will not fit all.

These are some of the findings from our latest report, The State of Fashion 2020, written in partnership with The Business of Fashion (BoF). This fourth in our annual series analyzes major themes around the fashion economy and breaks new ground to explain the dynamics driving the industry. Our survey of 290 global fashion executives and interviews with thought leaders and pioneers have helped us identify ten key themes that will set the agenda in the year ahead. The latest reading of the McKinsey Global Fashion Index (MGFI), meanwhile, reveals new insights into fashion-company performance by category, segment, and region.

A darkening mood

For many in the fashion industry, the glass is half empty. The mood among respondents to our executive survey is sober across geographies and price points, and the pockets of optimism seen last year in North America and the luxury segment have steadily evaporated (Exhibit 1).

The MGFI forecasts that growth will slow to 3 to 4 percent in 2020, slightly below the predicted rate for 2019. Strikingly, only 9 percent of respondents think conditions will improve next year, compared with 49 percent who said the same last year.

Economic profit grew for the second year running in 2018, following consecutive annual declines from 2012 to 2016 (Exhibit 2). The 16 percent year-on-year rise came largely from improved operating margins driven by cost cutting. The average industry EBITA margin was 10.8 percent, a tick up on 2017 and the highest since 2014.

One reason that executives are not breaking out the bunting is that the outlook for the global economy is less rosy than it was a year ago. Against this background, fashion-industry fortunes are highly polarized. For an exclusive group of "Super Winners," the sun is shining (Exhibit 3); by economic profit, these 20 companies added more to the industry bottom line in 2018 than all others combined. The Super Winners include three new entrants-Anta Sports, Heilan Home (HLA Corporation), and Lululemon-reflecting the strength of sportswear and the growing influence of Chinese players. In luxury, Kering made an impressive rise through the ranks, driven by Gucci's double-digit sales growth and strong performance in Asia-Pacific markets such as Japan. Not only are leading companies highly value-creating, they are also at the cutting edge of innovation. They are also most successful in attracting funding and talent, often leaving the rest to fight over scraps.

Alongside public companies, we also identified a group of "hidden champions." These privately owned gems often dominate their category areas and generate significant revenues. Some are household names, while others are less visible but still pack a punch. Among the well-known brands, Chanel is a significant player, with revenues of more than $10 billion, while Rolex is one of the few large independent and private luxury watch brands remaining. At the opposite end of the price spectrum is Primark, whose commitment to its core value proposition has made it a formidable competitor. These players show that there is a great deal of industry value outside the spotlight, and the "hidden champions" too have much to offer alongside their listed counterparts.

Of course, for every success, there are also relative failures. A growing number of publicly traded and private companies have become "value destroyers." The midmarket in particular is in the doldrums, generating negative returns for shareholders. For some, the abyss beckons.

Ten themes for 2020

What will define the industry in the coming year? Based on our executive survey, the words on everyone's lips are sustainability, digitization, and innovation (Exhibit 4).

When it comes to sustainability, the industry's track record remains a source of concern. The textile sector still represents 6 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution, and fashion accounts for 20 to 35 percent of microplastic flows into the ocean. Consumers are increasingly waking up to this reality and demanding change. In August 2019, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault spearheaded an industry-wide pact to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. According to McKinsey's 2019 Apparel Chief Purchasing Officer Survey, while the absolute number of sustainable fashion products remains low, there has been a fivefold increase over the past two years.

Looking forward, we see more research into sustainable materials and technologies, as well as the circular economy. This should lead to a move beyond 2019's focus on transparency toward real commitment. That's great news for consumers and for companies that can make sustainability real. However, given the scale of investment required, it means nervous times for small and midsize players.

Equally, consumers and advocates are calling for the industry to become more inclusive. We see 2020 as being a watershed for "Inclusive Culture," with diverse races, genders, and sexual orientations increasingly present across organizations and in leadership roles.

Digital disruptors will face more cautious investors in the year ahead. Stock-market valuations of tech players have reached dizzying levels, reminiscent of the dot-com boom of the early 2000s, while a number of private companies have reached unicorn status. The trick in 2020 will be to prove to investors they can turn potential into profit. At the vanguard, we are seeing a new breed of direct-to-customer companies. Asia in particular is emerging as a fertile ground for small and midsize enterprises that leverage e-commerce to reach out from the factory floor.

At the forefront for many is the future role of brick-and-mortar stores. Although they are written off by some as "too 20th century," we take a more constructive view. We see local stores in particular building a role as partners in the digital revolution, helping customers touch, feel, and experience in convenient locations as they browse online and offline.

It's time to rewire the fashion system: State of Fashion coronavirus update

The bottom line? The coming year will be tough, as the digital shakeout gathers pace, customers demand more on sustainability, and slower growth puts pressure on margins. However, there will be opportunities. Brands that can align with the dominant trends and continue to innovate are most likely to ride the challenges and emerge ahead of the pack.

About the author(s)

Anita Balchandani is a partner in McKinsey's London office, where Shrina Poojara is a consultant; is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office; Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office; and Felix Rölkens is an associate partner in the Berlin office. Imran Amed is the founder, editor-in-chief, and CEO of The Business of Fashion.

The authors wish to thank McKinsey's Tiffany Chan and Marilena Schmich, as well as The Business of Fashion's Robb Young, for their contributions to this article.

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The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating uncertainty

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

# data[].attributes.body
Interactive/Imbedded

Expert: Jason Demers

"Social media will eventually be so integrated with the physical world (through VR devices or wearable tech), the line between the two will be blurred"

(Demers, 2019)

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20 Experts Predict the Future of Social Media Marketing | RankWatch

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We called on 20 industry experts to make their predictions about the future of social media marketing. Here's what they said...URL: https://www.rankwatch.com/infographic/future-of-social-media-marketing.html

# data[].attributes.body
Interactive/Imbedded
Expert: Brent Broadnax

“Social media is going to only become more and more ubiquitous

It will be embedded into smart home devices, car and every mobile device you carry

Since social media wanted to give others a glimpse into your daily life, the future will likely continue that trend”

(Hastreiter, 2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Social media has gradually been making the switch from a luxury or a pastime to an absolute necessity for individuals and businesses alike. Facebook alone now boasts 1.86 billion active monthly users(roughly 1 in 4 people on earth) and generated more than $26 million in advertising revenue last year.

On the surface, it seems the future will be split between social media icons like Facebook, Twitter, and more niche social media sites like Instagram or Snapchat. However, if you asked someone in the early 2000s what the future of social media was going to be they likely would have said and maybe a couple new platforms.

The world of social media never stops evolving and the impact it makes is almost too widespread to grasp. So, to gain a little insight on the subject we asked a group of industry experts...

What's The Future Of Social Media?

Their answers may surprise you...

"In my opinion, social media is going to only become more and more ubiquitous. It will be embedded into smart home devices, every mobile device you carry, even into your vehicle. Since social media wanted to give others a glimpse into your daily life, the future will likely continue that trend."

"Personally, I think video will soon take over the entire market. Companies such as Snapchat have revolutionised the way we communicate with each other. Written content is being left behind for video content, with an increasing demand for live-stream.

I expect all social media platforms will force a big push towards video updates and statuses. Facebook have already been making it easier for users to live-stream video and others are sure to follow."

"Social media is constantly evolving at a frenetic pace. Certain social media tactics that were effective just a couple of years ago are no longer relevant today. Because of this, it is difficult to pinpoint where social media will be five years from now, let alone in 10-15 years. At this rate, because social media has become so pervasive, the public's expectations of the medium will continue to grow.

As with websites today, in the future businesses will have no choice but to have a strong social media presence. They will need to cultivate an authentic personality over different platforms - which also means constantly assessing where their audiences are and staying current. As well, time to address inquiries on social media, from simple queries, to customer service, and even crisis situations will most likely accelerate."

"Social media is a rapidly changing space where quick turnaround times, efficiency and adaptability are key. This landscape is dominated by content creation, user engagement, and impressions. But what does the future of social media have in store? As Founder and CEO of Affluent Solution Group, I have a bird's eye view of the latest trends and developments.

I predict that a decade from now, social media will be less about generating a high volume of user interactions and more about interpreting the data garnered from these exchanges. Businesses that can collect and translate data into usable information will be able to develop cutting-edge marketing strategies that better address the needs and interests of their individual customers, allowing for mass personalization. In turn, this will make it easier to create a more interactive media experience, as customers not only consume but also create information that is relevant to businesses."

"We are already starting to see this happen with people now sharing 360-degree experience images on social networking site's creating for us a virtual world. Pokemon go has made augmented reality a global success and this will only grow in coming years with other companies like IKEA now jumping on the bandwagon.

In 10-15 years this will be the norm. Instead of profile images, we will have 3D avatars and social media sites will become our very own virtual worlds where we can play virtual games of table tennis with friends or go on their holidays with real-time 360-degree images and video updates and interact with brands in unique and novel ways."

"Social media is at the centre of everything we do, but as technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) develop we can expect social media to become much more integrated in our lives. This new era of social media will move away from smartphones and tablets, and will begin to be present in newer technologies such as smart appliances and autonomous cars. As social platforms begin to use AI to learn about our lives we'll be able to communicate with our devices to find out what our friends are up to instead of relying on a tweet or Facebook status.

I also expect social media to be more news-orientated. Our interest in social media has moved away from 'poking' one another; we're now hungry to learn about what's going on in the world. Social media will focus on delivering more advanced news features in the upcoming years."

"I believe social media is just going to keep evolving and taking over in the next 10 years as a main PR initiative. Working In PR has helped show just how influential social media has become, and if used correctly and to the full extent, has proven to return high ROI's for companies.

Social media is not only just a traffic driver to your website or company, but also becoming almost a review system. People will look up clothing brands, restaurants, etc to see who is participating with your brand, get ideas, and validate the company by the amount of followers and engagement you have.

People in 18 to 40 demographics are checking Instagram pages before Yelp, which is a huge tell tale sign of where social media is going and how important it is for companies, Which is exactly why I started Social by Amkmaxwell."

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Social media has gradually been making the switch from a luxury or a pastime to an absolute necessity for individuals and businesses alike. Facebook alone now boasts 1.86 billion active monthly users(roughly 1 in 4 people on earth) and generated more than $26 million in advertising revenue last year.

# data[].attributes.body
Interactive/Imbedded

"Brands who get the most out of 'next-gen' social media will be the ones who see them through the eyes of everyday users

Brands are always promoting or selling, and they forget that being on social media should be a social experience”

(Amed et al., 2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

To thrive in this environment, companies must think strategically, sharpen their decision making, and keep their fingers on the pulse of customer demand. They need to get digital right and to address consumers increasingly concerned by the climate-change agenda. At the same time, they must cater to local tastes across multiple markets and cultures. One size will not fit all.

These are some of the findings from our latest report, The State of Fashion 2020, written in partnership with The Business of Fashion (BoF). This fourth in our annual series analyzes major themes around the fashion economy and breaks new ground to explain the dynamics driving the industry. Our survey of 290 global fashion executives and interviews with thought leaders and pioneers have helped us identify ten key themes that will set the agenda in the year ahead. The latest reading of the McKinsey Global Fashion Index (MGFI), meanwhile, reveals new insights into fashion-company performance by category, segment, and region.

A darkening mood

For many in the fashion industry, the glass is half empty. The mood among respondents to our executive survey is sober across geographies and price points, and the pockets of optimism seen last year in North America and the luxury segment have steadily evaporated (Exhibit 1).

The MGFI forecasts that growth will slow to 3 to 4 percent in 2020, slightly below the predicted rate for 2019. Strikingly, only 9 percent of respondents think conditions will improve next year, compared with 49 percent who said the same last year.

Economic profit grew for the second year running in 2018, following consecutive annual declines from 2012 to 2016 (Exhibit 2). The 16 percent year-on-year rise came largely from improved operating margins driven by cost cutting. The average industry EBITA margin was 10.8 percent, a tick up on 2017 and the highest since 2014.

One reason that executives are not breaking out the bunting is that the outlook for the global economy is less rosy than it was a year ago. Against this background, fashion-industry fortunes are highly polarized. For an exclusive group of "Super Winners," the sun is shining (Exhibit 3); by economic profit, these 20 companies added more to the industry bottom line in 2018 than all others combined. The Super Winners include three new entrants-Anta Sports, Heilan Home (HLA Corporation), and Lululemon-reflecting the strength of sportswear and the growing influence of Chinese players. In luxury, Kering made an impressive rise through the ranks, driven by Gucci's double-digit sales growth and strong performance in Asia-Pacific markets such as Japan. Not only are leading companies highly value-creating, they are also at the cutting edge of innovation. They are also most successful in attracting funding and talent, often leaving the rest to fight over scraps.

Alongside public companies, we also identified a group of "hidden champions." These privately owned gems often dominate their category areas and generate significant revenues. Some are household names, while others are less visible but still pack a punch. Among the well-known brands, Chanel is a significant player, with revenues of more than $10 billion, while Rolex is one of the few large independent and private luxury watch brands remaining. At the opposite end of the price spectrum is Primark, whose commitment to its core value proposition has made it a formidable competitor. These players show that there is a great deal of industry value outside the spotlight, and the "hidden champions" too have much to offer alongside their listed counterparts.

Of course, for every success, there are also relative failures. A growing number of publicly traded and private companies have become "value destroyers." The midmarket in particular is in the doldrums, generating negative returns for shareholders. For some, the abyss beckons.

Ten themes for 2020

What will define the industry in the coming year? Based on our executive survey, the words on everyone's lips are sustainability, digitization, and innovation (Exhibit 4).

When it comes to sustainability, the industry's track record remains a source of concern. The textile sector still represents 6 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution, and fashion accounts for 20 to 35 percent of microplastic flows into the ocean. Consumers are increasingly waking up to this reality and demanding change. In August 2019, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault spearheaded an industry-wide pact to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. According to McKinsey's 2019 Apparel Chief Purchasing Officer Survey, while the absolute number of sustainable fashion products remains low, there has been a fivefold increase over the past two years.

Looking forward, we see more research into sustainable materials and technologies, as well as the circular economy. This should lead to a move beyond 2019's focus on transparency toward real commitment. That's great news for consumers and for companies that can make sustainability real. However, given the scale of investment required, it means nervous times for small and midsize players.

Equally, consumers and advocates are calling for the industry to become more inclusive. We see 2020 as being a watershed for "Inclusive Culture," with diverse races, genders, and sexual orientations increasingly present across organizations and in leadership roles.

Digital disruptors will face more cautious investors in the year ahead. Stock-market valuations of tech players have reached dizzying levels, reminiscent of the dot-com boom of the early 2000s, while a number of private companies have reached unicorn status. The trick in 2020 will be to prove to investors they can turn potential into profit. At the vanguard, we are seeing a new breed of direct-to-customer companies. Asia in particular is emerging as a fertile ground for small and midsize enterprises that leverage e-commerce to reach out from the factory floor.

At the forefront for many is the future role of brick-and-mortar stores. Although they are written off by some as "too 20th century," we take a more constructive view. We see local stores in particular building a role as partners in the digital revolution, helping customers touch, feel, and experience in convenient locations as they browse online and offline.

It's time to rewire the fashion system: State of Fashion coronavirus update

The bottom line? The coming year will be tough, as the digital shakeout gathers pace, customers demand more on sustainability, and slower growth puts pressure on margins. However, there will be opportunities. Brands that can align with the dominant trends and continue to innovate are most likely to ride the challenges and emerge ahead of the pack.

About the author(s)

Anita Balchandani is a partner in McKinsey's London office, where Shrina Poojara is a consultant; is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office; Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office; and Felix Rölkens is an associate partner in the Berlin office. Imran Amed is the founder, editor-in-chief, and CEO of The Business of Fashion.

The authors wish to thank McKinsey's Tiffany Chan and Marilena Schmich, as well as The Business of Fashion's Robb Young, for their contributions to this article.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating uncertainty

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

# data[].attributes.body
Expert: George Smith

"Social media to become much more integrated in our lives

This new era of social media will move away from smartphones and tablets

As social platforms begin to use AI to learn about our lives we’ll be able to communicate with our devices to find out what our friends are up to instead of relying on a tweet or Facebook status"

(Hastreiter, 2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Social media has gradually been making the switch from a luxury or a pastime to an absolute necessity for individuals and businesses alike. Facebook alone now boasts 1.86 billion active monthly users(roughly 1 in 4 people on earth) and generated more than $26 million in advertising revenue last year.

On the surface, it seems the future will be split between social media icons like Facebook, Twitter, and more niche social media sites like Instagram or Snapchat. However, if you asked someone in the early 2000s what the future of social media was going to be they likely would have said and maybe a couple new platforms.

The world of social media never stops evolving and the impact it makes is almost too widespread to grasp. So, to gain a little insight on the subject we asked a group of industry experts...

What's The Future Of Social Media?

Their answers may surprise you...

"In my opinion, social media is going to only become more and more ubiquitous. It will be embedded into smart home devices, every mobile device you carry, even into your vehicle. Since social media wanted to give others a glimpse into your daily life, the future will likely continue that trend."

"Personally, I think video will soon take over the entire market. Companies such as Snapchat have revolutionised the way we communicate with each other. Written content is being left behind for video content, with an increasing demand for live-stream.

I expect all social media platforms will force a big push towards video updates and statuses. Facebook have already been making it easier for users to live-stream video and others are sure to follow."

"Social media is constantly evolving at a frenetic pace. Certain social media tactics that were effective just a couple of years ago are no longer relevant today. Because of this, it is difficult to pinpoint where social media will be five years from now, let alone in 10-15 years. At this rate, because social media has become so pervasive, the public's expectations of the medium will continue to grow.

As with websites today, in the future businesses will have no choice but to have a strong social media presence. They will need to cultivate an authentic personality over different platforms - which also means constantly assessing where their audiences are and staying current. As well, time to address inquiries on social media, from simple queries, to customer service, and even crisis situations will most likely accelerate."

"Social media is a rapidly changing space where quick turnaround times, efficiency and adaptability are key. This landscape is dominated by content creation, user engagement, and impressions. But what does the future of social media have in store? As Founder and CEO of Affluent Solution Group, I have a bird's eye view of the latest trends and developments.

I predict that a decade from now, social media will be less about generating a high volume of user interactions and more about interpreting the data garnered from these exchanges. Businesses that can collect and translate data into usable information will be able to develop cutting-edge marketing strategies that better address the needs and interests of their individual customers, allowing for mass personalization. In turn, this will make it easier to create a more interactive media experience, as customers not only consume but also create information that is relevant to businesses."

"We are already starting to see this happen with people now sharing 360-degree experience images on social networking site's creating for us a virtual world. Pokemon go has made augmented reality a global success and this will only grow in coming years with other companies like IKEA now jumping on the bandwagon.

In 10-15 years this will be the norm. Instead of profile images, we will have 3D avatars and social media sites will become our very own virtual worlds where we can play virtual games of table tennis with friends or go on their holidays with real-time 360-degree images and video updates and interact with brands in unique and novel ways."

"Social media is at the centre of everything we do, but as technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) develop we can expect social media to become much more integrated in our lives. This new era of social media will move away from smartphones and tablets, and will begin to be present in newer technologies such as smart appliances and autonomous cars. As social platforms begin to use AI to learn about our lives we'll be able to communicate with our devices to find out what our friends are up to instead of relying on a tweet or Facebook status.

I also expect social media to be more news-orientated. Our interest in social media has moved away from 'poking' one another; we're now hungry to learn about what's going on in the world. Social media will focus on delivering more advanced news features in the upcoming years."

"I believe social media is just going to keep evolving and taking over in the next 10 years as a main PR initiative. Working In PR has helped show just how influential social media has become, and if used correctly and to the full extent, has proven to return high ROI's for companies.

Social media is not only just a traffic driver to your website or company, but also becoming almost a review system. People will look up clothing brands, restaurants, etc to see who is participating with your brand, get ideas, and validate the company by the amount of followers and engagement you have.

People in 18 to 40 demographics are checking Instagram pages before Yelp, which is a huge tell tale sign of where social media is going and how important it is for companies, Which is exactly why I started Social by Amkmaxwell."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social media has gradually been making the switch from a luxury or a pastime to an absolute necessity for individuals and businesses alike. Facebook alone now boasts 1.86 billion active monthly users(roughly 1 in 4 people on earth) and generated more than $26 million in advertising revenue last year.

# data[].attributes.body
AR and VR Developments

"Gen Z will probably be the main advocate for these technologies

Help customers try on virtual clothing versions before buying"

(Medium, 2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 2020, the social landscape will look different, but familiar

2020 will be a fun year. Not only because it is oddly symmetrical but because social media will reach a point where it has to keep up with the demands of social media users rather than playing the offered hand like before.

Of course, this means that as a business owner, you will have to know the latest info and modify your strategy once the new trends start kicking in. (Remember the 1960s when there were no smartphones and trick or treating was still a super fun thing to do? I mean, Instagram who?)

Let's take a look at some of the most expected social media predictions in 2020, especially on how to integrate them, before the next Gen Z grabs an office chair right next to you.

Here are the 12 predictions on the future of social media for 2020.

1. More visuals

According to Andrew Ng, the chief scientist at Baidu, 50% of searches by 2020 will be done through voice recognition systems or graphics. The rise of visual content is becoming familiar for social media users. People are getting used to talking to Google Home and Amazon devices every morning, while website layouts have been optimized in ways that allow image searching in just seconds.

With the rise of social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, visual-based content has massively increased in usage since smartphones now have access to cameras, photos, and videos.

2. More social videos

56% of users use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat to watch and engage with brands' videos each month. (GlobalWebIndex)

1 out of 3 social media users watch or interact with videos made by brands every month.

Do you watch YouTube in your free time? Or follow lifestyle channels every once in a while?

Needless to say, it is almost certain that we will be seeing an evolution of social media videos in 2020, including the newbie, live video, which has been trending the past year.

3. VR and AR adoption (Gen Z, this is all yours)

Welcome to the world of technology, folks. By 2020, more and more practical applications of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) will be changing the game of social media networks.

Snapchat Geofilters is one good example where you can see and view location-specific videos. Gen Z will probably be the main advocate for these technologies since according to GlobalWebIndex 22% of Gen Z is using Geofilters each month.

If you happen to stumble across shopping sites that help customers try on virtual clothing versions before buying, then welcome to the AR world. Amazon, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, Bitmoji, and WeChat are exploring ways to implement AR in marketing strategies. The final goal is always to push sales and good advertising.

4. Mobile vs desktop experience

Think mobile before desktop. Comparing the time you spend on your smartphone/pad to the time you actually open your laptop and get some work done, you will understand what we are trying to say here.

Again, always think mobile-first.

5. Social media CEOs

When there are so many things that are using social media, people are required to be able to understand the formulas behind social platforms. If you tell me you have never searched for things like how to get more brand engagement or how to run an ad for Facebook, I won't believe you.

(Part of the reason why we are here is that we want to learn more about social media, right? #socialmediaCEOs)

6. Here are some memes for your next personal content

You know it, people barely read personal updates nowadays. Even though we care about our friends and wish them the best, cute animal videos are still one of the most engaging types of content on social media.

Social media, in general, are sharing less personal information and are more interested in engaging videos or funny memes to tag friends.

7. Chatbots

If you happen to have your own business online, then one of the most beneficial tools you can use is chatbots. Chatbots were created during a time when, ironically, nobody wants to talk with anybody. From displaying a product gallery on Instagram to a product tag on Facebook, younger demographics are using social platforms, especially chatbots, to engage and discover products. Make reservations, get a location, answer some simple FAQs, etc. The world is endless, my friend.

8. Personal conversation

Teens are now eager to send video and image snippets rather than typing or replying back a message on their phone. By understanding this behavior, businesses can move forward with different forms of social videos that grow a customer community while showcasing a balanced amount of broadcast content and product integration.

9. Influencer marketing

While our privacy is being compromised, influencer marketing is indeed on the rise. Unlike social media ads, where people can be creeped out wondering why their previous searches pop up every now and then, when an influencer shares a product on social media, it doesn't feel like advertising. These are personal connections coming from a real human being.

Fun fact: About 22% of young adults from 18-34 years old have made purchases after seeing recommendations from influencers online (well, compulsive buying is always fascinating, isn't it?).

10. Local content, the secret weapon

Imagine you're a big brand with over 1,000 stores around the country. Do you think national marketing strategies are strong enough to retain customer turnovers? Local brand social media pages give customers the chance to communicate with brands on a personal level. Instagram now has started implementing location pages to make it easier to search and explore products.

11. The co-existence of fake news and regulations

We have a certain tolerance toward fake news, but in 2020 marketers might be looking at a stricter regulated industry. Social platforms are not a wild wonderland anymore. Facebook will soon be asking businesses for consent before posting to any niche audience. Still, there will be a lot of fake news as we turn towards the reelection. Get yourself ready for emerging fake news about data privacy.

12. People trust search engines

Although the love of being present on social media is strong, according to Malwarebytes Labs, 95% of people don't trust social media. Only 34% don't trust search engines. If you are thinking about the future, you might want to start looking into social media strategies for search engines.

So, now you know - 12 major twist and turns for social media in 2020.

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12 Predictions for the Future of Social Media

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In 2020, the social landscape will look different, but familiar 2020 will be a fun year. Not only because it is oddly symmetrical but because social media will reach a point where it has to keep up with the demands of social media users rather than playing the offered hand like before.

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AR and VR Developments

Expert: Brent Csutoras

"I envision a time for social media where you are no longer visiting a website or using an app on a smartphone to connect with others, but actually connecting with them in a more traditional manner

I believe you will be able to attend a social event with people, share a cup of coffee or even sit across from one another and catch up, with one or both people not physically being in the same space"

(Csutoras, 2019)

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20 Experts Predict the Future of Social Media Marketing | RankWatch

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We called on 20 industry experts to make their predictions about the future of social media marketing. Here's what they said...URL: https://www.rankwatch.com/infographic/future-of-social-media-marketing.html

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AR and VR Developments

Expert: Teresa Walsh

"Instead of profile images, we will have 3D avatars and social media sites will become our very own virtual worlds where we can play virtual games of table tennis with friends or go on their holidays with real-time 360-degree images and video updates and interact with brands in unique and novel ways”

(Hastreiter, 2019)

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Social media has gradually been making the switch from a luxury or a pastime to an absolute necessity for individuals and businesses alike. Facebook alone now boasts 1.86 billion active monthly users(roughly 1 in 4 people on earth) and generated more than $26 million in advertising revenue last year.

On the surface, it seems the future will be split between social media icons like Facebook, Twitter, and more niche social media sites like Instagram or Snapchat. However, if you asked someone in the early 2000s what the future of social media was going to be they likely would have said and maybe a couple new platforms.

The world of social media never stops evolving and the impact it makes is almost too widespread to grasp. So, to gain a little insight on the subject we asked a group of industry experts...

What's The Future Of Social Media?

Their answers may surprise you...

"In my opinion, social media is going to only become more and more ubiquitous. It will be embedded into smart home devices, every mobile device you carry, even into your vehicle. Since social media wanted to give others a glimpse into your daily life, the future will likely continue that trend."

"Personally, I think video will soon take over the entire market. Companies such as Snapchat have revolutionised the way we communicate with each other. Written content is being left behind for video content, with an increasing demand for live-stream.

I expect all social media platforms will force a big push towards video updates and statuses. Facebook have already been making it easier for users to live-stream video and others are sure to follow."

"Social media is constantly evolving at a frenetic pace. Certain social media tactics that were effective just a couple of years ago are no longer relevant today. Because of this, it is difficult to pinpoint where social media will be five years from now, let alone in 10-15 years. At this rate, because social media has become so pervasive, the public's expectations of the medium will continue to grow.

As with websites today, in the future businesses will have no choice but to have a strong social media presence. They will need to cultivate an authentic personality over different platforms - which also means constantly assessing where their audiences are and staying current. As well, time to address inquiries on social media, from simple queries, to customer service, and even crisis situations will most likely accelerate."

"Social media is a rapidly changing space where quick turnaround times, efficiency and adaptability are key. This landscape is dominated by content creation, user engagement, and impressions. But what does the future of social media have in store? As Founder and CEO of Affluent Solution Group, I have a bird's eye view of the latest trends and developments.

I predict that a decade from now, social media will be less about generating a high volume of user interactions and more about interpreting the data garnered from these exchanges. Businesses that can collect and translate data into usable information will be able to develop cutting-edge marketing strategies that better address the needs and interests of their individual customers, allowing for mass personalization. In turn, this will make it easier to create a more interactive media experience, as customers not only consume but also create information that is relevant to businesses."

"We are already starting to see this happen with people now sharing 360-degree experience images on social networking site's creating for us a virtual world. Pokemon go has made augmented reality a global success and this will only grow in coming years with other companies like IKEA now jumping on the bandwagon.

In 10-15 years this will be the norm. Instead of profile images, we will have 3D avatars and social media sites will become our very own virtual worlds where we can play virtual games of table tennis with friends or go on their holidays with real-time 360-degree images and video updates and interact with brands in unique and novel ways."

"Social media is at the centre of everything we do, but as technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) develop we can expect social media to become much more integrated in our lives. This new era of social media will move away from smartphones and tablets, and will begin to be present in newer technologies such as smart appliances and autonomous cars. As social platforms begin to use AI to learn about our lives we'll be able to communicate with our devices to find out what our friends are up to instead of relying on a tweet or Facebook status.

I also expect social media to be more news-orientated. Our interest in social media has moved away from 'poking' one another; we're now hungry to learn about what's going on in the world. Social media will focus on delivering more advanced news features in the upcoming years."

"I believe social media is just going to keep evolving and taking over in the next 10 years as a main PR initiative. Working In PR has helped show just how influential social media has become, and if used correctly and to the full extent, has proven to return high ROI's for companies.

Social media is not only just a traffic driver to your website or company, but also becoming almost a review system. People will look up clothing brands, restaurants, etc to see who is participating with your brand, get ideas, and validate the company by the amount of followers and engagement you have.

People in 18 to 40 demographics are checking Instagram pages before Yelp, which is a huge tell tale sign of where social media is going and how important it is for companies, Which is exactly why I started Social by Amkmaxwell."

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Social media has gradually been making the switch from a luxury or a pastime to an absolute necessity for individuals and businesses alike. Facebook alone now boasts 1.86 billion active monthly users(roughly 1 in 4 people on earth) and generated more than $26 million in advertising revenue last year.

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COVID-19 Impact on Social

"Dramatic increase in use across all demographics due to absence of social gatherings and mandatory social isolation

Heightened usage and potential spikes in organic reach

Encouragement of effective, digital communication which was already growing in popularity far before the Coronavirus was declared to be a global pandemic – will continue to be prevalent in 2020 and beyond"

(Sorensen, 2020)

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Here at Konstruct, we get pretty excited about the future of social media. When 2020 rolled around, we couldn't help ourselves. Our team was bursting with predictions about social media trends 2020, and we needed to make a list. Of course, the biggest game-changer in early 2020 is the COVID-19 outbreak, which will have a profound impact on our society, including the way we use social media in 2020 and beyond. Even in these uncertain times, we've harnessed all our predictive superpowers to make some educated guesses about how social media will change in 2020.

Are we social media nerds? Yes! Are we digital marketers with clairvoyant powers? Maybe...

Because we firmly believe in crowd-sourcing, and because we couldn't shoulder the awesome responsibility of the future of social media alone, we also asked our network of amazing digital marketers what they think 2020 holds in store for social media.

Without further ado, here is our shortlist of social media predictions 2020.

COVID-19 Impacts on Social

1. A Surge in Social

With the absence of social gatherings and mandatory social isolation, social media activity and social media consumption is likely to increase dramatically across all demographics. Account usage, new sign ups, and app installations (especially Facebook messenger), should rise in a bid to replace many forms of face-to-face communication, help users stay informed, and kill time.

Certain businesses may also benefit from heightened usage and potential spikes in organic reach. We are likely to see company updates/announcements posted through these platforms, and even money injected into them to capitalize on a potentially wider, more engaged audience.

Support groups/communities are likely to form in order to combat the potential to propel toxic information regarding COVID-19, and the transmission of legitimate information from governments and health bodies is likely to increase through social media. All in all, social media will continue to be a highly effective medium to allow people to come together digitally and perhaps, soften the burn.

-Nick Scott, Social Media Specialist at Webfirm

2. Social Media Becomes Key for Connection

Given the current social, economic, and psychological impact that a pandemic at the scale of COVID-19 has and can have, I think social media will continue to trend towards the remote work/working from home movement. Social will grow rapidly, fuelled by people taking initiatives to promote positive mental health in both the workplace as well as in our personal lives.

Communication has never been more important, especially for those employees who traditionally worked in offices with their colleagues. I also believe the encouragement of effective, digital communication - which was already growing in popularity far before the novel Coronavirus was declared to be a global pandemic - will continue to be prevalent in 2020 and beyond.

-Bhanu Ahuwalia, Co-Founder at RankMath

Ecommerce and Social Shopping

3. Shopping Directly on Social Media Platforms

The fewer steps a user has to take to complete a purchase, the higher your conversion rate will be. That's why we'll see the introduction of checkout and payments directly through social media platforms in 2020.

I predict Instagram shopping will soon move to the next level. With enhanced functionality, when you see a product on Instagram using the product tag, instead of being taken to another website to purchase the item, you can complete a one-click checkout right within the Instagram app.

This is a functionality that's not just applicable to Instagram, but it could be introduced on Facebook Marketplace, added to YouTube videos, and much more. Google's shopping portal is already starting to experiment with checkout directly through Google. It is only a matter of time before social media platforms jump on this wagon!

-Joel Messner, Client Marketing Manager at Konstruct Digital

4. Introduction of Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented Reality (AR) will be introduced as an effective social media marketing tool in the coming year. AR technology will allow brands and influencers to apply filters that create an ultimate immersive shopping experience for the end-user.

This technology will include product tagging in live Instagram stories, Facebook Live, IGTV, Snapchat, TikTok, etc. Shopping will be easier than ever - the user sees what they like on Instagram stories and has an opportunity to purchase the item on the spot, simply by tapping on it!

-Valerie Sergienko, Account Manager at Konstruct Digital

5. Social Media as the Primary Customer Service Tool

In 2020, consumers in all age groups will embrace social media as the primary way to communicate with businesses and brands. Forget about call centres and emails, the customers of the 2020s want instant and accountable, public communication with businesses.

In response, social media platforms will have to step up their game with tools that can support businesses in making social platforms their main customer service channel. This development will be a major challenge for a lot of businesses, as any examples of poor customer service will be out there for the world to see.

-Katrine Sorensen, Content Marketer at Konstruct Digital

6. Lead Generation on Social Media Ad Platforms

When users see an ad on social media that speaks to them, wouldn't it be nice if they could contact the company running the ad right then and there?

That's why I believe you will see more social platforms allowing advertisers to run ads where users can complete a lead form directly on the platform. WordStream ran a test that found lead form ads convert at a 19.7% higher rate than landing page ads! While lead form ads also cost more, more conversions are something every advertiser wants, and high-converting ad methods are coveted.

Google Ads and Facebook have already introduced lead form ads. On Facebook, these ads allow users to fill out a form to contact the advertiser right within Facebook without ever leaving the social media platform. It is only a matter of time before more social platforms join in!

-Joel Messner, Client Marketing Manager at Konstruct Digital

Social Content

7. (Video) Content is King on Social

As 2020 rolls on, an increasing number of digital marketers will start to create high-quality, short-format video content across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Video as a marketing channel for social media will become the norm. In the summer of 2019, Facebook reported that 720 million people spend at least 1 minute a day watching content on its platform, so marketers can't afford to be left behind.

-Daniel Cooper, Director at lolly.co

8. Focus on Viral Video Content

In 2020, I think the biggest trend will be a continuing shift towards video content on social media. People love to consume video, and it's a much more viral media format overall. I foresee social media managers emphasizing video over other forms of content in the year to come.

-Nikola Baldikov, Digital Marketing Manager at Brosix

9. LinkedIn is Flooded by Video Content

A perfect storm of thought leaders, business developers, and a (so far) attentive audience means that LinkedIn will be flooded with video content by the end of 2020 from purported experts from across all industries.

While the current perception of slick video = credibility is enough to generate a moderately high engagement, the continued refinement of low-cost saas video tools (Canva for videos, for example) will further lower the barrier for creating video content. The risk is that the tsunami of video content will drown the strong content in a sea of misinformation and awkward would-be influencers.

-Matt Cox,Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Social Reach

10. Pay-to-Play on Instagram

In the new year, I predict that the Instagram algorithm for businesses will follow in Facebook's steps, and it will be increasingly difficult for businesses to get organic reach.

Instagram wanted businesses to get hooked, but now the gold rush is over! Instagram is continuing to trend towards more 'pay-to-play' to reach your audience.

-Amanda Thomas, Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

11. Declining Organic Reach

Facebook and Instagram will be crippling organic reach in the near future. While the decline in organic reach has been going on for a while, now that Instagram has likes hidden globally, we're seeing a dramatic downwards trend in terms of engagement. It's hard for people to notice this, as we can't see how many likes others are getting! Facebook is now also toying with the idea of hiding likes on posts. I have a feeling this will again lead to a decline in organic reach on Facebook as well.

-Joey Reinhart, Social Media Marketer at Konstruct Digital

12. Social Platform Homogeneity

Social media platforms will continue moving towards uniformity by removing likes, shares and limiting organic reach through hashtags, contests, and other engagement-boosting techniques.

Stripping users' ability to harness the effect of herd mentality will boost media spend, from influencers in particular, who rely heavily on high engagement rates on their social channels.

-Valerie Sergienko, Account Manager at Konstruct Digital

13. TikTok Peaks in 2020

TikTok is really the new Vine, but whereas Vine rewarded creativity, TikTok has lowered the barrier of entry for influences dramatically. TikTok encourages emulation, so all influencers have to do is to copy a trend.

The easy entry coupled with the catchy trends means that everyone-even your mom-will soon be on TikTok. Although TikTok's growth will be explosive, I also think it will peak earlier compared to other platforms. TikTok has turned into an assembly line for influencers, not a meritocracy where creativity is rewarded. Although the platform will experience a surge in popularity throughout 2020, the appeal will quickly fizzle out.

-Matt Cox,Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Policy & Regulatory Changes

14. TikTok Grows Up

I see TikTok changing a bit, as more brands start advertising on the app. Right now, TikTok is total anarchy when it comes to content creation. People are making almost obscene content on the app, and if I were advertising on it, I would not want my ads to be seen near some of it.

TikTok has changed its copyright policies, community guidelines, terms of service, and a few other things at the beginning of 2020. They will probably start to crack down on inappropriate and copyrighted content soon and it may change the kind of content that we see on the app dramatically.

-Joey Reinhart,Social Media Marketer at Konstruct Digital

15. Influencer Marketing under Regulatory Scrutiny

Regulatory bodies will start putting more pressure on the influencer industry in the coming year. Advertising watchdogs and regulatory bodies are already starting to crack down on influencers that don't adhere to advertising standards. This pressure on influencers will likely intensify as other regulators such as CRA start focusing on this multi-billion dollar industry.

While the professional influencers will likely remain and micro-influencers might band together in agencies, influencer marketing will no longer be the wild west, where anything goes, and anyone can be an influencer. The industry will mature in 2020, and that's probably a good thing for everyone.

-Katrine Sorensen, Content Marketer at Konstruct Digital

Social Advertising

16. New Players in Social Marketing

As ad costs continue to rise on the major platforms, marketers will test more ad spend on Reddit, Quora, and Twitter. Twitter became a $3 billion/year ad platform in 2019. Instagram (and Facebook) Stories ads will remain a bright spot within FB's ad inventory for certain verticals. And keep an eye on the rapidly growing Amazon ad platform, as they continue to take a bigger bite out of e-commerce marketing budgets.

Additionally, performance marketers' ad creative is going to have to become a lot more memorable in 2020. Aggressive retargeting on Facebook is becoming harmful for your campaigns, and FB will start banning accounts. For social platforms, this is a move to prioritize ad freshness over ad fatigue.

-Jason Thibault, Digital Marketing Manager at Massive Kontent

17. Skyrocketing Growth of Stories and Sponsored Messaging

With Facebook Ads seemingly getting more costly by the day, I think people are quickly going to catch on to leveraging Stories/Story Ads and Messenger/Chatbots/Sponsored Messaging. Both are cost-effective but are also gaining a lot of hype. I've had some experience working with a tool like Mobile Monkey, which enables you to build customized Messenger bots on your website to generate leads or offer customer service. They report here, that Messenger averages 70-80% open rates, which beats the hell out of email.

18. Algorithmic Targeting

In 2020, I think we'll see marketers starting to drop interest-based targeting in favour of algorithms. The social algorithms on Facebook and Instagram are both on the cusp doing a better job of predicting who will interact with your ad than digital marketers.

This shift towards algorithmic targeting will be huge in social advertising and make it a much more effective advertising platform.

-Amanda Thomas, Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Are you Ready for Social Media Marketing 2020?

There you have it: social media trends 2020 and the biggest social media future predictions.

After going on this mental journey into the future of social media marketing, you might be wondering if your business is ready for the future? If not, Konstruct Digital can quickly get your digital marketing strategy caught up to 2020 and future-proof it for this new decade.

As you've seen, we're obsessed with following the latest social media trends. Maybe we also have predictive powers? Only time will tell, but one prediction we know will come true: if there is a new trend in social media, we will find a way for our clients to capitalize on it.
Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help your business grow in an ever-changing social media landscape!

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What's the Future of Social Media? 18 Social Media Predictions 2020 | Konstruct Digital

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Here at Konstruct, we get pretty excited about the future of social media. When 2020 rolled around, we couldn't help ourselves. Our team was bursting with predictions about social media trends 2020, and we needed to make a list.

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Selling on Social

"Introduction of checkout and payments directly through social media platforms in 2020

Enhanced functionality, when you see a product on Instagram using the product tag, instead of being taken to another website to purchase the item, you can complete a one-click checkout right within the Instagram app

Google’s shopping portal is already starting to experiment with checkout directly through Google"

(Sorensen, 2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Here at Konstruct, we get pretty excited about the future of social media. When 2020 rolled around, we couldn't help ourselves. Our team was bursting with predictions about social media trends 2020, and we needed to make a list. Of course, the biggest game-changer in early 2020 is the COVID-19 outbreak, which will have a profound impact on our society, including the way we use social media in 2020 and beyond. Even in these uncertain times, we've harnessed all our predictive superpowers to make some educated guesses about how social media will change in 2020.

Are we social media nerds? Yes! Are we digital marketers with clairvoyant powers? Maybe...

Because we firmly believe in crowd-sourcing, and because we couldn't shoulder the awesome responsibility of the future of social media alone, we also asked our network of amazing digital marketers what they think 2020 holds in store for social media.

Without further ado, here is our shortlist of social media predictions 2020.

COVID-19 Impacts on Social

1. A Surge in Social

With the absence of social gatherings and mandatory social isolation, social media activity and social media consumption is likely to increase dramatically across all demographics. Account usage, new sign ups, and app installations (especially Facebook messenger), should rise in a bid to replace many forms of face-to-face communication, help users stay informed, and kill time.

Certain businesses may also benefit from heightened usage and potential spikes in organic reach. We are likely to see company updates/announcements posted through these platforms, and even money injected into them to capitalize on a potentially wider, more engaged audience.

Support groups/communities are likely to form in order to combat the potential to propel toxic information regarding COVID-19, and the transmission of legitimate information from governments and health bodies is likely to increase through social media. All in all, social media will continue to be a highly effective medium to allow people to come together digitally and perhaps, soften the burn.

-Nick Scott, Social Media Specialist at Webfirm

2. Social Media Becomes Key for Connection

Given the current social, economic, and psychological impact that a pandemic at the scale of COVID-19 has and can have, I think social media will continue to trend towards the remote work/working from home movement. Social will grow rapidly, fuelled by people taking initiatives to promote positive mental health in both the workplace as well as in our personal lives.

Communication has never been more important, especially for those employees who traditionally worked in offices with their colleagues. I also believe the encouragement of effective, digital communication - which was already growing in popularity far before the novel Coronavirus was declared to be a global pandemic - will continue to be prevalent in 2020 and beyond.

-Bhanu Ahuwalia, Co-Founder at RankMath

Ecommerce and Social Shopping

3. Shopping Directly on Social Media Platforms

The fewer steps a user has to take to complete a purchase, the higher your conversion rate will be. That's why we'll see the introduction of checkout and payments directly through social media platforms in 2020.

I predict Instagram shopping will soon move to the next level. With enhanced functionality, when you see a product on Instagram using the product tag, instead of being taken to another website to purchase the item, you can complete a one-click checkout right within the Instagram app.

This is a functionality that's not just applicable to Instagram, but it could be introduced on Facebook Marketplace, added to YouTube videos, and much more. Google's shopping portal is already starting to experiment with checkout directly through Google. It is only a matter of time before social media platforms jump on this wagon!

-Joel Messner, Client Marketing Manager at Konstruct Digital

4. Introduction of Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented Reality (AR) will be introduced as an effective social media marketing tool in the coming year. AR technology will allow brands and influencers to apply filters that create an ultimate immersive shopping experience for the end-user.

This technology will include product tagging in live Instagram stories, Facebook Live, IGTV, Snapchat, TikTok, etc. Shopping will be easier than ever - the user sees what they like on Instagram stories and has an opportunity to purchase the item on the spot, simply by tapping on it!

-Valerie Sergienko, Account Manager at Konstruct Digital

5. Social Media as the Primary Customer Service Tool

In 2020, consumers in all age groups will embrace social media as the primary way to communicate with businesses and brands. Forget about call centres and emails, the customers of the 2020s want instant and accountable, public communication with businesses.

In response, social media platforms will have to step up their game with tools that can support businesses in making social platforms their main customer service channel. This development will be a major challenge for a lot of businesses, as any examples of poor customer service will be out there for the world to see.

-Katrine Sorensen, Content Marketer at Konstruct Digital

6. Lead Generation on Social Media Ad Platforms

When users see an ad on social media that speaks to them, wouldn't it be nice if they could contact the company running the ad right then and there?

That's why I believe you will see more social platforms allowing advertisers to run ads where users can complete a lead form directly on the platform. WordStream ran a test that found lead form ads convert at a 19.7% higher rate than landing page ads! While lead form ads also cost more, more conversions are something every advertiser wants, and high-converting ad methods are coveted.

Google Ads and Facebook have already introduced lead form ads. On Facebook, these ads allow users to fill out a form to contact the advertiser right within Facebook without ever leaving the social media platform. It is only a matter of time before more social platforms join in!

-Joel Messner, Client Marketing Manager at Konstruct Digital

Social Content

7. (Video) Content is King on Social

As 2020 rolls on, an increasing number of digital marketers will start to create high-quality, short-format video content across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Video as a marketing channel for social media will become the norm. In the summer of 2019, Facebook reported that 720 million people spend at least 1 minute a day watching content on its platform, so marketers can't afford to be left behind.

-Daniel Cooper, Director at lolly.co

8. Focus on Viral Video Content

In 2020, I think the biggest trend will be a continuing shift towards video content on social media. People love to consume video, and it's a much more viral media format overall. I foresee social media managers emphasizing video over other forms of content in the year to come.

-Nikola Baldikov, Digital Marketing Manager at Brosix

9. LinkedIn is Flooded by Video Content

A perfect storm of thought leaders, business developers, and a (so far) attentive audience means that LinkedIn will be flooded with video content by the end of 2020 from purported experts from across all industries.

While the current perception of slick video = credibility is enough to generate a moderately high engagement, the continued refinement of low-cost saas video tools (Canva for videos, for example) will further lower the barrier for creating video content. The risk is that the tsunami of video content will drown the strong content in a sea of misinformation and awkward would-be influencers.

-Matt Cox,Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Social Reach

10. Pay-to-Play on Instagram

In the new year, I predict that the Instagram algorithm for businesses will follow in Facebook's steps, and it will be increasingly difficult for businesses to get organic reach.

Instagram wanted businesses to get hooked, but now the gold rush is over! Instagram is continuing to trend towards more 'pay-to-play' to reach your audience.

-Amanda Thomas, Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

11. Declining Organic Reach

Facebook and Instagram will be crippling organic reach in the near future. While the decline in organic reach has been going on for a while, now that Instagram has likes hidden globally, we're seeing a dramatic downwards trend in terms of engagement. It's hard for people to notice this, as we can't see how many likes others are getting! Facebook is now also toying with the idea of hiding likes on posts. I have a feeling this will again lead to a decline in organic reach on Facebook as well.

-Joey Reinhart, Social Media Marketer at Konstruct Digital

12. Social Platform Homogeneity

Social media platforms will continue moving towards uniformity by removing likes, shares and limiting organic reach through hashtags, contests, and other engagement-boosting techniques.

Stripping users' ability to harness the effect of herd mentality will boost media spend, from influencers in particular, who rely heavily on high engagement rates on their social channels.

-Valerie Sergienko, Account Manager at Konstruct Digital

13. TikTok Peaks in 2020

TikTok is really the new Vine, but whereas Vine rewarded creativity, TikTok has lowered the barrier of entry for influences dramatically. TikTok encourages emulation, so all influencers have to do is to copy a trend.

The easy entry coupled with the catchy trends means that everyone-even your mom-will soon be on TikTok. Although TikTok's growth will be explosive, I also think it will peak earlier compared to other platforms. TikTok has turned into an assembly line for influencers, not a meritocracy where creativity is rewarded. Although the platform will experience a surge in popularity throughout 2020, the appeal will quickly fizzle out.

-Matt Cox,Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Policy & Regulatory Changes

14. TikTok Grows Up

I see TikTok changing a bit, as more brands start advertising on the app. Right now, TikTok is total anarchy when it comes to content creation. People are making almost obscene content on the app, and if I were advertising on it, I would not want my ads to be seen near some of it.

TikTok has changed its copyright policies, community guidelines, terms of service, and a few other things at the beginning of 2020. They will probably start to crack down on inappropriate and copyrighted content soon and it may change the kind of content that we see on the app dramatically.

-Joey Reinhart,Social Media Marketer at Konstruct Digital

15. Influencer Marketing under Regulatory Scrutiny

Regulatory bodies will start putting more pressure on the influencer industry in the coming year. Advertising watchdogs and regulatory bodies are already starting to crack down on influencers that don't adhere to advertising standards. This pressure on influencers will likely intensify as other regulators such as CRA start focusing on this multi-billion dollar industry.

While the professional influencers will likely remain and micro-influencers might band together in agencies, influencer marketing will no longer be the wild west, where anything goes, and anyone can be an influencer. The industry will mature in 2020, and that's probably a good thing for everyone.

-Katrine Sorensen, Content Marketer at Konstruct Digital

Social Advertising

16. New Players in Social Marketing

As ad costs continue to rise on the major platforms, marketers will test more ad spend on Reddit, Quora, and Twitter. Twitter became a $3 billion/year ad platform in 2019. Instagram (and Facebook) Stories ads will remain a bright spot within FB's ad inventory for certain verticals. And keep an eye on the rapidly growing Amazon ad platform, as they continue to take a bigger bite out of e-commerce marketing budgets.

Additionally, performance marketers' ad creative is going to have to become a lot more memorable in 2020. Aggressive retargeting on Facebook is becoming harmful for your campaigns, and FB will start banning accounts. For social platforms, this is a move to prioritize ad freshness over ad fatigue.

-Jason Thibault, Digital Marketing Manager at Massive Kontent

17. Skyrocketing Growth of Stories and Sponsored Messaging

With Facebook Ads seemingly getting more costly by the day, I think people are quickly going to catch on to leveraging Stories/Story Ads and Messenger/Chatbots/Sponsored Messaging. Both are cost-effective but are also gaining a lot of hype. I've had some experience working with a tool like Mobile Monkey, which enables you to build customized Messenger bots on your website to generate leads or offer customer service. They report here, that Messenger averages 70-80% open rates, which beats the hell out of email.

18. Algorithmic Targeting

In 2020, I think we'll see marketers starting to drop interest-based targeting in favour of algorithms. The social algorithms on Facebook and Instagram are both on the cusp doing a better job of predicting who will interact with your ad than digital marketers.

This shift towards algorithmic targeting will be huge in social advertising and make it a much more effective advertising platform.

-Amanda Thomas, Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Are you Ready for Social Media Marketing 2020?

There you have it: social media trends 2020 and the biggest social media future predictions.

After going on this mental journey into the future of social media marketing, you might be wondering if your business is ready for the future? If not, Konstruct Digital can quickly get your digital marketing strategy caught up to 2020 and future-proof it for this new decade.

As you've seen, we're obsessed with following the latest social media trends. Maybe we also have predictive powers? Only time will tell, but one prediction we know will come true: if there is a new trend in social media, we will find a way for our clients to capitalize on it.
Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help your business grow in an ever-changing social media landscape!

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What's the Future of Social Media? 18 Social Media Predictions 2020 | Konstruct Digital

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Here at Konstruct, we get pretty excited about the future of social media. When 2020 rolled around, we couldn't help ourselves. Our team was bursting with predictions about social media trends 2020, and we needed to make a list.

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Social Media as the Primary Customer Service Tool

"All age groups will embrace social media as the primary way to communicate with businesses and brands - instant and accountable"

(Sorensen, 2020)

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Here at Konstruct, we get pretty excited about the future of social media. When 2020 rolled around, we couldn't help ourselves. Our team was bursting with predictions about social media trends 2020, and we needed to make a list. Of course, the biggest game-changer in early 2020 is the COVID-19 outbreak, which will have a profound impact on our society, including the way we use social media in 2020 and beyond. Even in these uncertain times, we've harnessed all our predictive superpowers to make some educated guesses about how social media will change in 2020.

Are we social media nerds? Yes! Are we digital marketers with clairvoyant powers? Maybe...

Because we firmly believe in crowd-sourcing, and because we couldn't shoulder the awesome responsibility of the future of social media alone, we also asked our network of amazing digital marketers what they think 2020 holds in store for social media.

Without further ado, here is our shortlist of social media predictions 2020.

COVID-19 Impacts on Social

1. A Surge in Social

With the absence of social gatherings and mandatory social isolation, social media activity and social media consumption is likely to increase dramatically across all demographics. Account usage, new sign ups, and app installations (especially Facebook messenger), should rise in a bid to replace many forms of face-to-face communication, help users stay informed, and kill time.

Certain businesses may also benefit from heightened usage and potential spikes in organic reach. We are likely to see company updates/announcements posted through these platforms, and even money injected into them to capitalize on a potentially wider, more engaged audience.

Support groups/communities are likely to form in order to combat the potential to propel toxic information regarding COVID-19, and the transmission of legitimate information from governments and health bodies is likely to increase through social media. All in all, social media will continue to be a highly effective medium to allow people to come together digitally and perhaps, soften the burn.

-Nick Scott, Social Media Specialist at Webfirm

2. Social Media Becomes Key for Connection

Given the current social, economic, and psychological impact that a pandemic at the scale of COVID-19 has and can have, I think social media will continue to trend towards the remote work/working from home movement. Social will grow rapidly, fuelled by people taking initiatives to promote positive mental health in both the workplace as well as in our personal lives.

Communication has never been more important, especially for those employees who traditionally worked in offices with their colleagues. I also believe the encouragement of effective, digital communication - which was already growing in popularity far before the novel Coronavirus was declared to be a global pandemic - will continue to be prevalent in 2020 and beyond.

-Bhanu Ahuwalia, Co-Founder at RankMath

Ecommerce and Social Shopping

3. Shopping Directly on Social Media Platforms

The fewer steps a user has to take to complete a purchase, the higher your conversion rate will be. That's why we'll see the introduction of checkout and payments directly through social media platforms in 2020.

I predict Instagram shopping will soon move to the next level. With enhanced functionality, when you see a product on Instagram using the product tag, instead of being taken to another website to purchase the item, you can complete a one-click checkout right within the Instagram app.

This is a functionality that's not just applicable to Instagram, but it could be introduced on Facebook Marketplace, added to YouTube videos, and much more. Google's shopping portal is already starting to experiment with checkout directly through Google. It is only a matter of time before social media platforms jump on this wagon!

-Joel Messner, Client Marketing Manager at Konstruct Digital

4. Introduction of Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented Reality (AR) will be introduced as an effective social media marketing tool in the coming year. AR technology will allow brands and influencers to apply filters that create an ultimate immersive shopping experience for the end-user.

This technology will include product tagging in live Instagram stories, Facebook Live, IGTV, Snapchat, TikTok, etc. Shopping will be easier than ever - the user sees what they like on Instagram stories and has an opportunity to purchase the item on the spot, simply by tapping on it!

-Valerie Sergienko, Account Manager at Konstruct Digital

5. Social Media as the Primary Customer Service Tool

In 2020, consumers in all age groups will embrace social media as the primary way to communicate with businesses and brands. Forget about call centres and emails, the customers of the 2020s want instant and accountable, public communication with businesses.

In response, social media platforms will have to step up their game with tools that can support businesses in making social platforms their main customer service channel. This development will be a major challenge for a lot of businesses, as any examples of poor customer service will be out there for the world to see.

-Katrine Sorensen, Content Marketer at Konstruct Digital

6. Lead Generation on Social Media Ad Platforms

When users see an ad on social media that speaks to them, wouldn't it be nice if they could contact the company running the ad right then and there?

That's why I believe you will see more social platforms allowing advertisers to run ads where users can complete a lead form directly on the platform. WordStream ran a test that found lead form ads convert at a 19.7% higher rate than landing page ads! While lead form ads also cost more, more conversions are something every advertiser wants, and high-converting ad methods are coveted.

Google Ads and Facebook have already introduced lead form ads. On Facebook, these ads allow users to fill out a form to contact the advertiser right within Facebook without ever leaving the social media platform. It is only a matter of time before more social platforms join in!

-Joel Messner, Client Marketing Manager at Konstruct Digital

Social Content

7. (Video) Content is King on Social

As 2020 rolls on, an increasing number of digital marketers will start to create high-quality, short-format video content across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Video as a marketing channel for social media will become the norm. In the summer of 2019, Facebook reported that 720 million people spend at least 1 minute a day watching content on its platform, so marketers can't afford to be left behind.

-Daniel Cooper, Director at lolly.co

8. Focus on Viral Video Content

In 2020, I think the biggest trend will be a continuing shift towards video content on social media. People love to consume video, and it's a much more viral media format overall. I foresee social media managers emphasizing video over other forms of content in the year to come.

-Nikola Baldikov, Digital Marketing Manager at Brosix

9. LinkedIn is Flooded by Video Content

A perfect storm of thought leaders, business developers, and a (so far) attentive audience means that LinkedIn will be flooded with video content by the end of 2020 from purported experts from across all industries.

While the current perception of slick video = credibility is enough to generate a moderately high engagement, the continued refinement of low-cost saas video tools (Canva for videos, for example) will further lower the barrier for creating video content. The risk is that the tsunami of video content will drown the strong content in a sea of misinformation and awkward would-be influencers.

-Matt Cox,Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Social Reach

10. Pay-to-Play on Instagram

In the new year, I predict that the Instagram algorithm for businesses will follow in Facebook's steps, and it will be increasingly difficult for businesses to get organic reach.

Instagram wanted businesses to get hooked, but now the gold rush is over! Instagram is continuing to trend towards more 'pay-to-play' to reach your audience.

-Amanda Thomas, Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

11. Declining Organic Reach

Facebook and Instagram will be crippling organic reach in the near future. While the decline in organic reach has been going on for a while, now that Instagram has likes hidden globally, we're seeing a dramatic downwards trend in terms of engagement. It's hard for people to notice this, as we can't see how many likes others are getting! Facebook is now also toying with the idea of hiding likes on posts. I have a feeling this will again lead to a decline in organic reach on Facebook as well.

-Joey Reinhart, Social Media Marketer at Konstruct Digital

12. Social Platform Homogeneity

Social media platforms will continue moving towards uniformity by removing likes, shares and limiting organic reach through hashtags, contests, and other engagement-boosting techniques.

Stripping users' ability to harness the effect of herd mentality will boost media spend, from influencers in particular, who rely heavily on high engagement rates on their social channels.

-Valerie Sergienko, Account Manager at Konstruct Digital

13. TikTok Peaks in 2020

TikTok is really the new Vine, but whereas Vine rewarded creativity, TikTok has lowered the barrier of entry for influences dramatically. TikTok encourages emulation, so all influencers have to do is to copy a trend.

The easy entry coupled with the catchy trends means that everyone-even your mom-will soon be on TikTok. Although TikTok's growth will be explosive, I also think it will peak earlier compared to other platforms. TikTok has turned into an assembly line for influencers, not a meritocracy where creativity is rewarded. Although the platform will experience a surge in popularity throughout 2020, the appeal will quickly fizzle out.

-Matt Cox,Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Policy & Regulatory Changes

14. TikTok Grows Up

I see TikTok changing a bit, as more brands start advertising on the app. Right now, TikTok is total anarchy when it comes to content creation. People are making almost obscene content on the app, and if I were advertising on it, I would not want my ads to be seen near some of it.

TikTok has changed its copyright policies, community guidelines, terms of service, and a few other things at the beginning of 2020. They will probably start to crack down on inappropriate and copyrighted content soon and it may change the kind of content that we see on the app dramatically.

-Joey Reinhart,Social Media Marketer at Konstruct Digital

15. Influencer Marketing under Regulatory Scrutiny

Regulatory bodies will start putting more pressure on the influencer industry in the coming year. Advertising watchdogs and regulatory bodies are already starting to crack down on influencers that don't adhere to advertising standards. This pressure on influencers will likely intensify as other regulators such as CRA start focusing on this multi-billion dollar industry.

While the professional influencers will likely remain and micro-influencers might band together in agencies, influencer marketing will no longer be the wild west, where anything goes, and anyone can be an influencer. The industry will mature in 2020, and that's probably a good thing for everyone.

-Katrine Sorensen, Content Marketer at Konstruct Digital

Social Advertising

16. New Players in Social Marketing

As ad costs continue to rise on the major platforms, marketers will test more ad spend on Reddit, Quora, and Twitter. Twitter became a $3 billion/year ad platform in 2019. Instagram (and Facebook) Stories ads will remain a bright spot within FB's ad inventory for certain verticals. And keep an eye on the rapidly growing Amazon ad platform, as they continue to take a bigger bite out of e-commerce marketing budgets.

Additionally, performance marketers' ad creative is going to have to become a lot more memorable in 2020. Aggressive retargeting on Facebook is becoming harmful for your campaigns, and FB will start banning accounts. For social platforms, this is a move to prioritize ad freshness over ad fatigue.

-Jason Thibault, Digital Marketing Manager at Massive Kontent

17. Skyrocketing Growth of Stories and Sponsored Messaging

With Facebook Ads seemingly getting more costly by the day, I think people are quickly going to catch on to leveraging Stories/Story Ads and Messenger/Chatbots/Sponsored Messaging. Both are cost-effective but are also gaining a lot of hype. I've had some experience working with a tool like Mobile Monkey, which enables you to build customized Messenger bots on your website to generate leads or offer customer service. They report here, that Messenger averages 70-80% open rates, which beats the hell out of email.

18. Algorithmic Targeting

In 2020, I think we'll see marketers starting to drop interest-based targeting in favour of algorithms. The social algorithms on Facebook and Instagram are both on the cusp doing a better job of predicting who will interact with your ad than digital marketers.

This shift towards algorithmic targeting will be huge in social advertising and make it a much more effective advertising platform.

-Amanda Thomas, Managing Partner at Konstruct Digital

Are you Ready for Social Media Marketing 2020?

There you have it: social media trends 2020 and the biggest social media future predictions.

After going on this mental journey into the future of social media marketing, you might be wondering if your business is ready for the future? If not, Konstruct Digital can quickly get your digital marketing strategy caught up to 2020 and future-proof it for this new decade.

As you've seen, we're obsessed with following the latest social media trends. Maybe we also have predictive powers? Only time will tell, but one prediction we know will come true: if there is a new trend in social media, we will find a way for our clients to capitalize on it.
Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help your business grow in an ever-changing social media landscape!

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What's the Future of Social Media? 18 Social Media Predictions 2020 | Konstruct Digital

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Expert: Jason Demers

"Through survival of the fittest, our myriad niche social platforms will eventually boil down to one or two major contenders"

(Demers, 2019)

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20 Experts Predict the Future of Social Media Marketing | RankWatch

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We called on 20 industry experts to make their predictions about the future of social media marketing. Here's what they said...URL: https://www.rankwatch.com/infographic/future-of-social-media-marketing.html

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"Looking for a way to make textiles human intelligent

It will enable a constant feedback for different interactions that we have with objects and a new way of distributed computing"

(Hassonjee and Maxey, 2019)

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7 minute read

Will technology mix up with the textiles or will textiles become a new technology? The future of fabric is definitely in reinventing the whole apparel and home textiles industries. Just imagine one piece of clothing that serves the whole family from children to grandparents. How and who can make it possible? Focusingfuture.com interviewed two experts, home textile digitizer Qaizar Hasonjee and apparel innovator Madison Maxey, who create our future of smart textiles.

Why reinvent textiles? Both experts highlight that fabric is the substance that has always been around people since the times of dawn. Moreover, in the digitalized today, textiles lack of modern functionalities. It is time to give a natural extension to the interior and apparel fabrics to provide people with more than style and protection.

You are in the center of the textile innovation hub. Can you share your vision of the future with new technologies?
Qaizar Hassonjee:
First of all, the biggest change is that smart textiles will become a new medium of communication to a tool of social media like Facebook or Twitter. The second way is how smart textiles will supply us with an additional benefit in the form of safety by data provision. As we will never abandon textiles, the fabric becomes the best medium to integrate the technology. Changing the color, apparel can notify if user has a heart attack, for example. The continuum of smart textile to get commercial has already begun. It is a very steady evolution of research, development, commercialization of digital fabrics. The growth will happen exponentially with the critical shift to smarter solutions already in the nearest years.
Madison Maxey:
We are looking for a way to make textiles human intelligent. It will enable a constant feedback for differentinteractions that we have with objects and a new way of distributed computing. At the moment, all of thecomputing functions live on computers or phones but they could eventually be ambient everywhere. Smarttextiles will enable the future where digital has no screens. I am really curious to see how this future wouldlook like. Especially, as people we know are working towards making our living better.

Qaizar, you mentioned that smart textiles will enhance our communication. What is the role of smart textiles in human Interaction and in the interior?

By looking at the possibility of textiles being more than just fabric to cover ourselves, we will get a new perspective, a broad scale of functionalities textiles can give us. For example, by providing more information about other people, the environment and ourselves. What is more, we can transform textiles to entertain and even educate people. The challenge is to determine how much do we want to express ourselves with textiles: is it our mood, health condition, bank information or else?

We have an opportunity to grant textiles additional functions by integrating technology into the fabric we are sitting on - chairs and sofas, walking on - carpets and rugs, surrounding ourselves - drabs and curtains in the rooms, bedding sheets, towels, etc. Smart textiles will generate an enormous amount of data enriching analytics and insights and helping human to make sustainable decisions. Digitalizing textiles can provide us with better tech coverage. There are places where you have a carpet, but you don't have a camera. We are going to transform the textiles that are already in use and make new products out of smart fabric that has not been thought ever before.

In SpinTales, we have launched the smart textiles that entertain and educate children. It is an interactive smart home textile, that with the help of tablet or phone, transforms regular carpet or duvet to augmented storytelling. This is one of the examples how future of smart textiles can look like. And more exciting augmentations are yet to come.

Maddy, your specialty is smart apparel. What is the future of fashion and clothes overall?

I do not separate the fashion from apparel. In my opinion, the most important is that combination of smart textiles and fashion enable creativity. Every person in this world purchases textiles. I wish to create a highly functional apparel which will perform a shift from a commodity attitude to clothing for its color and pattern to a well-engineered product that one buys for its capabilities.

At the moment we, at Loomia, are working towards revolution shifting textiles to a service-based industry. Loomia has grown from Crated, which was working on one-time projects integrating technology in apparel. There is a large market potential for creating actual smart textiles that enable the smart future. There are a lot of highly functional textiles in the industrial and space industries, and now it is time to bring intelligence to any textile that is surrounding us. The result of all those efforts is creating a screenless world with the latest tech possibilities so people can spend more time living and enjoying their life instead of operating through the screens.

Will the design of interior textiles and apparel change? If yes, how?
Qaizar Hassonjee:
We can see the focus on design, appearance, and comfort of wearable technologies. At the beginning of wearables' development, functionality had a high importance level. Now, it all comes to design and customer experience without compromising on functionality. From clothes standpoint, I think it will always be gender specific fro both male and female fashion. However, when talking about other textiles like home and interior, it is less gender specific while more theme oriented. Interior textiles are not be necessarily used by one person; they are shared commodity. Depending on the situation, the textile might seamlessly change adapting to the need of the particular user.
Madison Maxey:
I would hope that at some point there is enough customization that you can get a product that works well for any biological shape and size. I find issues with things like Oculus Rift making women noxious because of men and women sense distance to objects in a different way. For example, in my work, I also think about people with tattoos. I want to be sure that my products work for a wide variety of people and are suitable for all skin types. The future products have to be gender binary, fitting both genders and those who do not resemble any sex. It is my hope that intelligent wear will serve everyone representing a large scale of people.

It seems like textiles will gather a lot of valuable and private data. What is your take on the future of privacy?
Qaizar Hassonjee:
To begin with, we have to understand that monitoring combined with smart management can prevent a catastrophic event. This is when customers give away some pieces of privacy for safer and more controllable future. People already openly share their thoughts and feelings on the Internet as they believe it gives some value back. It is a form of social exchange. I would expect the same mechanism will happen with smart fabrics. As long as sharing of personal data is providing a value back, the exchange is justified.

Madison Maxey:

There are certain risks that we as consumers take on with any product. At times, the risk, like privacy, is worth the trade off. The system works that way: if you want to get better and more personalized solutions, you have to share your data. At the same time, there are well-reputed groups like Veritas putting a lot of thoughts on data privacy and protection. Certainly, it's essential to have new regulations for the industry. Also, we need to raise customers' awareness about the trade-off for the products that serve you better.

About our experts:

Qaizar Hassonjee is a pioneer in Smart Textiles leading into Wearables and Internet of Things with 20 years experience. Qaizar is a co-founder of Textronics Inc, which is an electro-textile technology company originated from DuPont's textile fiber research effort and acquired by Adidas. He was the first to launched Heart Rate Monitoring Sports Bra in 2005. Today, Qaizar brings technology to the home and interior textiles at TILT through the children entertainment system Spintales.

Madison Maxey is a smart apparel and wearables innovator who is delivering high-tech apparel solutions for the biggest apparel brands. Maddy is a member of Forbes 30Under30 and the first fashion designer to win a $100000 Thiel fellowship. Today, she fabricates smart future at her company Loomia (previously The Crated) enabling enhanced screenless future for everyone.

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Future of smart fabrics: apparel and home textiles - Focusing Future

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7 minute read Will technology mix up with the textiles or will textiles become a new technology? The future of fabric is definitely in reinventing the whole apparel and home textiles industries. Just imagine one piece of clothing that serves the whole family from children to grandparents.

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"Smart textiles are fabrics that have been designed and manufactured to include technologies that provide the wearer with increased functionality

Potential applications: ability to communicate with other devices, conduct energy, transform into other materials and protect the wearer from environmental hazards

Allowing: health monitoring, protection/safety and healthy lifestyle

Gained strong interest during the last few years

Active materials that have sensing and actuation properties

Their potential is enormous

Modified textile material and miniaturised electronic devices create smart cloths

Able to sense and respond to external conditions (stimuli) in a predetermined way

Materials can interact, communicate and sense"

Application : Health, Military/Defense, Fashion and Entertainment, Sportswear"

(Syduzzaman, Patwary, Farhana and Ahmed, 2015)

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"The merger of fashion with technology is held up by the makers and designers who are coming up with different materials that offer convenience to the wearer"

(Kapfunde, 2017)

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For some of us the words 'smart fabrics, 'smart textiles' and 'e-textiles' are still shiny and new, although pioneers have been innovating within the textile industry for a while now. The merger of fashion with technology is held up by the makers and designers who are coming up with different materials that offer convenience to the wearer. Knowing this should we be surprised that fashion tech like conductive threads was used as early as the Elizabethan era?

Knowledge is power, so make sure you take a moment to read something that our friends at LOOMIA created. It is a smart textile timeline from 1600- 2016. It shows how technology has played a crucial role in textiles. Read and learn.

1600 - Early conductive threads are said to date back to the Elizabethan era when gold threads were woven into garments for a gleaming accent. Now, we often use silver or nickel threads for conductivity, but the concept of metallic threads has existed for centuries for decorating garments.

The early 1990s - MIT students, started researching smart apparel for military use.

1996 - Less EMF, the conductive fabric superstore (for EMF blocking purposes), launches

1998 - Sabine Seymour launches Moondial, making a practice of merging "silicon and style."

2000 - Whitepaper " E-broidery Design and Fabrication of Textile Based Computing" features favourite projects before the year 2000 from embroidered keyboards to fashion tech garments

2000- Plug and Wear launches, selling conductive materials for knitting and sewing

2003- Georgia Tech Motherboard shirt appears in the press.

2007 - Leah Buechley develops the Lilypad, a microcontroller made specifically for textiles. (Adafruit later makes its version called the Flora)

2008 - Sabine Seymour publishes Fashioning Technology

2008 -Mika Satomi and Hannah Perner-Wilson Launch Kobakant

2009 - Forster Rohner launches the Climate Dress using their innovative embroidered techniques

2009-2012 -In 2009 project fibre artist Lynne Bruning started producing runway shows around e-textiles. This was followed by the E-Textile Lounge which Lynne and Angela Sheehan helped produce for Maker Faire 2011 and 2012. 2011 was the first time they used the term 'E-Textile Lounge' for a specific Maker Faire event.

2011- MICA Fiber department begins to explore conductive thread and electronics, creating the Midi Puppet Glove

2012 - Drexel launches their Haute Tech Lab exploring smart fabrics and additive manufacturing for textiles. (date inferred)

2013 - Machina Launches the Midi Controller Jacket on Kickstarter

2014 - Dupont presents their stretchable, conductive ink at Printed Electronics 2014

2014 - The Next Black, highlights the future of apparel featuring companies like Studio XO and the Unseen.

2014 - The MIT Biosuit creates a strong use case for e-textile in industry

2014 - Bebop Sensors launches wearable tech and textile circuits (coincidentally printed using Dupont's conductive ink)

2015- Fast Company features innovators like Switch Embassy speculating the possibility of commercial fashion applications for e-textiles

2015 - Ralph Lauren and OMSignal team up for the Polo Tech Shirt

2015 - Google's Project Jacquard directs tech eyes to e-textiles at Google I/O

2015 - The Department of Defense put out an RFP for developing smart textiles and innovative fabrics

2015 - ZSK embroidery reveals conductive thread and sequin LEDs compatible with their machines

2013-2016 - Studios such as Wearable Experiments, Interwoven and The Crated create practices around e-textiles and making invisible wearable tech.

2016 - IDTechEx launches a report speculating about the future of wearable tech in 2026. They break down how people are using conductive textiles, inks and threads

April 2016 - $302 million DoD and M.I.T collaboration and the U.S Commerce Department's first-ever smart-fabrics gathering.

If you are now wondering what has been taking place in 2017, explore our coverage here.

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For some of us the words 'smart fabrics, 'smart textiles' and 'e-textiles' are still shiny and new, although pioneers have been innovating within the textile industry for a while now. The merger of fashion with technology is held up by the makers and designers who are coming up with different materials that offer convenience to the wearer.

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"The evolution of technical textiles takes cues from the electronics and photonics industries

The integration of sensor arrays and plastic optical fiber (POF)

What Are Smart Textiles Used For?

Aesthetic: Smart fabric has been breaking out in the fashion industry. Aesthetic smart textiles can light up and change color, have an interactive element or shift with their environment

Performance enhancement: With a focus on function over fashion, performance-enhancing smart fabrics provide the user with a unique experience, dependent on their purpose"

(ApexMills, 2019)

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Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here!
Or contact our team now and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have!

Textiles are everywhere - from the clothing we wear, cars we drive, and furniture we occupy to the roads we travel, bandages we use to heal, and structures that shelter us for protection, each fabric is carefully selected for its unique construction and properties. But what if the clothing you wore could monitor your heart rate and transmit medical alerts to your doctor? Or if the bandages you affix to your skin didn't just cover a wound but dispensed healing medication. Perhaps a construction worker would be interested in wearing a hard hat that can provide a warning about carbon monoxide poisoning based on fluids from the skin. That's where smart textiles come in.

Smart textiles - also referred to as functional fabrics and e-textiles - are changing the way we think about the role of fabrics for industrial purposes and everyday use. With new technological advancements, we're moving closer to a future where fabrics are functional, beautiful and responsive.

What Are Smart Textiles?

Since smart fabrics are a newer technology, many people aren't aware of their potential. Smart textiles provide an added benefit to the user beyond the typical value of the fabric. They respond and adapt to their environment.

Fabrics are a combination of fibers and polymers, natural and man-made, that are constructed through a variety of techniques, the most popular being knitted or woven. Each blend of fabric serves a different purpose, individualized for a particular climate or function. But since fabric is the foundation for so many products and more, it makes sense to see how its utility can be expanded.

Take temperature, for instance - cotton and linen clothing are perfect for hot environments, as they are breathable and light. However, the allowance for airflow that keeps you cool creates a problem in colder temperatures. Going back and forth from hot to cold areas can be a nuisance when choosing what clothing to wear.

Functional textiles change that. They can adapt based on design structure or external stimuli. Imagine a fabric that can respond to a temperature change and keep you comfortable, much like your skin. And, along with adopting new capabilities, smart fabrics create a more sustainable culture. With the ability to transform, less product is needed which produces less waste.

What Makes Functional Textiles, Smart?

The evolution of technical textiles takes cues from the electronics and photonics industries. The integration of sensor arrays and plastic optical fiber (POF) creates an extension of functional fabrics commonly known as smart textiles.

At its core, technical textile manufacturing is a vast landscape of advanced yarn systems combined with textile formation techniques. The completed construction can be further transformed through lamination, coatings and composite methods.

Depending on their use, smart fabrics are created by fusing together fibers and technology. These fibers include conductive yarns and polymers, shape memory polymers, encapsulated phase change materials, fiber optics, and other small electronics. They may also use external additions, such as:

These materials interact with one another along with an external stimuli - such as temperature, light or pressure - creating a transfer of energy. Once activated, the functional fabric responds depending upon the textile's function.

What Are Smart Textiles Used For?

Smart textiles generally belong to one of two main categories:

1. Aesthetic: Smart fabric has been breaking out in the fashion industry. Aesthetic smart textiles can light up and change color, have an interactive element or shift with their environment. Fashion designers have already picked up on the new technology, creating entire lines out of smart materials. This category also encompasses decor and design elements.

2. Performance enhancement: With a focus on function over fashion, performance-enhancing smart fabrics provide the user with a unique experience, dependent on their purpose. This includes body temperature regulation, reducing wind and water resistance, guarding against radiation, minimizing the effects of space travel and even controlling the vibration of muscles.

Both categories of smart fabric serve their own purposes and work to solve current issues with industrial and fashionable materials.

What Industries Employ Smart Fabrics?

Smart fabric can be used in any industry. We have seen heightened use in these industries:

Technology as a Smart Fabric Solution

Smart fabrics solve common issues in many industries. Body temperature regulation is crucial in law enforcement, military, and athletic professions, among others. Rather than relying on layers and worrying about breathability, smart fabric can adapt to temperature shifts fluidly.

Within the medical field, developers are working on textiles that can monitor heart rate, dispense medication, and even transmit immediate notification if the wearer of the textile were to fall.

Currently, researchers at Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) are focusing on four main categories of technology-enabled fibers:

Prior to this new age of development, semiconductors were affixed to fabric, creating the ability to "power-up." But the yarns lacked softness and putting a circuit board/power source onto the fabric decreased its wearability. Today, the industry wants to shrink these diodes to sand-like particles and infuse them into the fiber itself.

As technology continues to advance, smart textiles will become the solution for many more common issues, possibly replacing the bulky hardware objects that currently adorn our home and workplace surfaces. The versatility and adaptability of e-textiles allow for a wide range of soft, flexible applications. With durable designs and innovative yarns, these products can stand the test of time.

Integration in the Military

Soldiers dress in thick layers and haul about 110 pounds of tactical gear. Not only does it take a lot of effort to carry, but it also poses a need for portable power sources. Batteries are carried, along with their gear, and disposed of quickly. Without ample power, the equipment becomes unusable.

The consortium of companies, academia and the Department of Defense that make up AFFOA have been developing the ability to create wearable power sources for military applications. Batteries are a huge cost, due to how many of them soldiers go through to keep their devices running. The development of power source smart textiles and connectors in body armor and similar fabrics are crucial to creating a system that's both reliable and user-friendly.

This isn't the only application, either. The Canadian military has made use of full-fabric keyboards in its IAV Stryker units, developed to replace the bulky, traditional hardware. They're lighter, easier to transport and have fewer components to break. Applications for smart textiles vary greatly, making them a great solution for many needs.

Greater Usage of Smart Fabrics

Grandview Research projects that the compound annual growth rate for smart fabrics will soar over the next few years. As technology advances, there has been a growing demand for more sophisticated and smarter textile products.

This, coupled with the rapid growth of low-cost smart wireless sensor networks, has been driving the market in North America. The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing increased demand for smart textiles as well, attributing the need to the rapidly developing healthcare and construction industries. On the other hand, the growing market for automobiles in Europe is boosting the smart fabrics growth rate in this region.

This growing demand creates opportunities for manufacturers who may have thought smart fabrics were out of their reach. As people begin to anticipate and demand them, the market will widen.

Decrease in Material Prices Gives Smart Fabrics a Boost

Smart textiles will get a lift from an anticipated reduction in the expense of manufacturing electronic components. Cheaper building blocks generally lead to higher demand. Conductive materials are needed for smart fabric manufacturing. Smart fabrics may contain electrical components such as:

Army uniforms in several countries have been made with nanotechnology. Anything that can assist with military efficiency opens new options and will garner lots of attention from government scientists, creating further demand for the material. Some scientists even believe smart fabrics could be used to help military personnel detect chemical weapons and alert wearers to biological threats.

Benefits of Smart Textiles

Creating a world where smart textiles become commonplace can be beneficial in several ways. Sustainability and extending the lifespan of the products we use have been worldwide topics of concern. By creating e-textiles demonstrating longer lifespans, better durability, and interchangeable styles, we can reduce the amount of textile waste in landfills dramatically.

With the ability to serve everyone from fabric consumers to astronauts, smart fabrics are incredibly versatile and customizable. There is a smart fabric solution for every need. Everyone seeks ways to improve their lifestyle, whether it's through their workouts, commutes or their social communication skills. E-textiles are technologically multi-faceted and can help to enhance an individual's lifestyle in so many ways:

While e-textiles are currently expensive and difficult to access, incorporating them into all areas of everyday life will make them more readily available. Although they come with a premium price tag, their value is much higher, having the potential to last through an entire lifetime of use.
Learn More About Our Textiles
A Recent History of Technological Advances in the Smart Textile Industry

Over the past few years, wearable smart fabrics have gained traction and are becoming more readily available to consumers. Here are a few highlights:

2015: While most of the technological advancements in smart fabric have occurred in scientific spaces, smart fabric started becoming commercially available in stores in 2015. Most of the first releases available centered around athletics and baby care, including big names like Hexoskin and Ralph Lauren's Polo Tech Shirt.

2016: CuteCircuit, a fashion-based brand, launched the groundbreaking SoundShirt. Using embedded haptics, this shirt allowed a deaf person to feel music. 2016 also marked the U.S. Commerce Department's first smart fabric-centered gathering.

2017: Google collaborated with Levi's® to create and release a Bluetooth-enabled jacket, Levi's® Commuter X Jacquard By Google. The project intended to help bicyclists who live in cities, giving them more accessible, hands-free communication on their daily commutes. The Next Generation Jacket was released in September 2019.

2018: At the Winter Olympic Games, hosted in PyeongChang, the entirety of Team USA wore self-heating jackets. Created by a collaboration of Ralph Lauren and several tech companies, these jackets kept athletes from suffering in the frigid temperatures.

2019: Technology brand Loomia releases a winter coat with a textile substrate layered heating system. The system minimizes the bulk of traditionally warm coats and allows for user control of their comfort setting.

Smart fabrics are continually advancing in their capabilities. Some of the latest e-textiles to hit stores include temperature control, integrated payment options, and health tracking features. There have already been major strides in creating wearable technology. Growing intrigue and industrial need will continue the upward trend of smart textiles.

The Future of Smart Textiles

Smart textiles and functional fabrics have been in sight of scientists and designers for years. Only recently have they made their way onto runways and into headlines. And, the more consumers and technologists learn about smart fabrics, the further they push the limits.

As technicians continue to develop these textiles, their capabilities will expand, making them able to function as a sort of second skin. Temperature-regulating fabric is already available, but progression will allow for a more fluid user experience. The fabric will read stimuli and respond to it with a shift in energy.

One of the most significant areas of progression will likely be in the field of health and wellness. Beauty and medicinal companies are looking at ways we can make fabrics that positively affect the wearer's health. This includes the ability to:

Making clothing that resists wear is presently underway, thanks to the innovation of smart fabric. Through continued development, self-healing and repairing fabric may become a reality. Tears, holes and seam rips could become a thing of the past. Clothing may evolve from short-term to lifetime purchases.

In the near term, we can expect the apparel industry to be early to market smart textiles by technology integration through flexible printed electronic methods. Beyond 2021, integrated electronic textiles will permeate diverse business sectors, providing integrated communication services, touch sensing remote controls, energy harvesting, and charging embedded during the formation of the textile structure.

Knitting and weaving technologies are setting the standards for e-textile manufacturing, and Apex Mills is helping to pioneer the future.

Yarn is the Next Invention

When considering developing a new yarn for interlacing into textile structures there are a multitude of formation methods to consider; wet emulsion, wet dispersion, vapor deposition, extrusion, wet spinning, dry spinning, electro-spinning, drawing, co-extrusion, covering, twisting, plaiting, and co-mingling, to name a few.

Universities, institutes, and companies are innovating yarn functionality for the next level of performance. Energy and communication are the newest performance characteristics that will be required to enable e-textiles.

Drexel University's Center for Functional Fabric has recently engineered a yarn that will store energy. This textile battery is much lighter and remarkably flexible, enabling it to become part of the fabric structure. Modifying traditional yarn with textile coatings and twisting methods, fibers are converted to a conductive yarn which is then paired through twisting with a stainless-steel yarn. The dual conductor systems work together to collect endless quantities of energy.
Creating technical, smart or functional fabrics is a regular business at Apex Mills. Our custom approach to textile product development begins with customers like you.

Discover Custom Smart Textiles with Apex Mills

At Apex Mills, we believe in creating a smarter world, where bold solutions to everyday problems thrive. Our business operates through one unifying motto - "Problem shared. Problem solved." We create custom fabric solutions for your specific design challenges, working with you as a partner. Each project is carefully evaluated to provide you with the best solution possible. Apex Mills practices Application Driven Design, ensuring we can fulfill your needs.

Every design is created and manufactured in the U.S., with locations in Long Island, New York, and North Carolina. Being an all-American company, we can provide quick and effective services globally. Apex Mills wants to help you find exactly what you're looking for. Partner with us and experience our fast and thorough customer service. Fill out our online questionnaire, and we'll get started creating a personalized warp knit fabric for you.
Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here!

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Smart Textiles: The Future of the Fabric Industry | Apex Mills

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Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here! Or contact our team now and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have! Textiles are everywhere - from the clothing we wear, cars we drive, and furniture we occupy to the roads we travel, bandages we use to heal, and structures that shelter us for protection, each fabric is carefully selected for its unique construction and properties.

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ThredUp 2019 Resale Report

"ThredUp is part of a larger Collaborative Consumption movement, encouraging consumers to live in a more collective, sharing economy"

(thredUP, 2019)

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We were just days from publishing our 2020 Resale Report in March when the Covid crisis hit.

Like every business in the world, thredUP paused to focus on the safety of our teams and set a plan for the rest of 2020. At the time, it seemed that Covid had "changed everything." But is that really true as we look ahead? Here's what the latest data is telling us:

First, changes that were already afoot in retail are accelerating rapidly. Sheltering in place catalyzed the shift toward shopping online. As a result, opportunities are expanding for the strongest ecommerce and marketplace businesses.

Second, for all the challenges Covid posed to our assumptions about consumer behavior, one thing is clear: consumers everywhere are prioritizing value and accelerating the shift to thrift. When times get uncertain, we all focus on our family balance sheet. Brands whose core proposition delivers value and convenience have the opportunity to gain share. Amazon, off-price, and resale are emerging as winners.

Finally, the youth of the world are more switched on than ever about the health of the planet. With their words, deeds, and dollars, the younger generation is demonstrating a genuine desire to be part of the long-term solution to fashion waste. This should inspire much optimism in all of us. The consciousness of the next generation of consumers is a tailwind for businesses that deliver customer value in a sustainable way.

This year's Resale Report, unlike any we've published, captures insights from two different consumer worlds: pre- and post-Covid. We hope it sparks rich dialogue about the enduring shifts underway and the forces fueling the future of resale.

- Anthony S. Marino
President, thredUP

thredUP's Annual Resale Report contains research and data from GlobalData, a third-party retail analytics firm. GlobalData's assessment of the secondhand market is determined through consumer surveys, retailer tracking, official public data, data sharing, store observation, and secondary sources. These inputs are used by analysts to model and calculate market sizes, channel sizes, and market shares. Further, for the purpose of this report, GlobalData conducted a January 2020 survey of 3,500 American women over 18, asking specific questions about their behaviors and preferences for secondhand. thredUP's Resale Report also leverages data from the following sources: Green Story Inc. research and internal thredUP customer and brand performance data. View all sources here.

Covid Update: All market numbers were reforecasted in April 2020 to more accurately reflect the current situation, and are included throughout the report. GlobalData ran a post-Covid consumer survey in April 2020 to better understand how recent events have shifted consumer sentiment and behaviors. Those findings are included in the Covid section at the beginning of thredUP's Annual Resale Report.

Disclosure: All third-party brand names and logos appearing in this report are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Any such appearance does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of thredUP.

A quick reference to where the major players in the industry currently reside.

Secondhand: Consumption of all used apparel. Includes both the Resale sector and the Thrift & Donation sector.

Donation & Thrift: A sector of the broader 'secondhand' market that includes traditional options such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, and yard sales. These secondhand options are primarily, but not exclusively, offline.

Resale: A sector of the broader 'secondhand' market that includes more curated product assortments, often well merchandised and/or higher end. Examples include thredUP and TheRealReal as well as upscale offline players like Buffalo Exchange. These secondhand options are primarily, but not exclusively, online.

Secondhand Products: Consumption of all used apparel, footwear, accessories, books, furniture, entertainment, and beauty.

Department Stores: A type of general retail store, wherein the retailer displays products within distinct departments, often located on separate floors, specializing in defined product areas. Examples include Bloomingdale's, Macy's, JCPenney, Nordstrom.

Off-Price: A retailer that sells items at lower prices than those typically charged by retail businesses. Off-price stores typically purchase overstocked goods or make special purchases. Examples include TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, Burlington Coat Factory.

Value Chains: Value stores are a retail format that sells inexpensive items, at a single or limited number of price points. Examples include Walmart, Target, Dollar Tree.

Mid-Priced Specialty: Specialist clothing retailers operating in the middle of the market in terms of price. Not value but not premium or luxury. They tend to be found in malls or traditional main street locations. Examples include Gap, Ann Taylor, J.Crew.

Fast Fashion: Specialist clothing retailers with a fast stock turnaround and whose business models rely on selling high volumes at (usually) inexpensive price points. Examples include Zara, H&M, Forever 21.

Direct-to-Consumer: Specialists and generalists selling clothing directly to the public. Primarily online only. Excludes C2C or auction type sites, and the online side of traditional retail businesses. Examples include Everlane, Warby Parker, Outdoor Voices.

Sustainable Fashion: Apparel that has been produced, sold, and distributed in such a way as to minimize, as much as possible, any damaging social and environmental impact. To be classified as sustainable, a company must reduce negative impacts at multiple stages of the supply chain and of the product's lifecycle. Examples include Reformation, Allbirds, Eileen Fisher, Patagonia.

Amazon: Amazon's clothing sales in the US, stated at gross merchandise value.

Subscription: Subscription-based services for clothing. Excludes non-clothing elements of subscription models, and rental services. Examples include StitchFix and Trunk Club.

Other: Sales of clothing from all other sources, including grocers and supermarkets, drug stores, duty-free, warehouse clubs, variety stores, other non-clothing specialists, and convenience stores.

This [Resale Report] contains forward-looking statements. thredUP has based these statements largely on its current expectations and assumptions, and on information available as of the date of this report. However, we operate in a competitive, new, and rapidly changing market. New risks may emerge. thredUP assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this report, except as required by law.

This [Resale Report] also contains estimates and other statistical data made by independent parties and by thredUP relating to market size, growth and other industry data. This data involves a number of assumptions and limitations. thredUP has not independently verified the data generated by independent parties and cannot guarantee accuracy or completeness. Projections and assumptions about the future performance of the markets in which thredUP competes are subject to a high degree of uncertainty. These and other factors could cause results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed.

1. GlobalData Market Sizing: GlobalData's assessment of the secondhand market is determined through ongoing retailer tracking, official public data, data sharing, store observation, consumers surveys, and secondary sources. These inputs are used by analysts to model and calculate market sizes, channel sizes, and market shares. Market data analysis included in this report was done in April, 2020 and includes the impact of Covid.

2. GlobalData Consumer Survey: The consumer data in this report is derived from a consumer survey of 3,500 women. The survey asked them a number of questions about their attitudes towards apparel, secondhand products, and resale products. The sample was designed to be representative of age and income and was also geographically representative. Surveying was undertaken by GlobalData between December 12, 2019 and January 6, 2020.

3. GlobalData Covid Survey: GlobalData performed a second consumer survey of 2,000 women in April, 2020 which specifically focused on changes in attitudes towards apparel, secondhand products, and resale products in light of impact of the global pandemic.

4. Second Measure Transaction Data: Second Measure tracks, analyzes, and benchmarks U.S. transaction trends through direct to consumer channels

5. GlobalData Fashion Retailer Survey: 50 U.S. fashion (apparel, accessories, footwear) retailers were surveyed from December 12, 2019 to January 6, 2020 about their Circular Fashion goals.

6. Green Story Inc. Environmental Study: Independent research firm, Green Story Inc., was contracted to calculate the environmental savings from reuse of secondhand garments sold by thredUP. The study compared the environmental burden of purchasing a brand-new garment with that of reusing an average garment sold by thredUP across all stages of the garment's lifecycle. The savings were calculated across three areas: greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and water consumption. The study followed international ISO 14040 LCA standard.

7. Resale Value Rankings: thredUP evaluated 35,000+ unique brands on its platform and created an aggregate score to determine a brand's ranking based on demand, virality and value to the seller.

8. Internal thredUP Customer Behavior / Data.

10. GlobalData Seller Survey of 2,000 U.S. Women on clothing resale habits

Cowen Equity Research: Cowen's Best ESG Investment Ideas for 2020; March 3, 2020

Department of Health and Environmental Control: How Landfills Work

Deloitte: Advancing environmental, social, and governance investing: A holistic approach for investment management firms

The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (US SIF Foundation): Report on US Sustainable, Responsible and Impact Investing Trends 2018

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2020 Fashion Resale Market and Trend Report

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We were just days from publishing our 2020 Resale Report in March when the Covid crisis hit. Like every business in the world, thredUP paused to focus on the safety of our teams and set a plan for the rest of 2020. At the time, it seemed that Covid had "changed everything."

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"In the past clothing was primarily for coving our bodies and visually distinguishing ourselves

Nothing is closer to our bodies than clothes – ideal medium for collecting information about our physical state and performance"

(Farzaneh, 2020)

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Hamid Farzaneh, Biz Chief, Sensoplex

Hamid Farzaneh, Biz Chief, Sensoplex

Until now clothing was primarily for two things: for covering our bodies and for visually distinguishing ourselves from others. As self-quantification goes mainstream, it is only natural that much attention is being focused on the fact that nothing is closer to our bodies than our clothing, making it the ideal medium for collecting more information about our physical state and performance. The idea of smart clothing is not new. Steve Mann, an MIT researcher, wrote in 1996 "Clothing can enhance our capabilities without requiring any conscious thought or effort". These capabilities can range from sensing, to providing stimuli or response, to enhancing visual effects.

Smart clothing is steadily becoming a reality. As sensors improve and "High tech textiles" are developed, such functionality is not only possible but also feasible for the mass markets. In the short term, however, smart clothing will remain a niche market. As with most new technologies, new concepts and implementations will first happen in the less cost-conscious segments of the fashion and entertainment industries until all the different nuts and bolts necessary for mass production have evolved enough and arrived at an adequate level of maturity.

The Wearable Revolution

By now most people are at least familiar with the concept of wearable technology, thanks to existing consumer products such as Nike Fuelband, Fitbit and the forthcoming Apple Watch. Earlier, products were very limited in capability, essentially just capable of performing step counting, and typically wrist mounted. More recently, attempts to add more sensors are making the devices bigger and more obtrusive, raising questions as to the willingness of consumers to wear clunky objects on their wrist. Smart clothing takes wearable tech a big step forward by allowing not only to integrate more sensors, but also to distribute them on different parts of the body making it possible to becoming practically invisible.

This is of particular interest as more sophisticated sensors than just step-counting accelerometers are commercialized, which are necessary for measuring biological functions. Think of things such as heart rate monitoring, oximetry, transpiration analysis, environmental condition sensors, and more. Currently, the vast majority of smart clothes are limited to mainly heart rate monitors and body kinematic sensors - but there is so much more possible.

Technical challenges

While the benefits of smart clothing are obvious, manufacturing, reliability and utility challenges still abound. Typically, smart clothes include three distinct elements:

1. The actual electronics that contain processors, wireless communication, sensing electronics, batteries, and other hardware
2. Electrodes or textile-based sensors
3. Connectors and conductive thread or wires that link electrodes and textile sensors to the electronics

The biggest issue right now is that washing and drying cycles are too harsh for electronics in their current state, while electrodes and connectors and wires can endure a limited number of cycles. This is not an insurmountable issue and progress will undoubtedly be made in the coming couple of years on this front. Techniques used in smart clothing to connect electrodes to the electronics range from using coated wires sawn to the fabric, to using conductive thread woven in the cloth, to simply laminating a single-sided conductive material inside the clothing. Of these techniques, the latter has been the most popular because of its simplicity, low cost and durability.

While consumers view it as an inconvenience, they will still have to remove the electronics from their smart clothing before a washing cycle. This is made reasonably easy by the use of snap-on buttons. The actual electrodes (necessary for heart rate monitoring), and the conductive thread or wires cannot be so easily removed from the clothing and must endure the rigors of washers and dryers. Their durability is thus critical and there is an emerging de facto industry standard with regard to durability specifications for smart clothing. Companies are expected to provide garments that can survive at least 50 cycles (and preferably 100) in the average washing machine. Failure to guarantee such a level of durability would represent a major commercial disadvantage for manufacturers and suppliers.

Applications Abound

As smart clothing evolves, it is expected that greater medical and health applications will become possible. While the technology would face most of the same challenges as for consumer applications, the fact that cost and convenience are less of an issue makes such applications particularly attractive. For these applications it is accuracy and comfort that count far more than durability. A promising application attempts to address obesity that's often the result of a very stationary life style. Another approach might be to measure the real-time physiological state of at-risk individuals to help detect the cause and effect of their lifestyle on their health.

Smart clothing also offers a huge potential for helping improve individuals' wellness. We can imagine devices coupled with mobile application to serve the community of elderly people, providing them and their relatives or caregivers low cost and very practical ways to quantitatively monitor their well-being, daily routines, level of fitness and health status.

User Experience and Adoption

Given all of the attractive benefits of smart clothing, one must ask why adoption has been rather limited so far. The first issue is of course the lack of choice in the market thus far. It's still very early in the game. Another issue, which has plagued manufacturers of smart clothing, is the durability, or lack thereof, of the electrodes and connective wires. In spite of the progress achieved recently in this area, the cost/durability ratio of the technology is still sub-optimal.

Lastly, there is the obvious issue of continuity of use. Most users will want their clothes to monitor their vital signs throughout their life, seven days a week. This means that users must have multiple smart garments for everyday use - which is currently rather expensive. Longer term, as costs drop, the modest premium of smart clothes might justify for people to have their entire wardrobe composed of smart garments.

More Science than Fiction

Clothing started as a mean for protection from the environment long before it became a fashion statement and a powerful tool for making social statements. With the advent of embedded smarts, clothing will gradually emerge as a second skin that enhances our senses, measures our physiological attributes, and facilitates the sharing of our personal data.

The future for smart clothing is brighter than ever, and will be accelerated by advances in sensors and in smart textiles - such as the ability to reliably and cheaply weave wires into the material. From there, large-scale manufacturing is only a matter of time. The more we can detect and measure, the bigger the benefits we can see in healthcare, and our overall wellness as humans.

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Hamid Farzaneh, Biz Chief, Sensoplex Hamid Farzaneh, Biz Chief, Sensoplex Until now clothing was primarily for two things: for covering our bodies and for visually distinguishing ourselves from others. As self-quantification goes mainstream, it is only natural that much attention is being focused on the fact that nothing is closer to our bodies than our clothing, making it the ideal medium for collecting more information about our physical state and performance.

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"Most demand for smart textile comes from military/defense and healthcare

Due to increasing demand for functional and superior properties products"

(Sharma, 2017)

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Global Smart Textile Market size is expected to reach $5,369 million by 2022 from $943 million in 2015 at a CAGR of 28.4% from 2016 to 2022. Smart textiles are fabrics that are manufactured to include technologies that provide the wearer with increased functionality. It senses and reacts to stimuli or environmental conditions, such as those from thermal, mechanical, chemical, magnetic, and other sources. The global demand for various smart textile products has increased continuously due to their expanding base of applications in end user industries. Most of the demand for smart textile comes from end use industries such as military and defense and healthcare. Both developed and developing countries, will witness the increase in demand with innovative trends. This can be attributed to the factors such as increase in standard of living, rising incomes, awareness of safety and environmentalism, advances in medical technology, expanding automotive sectors, and increased spending on healthcare.

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Integration of smart textiles & wearables, use of nanotechnology in textiles, applications in smartphones, wearables in healthcare sector, and application in the military, defense & sports sector are the major factors that drive the smart textile market across the globe. Increasing research and development in the smart textile market along with the growing demand in emerging economies such as India and China are acting as major opportunities in the global smart textile market.

North America was the highest revenue-generating region in 2015, which is expected to grow at CAGR of 27.9% during 2016 to 2022. Moreover, North America is expected to maintain its dominant position over the forecast period. Europe and Asia-Pacific are the second and third leading regions for smart textile market respectively.

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The global smart textile market is segmented based on function, application, and geography. On the basis of function the smart textile market is categorized into energy harvesting, sensing, thermoelectricity, luminescent, and others, which include weaving, knitting, and braiding. On the basis of application, the smart textile market is bifurcated into healthcare, military and defense, entertainment, automotive, sport and fitness, and others. Geographic breakdown and deep analysis of each of the aforesaid segments is included for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.
Top Investment Pockets:
At present, military & defense, healthcare, and entertainment segments have witnessed large-scale adoption of smart textiles due to increasing demand for functional and superior properties products. Automotive and sports & fitness are other popular segments in the global smart textile market. The rapid growth of smart textiles in the end user application is expected in subsequent years due to rise in demand for higher quality fabrics. These segments have a potential to generate high returns due to expected rise in the adoption of high-end fabrics.

Increasing adoption of smart textiles in the military and defense and entertainment sectors are expected to rise and have been identified as some of the lucrative targets for investment. As compared to other segments, these segments possess larger market size by value. Other emerging end user applications such as healthcare, automotive, sport & fitness, and others are expected to witness good growth in the coming years. However, these applications currently possess moderate market size in terms of value.

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Market Dynamics: Drivers: Integration of Smart Textiles and Wearables
With the integration of electronic components in smart textiles, they are used in various applications such as health management, actuation, response, and communication. They consist of components such as sensors, actuators, control units, and others. Wearable technology mainly concerns textiles, electronic devices, and apparel. These textiles help to control muscle vibrations, regulate body temperatures, and protect from environmental hazards such as radiation. As electronic components can be miniaturized, it is possible to integrate textiles and electronic components. These are the factors that are the driving the global smart textile market.
Restraints: High Cost of Production
The major restraint for the smart textile market is the high cost of production. Smart textiles require high-end materials and are highly sophisticated due to which perfect cost-price balance is not achieved by manufacturers. The market is hindered due to the cost of electronic devices and components, which further increases the prices of the smart textiles.

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LAMEA Review:
Brazil is expected to witness growth in the smart textile market and is presumed to be the market leader in this region. Brazil is the ninth largest economy in the world in terms of GDP and the fifth largest by purchasing power parity. Brazil is the only South American country that holds a prominent position in global textile production. The country is one of the largest producers of apparel, according to the Institute of Studies and Industrial Marketing of Brazil. The Brazilian textile industry is constantly growing owing to the acquisition of modern equipment and technical development, which is further expected to drive the smart textile market during the forecast period. UAE has the largest market for smart textile in the Middle East region.

Major players that operate in this market are DuPont de Nemours & Co., Koninklijke Ten Cate NV, Texas Instruments Inc., Google Inc., Gentherm Inc., Schoeller Textiles AG, Sensoria Inc., Textronics, Adidas, and Ohmatex.

Other key market players in the value chain include, Intelligent Clothing Ltd., International Fashion Machines, Inc., Interactive Wear AG, Vista Medical Ltd., Nike Inc., ONeill, Eleksen, Fibretronic Limited, ThermoSoft International, and Peratech Ltd.
Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

The smart textile market research report provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the current market trends, estimations, and dynamics through 2014-2022, which assist in identifying the prevailing market opportunities in different end user segments.

Market trends of major countries in each region are mapped according to forecasted market revenue.

Top investment pockets, which highlight the opportunity in the most lucrative end user segments is part of the study.

Focused study of the factors that drive and restrict the growth of smart textile market is provided.

Key manufactures of smart textiles are profiled and their recent developments are listed.

Smart Textile Market Key Segments:

By Function

By End User Industry

Healthcare

Military and defense

Entertainment

Automotive

Sport and fitness

Others

By Geography

1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION
1.2 KEY BENEFITS
1.3 KEY MARKET SEGMENTS
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.3 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS
3.4 PORTER'S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

3.4.1 Moderate Bargaining Power Of Suppliers Due To Large Number Of Suppliers And Low Switching Cost
3.4.2 Moderate Bargaining Power Of Buyer Due To High Product Dependency ,Less Availability Of Substitutes, And Number Of Players That Provide Quality Product
3.4.3 Less Availability Of Substitutes And High Cost Increases Product Differentiation
3.4.4 High Threat Of New Entrants Due To Growth In These Sector
3.4.5 Presence Of Numerous Players, Low Brand Loyalty, Low Switching Cost Increases The Competition Among Rivalries

6.3.1 Key Market Trends
6.3.2 Key Growth Factors And Opportunities
6.3.3 Market Size And Forecast
6.3.4 Uk Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.5 France Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.6 Germany Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.7 Italy Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.8 Spain Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.9 Rest Of Europe Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022

FIG. 1. TOP INVESTMENT POCKETS
FIG. 2. PORTER'S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS OF SMART TEXTILE MARKET
FIG. 3. GLOBAL SMART TEXTILE MARKET BY FUNCTION, 2015(PIE CHART OF GLOBAL NUMBERS BY TYPE)
FIG. 4. GLOBAL SMART TEXTILE MARKET BY APPLICATION, 2015(PIE CHART OF GLOBAL NUMBERS BY TYPE)
FIG. 5. GLOBAL SMART TEXTILEMARKET BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015(PIE CHART OF GLOBAL NUMBERS BY GEOGRAPHY)
FIG. 6. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 7. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 8. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 9. 7.2 KONINKLIJKE TEN CATE NV: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 10. 7.2 KONINKLIJKE TEN CATE NV: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 11. 7.2 KONINKLIJKE TEN CATE NV: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 12. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 13. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 14. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 15. GOOGLE INC.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 16. GOOGLE INC.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 17. GOOGLE INC.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 18. GENTHERM INC.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 19. GENTHERM INC.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 20. GENTHERM INC.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 21. SCHOELLER TEXTILES AG: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 22. SCHOELLER TEXTILES AG: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 23. SCHOELLER TEXTILES AG: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 24. SENSORIA INC.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 25. SENSORIA INC.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 26. SENSORIA INC.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 27. TEXTRONICS: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 28. TEXTRONICS: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 29. TEXTRONICS: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 30. ADIDAS: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 31. ADIDAS: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 32. ADIDAS: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 33. OHMATEX: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 34 OHMATEX: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 35. OHMATEX: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)

TABLE 1. GLOBAL ENERGY HARVESTING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 2. NORTH AMERICA ENERGY HARVESTING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 3. EUROPE ENERGY HARVESTING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 4. ASIA-PACIFIC TYPE A MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 5. LAMEA ENERGY HARVESTING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 6. GLOBAL SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 7. NORTH AMERICA SENSINGMARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 8. EUROPE SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 9. ASIA-PACIFIC SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 10. LAMEA SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 11. GLOBAL THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 12. NORTH AMERICA THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 13. EUROPE THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 14. ASIA-PACIFIC THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 15. LAMEA THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 16. GLOBAL LUMINESCENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 17. NORTH AMERICA LUMINESCENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 18. EUROPETYPE B MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 19. ASIA-PACIFIC LUMINESCENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 20. LAMEA SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 21. GLOBAL OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 22. NORTH AMERICA OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022.
TABLE 23. EUROPE OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 24. ASIA-PACIFIC OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 25. LAMEA OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 26. GLOBAL HEALTHCARE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 27. NORTH AMERICA HEALTHCARE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 28. EUROPE TYPE A MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 29. ASIA-PACIFIC TYPE A MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 30. LAMEA HEALTHCARE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 31. GLOBAL MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 32. NORTH AMERICA MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 33. EUROPE MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
EUROPETYPE B MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 34. ASIA-PACIFIC MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 35. LAMEA MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 36. GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 37. NORTH AMERICA ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 38. EUROPE ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 39. ASIA-PACIFIC ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 40. LAMEA ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 41. GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 42. NORTH AMERICA AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 43. EUROPE AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 44. ASIA-PACIFIC AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 45. LAMEA AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 46. GLOBAL SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 47. NORTH AMERICA SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 48. EUROPE SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 49. ASIA-PACIFIC SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 50. LAMEA SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 51. GLOBAL OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 52. NORTH AMERICA OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 53. EUROPE TYPE OTHERS, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 54. ASIA-PACIFIC OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 55. LAMEA OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 56. NORTH AMERICA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 57. U.S. SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 58. CANADA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 59. MEXICO SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 60. EUROPE SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 61. UK SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 62. FRANCE SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 63. GERMANY SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 64. ITALY SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 65. SPAIN SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 66. REST OF EUROPE SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 67. ASIA-PACIFIC SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 68. INDIA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 69. CHINA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 70. JAPAN SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 71. ASIA-PACIFIC SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 72. LAMEA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 73. LATIN AMERICA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 74. MIDDLE EAST SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 75. AFRICA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 76. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 77. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 78. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 79. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 80. 7.2 KONINKLIJKE TEN CATE NV: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 81. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 82. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 83. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 84. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 85. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 86. GOOGLE INC.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 87. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 88. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 89. GENTHERM INC.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 90. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 91. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 92. SCHOELLER TEXTILES AG: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 93. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 94. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 95. SENSORIA INC.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 96. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 97. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 98. TEXTRONICS: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 99. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 100. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 101. ADIDAS: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 102. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 103. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 104. OHMATEX: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 105. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Smart Textile Market Size, Share | Industry Growth and Analysis by 2022

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Global Smart Textile Market size is expected to reach $5,369 million by 2022 from $943 million in 2015 at a CAGR of 28.4% from 2016 to 2022. Smart textiles are fabrics that are manufactured to include technologies that provide the wearer with increased functionality.

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"In the past, fibre technology and materials science were confined to specialists, sports and outdoor players with low margins driven by the fashion industry"

(Amed et al., 2019)

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

To thrive in this environment, companies must think strategically, sharpen their decision making, and keep their fingers on the pulse of customer demand. They need to get digital right and to address consumers increasingly concerned by the climate-change agenda. At the same time, they must cater to local tastes across multiple markets and cultures. One size will not fit all.

These are some of the findings from our latest report, The State of Fashion 2020, written in partnership with The Business of Fashion (BoF). This fourth in our annual series analyzes major themes around the fashion economy and breaks new ground to explain the dynamics driving the industry. Our survey of 290 global fashion executives and interviews with thought leaders and pioneers have helped us identify ten key themes that will set the agenda in the year ahead. The latest reading of the McKinsey Global Fashion Index (MGFI), meanwhile, reveals new insights into fashion-company performance by category, segment, and region.

A darkening mood

For many in the fashion industry, the glass is half empty. The mood among respondents to our executive survey is sober across geographies and price points, and the pockets of optimism seen last year in North America and the luxury segment have steadily evaporated (Exhibit 1).

The MGFI forecasts that growth will slow to 3 to 4 percent in 2020, slightly below the predicted rate for 2019. Strikingly, only 9 percent of respondents think conditions will improve next year, compared with 49 percent who said the same last year.

Economic profit grew for the second year running in 2018, following consecutive annual declines from 2012 to 2016 (Exhibit 2). The 16 percent year-on-year rise came largely from improved operating margins driven by cost cutting. The average industry EBITA margin was 10.8 percent, a tick up on 2017 and the highest since 2014.

One reason that executives are not breaking out the bunting is that the outlook for the global economy is less rosy than it was a year ago. Against this background, fashion-industry fortunes are highly polarized. For an exclusive group of "Super Winners," the sun is shining (Exhibit 3); by economic profit, these 20 companies added more to the industry bottom line in 2018 than all others combined. The Super Winners include three new entrants-Anta Sports, Heilan Home (HLA Corporation), and Lululemon-reflecting the strength of sportswear and the growing influence of Chinese players. In luxury, Kering made an impressive rise through the ranks, driven by Gucci's double-digit sales growth and strong performance in Asia-Pacific markets such as Japan. Not only are leading companies highly value-creating, they are also at the cutting edge of innovation. They are also most successful in attracting funding and talent, often leaving the rest to fight over scraps.

Alongside public companies, we also identified a group of "hidden champions." These privately owned gems often dominate their category areas and generate significant revenues. Some are household names, while others are less visible but still pack a punch. Among the well-known brands, Chanel is a significant player, with revenues of more than $10 billion, while Rolex is one of the few large independent and private luxury watch brands remaining. At the opposite end of the price spectrum is Primark, whose commitment to its core value proposition has made it a formidable competitor. These players show that there is a great deal of industry value outside the spotlight, and the "hidden champions" too have much to offer alongside their listed counterparts.

Of course, for every success, there are also relative failures. A growing number of publicly traded and private companies have become "value destroyers." The midmarket in particular is in the doldrums, generating negative returns for shareholders. For some, the abyss beckons.

Ten themes for 2020

What will define the industry in the coming year? Based on our executive survey, the words on everyone's lips are sustainability, digitization, and innovation (Exhibit 4).

When it comes to sustainability, the industry's track record remains a source of concern. The textile sector still represents 6 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution, and fashion accounts for 20 to 35 percent of microplastic flows into the ocean. Consumers are increasingly waking up to this reality and demanding change. In August 2019, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault spearheaded an industry-wide pact to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. According to McKinsey's 2019 Apparel Chief Purchasing Officer Survey, while the absolute number of sustainable fashion products remains low, there has been a fivefold increase over the past two years.

Looking forward, we see more research into sustainable materials and technologies, as well as the circular economy. This should lead to a move beyond 2019's focus on transparency toward real commitment. That's great news for consumers and for companies that can make sustainability real. However, given the scale of investment required, it means nervous times for small and midsize players.

Equally, consumers and advocates are calling for the industry to become more inclusive. We see 2020 as being a watershed for "Inclusive Culture," with diverse races, genders, and sexual orientations increasingly present across organizations and in leadership roles.

Digital disruptors will face more cautious investors in the year ahead. Stock-market valuations of tech players have reached dizzying levels, reminiscent of the dot-com boom of the early 2000s, while a number of private companies have reached unicorn status. The trick in 2020 will be to prove to investors they can turn potential into profit. At the vanguard, we are seeing a new breed of direct-to-customer companies. Asia in particular is emerging as a fertile ground for small and midsize enterprises that leverage e-commerce to reach out from the factory floor.

At the forefront for many is the future role of brick-and-mortar stores. Although they are written off by some as "too 20th century," we take a more constructive view. We see local stores in particular building a role as partners in the digital revolution, helping customers touch, feel, and experience in convenient locations as they browse online and offline.

It's time to rewire the fashion system: State of Fashion coronavirus update

The bottom line? The coming year will be tough, as the digital shakeout gathers pace, customers demand more on sustainability, and slower growth puts pressure on margins. However, there will be opportunities. Brands that can align with the dominant trends and continue to innovate are most likely to ride the challenges and emerge ahead of the pack.

About the author(s)

Anita Balchandani is a partner in McKinsey's London office, where Shrina Poojara is a consultant; is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office; Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office; and Felix Rölkens is an associate partner in the Berlin office. Imran Amed is the founder, editor-in-chief, and CEO of The Business of Fashion.

The authors wish to thank McKinsey's Tiffany Chan and Marilena Schmich, as well as The Business of Fashion's Robb Young, for their contributions to this article.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating uncertainty

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

# data[].attributes.body
"The original function of textiles was to shield man from cold and rain

Later on in history aesthetic aspects also came to play a role in clothing

Smart-textiles provide environmental sensing and communication

Technologies for military defense and other security personals

At the end of the 19th century, as people developed and grew accustomed to electric appliances, designers and engineers began to combine electricity with clothing

Previously smart textiles were presented as imaginary products and used in very limited areas

Nowadays smart textiles are an implanted customer interest and are presented as the future of the textile industry

Passive smart textiles - The first generations of smart textiles, which provide additional feature in a passive mode i.e. irrespective of the change in the environment

Active smart textiles - The second generation has both actuators and sensors. Textiles which adapt their functionality to changing environment automatically

Ultra smart textiles - Very smart textiles are the third generation of smart textiles, which can sense, react and adopt themselves to environmental conditions or stimuli

A very smart or intelligent textile essentially consists of a unit, which works like the brain, with cognition, reasoning and activating capacities - using material science, structural mechanics, sensor and actuator technology, advance processing technology, communication, artificial intelligence, biology etc."

(Syduzzaman, Patwary, Farhana and Ahmed, 2015)

# data[].attributes.body
Sustainability

"21st century blind mass consumerism has people questioning what role they play in the negative environmental impact the fashion industry has"

(Newbold, 2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Disruption has been fashion's buzzword of choice in recent years, but are you familiar with the new wave of "resale disruptors"? In recent years, the global fashion search engine Lyst has seen traffic to luxury resale products increase by 447 percent. 44 million women shopped second-hand in 2017 in comparison to 35 million in 2016, according to ThredUP, a consignment site that is part of a larger Collaborative Consumption movement, which encourages consumers to live in a more collective, sharing economy.

ThredUP posits that the global resale market will be worth $41 billion by 2022, because "resale disruptors" like itself are growing 24 times faster than the retail industry as a whole: 49 percent year-over-year, versus two percent. This means that second-hand or thrift items will make up one-third of our wardrobes in 2027.

Is this dramatic spike due to an increased interest in mindful shopping, with shoppers keen to actively cut down on consumption via second-hand acquisitions? Or are consumers just hungry for discounted designer products? With the fifth annual Fashion Revolution Week coming to a close, it seems like an apt time to investigate.

Research into what Lyst users are actually searching for reveals some home truths. Bags are the most popular pre-owned item to buy online, followed by jewelry and shoes - three categories known for their comprehensive manufacturing techniques. Customers aren't searching specifically for "pre-owned" accessories, but for brands like Chanel and Céline, which have historically not been readily-available to buy new online (the former still only sells via its boutiques).

Searches are also trend-led. In the last three months, there has been a 62 percent increase in searches for logo pieces in response to the Nineties logomania that the street-style set is currently enjoying. Dior's saddle bag and Louis Vuitton's Speedy model garner the most consumer interest, while Fendi is also gaining traction, no doubt due to the hype around the return of its graphic double Fs.

Accessories have always been an affordable gateway purchase for first-time luxury shoppers, and indeed, ThredUP's report shows that 66 percent of consumers use resale channels to buy brands that they couldn't pay full price for. Millennials are the thriftiest shoppers and buy resale items more than any other age group, citing sustainability as the reason for shopping second-hand. 77 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds prefer to shop from environmentally-conscious brands. But the data also showed that they are the most impulsive shoppers and discard items after one to five wears. The millennial moral and retail habits don't match up - suggesting that green-washed consumers are merely jumping on the back of the trend du jour.

"Discussing which website you use to re-sell your clothes is now like saying, 'Who does your hair?'" Sharon Wolter-Ferguson, CEO and founder of Hardly Ever Worn It, said. The e-tailer, which rebranded itself as HEWI after members started using "hewi" as a verb, has seen a growth of 1,000 percent in four years and launched a sister site, Hewistreet.com, a week ago to keep up with the demand for buying, selling and swapping contemporary brands, such as Sandro and The Kooples.

Cora Hilts, co-founder of sustainable luxury etailer Rêve En Vert, thinks the mass rise in interest around sustainability roots back to Blue Planet II. The finale gave an unflinching look at the impact of human activity on marine life, and ended with a conservation rallying cry from David Attenborough. "It was a real wake-up call to people that we have individual responsibilities towards our consumption habits," Hilts says of the 30 percent month-on-month traffic increase Rêve En Vert has received since the show aired.

Ceanne Fernandes Wong, Vestiaire Collective chief marketing officer and vice president, agrees: "We're seeing customers evolve and become more mindful about their consumption habits. As brands and their products are becoming more visible via the likes of Instagram, everyone is seeing the same thing and individuality is standing up against this sense of homogeny." One million new members joined Vestiaire Collective last year, bumping up its resale community up to seven million members globally.

Circular clothing economy has always been a part of Vestiaire Collective's DNA, but it's currently carrying out a project to analyze how internal operations within the business can operate more sustainably. Later this year it will sign the CFS 2020 Circular FashionSystem Commitment Letter, and packaging will be its first priority. HEWI is also transitioning to eco-friendly packaging, and customers have the option of donating a portion of the profits from their sales to charities.

Designer resale shoppers seem to be going through the motions of compiling guilt-free wardrobes, but if millennials are throwing items away after a handful of wears, it doesn't matter how many consignment sites are promoting the "buy less, but better" policy. Stella McCartney, a designer known for her staunch activism, concurs: "It's absolutely crazy that only one percent of clothing is actually recycled," she told Vogue.

McCartney recently partnered with the RealReal, one of the top three resale websites alongside ThredUP and Poshmark, to promote fashion sharing. But, there's only so many times she can reiterate her outrage at fashion's environmental footprint. Consumers need to get their stories straight, and Fashion Revolution Week proves there's no time like the present to start shopping sustainably in the first place. Here are seven young designers pioneering a sustainable fashion revolution.

Credit to: Alice Newbold

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is The Growth Of Resale Really Linked To Sustainability?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Disruption has been fashion's buzzword of choice in recent years, but are you familiar with the new wave of "resale disruptors"? In recent years, the global fashion search engine Lyst has seen traffic to luxury resale products increase by 447 percent.

# data[].attributes.body
Sustainability
(Amed et al., 2019)

"New recycling technologies and new business models focused on digital rental and resale offer promising opportunities to extend the life of old clothes"

(Amed et al., 2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

To thrive in this environment, companies must think strategically, sharpen their decision making, and keep their fingers on the pulse of customer demand. They need to get digital right and to address consumers increasingly concerned by the climate-change agenda. At the same time, they must cater to local tastes across multiple markets and cultures. One size will not fit all.

These are some of the findings from our latest report, The State of Fashion 2020, written in partnership with The Business of Fashion (BoF). This fourth in our annual series analyzes major themes around the fashion economy and breaks new ground to explain the dynamics driving the industry. Our survey of 290 global fashion executives and interviews with thought leaders and pioneers have helped us identify ten key themes that will set the agenda in the year ahead. The latest reading of the McKinsey Global Fashion Index (MGFI), meanwhile, reveals new insights into fashion-company performance by category, segment, and region.

A darkening mood

For many in the fashion industry, the glass is half empty. The mood among respondents to our executive survey is sober across geographies and price points, and the pockets of optimism seen last year in North America and the luxury segment have steadily evaporated (Exhibit 1).

The MGFI forecasts that growth will slow to 3 to 4 percent in 2020, slightly below the predicted rate for 2019. Strikingly, only 9 percent of respondents think conditions will improve next year, compared with 49 percent who said the same last year.

Economic profit grew for the second year running in 2018, following consecutive annual declines from 2012 to 2016 (Exhibit 2). The 16 percent year-on-year rise came largely from improved operating margins driven by cost cutting. The average industry EBITA margin was 10.8 percent, a tick up on 2017 and the highest since 2014.

One reason that executives are not breaking out the bunting is that the outlook for the global economy is less rosy than it was a year ago. Against this background, fashion-industry fortunes are highly polarized. For an exclusive group of "Super Winners," the sun is shining (Exhibit 3); by economic profit, these 20 companies added more to the industry bottom line in 2018 than all others combined. The Super Winners include three new entrants-Anta Sports, Heilan Home (HLA Corporation), and Lululemon-reflecting the strength of sportswear and the growing influence of Chinese players. In luxury, Kering made an impressive rise through the ranks, driven by Gucci's double-digit sales growth and strong performance in Asia-Pacific markets such as Japan. Not only are leading companies highly value-creating, they are also at the cutting edge of innovation. They are also most successful in attracting funding and talent, often leaving the rest to fight over scraps.

Alongside public companies, we also identified a group of "hidden champions." These privately owned gems often dominate their category areas and generate significant revenues. Some are household names, while others are less visible but still pack a punch. Among the well-known brands, Chanel is a significant player, with revenues of more than $10 billion, while Rolex is one of the few large independent and private luxury watch brands remaining. At the opposite end of the price spectrum is Primark, whose commitment to its core value proposition has made it a formidable competitor. These players show that there is a great deal of industry value outside the spotlight, and the "hidden champions" too have much to offer alongside their listed counterparts.

Of course, for every success, there are also relative failures. A growing number of publicly traded and private companies have become "value destroyers." The midmarket in particular is in the doldrums, generating negative returns for shareholders. For some, the abyss beckons.

Ten themes for 2020

What will define the industry in the coming year? Based on our executive survey, the words on everyone's lips are sustainability, digitization, and innovation (Exhibit 4).

When it comes to sustainability, the industry's track record remains a source of concern. The textile sector still represents 6 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution, and fashion accounts for 20 to 35 percent of microplastic flows into the ocean. Consumers are increasingly waking up to this reality and demanding change. In August 2019, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault spearheaded an industry-wide pact to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. According to McKinsey's 2019 Apparel Chief Purchasing Officer Survey, while the absolute number of sustainable fashion products remains low, there has been a fivefold increase over the past two years.

Looking forward, we see more research into sustainable materials and technologies, as well as the circular economy. This should lead to a move beyond 2019's focus on transparency toward real commitment. That's great news for consumers and for companies that can make sustainability real. However, given the scale of investment required, it means nervous times for small and midsize players.

Equally, consumers and advocates are calling for the industry to become more inclusive. We see 2020 as being a watershed for "Inclusive Culture," with diverse races, genders, and sexual orientations increasingly present across organizations and in leadership roles.

Digital disruptors will face more cautious investors in the year ahead. Stock-market valuations of tech players have reached dizzying levels, reminiscent of the dot-com boom of the early 2000s, while a number of private companies have reached unicorn status. The trick in 2020 will be to prove to investors they can turn potential into profit. At the vanguard, we are seeing a new breed of direct-to-customer companies. Asia in particular is emerging as a fertile ground for small and midsize enterprises that leverage e-commerce to reach out from the factory floor.

At the forefront for many is the future role of brick-and-mortar stores. Although they are written off by some as "too 20th century," we take a more constructive view. We see local stores in particular building a role as partners in the digital revolution, helping customers touch, feel, and experience in convenient locations as they browse online and offline.

It's time to rewire the fashion system: State of Fashion coronavirus update

The bottom line? The coming year will be tough, as the digital shakeout gathers pace, customers demand more on sustainability, and slower growth puts pressure on margins. However, there will be opportunities. Brands that can align with the dominant trends and continue to innovate are most likely to ride the challenges and emerge ahead of the pack.

About the author(s)

Anita Balchandani is a partner in McKinsey's London office, where Shrina Poojara is a consultant; is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office; Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office; and Felix Rölkens is an associate partner in the Berlin office. Imran Amed is the founder, editor-in-chief, and CEO of The Business of Fashion.

The authors wish to thank McKinsey's Tiffany Chan and Marilena Schmich, as well as The Business of Fashion's Robb Young, for their contributions to this article.

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The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating uncertainty

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

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Growth of E-commerce

"Online resellers are driving the growth of the pre-owned market well beyond what brick and mortar stores ever did before"

(Beauloye, 2020)

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This article is part of a series on the future of luxury resale. Discover the rest of the series:

1. Luxury Resale: How Blockchain Helps Fight Counterfeit And Improve Traceability

2. How Lifelong Value Drives First-Time Luxury Purchase

3. Top 10 Best Designer Resale Sites To Buy Secondhand Luxury Online

The pre-owned luxury goods market is growing and shows no signs of slowing down. Resale disruptors - especially online luxury consignment sites - are positioning themselves as conscious alternatives to fast fashion, tapping into affluent consumers' changing attitudes towards sustainability, luxury experience and the concept of ownership.

Luxury brands have traditionally shied away from the second-hand market. But they have to rethink this stance.

In this report, we will explore the key drivers behind the flourishing luxury resale sector and weigh how luxury brands might gain some value from this secondary market. From joint initiatives with resellers to in-house resale ventures, you will learn what luxury resale means and how high-end brands can participate in this fast-moving and rapidly growing market.

Secondary market definition: The meaning of luxury resale The secondary market for premium and luxury goods refers to the market where consumers buy and sell pre-owned designer items. Secondary market sellers entrust their goods to a consignment store or try to sell their items directly themselves. Buyers, on the other hand, have the opportunity to acquire designer items at a discount onsecondhand resale websites. Digital is transforming the luxury resale industry by facilitating secondary market connections and accelerating transactions.

The market for secondhand luxury goods isn't new, but it is now in the spotlight as it becomes one of the fastest-growing luxury trends.

The stigma formerly associated with buying pre-owned items is fading.

Even celebrities are openly endorsing pre-owned luxury goods. The Kardashians-Jenners, for example, are making a move into the resale market, with the launch of Kardashian Kloset. The e-commerce site sells items like clothing, shoes and handbags that once belonged to the celebrity family members.

Luxury resale - buying and selling of the pre-owned luxury goods - is a booming business, fueled by digital platforms like The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, Fashionphile, Chrono24, Watchfinder & Co. and more. The first successful IPO of a secondhand luxury retailer, TheRealReal in June 2019 confirms growing interest in the resale market and a clear indication that the pre-owned market is one worth keeping a close eye on.

Estimated to be worth around $24 billion in 2018, the secondhand luxury market accounts for around 7 percent of the $365 billion personal luxury goods market. But, more interestingly, the secondhand market is growing four times faster than the primary market and is projected to double in value over the next five years. That creates opportunities, as well as challenges for luxury brands.

34%

of True-Luxury consumers -consumers that averaged $44,000 in total luxury spending- sell secondhand products, while 26% buy pre-owned goods (BCG x Altagamma)

Sales of secondhand or vintage, luxury goods - from Burberry to Gucci and Louis Vuitton - are thriving on luxury consignment websites and capturing the coveted young affluent generations.

Although it seems that luxury resale is becoming more widely accepted, most luxury brands are not yet in control of their aftermarket.

80%

of secondhand market participants use online channels to get informed and to trade. (BCG x Altagamma)

Accustomed to exercising strict brand and distribution control, luxury brands have an unsettled relationship with resale businesses. Some luxury brands are dipping toes into the secondhand luxury market to attract the younger affluent customers, boost sales and their sustainability credentials.

But not all are on board.
Fashion house Chanel has filed lawsuits against The RealReal, and vintage consignment company What Goes Around Comes Around for allegedly damaging the reputation and appeal of the brand and selling counterfeit goods.

The four main drivers of luxury resale growth

Four main drivers are supporting the growth of the luxury resale market: digital, affordability, collectability, and changing consumer preferences towards sustainability and experiences.

1. Growing sophistication and consolidation of the luxury resale market: Digital platforms enhance the experience of buying secondhand

The global luxury resale market has historically been fragmented in small local boutiques and person-to-person transactions with limited consumer reach. The market is now moving towards consolidation. The increased professionalisation of the trade channels has won over affluent consumers around the world by offering more transparency and trust.

Online luxury resale platforms are transforming the secondhand market by offering seamless end-to-end experience with far greater certified pre-owned brand and product assortment. Resale websites are also competing to offer extra premium services such as curation, authentication and personalised experiences driven by deep data insights.

By centring on the consumer experience - improving the ease of selling used clothes, streamlining logistics, offering engaging online shopping platforms and ensuring quality - recommerce is more convenient and accessible to consumers than ever.

2. Affordability: Luxury resale gives shoppers the ability to gain access to luxury items at accessible price points

Luxury resale is bringing luxury goods to a wider audience. The secondhand market offers a unique product range at accessible price points for the buyers and an extra income opportunity for the sellers.

If secondhand sellers tend to be existing customers, secondhand buyers are indeed more likely to be customers who are new to the brand and may need to be acquired through paid social or other marketing spend.

3. Collectability: Luxury resale can unearth scarce, sold-out collaborations or unique limited editions

A major advantage of the secondhand market is the chance for affluent shoppers to shop for previous season collections, vintage gems, limited-edition releases, sold-out streetwear exclusives and drops missed the first time.

Luxury goods and their unique collaborations' built-in scarcity mean they hold their resale value and make them highly collectable. Luxury resale sites are tapping into this collector culture.

Millennials and Gen Z are adopting secondhand fashion 2.5 times faster than other age groups. - ThredUp

4. Generational shift: Changing consumer preferences fuel resale market

There are two key motivations behind luxury buyers' shifting purchase behaviour that explain the growth of the high-end pre-owned economy:

Conscious shopping: Seeking sustainability

Modern affluent consumers increasingly shop with a purpose. They are driven by a commitment to sustainability.

64%

of Gen Z and Millennials are influenced by sustainability when making purchases. (BCG x Altagamma)

Experiential luxury: Wanting newness

Young affluent luxury consumers tend to value access to luxury more than owning luxury goods forever. This is what we call the experiential transformation of luxury.

In this new context, secondhand shopping is perceived as a responsible way for new affluent generations of acquiring something temporarily without contributing to the negative impact on the environment of buying fast fashion.
Combined with the need to constantly show new styles on social media, luxury shoppers are turning to pre-owned goods to fulfil their desire for frequent turnover of wardrobes.

How can certified and authentic resale be relevant for luxury brands?

The increased, closer relationship with the luxury resale market could provide luxury brands with four broad opportunities.

1. Fueling sales and marketing

Acquire new customers: Resale can be a gateway to luxury brands for aspirational consumers

The secondhand market acts as a 'recruiting mechanism for luxury brands' by encouraging interest in luxury brands for first-time luxury buyers.

Resale sites can serve as engaging tools for luxury brands to connect with pre-owned luxury buyers who don't have access to the primary luxury market yet and build loyalty with these future luxury primary customers.

Increase the frequency of purchase and loyalty: Secondhand sellers are first-hand buyers

Secondhand sellers are usually first-hand buyers of traditional luxury goods. By selling their secondhand luxury items, they have the ability to reinvest in new, full-price luxury goods, trade up for more expensive items or purchase more frequently.

Most sellers reinvest their resale earnings in purchases of new goods from the brands they love. The more conviction consumers have that these luxury goods are liquid, the more new goods they will buy."
- Charles Gorra, co-founder of Rebag

Read our in-depth article on how lifelong value drives first-time luxury purchase for affluent consumers to see this critical purchase behaviour in action.

2. Supporting sustainability goals

As Millennials and Gen-Z shoppers place greater importance to the social and environmental impact of their purchases, luxury resale appears as a way to boost their sustainability credentials with younger generations and driving the circular luxury economy.

In contrast, behaviours such as stock destruction can backfire in the eyes of the younger generations.

In June 2018, for example, Burberry got social media backlash for incinerating over $37 million worth of unsold goods to control its supply and protect the exclusivity of the brand. Burberry took the hint and started to promote sustainability initiatives as we will highlight later in this report.

By opposition, Apple has embraced the resale market for its premium phones for several years. It encourages consumers to recycle their old phone and buy newer models as soon as they become available.

3. Gathering valuable actionable insights

Access to insightful data is another reason for luxury brands to get in on the resale trend. By collaborating with or managing the luxury resale market, luxury brands can benefit from access to additional data on purchasing patterns and underlying trends that would help in eventually converting secondhand shoppers to the primary market.

Leveraging luxury resale's communities of engaged consumers can also provide luxury brands with valuable feedback on products and brand positioning.

Interestingly, search and buying trends, as well as consumer behaviours and preferences observed on luxury resale platforms can also serve as indicators of what luxury brands are in vogue in the primary market and how much value the items are holding. New or secondhand, Gucci dominates the luxury retail market as the most-searched-for luxury brands, as also reflected in our latest ranking of the best luxury brands online. This resurgence in popularity among young affluent shoppers was seen in real-time by The RealReal.

4. Reinforcing the fight against counterfeiting

Authenticity is at the heart of any successful, sustainable resale venture. As the entire luxury resale reputation (at least for the biggest players) and client bases are built on trust and transparency, the ability of online luxury resellers to properly authenticate luxury goods and guarantee the quality of their inventory is critical.

For luxury goods companies, embracing luxury resale can help take control of their products throughout their lifecycles. In their seemingly never-ending battle against counterfeiters, luxury brands are now turning to technology, including blockchain, for help.

Luxury resale can also support luxury brands in their anti-counterfeiting efforts by offering aspirational consumers more affordable but still genuine options.

How to benefit from resale: different approaches for luxury brands

As the resale market grows, luxury brands are increasingly exploring ways to tap into the emerging trend - from partnering with high-end resale platforms to facilitating consignment selling or altogether building their own resale infrastructure.

The main objectives of these experiments for brands are to get back control of their image and positioning throughout the extended product lifecycle, adopt a more sustainable approach, and earn new revenue streams.

We can categorise brands' resale initiatives across two axes:

The level of integration with the primary market ;

The lead at the helm of the resale initiative (brand in-house venture versus third-party control).

To better illustrate the various levels of luxury resale inclusions by luxury brands, we created four luxury resale archetypes:

The Resale Ruler: Resale is an integrated part of the brand's retail operations. It's characterised by tight control of the entire product lifecycle.

The Resale Explorer: Luxury brands in this category are leveraging third-party expertise and are openly endorsing luxury resale.

The Selective Experimenter: Opportunistic use of the existing resale channels. Resale initiatives are seen as a sustainability-friendly standalone showroom to acquire aspirational consumers and drive sales.

The Hesitant Claimer: Resistant holdouts, luxury brands in this category want to exercise control over their products in the secondary market, but are clearly separating these resale initiatives from their primary market.

We will illustrate below different approaches that luxury brands are currently experimenting with.

1. Partnering with existing resale platforms

Some luxury brands are testing the waters by partnering with online luxury resale sites. Some brands are quietly placing unsold merchandise on resale platforms. Stella McCartney and lately Burberry are some of the few brands to publicly endorse luxury resale.

Promoting resale and driving sales back with a financial incentive: Stella McCartney x TheRealReal

In 2017, Stella McCartney became the first luxury brand to promote the consignment of its products on The RealReal. Anyone consigning Stella McCartney pieces on the resale platform receives a $100 store credit to shop at any of the brand's retail stores or via its website.

Encouraging people to adopt the "make well, buy well, resell" model, the partnership gives Stella McCartney pieces a second life through resale.

Promoting resale and driving sales back with an experiential reward: Burberry x TheRealReal

In October 2019, British fashion house Burberry announced a partnership with luxury marketplace The RealReal in the name of sustainability. Burberry will not supply The RealReal with unsold stock or exclusives, but the pilot programme encourages customers to consign Burberry pieces on the luxury resale site to receive an exclusive "personal styling appointment and British High Tea" in select Burberry stores across the U.S.

Resale demand for the British fashion brand has increased by 64 percent in 2019, with searches for Burberry goods rising fastest among The RealReal's millennial and Gen-Z customers.

A brand as storied as Burberry embracing the circular economy demonstrates the power of resale's impact on both the luxury market and the planet. I hope together we'll be a part of pioneering a future in which circularity is a consideration for every luxury brand."
- Julie Wainwright, CEO of The RealReal

Facilitating luxury consignment/upcycling: Reformation x ThredUp

Some luxury brands are facilitating the resale of their product through partnerships such as Reformation's alliance with ThredUp. On Reformation's website, there are details about how ThredUp works and how much money someone could earn by selling their used clothes and accessories.

Furthermore, to encourage affluent shoppers to clean out their closets and educate them about the positive impact of resale, Reformation is giving customers store credit - whenever customers consign a product from any brand via ThredUp.

Merging brick-and-mortar retail and resale: Selfridges x Vestiaire Collective

In October 2019, 10-year old resale site Vestiaire Collective opened its first permanent boutique dedicated to preloved luxury fashion at Selfridges department store on Oxford Street in London.

Luxury resale site Vestiaire Collective has teamed up with Selfridges to open its first permanent store space in London

The boutique features a curated pre-owned inventory including rare vintage pieces. The brick-and-mortar store also features a dedicated resale point where customers can deposit their own pre-owned luxury goods they want to sell through the Concierge Service and Vestiaire Collective App in real-time. Affluent shoppers can also buy from an online Vestiaire edit on Selfridges' website.

This partnership between Vestiaire Collective and high-end legacy department store Selfridges demonstrates how much the resale market is infiltrating traditional luxury retail and bears testament to the growing interest in luxury secondhand.

2. Acquiring or investing in resale sites

Some luxury companies are taking this one step further by acquiring resale platforms altogether.

U.S. luxury retailer Neiman Marcus, for example, acquired a minority stake in online consignment market Fashionphile, marking the department store's entry into the resale market. Fashionphile is offering an increased buyout price for sellers who opt to receive payment as a credit at Neiman Marcus.

Richemont - that owns Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, and Piaget, among other watch brands and fashion companies - acquired Watchfinder, a UK online marketplace for luxury watches in June 2018.

Competitor Farfetch, on the other hand, acquired resale platform Stadium Goods.

3. Curating vintage pieces

Audemars Piguet began experimenting with trade-ins of the brand's old timepieces as partial exchanges for new ones in some of its boutiques in Switzerland. Audemars Piguet does not rule out selling pre-owned timepieces in the near future.

It is important to control the sale of secondhand watches to protect the owners and the value of watches already in the market by keeping the grey market in check

Vacheron Constantin also took some control over the secondary luxury market. Curated by the Maison's own heritage specialists, the selection of vintage watches are restored by the luxury watchmaker and made available to connoisseurs at dedicated Vacheron Constantin events.

In April 2019 in a commitment to circular fashion, GUESS launched the #GUESSVintage programme, a curated collection of over 150 authenticated GUESS vintage pieces sourced from around the globe. The vintage assortment for the nostalgia loving customers was sold exclusively at LA-based retailer Fred Segal for a limited time only.

Ralph Lauren has teamed up with digital marketplace Depop to offer customers curated vintage, sold-out Ralph Lauren pieces

In October 2019, Ralph Lauren launched Re/Sourced in collaboration with UK-based fashion marketplace app Depop. Sourced by Depop sellers, the uniquely curated collection of vintage products was available for purchase for a limited time at a pop-up space at the Ralph Lauren New Bond Street flagship store in London.

4. Multi-brand luxury retailers experimenting with building resale platforms

Online multi-brand luxury retailer Farfetch launched in May 2019 a pilot resale programme for designer handbags named Second Life. Customers using secondlife.farfetch.com can trade their pre-loved luxury bags in exchange for credits to be used towards future purchases on Farfetch.

Farfetch has also extended its offering of luxury fashion to include pre-owned pieces on the core website where people can, in Farfetch's own words, "find rare pieces that will instantly and indefinitely raise your street cred".

5. Launching a mono-brand resale platform

For luxury brands launching their own resale services, this would give them greater control over prices, availability, authentication and brand positioning in the secondary market.

It would also drive new revenue streams. But managing the luxury resale model in-house would also involve a new set of logistics and investments.

For affluent consumers, brand-owned luxury resale sites could expand the offering and build further trust in secondhand products.

Upscale outdoors brand Arc'teryx launched Rock Solid to buy back used Arc'teryx products from consumers. The brand then refurbishes these used items and sell them at discounted prices.

Apple has made it easy to trade in an eligible device either in a store or online. Customers simply need to answer a few questions about the device for Apple to provide an instant estimated trade-in value. Customers either mail it out using a prepaid trade-in kit or bring it in for an Apple Store Gift Card or instant credit at an Apple Store. Apple's Trade-In programme doesn't always offer the best prices, but for those buying a new iPhone, it is worth considering.

Apple also manages its own refurbished online store, where it sells pre-owned devices for less (savings of up to 15%).

White-labelled resale platforms for brands

Using Yerdle's white-labelled resale services, Eileen Fischer, the popular sportswear designer, offers consumers the possibility to trade in used items, which the brand then sells on as part of its secondhand trade (Eileen Fisher Renew). Yerdle powers the warehouse logistics (including pricing, order quantities and merchandising assortments) and recommerce expertise.

And for goods that aren't up to resale standards, Eileen Fisher repurposes material to make new designs or refashioned into other products that are sold as limited editions.

Following the success of the online resale programme, the brand is now adding Renew shop-in-shops in some of its stores.

Final thoughts: Something old, something new

While the secondhand personal luxury goods market is today relatively small compared to the entire luxury market, its growing influence on the primary market is enough for luxury brands to take notice.

As attitudes towards ownership and sustainability continue to evolve, the momentum of the luxury resale market will most likely continue to rise.

Given that secondhand luxury is growing whether luxury brands approve it or not, adopting a favourable approach to luxury resale is, therefore, an important business consideration.

If luxury brands want to maintain some level of brand and quality control in the secondary market, playing an active role in resale will be critical to increase their customer lifetime value.

Many luxury brands are still only nibbling at the edges of the luxury resale market. It will be interesting to see how the top luxury labels approach the resale market. Whether most luxury brands will opt for strategic alliances with resellers or attempt to ramp up resale models on their own or with the support of technology third parties remains to be seen. If luxury brands were to take back even just a fraction of their items in circulation and run luxury resale on their own, this would shift the entire pre-owned landscape.

One thing is clear, however: stopping consumers from reselling their authentic preloved luxury goods and preventing customers from buying those goods at discounted prices is mission impossible.

At the end of the day, the clear winners of the pre-owned luxury boom will be those who own the customer relationship.

2019 True - Luxury Global Consumer Insight, by BCG-Altagamma, April 17, 2019

Why luxury brands should celebrate the preowned boom, by BCG x Vestiaire Collective, October 2019

Chanel, Inc. v. The RealReal, Inc. (1:18-cv-10626), District Court, S.D. New York.

The New Normal: Luxury in the Secondary Market, by Charles Gorra, Harvard Business School

Luxury Resale Report 2019, by The RealReal

Neiman Marcus Group Becomes First Luxury Retailer to Invest in Pre-Owned Market, by Neiman Marcus Group, BusinessWire, April 17, 2019

LVMH, ConsenSys and Microsoft announce AURA, a consortium to power the luxury industry with blockchain technology, Press release, by ConsenSys, May 16, 2019

Support the circular economy. Shop and consign sustainably, by The RealReal

Extend the lifecycle of luxury items. Join the consignment movement, by The RealReal

Burberry and The RealReal join forces to make fashion circular, by Burberry, October 7, 2019

ThredUp Resale Report 2020, by ThredUp

Vacheron Constantin enlists the skills of the Arianee consortium to develop its digital certificate of authenticity using Blockchain technology, by Vacheron Constantin, June 18, 2019

Farfetch Unveils Handbag Pilot Re-Sale Service, Farfetch Second Life, by Farfetch, May 13, 2019

The RealReal I.P.O.: Secondhand Fashion Goes Mainstream, by Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times, June 27, 2019

Ralph Lauren and Depop launch"Re/Sourced" a uniquely curated collection celebrating vintage Polo, October 21, 2019

Image credits: Brands and Luxe Digital

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Luxury Resale: A Secondhand Strategy for Brands in 2020

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This article is part of a series on the future of luxury resale. Discover the rest of the series: Luxury Resale: How Blockchain Helps Fight Counterfeit And Improve Traceability How Lifelong Value Drives First-Time Luxury Purchase Top 10 Best Designer Resale Sites To Buy Secondhand Luxury Online The pre-owned luxury goods market is growing and shows no signs of slowing down.

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"1600 (earliest) — Early conductive threads are said to date back to the Elizabethan era when gold threads were woven into garments for a gleaming accent"

(Medium, 2016)

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In 2015, 3D printing was seen as one of the most exciting new spaces to explore. From desktop Makerbots to industrial machines, a new groundbreaking discovery in the space was popping up weekly. The interesting thing about additive manufacturing (another name for 3D printing) is that stereolithography (a specific kind of 3D printing) was first developed in 1986 by Charles Hull. By 2015, it had been almost two decades before consumers began to get excited about the space and understand how it could affect them.

Chuck Hull with a 3D Systems SLA Machine

Looking into the e-textiles space, it seems as though we might be experiencing a similar trajectory. This month alone, press has been covering a $302 million DoD and M.I.T collaboration and the U.S Commerce Department's first ever smart-fabrics gathering. As we've seen quite a bit over the past couple years, everyone from brand names like Ralph Lauren to startups like Ravean have been announcing products in the space.

However, as new as e-textiles may seem, this space has been around for decades. The real difference between 2016 e-textiles and 1986 e-textiles is that we now consider the industry to have real, industrial potential and previously, we saw this space as craft, R&D and eccentricity.

Steve Mann is known as "the father of wearable computing" [1] and often refers to the abacus ring as one of the first pieces of wearable technology.

Personally, I like to draw a line between wearable technology and wearable computing as technology is a broad term that applies to not just electronics, but also material and design innovation. With that in mind, wearable technology seems like a much broader category of innovation that isn't as focused on electronics as it is materiality. In the timeline below, we'll be focusing on textile based electronic innovations (under the category of wearable technology) that aren't smart watches, health trackers, or other devices that we know more commonly as "wearables" (including the abacus ring. Sorry guys).

1600 - Early conductive threads are said to date back to the Elizabethan era when gold threads were woven into garments for a gleaming accent. Now, we often use silver, or nickel threads for conductivity, but the concept of metallic threads has existed for centuries for decorating garments.

Early 1990s - MIT students started researching smart apparel for military use.

1996 - Less EMF, the conductive fabric superstore (for EMF blocking purposes) , launches

LessEMF Copper Taffeta

Naturally, I've missed quite a few notches on this timeline. If you'd like to see a landmark in e-textiles history added to this list, please reach out at maddy[at]thecrated.com

Image of an embroidered keyboard from E-broidery

2000- Plug and Wear launches, selling conductive materials for knitting and sewing

2003- Georgia Tech Motherboard shirt appears in press

http://www.gtwm.gatech.edu/

2007 - Leah Buechley develops the Lilypad, a microcontroller made specifically for textiles. (Adafruit later makes its own version called the Flora)

2008 - Sabine Seymour publishes Fashioning Technology

2008 -Mika Satomi and Hannah Perner-Wilson Launch Kobakant

2009 - Forster Rohner launches the Climate Dress using their innovative embroidered techniques

2011- MICA Fiber department begins to explore conductive thread and electronics, creating the Midi Puppet Glove

2012 - Drexel launches their Haute Tech Lab exploring smart fabrics and additive manufacturing for textiles. (date inferred)

2013-2016 - Studios such as Wearable Experiments, Interwoven and The Crated (shameless plug) create practices around e-textiles and making invisible wearable tech.

2016 - IDTechEx launches a report speculating about the future of wearable tech into 2026. They breakdown how people are using conductive textiles, inks and threads

Read more at: http://www.idtechex.com/research/reports/e-textiles-2016-2026-technologies-markets-players-000459.asp

As with any industry, it's important to learn from the past as we move into a strong future for e-textiles. Thanks to suppliers like Less EMF, Adafruit, Plug and Wear and Sparkfun, E-textile makers and innovators can continue to prototype and research into the future and thanks to institutions like University of North Carolina, Drexel and MIT the future looks bright for R&D and innovation in the e-textiles space.

Tune in next time for Tale 3 - Current Thought leaders and E-textiles in Art

[1] http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/07/one-on-one-steve-mann-wearable-computing-pioneer/?_r=0

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In 2015, 3D printing was seen as one of the most exciting new spaces to explore. From desktop Makerbots to industrial machines, a new groundbreaking discovery in the space was popping up weekly. The interesting thing about additive manufacturing (another name for 3D printing) is that stereolithography (a specific kind of 3D printing) was first developed in 1986 by Charles Hull.

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"The defense & military segment accounted for the largest market share of 27.87% in 2018

The integration of these products with electronic products offers a lightweight option against heavy batteries integrated in garments used in defense & military"

(Grandviewresearch, 2019)

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The global smart fabrics market size was valued at USD 878.9 million in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 30.4% from 2019 to 2025. Smart textiles/fabrics are advanced fabrics developed with novel technologies, which offer added value to the wearer. Some of these fabrics also accumulate energy from the surroundings by extracting vibrations, heat or sound, responding to these inputs. Such textiles are used across several applications to enhance performance and add aesthetic value. For instance, in fashion industry they are used due to their ability to light up and change color.

Until now most smart fabrics have been limited to niche usage including the high-end fashion, military & defense, and medical sectors. However, now the industry is witnessing a shift with a positive confluence of the technology and textiles that has led to the easy integration of comfortable fabric-based sensors together with the advent of conductive yarns that can be woven into fabrics. Smart textiles are also anticipated to create a revolution in the smart wearables market.

Development of clothes/fabrics that monitor every movement with a groundbreaking technology, which allows recycle and re-use of textiles is expected play a key role in driving the market over the forecast period. Technological advancements in wireless and electronics segment have led to miniaturization and assimilation of electronic components in conductive textiles, thereby spurring the market growth. Rise in integration of the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology that offers features, such as low power consumption and multi-vendor interoperability, will also contribute to the growth.

Attires enabled with BLE technology can feel, sense, and regulate data, provided the device has an internet connection. Increasing popularity of sophisticated gadgets with various technologically advanced functions including sensing and reacting to the surrounding is expected to drive the market. Components, such actuators, controllers, and sensor units, are incorporated into these fabrics for proper functioning. Smart textiles/fabrics are used by consumers as a clothing entity as well as by the military professionals for protection and safety purpose.

Furthermore, decreasing manufacturing costs of electronic components is expected to fuel the market over the forecast period. Rise in demand can also be attributed to the introduction of conductive materials and advanced fibers that are used to manufacture such fibers. Nanotechnology has helped in the creation of such intelligent fabrics at a microscopic level and also in the development of army uniforms and equipment.

Product Insights

The market has witnessed a considerable growth in the recent years, with a transition from passive to active smart and very smart fabrics. The passive smart fabrics are wearable clothing that can sense the user movement and surrounding environment. This segment led the market in 2018 due to low product prices and less complex functionalities than other variants. Very smart textile has the ability to sense, react, and adapt its behavior to the given circumstances and follows the principle of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR over the forecast period on account of its ability to effectively deal with life threatening circumstances, such as accidents or battlefield or to maintain high levels of comfort even during extreme environmental changes.

Functionality Insights

On the basis of functionality, the global market has been divided into sensing, energy harvesting, luminescence & aesthetics, thermoelectricity, and others. The sensing functionality segment accounted for a significant share of the global market in 2018. This was mainly attributed to the ability of sensing, which is the most essential attribute of any smart garment. Furthermore, sensing and monitoring have been in use in various applications including medical, sports & fitness, and military & defense since a long time. On the other hand, energy harvesting segment is projected to register the maximum CAGR of 31.0% during the estimated period.

End Use Insights

Smart fabrics are used in applications, such as fashion & entertainment, medical, protection & military, architecture, and transportation. The sports & fitness segment is anticipated to witness substantial growth by 2025. Smart textiles possess the ability to react to stimuli generated from mechanical, thermal, magnetic, chemical, and electrical sources. Due to these abilities, it can be used in sophisticated electronics devices including fitness watches and belts for monitoring health and body vitals in real time.

The defense & military segment accounted for the largest market share of 27.87% in 2018. The integration of these products with electronic products offers a lightweight option against heavy batteries integrated in garments used in defense & military. In the future, warrior systems are anticipated to be equipped with wireless weapons, chemical and biological threat detectors, heads-up display, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and battery power for enhanced safety. Furthermore, the product is also used in medical applications, mainly to reduce the recovery time. Rising population across the globe has created the demand for improved healthcare and medical facilities, which is contributing to the market growth.

Regional Insights

North America is expected to hold the largest share of the global market by 2025 and is also projected to be the fastest-growing regional market. This can be attributed to the increasing product demand in the transportation and healthcare industries in North America. Asia Pacific is also anticipated to witness a steady growth in the years to come.

Availability of low-cost raw materials and labor in the Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and India, has transformed it into a manufacturing hub for such technology. This has led to the decline in the overall production of smart fabrics in the European region. However, increasing number of R&D activities for such intelligent fabrics sponsored within the EU FP6 and FP7 programs is revitalizing the industry in the European countries.

Smart fabrics Market Share Insights

Key companies, such as Adidas AG O'Neill and Nike Inc., are anticipated to hold a significant share in the market owing to their competencies in performance clothing. Other key industry players include Auxetix, Eleksen, Fibretronic Limited, Clothing+, Exo2,ThermoSoft International, Gentherm, and Peratech Ltd. System integrators, such as Interactive Wear and Fibretronix, are likely to be the leading integrators engaged in the encapsulation of electronics, integration with textile structures, and electronics & industrial design.

Institutes, such as North Carolina State University College of Textiles, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and Tampere University of Technology, are expected to play an important role in product development and testing, particularly in collaboration with the system integrators. The Center for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials (CeNTI) in Portugal has invented an innovative intelligent fabric that generates enough power to light clothes.

Such institutes are focusing on utilizing this technic optimally for various conventional appliances, such as charging portable electronics devices with no reliance on traditional electrical networks. Additionally, extensive research activities focused on the commercialization of self-cleaning fabrics are aimed at improving the quality of life.

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue and volume growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2015 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global smart fabrics market report on the basis of product, end use, functionality, and region

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smart fabrics market - global smart textile industry size

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Smart Fabrics Market Size, Share | Industry Analysis Report, 2019-2025

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The global smart fabrics market size was valued at USD 878.9 million in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 30.4% from 2019 to 2025. Smart textiles/fabrics are advanced fabrics developed with novel technologies, which offer added value to the wearer

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Digital

"Consumers are increasingly digitally enabled and information hungry, opening the door for innovation related to functionality extension such as wearable technology

We are becoming comfortable integrating digital into all other aspects of our lives, clothing is the next step"

(Chandler, 2020)

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In an opinion piece published in the journal Matter, members of the Fibers@MIT research group recently laid out a detailed vision for how the rapidly growing field of advanced fibers and fabrics could transform many aspects of our lives. For example, "smart clothing" might continuously monitor temperature, heart rate, and other vital signs, then analyze the data and give warnings of potential health conditions. Headed by Professor Yoel Fink, the group is developing fibers and fabrics with advanced computational properties. MIT News asked PhD student Gabriel Loke, who was the article's lead author, along with Fink and six others, to elaborate on the team's outlook.

Q: The paper you just published describes a vision for a fabric computer. Could such computers help to address a pandemic situation like the one we confront now?

A: The current pandemic has revealed the need for new paradigms to assess the health of large populations in real-time. Current approaches of symptom-driven tests are lagging indicators, and can be likened to driving just with your rear-view mirror, as far as the spread of Covid-19 is concerned. So how do we create systems that are predictive, forward-looking and can deliver leading indicators? What if you had a way to access your vital signs on a continuous basis? Could subtle, imperceptibly small changes become early warning signs for the health issues of an individual? What if you could correlate in space and time these changes for a large population, and do so in real time, to identify the spread of disease?

No human-made objects are more ubiquitous or exposed to more vital data than the clothes we all wear. Wouldn't it be great if we could somhow teach our fabrics to sense, store, analyze, extract, and communicate this potentially useful information?

In this piece, I describe the four principles for this new computer. First, the capabilities of a single strand of fiber will advance rapidly over time through new material designs and scalable fiber fabrication approaches. The second step is the synergistic assembly of these fibers into a fabric uniquely positioned to capture, store, and process vast amounts of data released by our bodies. The third is the development of artificially intelligent fabrics, where specially architected machine-learning algorithms programmed into the fabrics could uncover and gain new insights into hidden bodily patterns. Fourth, fabrics become sophisticated platforms for value-added services catering to a large population.

Q: You describe a potential "Moore's Law," which originally described a doubling of computing capacity every 18 months, for the development of computational fabrics. Could you describe what you mean by that?

A: For a Moore's Law for fibers to emerge, fibers have to be made up of multiple materials, precisely arranged within a single fiber cross-section to produce devices of varying functionalities including computation. The field of multimaterial fibers is young, relative to that of thin-film technology for microchip devices. But what we are seeing now in papers and research is a large growth in the number of functions that a fiber can exhibit.

For example, in the past few years, the fabrication method called thermal fiber drawing has resulted in a variety of material combinations and functions including heart-rate monitoring and optical communication. With a Moore's Law for fibers, we imagine a future where computational fabrics will be consistently updated with new functions and capabilities, similar to how we are always updating software in our computers.

Q: You've laid out a long-term vision and blueprint for the future of computational fabrics. What do you see as the most significant near-term steps in that direction that we can expect to see in the next few years?

A: The most important thing is to make sure that people, in particular students, realize what is happening in fabrics and how capable they will soon become. In our group, a host of students from different disciplines are working on creating fabric computers as we speak. Similar to the personal computer evolution, there are vast opportunities for new companies and innovation in this space. I anticipate fibers entering the digital domain and the introduction of fiber input and output. Modern computers are made up of millions of logic gates, so incorporating digital circuits and gates into a fiber represents the first of many steps toward achieving full computing capabilities in fibers and fabrics.

Second, for the realization of a fabric computer, the significant near-term step will be the development of fabric architectures that allow fibers to communicate with each other while retaining the conventional qualities of fabrics.

Finally, to enable fabrics with artificial intelligence capabilities, training useful networks for accurate predictions requires large data sets. This requires the collection of large amounts of data from our body. It is then necessary for sensors in fabrics to be as seamless and resistant as possible so that these sensors can be worn for prolonged durations. Work on these fronts such as improving the flexibility, washability, and power requirements of fiber sensors will bring us a step ahead into the pervasive sampling of human body data.

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3 Questions: The rapidly unfolding future of smart fabrics

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An MIT team has laid out a detailed vision for how the rapidly growing field of advanced fibers and fabrics could transform many aspects of our lives. For example, smart clothing might continuously monitor temperature, heart rate, and other vital signs, then analyze the data and give warnings of potential health conditions.

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Digital

"The rise in production of smart clothing is directly proportional to the development of technology

As the technology grows, market will witness increased demand of such clothing"

(Fibre2fashion, 2019)

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Global Smart Textile Market | Growing Smart Textile Market

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Read article about Global smart textile market is expected to exceed US $ 1,500 million by the year 2020. It is predicted that growing smart textile market continues being the largest market segment for the next six years. and more articles about Textile industry at Fibre2Fashion

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Digital

"A key driver for smart textiles research is the fact that both textile and electronics fabrication processes are capable of functionalizing large-area surfaces at very high speeds"

(Cherenack and Pieterson, 2012)

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Digital

"With the ability to create hands-free communication, users will find it easier to keep up with their friends and family, simply by wirelessly connecting the smart fabric to their phones"

(ApexMills, 2019)

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Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here!
Or contact our team now and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have!

Textiles are everywhere - from the clothing we wear, cars we drive, and furniture we occupy to the roads we travel, bandages we use to heal, and structures that shelter us for protection, each fabric is carefully selected for its unique construction and properties. But what if the clothing you wore could monitor your heart rate and transmit medical alerts to your doctor? Or if the bandages you affix to your skin didn't just cover a wound but dispensed healing medication. Perhaps a construction worker would be interested in wearing a hard hat that can provide a warning about carbon monoxide poisoning based on fluids from the skin. That's where smart textiles come in.

Smart textiles - also referred to as functional fabrics and e-textiles - are changing the way we think about the role of fabrics for industrial purposes and everyday use. With new technological advancements, we're moving closer to a future where fabrics are functional, beautiful and responsive.

What Are Smart Textiles?

Since smart fabrics are a newer technology, many people aren't aware of their potential. Smart textiles provide an added benefit to the user beyond the typical value of the fabric. They respond and adapt to their environment.

Fabrics are a combination of fibers and polymers, natural and man-made, that are constructed through a variety of techniques, the most popular being knitted or woven. Each blend of fabric serves a different purpose, individualized for a particular climate or function. But since fabric is the foundation for so many products and more, it makes sense to see how its utility can be expanded.

Take temperature, for instance - cotton and linen clothing are perfect for hot environments, as they are breathable and light. However, the allowance for airflow that keeps you cool creates a problem in colder temperatures. Going back and forth from hot to cold areas can be a nuisance when choosing what clothing to wear.

Functional textiles change that. They can adapt based on design structure or external stimuli. Imagine a fabric that can respond to a temperature change and keep you comfortable, much like your skin. And, along with adopting new capabilities, smart fabrics create a more sustainable culture. With the ability to transform, less product is needed which produces less waste.

What Makes Functional Textiles, Smart?

The evolution of technical textiles takes cues from the electronics and photonics industries. The integration of sensor arrays and plastic optical fiber (POF) creates an extension of functional fabrics commonly known as smart textiles.

At its core, technical textile manufacturing is a vast landscape of advanced yarn systems combined with textile formation techniques. The completed construction can be further transformed through lamination, coatings and composite methods.

Depending on their use, smart fabrics are created by fusing together fibers and technology. These fibers include conductive yarns and polymers, shape memory polymers, encapsulated phase change materials, fiber optics, and other small electronics. They may also use external additions, such as:

These materials interact with one another along with an external stimuli - such as temperature, light or pressure - creating a transfer of energy. Once activated, the functional fabric responds depending upon the textile's function.

What Are Smart Textiles Used For?

Smart textiles generally belong to one of two main categories:

1. Aesthetic: Smart fabric has been breaking out in the fashion industry. Aesthetic smart textiles can light up and change color, have an interactive element or shift with their environment. Fashion designers have already picked up on the new technology, creating entire lines out of smart materials. This category also encompasses decor and design elements.

2. Performance enhancement: With a focus on function over fashion, performance-enhancing smart fabrics provide the user with a unique experience, dependent on their purpose. This includes body temperature regulation, reducing wind and water resistance, guarding against radiation, minimizing the effects of space travel and even controlling the vibration of muscles.

Both categories of smart fabric serve their own purposes and work to solve current issues with industrial and fashionable materials.

What Industries Employ Smart Fabrics?

Smart fabric can be used in any industry. We have seen heightened use in these industries:

Technology as a Smart Fabric Solution

Smart fabrics solve common issues in many industries. Body temperature regulation is crucial in law enforcement, military, and athletic professions, among others. Rather than relying on layers and worrying about breathability, smart fabric can adapt to temperature shifts fluidly.

Within the medical field, developers are working on textiles that can monitor heart rate, dispense medication, and even transmit immediate notification if the wearer of the textile were to fall.

Currently, researchers at Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) are focusing on four main categories of technology-enabled fibers:

Prior to this new age of development, semiconductors were affixed to fabric, creating the ability to "power-up." But the yarns lacked softness and putting a circuit board/power source onto the fabric decreased its wearability. Today, the industry wants to shrink these diodes to sand-like particles and infuse them into the fiber itself.

As technology continues to advance, smart textiles will become the solution for many more common issues, possibly replacing the bulky hardware objects that currently adorn our home and workplace surfaces. The versatility and adaptability of e-textiles allow for a wide range of soft, flexible applications. With durable designs and innovative yarns, these products can stand the test of time.

Integration in the Military

Soldiers dress in thick layers and haul about 110 pounds of tactical gear. Not only does it take a lot of effort to carry, but it also poses a need for portable power sources. Batteries are carried, along with their gear, and disposed of quickly. Without ample power, the equipment becomes unusable.

The consortium of companies, academia and the Department of Defense that make up AFFOA have been developing the ability to create wearable power sources for military applications. Batteries are a huge cost, due to how many of them soldiers go through to keep their devices running. The development of power source smart textiles and connectors in body armor and similar fabrics are crucial to creating a system that's both reliable and user-friendly.

This isn't the only application, either. The Canadian military has made use of full-fabric keyboards in its IAV Stryker units, developed to replace the bulky, traditional hardware. They're lighter, easier to transport and have fewer components to break. Applications for smart textiles vary greatly, making them a great solution for many needs.

Greater Usage of Smart Fabrics

Grandview Research projects that the compound annual growth rate for smart fabrics will soar over the next few years. As technology advances, there has been a growing demand for more sophisticated and smarter textile products.

This, coupled with the rapid growth of low-cost smart wireless sensor networks, has been driving the market in North America. The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing increased demand for smart textiles as well, attributing the need to the rapidly developing healthcare and construction industries. On the other hand, the growing market for automobiles in Europe is boosting the smart fabrics growth rate in this region.

This growing demand creates opportunities for manufacturers who may have thought smart fabrics were out of their reach. As people begin to anticipate and demand them, the market will widen.

Decrease in Material Prices Gives Smart Fabrics a Boost

Smart textiles will get a lift from an anticipated reduction in the expense of manufacturing electronic components. Cheaper building blocks generally lead to higher demand. Conductive materials are needed for smart fabric manufacturing. Smart fabrics may contain electrical components such as:

Army uniforms in several countries have been made with nanotechnology. Anything that can assist with military efficiency opens new options and will garner lots of attention from government scientists, creating further demand for the material. Some scientists even believe smart fabrics could be used to help military personnel detect chemical weapons and alert wearers to biological threats.

Benefits of Smart Textiles

Creating a world where smart textiles become commonplace can be beneficial in several ways. Sustainability and extending the lifespan of the products we use have been worldwide topics of concern. By creating e-textiles demonstrating longer lifespans, better durability, and interchangeable styles, we can reduce the amount of textile waste in landfills dramatically.

With the ability to serve everyone from fabric consumers to astronauts, smart fabrics are incredibly versatile and customizable. There is a smart fabric solution for every need. Everyone seeks ways to improve their lifestyle, whether it's through their workouts, commutes or their social communication skills. E-textiles are technologically multi-faceted and can help to enhance an individual's lifestyle in so many ways:

While e-textiles are currently expensive and difficult to access, incorporating them into all areas of everyday life will make them more readily available. Although they come with a premium price tag, their value is much higher, having the potential to last through an entire lifetime of use.
Learn More About Our Textiles
A Recent History of Technological Advances in the Smart Textile Industry

Over the past few years, wearable smart fabrics have gained traction and are becoming more readily available to consumers. Here are a few highlights:

2015: While most of the technological advancements in smart fabric have occurred in scientific spaces, smart fabric started becoming commercially available in stores in 2015. Most of the first releases available centered around athletics and baby care, including big names like Hexoskin and Ralph Lauren's Polo Tech Shirt.

2016: CuteCircuit, a fashion-based brand, launched the groundbreaking SoundShirt. Using embedded haptics, this shirt allowed a deaf person to feel music. 2016 also marked the U.S. Commerce Department's first smart fabric-centered gathering.

2017: Google collaborated with Levi's® to create and release a Bluetooth-enabled jacket, Levi's® Commuter X Jacquard By Google. The project intended to help bicyclists who live in cities, giving them more accessible, hands-free communication on their daily commutes. The Next Generation Jacket was released in September 2019.

2018: At the Winter Olympic Games, hosted in PyeongChang, the entirety of Team USA wore self-heating jackets. Created by a collaboration of Ralph Lauren and several tech companies, these jackets kept athletes from suffering in the frigid temperatures.

2019: Technology brand Loomia releases a winter coat with a textile substrate layered heating system. The system minimizes the bulk of traditionally warm coats and allows for user control of their comfort setting.

Smart fabrics are continually advancing in their capabilities. Some of the latest e-textiles to hit stores include temperature control, integrated payment options, and health tracking features. There have already been major strides in creating wearable technology. Growing intrigue and industrial need will continue the upward trend of smart textiles.

The Future of Smart Textiles

Smart textiles and functional fabrics have been in sight of scientists and designers for years. Only recently have they made their way onto runways and into headlines. And, the more consumers and technologists learn about smart fabrics, the further they push the limits.

As technicians continue to develop these textiles, their capabilities will expand, making them able to function as a sort of second skin. Temperature-regulating fabric is already available, but progression will allow for a more fluid user experience. The fabric will read stimuli and respond to it with a shift in energy.

One of the most significant areas of progression will likely be in the field of health and wellness. Beauty and medicinal companies are looking at ways we can make fabrics that positively affect the wearer's health. This includes the ability to:

Making clothing that resists wear is presently underway, thanks to the innovation of smart fabric. Through continued development, self-healing and repairing fabric may become a reality. Tears, holes and seam rips could become a thing of the past. Clothing may evolve from short-term to lifetime purchases.

In the near term, we can expect the apparel industry to be early to market smart textiles by technology integration through flexible printed electronic methods. Beyond 2021, integrated electronic textiles will permeate diverse business sectors, providing integrated communication services, touch sensing remote controls, energy harvesting, and charging embedded during the formation of the textile structure.

Knitting and weaving technologies are setting the standards for e-textile manufacturing, and Apex Mills is helping to pioneer the future.

Yarn is the Next Invention

When considering developing a new yarn for interlacing into textile structures there are a multitude of formation methods to consider; wet emulsion, wet dispersion, vapor deposition, extrusion, wet spinning, dry spinning, electro-spinning, drawing, co-extrusion, covering, twisting, plaiting, and co-mingling, to name a few.

Universities, institutes, and companies are innovating yarn functionality for the next level of performance. Energy and communication are the newest performance characteristics that will be required to enable e-textiles.

Drexel University's Center for Functional Fabric has recently engineered a yarn that will store energy. This textile battery is much lighter and remarkably flexible, enabling it to become part of the fabric structure. Modifying traditional yarn with textile coatings and twisting methods, fibers are converted to a conductive yarn which is then paired through twisting with a stainless-steel yarn. The dual conductor systems work together to collect endless quantities of energy.
Creating technical, smart or functional fabrics is a regular business at Apex Mills. Our custom approach to textile product development begins with customers like you.

Discover Custom Smart Textiles with Apex Mills

At Apex Mills, we believe in creating a smarter world, where bold solutions to everyday problems thrive. Our business operates through one unifying motto - "Problem shared. Problem solved." We create custom fabric solutions for your specific design challenges, working with you as a partner. Each project is carefully evaluated to provide you with the best solution possible. Apex Mills practices Application Driven Design, ensuring we can fulfill your needs.

Every design is created and manufactured in the U.S., with locations in Long Island, New York, and North Carolina. Being an all-American company, we can provide quick and effective services globally. Apex Mills wants to help you find exactly what you're looking for. Partner with us and experience our fast and thorough customer service. Fill out our online questionnaire, and we'll get started creating a personalized warp knit fabric for you.
Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here!

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Smart Textiles: The Future of the Fabric Industry | Apex Mills

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Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here! Or contact our team now and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have! Textiles are everywhere - from the clothing we wear, cars we drive, and furniture we occupy to the roads we travel, bandages we use to heal, and structures that shelter us for protection, each fabric is carefully selected for its unique construction and properties.

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Sustainability
Key drivers of accelerating activity:

"Shifting consumer sentiment (often reflecting rising environmental awareness)

Regulation in areas such as e-textiles and accelerating in research and development

Lawmakers are working hard to ensure the fashion and textile industries comply with standards expected by consumers in other aspects of their lives

The EU’s Circular Economy Package introduces ambitious targets for recycling waste, including textile waste

Sustainable substitutes that include recently rediscovered and re-engineered old favourites as well as high-tech materials that deliver on aesthetics and function

Consumers are prioritising the environment in the choices they make, and some people are willing to pay more for products that have less negative impact

Brands around the world are reacting to rising demand for low-impact alternatives that are functional or sustainable or both"

(Amed et al., 2019)

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

To thrive in this environment, companies must think strategically, sharpen their decision making, and keep their fingers on the pulse of customer demand. They need to get digital right and to address consumers increasingly concerned by the climate-change agenda. At the same time, they must cater to local tastes across multiple markets and cultures. One size will not fit all.

These are some of the findings from our latest report, The State of Fashion 2020, written in partnership with The Business of Fashion (BoF). This fourth in our annual series analyzes major themes around the fashion economy and breaks new ground to explain the dynamics driving the industry. Our survey of 290 global fashion executives and interviews with thought leaders and pioneers have helped us identify ten key themes that will set the agenda in the year ahead. The latest reading of the McKinsey Global Fashion Index (MGFI), meanwhile, reveals new insights into fashion-company performance by category, segment, and region.

A darkening mood

For many in the fashion industry, the glass is half empty. The mood among respondents to our executive survey is sober across geographies and price points, and the pockets of optimism seen last year in North America and the luxury segment have steadily evaporated (Exhibit 1).

The MGFI forecasts that growth will slow to 3 to 4 percent in 2020, slightly below the predicted rate for 2019. Strikingly, only 9 percent of respondents think conditions will improve next year, compared with 49 percent who said the same last year.

Economic profit grew for the second year running in 2018, following consecutive annual declines from 2012 to 2016 (Exhibit 2). The 16 percent year-on-year rise came largely from improved operating margins driven by cost cutting. The average industry EBITA margin was 10.8 percent, a tick up on 2017 and the highest since 2014.

One reason that executives are not breaking out the bunting is that the outlook for the global economy is less rosy than it was a year ago. Against this background, fashion-industry fortunes are highly polarized. For an exclusive group of "Super Winners," the sun is shining (Exhibit 3); by economic profit, these 20 companies added more to the industry bottom line in 2018 than all others combined. The Super Winners include three new entrants-Anta Sports, Heilan Home (HLA Corporation), and Lululemon-reflecting the strength of sportswear and the growing influence of Chinese players. In luxury, Kering made an impressive rise through the ranks, driven by Gucci's double-digit sales growth and strong performance in Asia-Pacific markets such as Japan. Not only are leading companies highly value-creating, they are also at the cutting edge of innovation. They are also most successful in attracting funding and talent, often leaving the rest to fight over scraps.

Alongside public companies, we also identified a group of "hidden champions." These privately owned gems often dominate their category areas and generate significant revenues. Some are household names, while others are less visible but still pack a punch. Among the well-known brands, Chanel is a significant player, with revenues of more than $10 billion, while Rolex is one of the few large independent and private luxury watch brands remaining. At the opposite end of the price spectrum is Primark, whose commitment to its core value proposition has made it a formidable competitor. These players show that there is a great deal of industry value outside the spotlight, and the "hidden champions" too have much to offer alongside their listed counterparts.

Of course, for every success, there are also relative failures. A growing number of publicly traded and private companies have become "value destroyers." The midmarket in particular is in the doldrums, generating negative returns for shareholders. For some, the abyss beckons.

Ten themes for 2020

What will define the industry in the coming year? Based on our executive survey, the words on everyone's lips are sustainability, digitization, and innovation (Exhibit 4).

When it comes to sustainability, the industry's track record remains a source of concern. The textile sector still represents 6 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution, and fashion accounts for 20 to 35 percent of microplastic flows into the ocean. Consumers are increasingly waking up to this reality and demanding change. In August 2019, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault spearheaded an industry-wide pact to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. According to McKinsey's 2019 Apparel Chief Purchasing Officer Survey, while the absolute number of sustainable fashion products remains low, there has been a fivefold increase over the past two years.

Looking forward, we see more research into sustainable materials and technologies, as well as the circular economy. This should lead to a move beyond 2019's focus on transparency toward real commitment. That's great news for consumers and for companies that can make sustainability real. However, given the scale of investment required, it means nervous times for small and midsize players.

Equally, consumers and advocates are calling for the industry to become more inclusive. We see 2020 as being a watershed for "Inclusive Culture," with diverse races, genders, and sexual orientations increasingly present across organizations and in leadership roles.

Digital disruptors will face more cautious investors in the year ahead. Stock-market valuations of tech players have reached dizzying levels, reminiscent of the dot-com boom of the early 2000s, while a number of private companies have reached unicorn status. The trick in 2020 will be to prove to investors they can turn potential into profit. At the vanguard, we are seeing a new breed of direct-to-customer companies. Asia in particular is emerging as a fertile ground for small and midsize enterprises that leverage e-commerce to reach out from the factory floor.

At the forefront for many is the future role of brick-and-mortar stores. Although they are written off by some as "too 20th century," we take a more constructive view. We see local stores in particular building a role as partners in the digital revolution, helping customers touch, feel, and experience in convenient locations as they browse online and offline.

It's time to rewire the fashion system: State of Fashion coronavirus update

The bottom line? The coming year will be tough, as the digital shakeout gathers pace, customers demand more on sustainability, and slower growth puts pressure on margins. However, there will be opportunities. Brands that can align with the dominant trends and continue to innovate are most likely to ride the challenges and emerge ahead of the pack.

About the author(s)

Anita Balchandani is a partner in McKinsey's London office, where Shrina Poojara is a consultant; is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office; Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office; and Felix Rölkens is an associate partner in the Berlin office. Imran Amed is the founder, editor-in-chief, and CEO of The Business of Fashion.

The authors wish to thank McKinsey's Tiffany Chan and Marilena Schmich, as well as The Business of Fashion's Robb Young, for their contributions to this article.

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The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating uncertainty

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The prevailing mood of fashion leaders is one of anxiety and concern. On the one hand, evolving channels, shifting markets, and groundbreaking research offer revenue opportunities and the chance for radical innovation. On the other, global economic growth is slowing and competition is more intense than ever.

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Sustainability

"A key factor in this technology is sustainable materials

Plant-based fibers that use the latest technologies will help manufactures produce innovative hybrid fabrics

Kate Hart, senior trend researcher at Trendstop"

(Draper, 2018)

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High quality fabrics that last a long time are hard to find these day. Many garments only last a few washes. Whether for performance or aesthetic reasons, the focus within the textiles orb is on smart fabrics - from those that change their hue to those that regulate body temperature. Researchers are developing smart fabrics that do things that traditional fabrics cannot.

"If you think about what your skin is doing and then think of fabric - it will be able to do the same," says Sabine Seymour, a futurologist and founder of wearables start-up Supa. "You tan, you sweat, your pores open up, your skin changes depending on the humidity ... So imagine your hairs standing up and that changing the shape of the garment, or tanning and your apparel changing color. If you perspire, what if a garment responds to that?"
Read more Smart Fiber to Introduce Diagnostic Capabilities Into Clothing
Seymour says smart clothes in the future could have self-healing properties. If you fall and graze your skin, the technology woven into the fabric you are wearing, will treat your skin.

"There is a consumer demand for it," she says.

Fabrics interwoven with technology are becoming a reality. In the future, likely to be 5 to 10 years away, smart clothes will monitor our health hand help keep us stay healthy and fit.

"Are we about to suffer from a medical problem? Are we having a good time? Do we need to relax? Textiles will warn you about impending epileptic seizures. Your bra can already contain a heart rate sensor. There could be advantages to using garments rather than attaching gadgets, as some of the sensors need to be placed in exact positions on the body. We need investment in wearable technology, and smart textiles, as they will have relevance for us all in the coming years," says Alison Welsh, head of department at the Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Project Jacquard, run by Google's Advanced Technologies and Projects unit, weaves technology into fabric to give it conductive and interactive properties. Google has collaborated with Levi's on a smart jacket that will enable cyclists to brush their fingers on the fabric of their jacket to check the time or play their music.

Read more Yarn Battery Could Power Smart Clothes and Wearables

Last year, University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute produced a dress in collaboration with wearable tech company Cute Circuit. The dress is made with a fabric that has "wonder material" graphene which causes the dress to change color according to the wearer's breathing patterns.

A key factor in this technology is sustainable materials. Plant-based fibers that use the latest technologies will help manufactures produce innovative hybrid fabrics, according to Kate Hart, senior trend researcher at Trendstop.

"Developments such as Stella McCartney's Skin-free Skin illustrate the elevations in faux leather quality, increasing their viability as an alternative to animal hides at designer level," she said.

Sam Draper ( Google+) is Online Editor at WT | Wearable Technologies specialized in the field of sports and fitness but also passionated about any new lifestyle gadget on the market.Sam can be contacted at press(at)wearable-technologies.com.

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Are Smart Fabrics the Future of Fashion?

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High quality fabrics that last a long time are hard to find these day. Many garments only last a few washes. Whether for performance or aesthetic reasons, the focus within the textiles orb is on smart fabrics - from those that change their hue to those that regulate body temperature.

# data[].attributes.body
Sustainability

"The market for smart textiles is on rise and with technology becoming more important for the consumers; amalgamation of technology into clothing has become a way to sustainability"

(Fibre2fashion, 2019)

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Global Smart Textile Market | Growing Smart Textile Market

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Read article about Global smart textile market is expected to exceed US $ 1,500 million by the year 2020. It is predicted that growing smart textile market continues being the largest market segment for the next six years. and more articles about Textile industry at Fibre2Fashion

# data[].attributes.body
Sustainability

"Sustainability and extending the lifespan of the products we use have been worldwide topics of concern

By creating e-textiles demonstrating longer lifespans, better durability, and interchangeable styles, we can reduce the amount of textile waste in landfills dramatically

Although they come with a premium price tag, their value is much higher, having the potential to last through an entire lifetime of use

Making clothing that resists wear is presently underway

Continued development, self-healing and repairing fabric may become a reality

Tears and holes could become a thing of the past"

(ApexMills, 2019)

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Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here!
Or contact our team now and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have!

Textiles are everywhere - from the clothing we wear, cars we drive, and furniture we occupy to the roads we travel, bandages we use to heal, and structures that shelter us for protection, each fabric is carefully selected for its unique construction and properties. But what if the clothing you wore could monitor your heart rate and transmit medical alerts to your doctor? Or if the bandages you affix to your skin didn't just cover a wound but dispensed healing medication. Perhaps a construction worker would be interested in wearing a hard hat that can provide a warning about carbon monoxide poisoning based on fluids from the skin. That's where smart textiles come in.

Smart textiles - also referred to as functional fabrics and e-textiles - are changing the way we think about the role of fabrics for industrial purposes and everyday use. With new technological advancements, we're moving closer to a future where fabrics are functional, beautiful and responsive.

What Are Smart Textiles?

Since smart fabrics are a newer technology, many people aren't aware of their potential. Smart textiles provide an added benefit to the user beyond the typical value of the fabric. They respond and adapt to their environment.

Fabrics are a combination of fibers and polymers, natural and man-made, that are constructed through a variety of techniques, the most popular being knitted or woven. Each blend of fabric serves a different purpose, individualized for a particular climate or function. But since fabric is the foundation for so many products and more, it makes sense to see how its utility can be expanded.

Take temperature, for instance - cotton and linen clothing are perfect for hot environments, as they are breathable and light. However, the allowance for airflow that keeps you cool creates a problem in colder temperatures. Going back and forth from hot to cold areas can be a nuisance when choosing what clothing to wear.

Functional textiles change that. They can adapt based on design structure or external stimuli. Imagine a fabric that can respond to a temperature change and keep you comfortable, much like your skin. And, along with adopting new capabilities, smart fabrics create a more sustainable culture. With the ability to transform, less product is needed which produces less waste.

What Makes Functional Textiles, Smart?

The evolution of technical textiles takes cues from the electronics and photonics industries. The integration of sensor arrays and plastic optical fiber (POF) creates an extension of functional fabrics commonly known as smart textiles.

At its core, technical textile manufacturing is a vast landscape of advanced yarn systems combined with textile formation techniques. The completed construction can be further transformed through lamination, coatings and composite methods.

Depending on their use, smart fabrics are created by fusing together fibers and technology. These fibers include conductive yarns and polymers, shape memory polymers, encapsulated phase change materials, fiber optics, and other small electronics. They may also use external additions, such as:

These materials interact with one another along with an external stimuli - such as temperature, light or pressure - creating a transfer of energy. Once activated, the functional fabric responds depending upon the textile's function.

What Are Smart Textiles Used For?

Smart textiles generally belong to one of two main categories:

1. Aesthetic: Smart fabric has been breaking out in the fashion industry. Aesthetic smart textiles can light up and change color, have an interactive element or shift with their environment. Fashion designers have already picked up on the new technology, creating entire lines out of smart materials. This category also encompasses decor and design elements.

2. Performance enhancement: With a focus on function over fashion, performance-enhancing smart fabrics provide the user with a unique experience, dependent on their purpose. This includes body temperature regulation, reducing wind and water resistance, guarding against radiation, minimizing the effects of space travel and even controlling the vibration of muscles.

Both categories of smart fabric serve their own purposes and work to solve current issues with industrial and fashionable materials.

What Industries Employ Smart Fabrics?

Smart fabric can be used in any industry. We have seen heightened use in these industries:

Technology as a Smart Fabric Solution

Smart fabrics solve common issues in many industries. Body temperature regulation is crucial in law enforcement, military, and athletic professions, among others. Rather than relying on layers and worrying about breathability, smart fabric can adapt to temperature shifts fluidly.

Within the medical field, developers are working on textiles that can monitor heart rate, dispense medication, and even transmit immediate notification if the wearer of the textile were to fall.

Currently, researchers at Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) are focusing on four main categories of technology-enabled fibers:

Prior to this new age of development, semiconductors were affixed to fabric, creating the ability to "power-up." But the yarns lacked softness and putting a circuit board/power source onto the fabric decreased its wearability. Today, the industry wants to shrink these diodes to sand-like particles and infuse them into the fiber itself.

As technology continues to advance, smart textiles will become the solution for many more common issues, possibly replacing the bulky hardware objects that currently adorn our home and workplace surfaces. The versatility and adaptability of e-textiles allow for a wide range of soft, flexible applications. With durable designs and innovative yarns, these products can stand the test of time.

Integration in the Military

Soldiers dress in thick layers and haul about 110 pounds of tactical gear. Not only does it take a lot of effort to carry, but it also poses a need for portable power sources. Batteries are carried, along with their gear, and disposed of quickly. Without ample power, the equipment becomes unusable.

The consortium of companies, academia and the Department of Defense that make up AFFOA have been developing the ability to create wearable power sources for military applications. Batteries are a huge cost, due to how many of them soldiers go through to keep their devices running. The development of power source smart textiles and connectors in body armor and similar fabrics are crucial to creating a system that's both reliable and user-friendly.

This isn't the only application, either. The Canadian military has made use of full-fabric keyboards in its IAV Stryker units, developed to replace the bulky, traditional hardware. They're lighter, easier to transport and have fewer components to break. Applications for smart textiles vary greatly, making them a great solution for many needs.

Greater Usage of Smart Fabrics

Grandview Research projects that the compound annual growth rate for smart fabrics will soar over the next few years. As technology advances, there has been a growing demand for more sophisticated and smarter textile products.

This, coupled with the rapid growth of low-cost smart wireless sensor networks, has been driving the market in North America. The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing increased demand for smart textiles as well, attributing the need to the rapidly developing healthcare and construction industries. On the other hand, the growing market for automobiles in Europe is boosting the smart fabrics growth rate in this region.

This growing demand creates opportunities for manufacturers who may have thought smart fabrics were out of their reach. As people begin to anticipate and demand them, the market will widen.

Decrease in Material Prices Gives Smart Fabrics a Boost

Smart textiles will get a lift from an anticipated reduction in the expense of manufacturing electronic components. Cheaper building blocks generally lead to higher demand. Conductive materials are needed for smart fabric manufacturing. Smart fabrics may contain electrical components such as:

Army uniforms in several countries have been made with nanotechnology. Anything that can assist with military efficiency opens new options and will garner lots of attention from government scientists, creating further demand for the material. Some scientists even believe smart fabrics could be used to help military personnel detect chemical weapons and alert wearers to biological threats.

Benefits of Smart Textiles

Creating a world where smart textiles become commonplace can be beneficial in several ways. Sustainability and extending the lifespan of the products we use have been worldwide topics of concern. By creating e-textiles demonstrating longer lifespans, better durability, and interchangeable styles, we can reduce the amount of textile waste in landfills dramatically.

With the ability to serve everyone from fabric consumers to astronauts, smart fabrics are incredibly versatile and customizable. There is a smart fabric solution for every need. Everyone seeks ways to improve their lifestyle, whether it's through their workouts, commutes or their social communication skills. E-textiles are technologically multi-faceted and can help to enhance an individual's lifestyle in so many ways:

While e-textiles are currently expensive and difficult to access, incorporating them into all areas of everyday life will make them more readily available. Although they come with a premium price tag, their value is much higher, having the potential to last through an entire lifetime of use.
Learn More About Our Textiles
A Recent History of Technological Advances in the Smart Textile Industry

Over the past few years, wearable smart fabrics have gained traction and are becoming more readily available to consumers. Here are a few highlights:

2015: While most of the technological advancements in smart fabric have occurred in scientific spaces, smart fabric started becoming commercially available in stores in 2015. Most of the first releases available centered around athletics and baby care, including big names like Hexoskin and Ralph Lauren's Polo Tech Shirt.

2016: CuteCircuit, a fashion-based brand, launched the groundbreaking SoundShirt. Using embedded haptics, this shirt allowed a deaf person to feel music. 2016 also marked the U.S. Commerce Department's first smart fabric-centered gathering.

2017: Google collaborated with Levi's® to create and release a Bluetooth-enabled jacket, Levi's® Commuter X Jacquard By Google. The project intended to help bicyclists who live in cities, giving them more accessible, hands-free communication on their daily commutes. The Next Generation Jacket was released in September 2019.

2018: At the Winter Olympic Games, hosted in PyeongChang, the entirety of Team USA wore self-heating jackets. Created by a collaboration of Ralph Lauren and several tech companies, these jackets kept athletes from suffering in the frigid temperatures.

2019: Technology brand Loomia releases a winter coat with a textile substrate layered heating system. The system minimizes the bulk of traditionally warm coats and allows for user control of their comfort setting.

Smart fabrics are continually advancing in their capabilities. Some of the latest e-textiles to hit stores include temperature control, integrated payment options, and health tracking features. There have already been major strides in creating wearable technology. Growing intrigue and industrial need will continue the upward trend of smart textiles.

The Future of Smart Textiles

Smart textiles and functional fabrics have been in sight of scientists and designers for years. Only recently have they made their way onto runways and into headlines. And, the more consumers and technologists learn about smart fabrics, the further they push the limits.

As technicians continue to develop these textiles, their capabilities will expand, making them able to function as a sort of second skin. Temperature-regulating fabric is already available, but progression will allow for a more fluid user experience. The fabric will read stimuli and respond to it with a shift in energy.

One of the most significant areas of progression will likely be in the field of health and wellness. Beauty and medicinal companies are looking at ways we can make fabrics that positively affect the wearer's health. This includes the ability to:

Making clothing that resists wear is presently underway, thanks to the innovation of smart fabric. Through continued development, self-healing and repairing fabric may become a reality. Tears, holes and seam rips could become a thing of the past. Clothing may evolve from short-term to lifetime purchases.

In the near term, we can expect the apparel industry to be early to market smart textiles by technology integration through flexible printed electronic methods. Beyond 2021, integrated electronic textiles will permeate diverse business sectors, providing integrated communication services, touch sensing remote controls, energy harvesting, and charging embedded during the formation of the textile structure.

Knitting and weaving technologies are setting the standards for e-textile manufacturing, and Apex Mills is helping to pioneer the future.

Yarn is the Next Invention

When considering developing a new yarn for interlacing into textile structures there are a multitude of formation methods to consider; wet emulsion, wet dispersion, vapor deposition, extrusion, wet spinning, dry spinning, electro-spinning, drawing, co-extrusion, covering, twisting, plaiting, and co-mingling, to name a few.

Universities, institutes, and companies are innovating yarn functionality for the next level of performance. Energy and communication are the newest performance characteristics that will be required to enable e-textiles.

Drexel University's Center for Functional Fabric has recently engineered a yarn that will store energy. This textile battery is much lighter and remarkably flexible, enabling it to become part of the fabric structure. Modifying traditional yarn with textile coatings and twisting methods, fibers are converted to a conductive yarn which is then paired through twisting with a stainless-steel yarn. The dual conductor systems work together to collect endless quantities of energy.
Creating technical, smart or functional fabrics is a regular business at Apex Mills. Our custom approach to textile product development begins with customers like you.

Discover Custom Smart Textiles with Apex Mills

At Apex Mills, we believe in creating a smarter world, where bold solutions to everyday problems thrive. Our business operates through one unifying motto - "Problem shared. Problem solved." We create custom fabric solutions for your specific design challenges, working with you as a partner. Each project is carefully evaluated to provide you with the best solution possible. Apex Mills practices Application Driven Design, ensuring we can fulfill your needs.

Every design is created and manufactured in the U.S., with locations in Long Island, New York, and North Carolina. Being an all-American company, we can provide quick and effective services globally. Apex Mills wants to help you find exactly what you're looking for. Partner with us and experience our fast and thorough customer service. Fill out our online questionnaire, and we'll get started creating a personalized warp knit fabric for you.
Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here!

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Smart Textiles: The Future of the Fabric Industry | Apex Mills

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Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here! Or contact our team now and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have! Textiles are everywhere - from the clothing we wear, cars we drive, and furniture we occupy to the roads we travel, bandages we use to heal, and structures that shelter us for protection, each fabric is carefully selected for its unique construction and properties.

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Health & Wellbeing

"Consumers are becoming more demanding of technologies that monitor their health and performance during exercise

Consumers desire more experiences over physical goods, valuing the additional functionality offered by e-textiles"

(Chandler, 2020)

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In an opinion piece published in the journal Matter, members of the Fibers@MIT research group recently laid out a detailed vision for how the rapidly growing field of advanced fibers and fabrics could transform many aspects of our lives. For example, "smart clothing" might continuously monitor temperature, heart rate, and other vital signs, then analyze the data and give warnings of potential health conditions. Headed by Professor Yoel Fink, the group is developing fibers and fabrics with advanced computational properties. MIT News asked PhD student Gabriel Loke, who was the article's lead author, along with Fink and six others, to elaborate on the team's outlook.

Q: The paper you just published describes a vision for a fabric computer. Could such computers help to address a pandemic situation like the one we confront now?

A: The current pandemic has revealed the need for new paradigms to assess the health of large populations in real-time. Current approaches of symptom-driven tests are lagging indicators, and can be likened to driving just with your rear-view mirror, as far as the spread of Covid-19 is concerned. So how do we create systems that are predictive, forward-looking and can deliver leading indicators? What if you had a way to access your vital signs on a continuous basis? Could subtle, imperceptibly small changes become early warning signs for the health issues of an individual? What if you could correlate in space and time these changes for a large population, and do so in real time, to identify the spread of disease?

No human-made objects are more ubiquitous or exposed to more vital data than the clothes we all wear. Wouldn't it be great if we could somhow teach our fabrics to sense, store, analyze, extract, and communicate this potentially useful information?

In this piece, I describe the four principles for this new computer. First, the capabilities of a single strand of fiber will advance rapidly over time through new material designs and scalable fiber fabrication approaches. The second step is the synergistic assembly of these fibers into a fabric uniquely positioned to capture, store, and process vast amounts of data released by our bodies. The third is the development of artificially intelligent fabrics, where specially architected machine-learning algorithms programmed into the fabrics could uncover and gain new insights into hidden bodily patterns. Fourth, fabrics become sophisticated platforms for value-added services catering to a large population.

Q: You describe a potential "Moore's Law," which originally described a doubling of computing capacity every 18 months, for the development of computational fabrics. Could you describe what you mean by that?

A: For a Moore's Law for fibers to emerge, fibers have to be made up of multiple materials, precisely arranged within a single fiber cross-section to produce devices of varying functionalities including computation. The field of multimaterial fibers is young, relative to that of thin-film technology for microchip devices. But what we are seeing now in papers and research is a large growth in the number of functions that a fiber can exhibit.

For example, in the past few years, the fabrication method called thermal fiber drawing has resulted in a variety of material combinations and functions including heart-rate monitoring and optical communication. With a Moore's Law for fibers, we imagine a future where computational fabrics will be consistently updated with new functions and capabilities, similar to how we are always updating software in our computers.

Q: You've laid out a long-term vision and blueprint for the future of computational fabrics. What do you see as the most significant near-term steps in that direction that we can expect to see in the next few years?

A: The most important thing is to make sure that people, in particular students, realize what is happening in fabrics and how capable they will soon become. In our group, a host of students from different disciplines are working on creating fabric computers as we speak. Similar to the personal computer evolution, there are vast opportunities for new companies and innovation in this space. I anticipate fibers entering the digital domain and the introduction of fiber input and output. Modern computers are made up of millions of logic gates, so incorporating digital circuits and gates into a fiber represents the first of many steps toward achieving full computing capabilities in fibers and fabrics.

Second, for the realization of a fabric computer, the significant near-term step will be the development of fabric architectures that allow fibers to communicate with each other while retaining the conventional qualities of fabrics.

Finally, to enable fabrics with artificial intelligence capabilities, training useful networks for accurate predictions requires large data sets. This requires the collection of large amounts of data from our body. It is then necessary for sensors in fabrics to be as seamless and resistant as possible so that these sensors can be worn for prolonged durations. Work on these fronts such as improving the flexibility, washability, and power requirements of fiber sensors will bring us a step ahead into the pervasive sampling of human body data.

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3 Questions: The rapidly unfolding future of smart fabrics

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An MIT team has laid out a detailed vision for how the rapidly growing field of advanced fibers and fabrics could transform many aspects of our lives. For example, smart clothing might continuously monitor temperature, heart rate, and other vital signs, then analyze the data and give warnings of potential health conditions.

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Health & Wellbeing

"Growth in medical and healthcare industries is anticipated to lead to higher demand for smart textiles"

(Syduzzaman, Patwary, Farhana and Ahmed, 2015)

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Health & Wellbeing

"The clothes likely to have a good share in the market include smart shirts comprising of bio-sensing circuitry that can be spun into the fibres

These shirts can easily read the vital signs of the wearer like coronary heart charge, exertion levels, changes in respiratory rate, etc.

Much easily in comparison to the wrist watches, as the surface of shirt is larger"

(Fibre2fashion, 2019)

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Global Smart Textile Market | Growing Smart Textile Market

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Read article about Global smart textile market is expected to exceed US $ 1,500 million by the year 2020. It is predicted that growing smart textile market continues being the largest market segment for the next six years. and more articles about Textile industry at Fibre2Fashion

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Health & Wellbeing

"There is a smart fabric solution for every need

Everyone seeks ways to improve their lifestyle, whether it’s through their workouts, commutes or their social communication skills

Sensors can track workout posture, and the fabrics can respond to muscle vibrations, ensuring correct athletic form and reducing the risk of injury"

(ApexMills, 2019)

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Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here!
Or contact our team now and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have!

Textiles are everywhere - from the clothing we wear, cars we drive, and furniture we occupy to the roads we travel, bandages we use to heal, and structures that shelter us for protection, each fabric is carefully selected for its unique construction and properties. But what if the clothing you wore could monitor your heart rate and transmit medical alerts to your doctor? Or if the bandages you affix to your skin didn't just cover a wound but dispensed healing medication. Perhaps a construction worker would be interested in wearing a hard hat that can provide a warning about carbon monoxide poisoning based on fluids from the skin. That's where smart textiles come in.

Smart textiles - also referred to as functional fabrics and e-textiles - are changing the way we think about the role of fabrics for industrial purposes and everyday use. With new technological advancements, we're moving closer to a future where fabrics are functional, beautiful and responsive.

What Are Smart Textiles?

Since smart fabrics are a newer technology, many people aren't aware of their potential. Smart textiles provide an added benefit to the user beyond the typical value of the fabric. They respond and adapt to their environment.

Fabrics are a combination of fibers and polymers, natural and man-made, that are constructed through a variety of techniques, the most popular being knitted or woven. Each blend of fabric serves a different purpose, individualized for a particular climate or function. But since fabric is the foundation for so many products and more, it makes sense to see how its utility can be expanded.

Take temperature, for instance - cotton and linen clothing are perfect for hot environments, as they are breathable and light. However, the allowance for airflow that keeps you cool creates a problem in colder temperatures. Going back and forth from hot to cold areas can be a nuisance when choosing what clothing to wear.

Functional textiles change that. They can adapt based on design structure or external stimuli. Imagine a fabric that can respond to a temperature change and keep you comfortable, much like your skin. And, along with adopting new capabilities, smart fabrics create a more sustainable culture. With the ability to transform, less product is needed which produces less waste.

What Makes Functional Textiles, Smart?

The evolution of technical textiles takes cues from the electronics and photonics industries. The integration of sensor arrays and plastic optical fiber (POF) creates an extension of functional fabrics commonly known as smart textiles.

At its core, technical textile manufacturing is a vast landscape of advanced yarn systems combined with textile formation techniques. The completed construction can be further transformed through lamination, coatings and composite methods.

Depending on their use, smart fabrics are created by fusing together fibers and technology. These fibers include conductive yarns and polymers, shape memory polymers, encapsulated phase change materials, fiber optics, and other small electronics. They may also use external additions, such as:

These materials interact with one another along with an external stimuli - such as temperature, light or pressure - creating a transfer of energy. Once activated, the functional fabric responds depending upon the textile's function.

What Are Smart Textiles Used For?

Smart textiles generally belong to one of two main categories:

1. Aesthetic: Smart fabric has been breaking out in the fashion industry. Aesthetic smart textiles can light up and change color, have an interactive element or shift with their environment. Fashion designers have already picked up on the new technology, creating entire lines out of smart materials. This category also encompasses decor and design elements.

2. Performance enhancement: With a focus on function over fashion, performance-enhancing smart fabrics provide the user with a unique experience, dependent on their purpose. This includes body temperature regulation, reducing wind and water resistance, guarding against radiation, minimizing the effects of space travel and even controlling the vibration of muscles.

Both categories of smart fabric serve their own purposes and work to solve current issues with industrial and fashionable materials.

What Industries Employ Smart Fabrics?

Smart fabric can be used in any industry. We have seen heightened use in these industries:

Technology as a Smart Fabric Solution

Smart fabrics solve common issues in many industries. Body temperature regulation is crucial in law enforcement, military, and athletic professions, among others. Rather than relying on layers and worrying about breathability, smart fabric can adapt to temperature shifts fluidly.

Within the medical field, developers are working on textiles that can monitor heart rate, dispense medication, and even transmit immediate notification if the wearer of the textile were to fall.

Currently, researchers at Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) are focusing on four main categories of technology-enabled fibers:

Prior to this new age of development, semiconductors were affixed to fabric, creating the ability to "power-up." But the yarns lacked softness and putting a circuit board/power source onto the fabric decreased its wearability. Today, the industry wants to shrink these diodes to sand-like particles and infuse them into the fiber itself.

As technology continues to advance, smart textiles will become the solution for many more common issues, possibly replacing the bulky hardware objects that currently adorn our home and workplace surfaces. The versatility and adaptability of e-textiles allow for a wide range of soft, flexible applications. With durable designs and innovative yarns, these products can stand the test of time.

Integration in the Military

Soldiers dress in thick layers and haul about 110 pounds of tactical gear. Not only does it take a lot of effort to carry, but it also poses a need for portable power sources. Batteries are carried, along with their gear, and disposed of quickly. Without ample power, the equipment becomes unusable.

The consortium of companies, academia and the Department of Defense that make up AFFOA have been developing the ability to create wearable power sources for military applications. Batteries are a huge cost, due to how many of them soldiers go through to keep their devices running. The development of power source smart textiles and connectors in body armor and similar fabrics are crucial to creating a system that's both reliable and user-friendly.

This isn't the only application, either. The Canadian military has made use of full-fabric keyboards in its IAV Stryker units, developed to replace the bulky, traditional hardware. They're lighter, easier to transport and have fewer components to break. Applications for smart textiles vary greatly, making them a great solution for many needs.

Greater Usage of Smart Fabrics

Grandview Research projects that the compound annual growth rate for smart fabrics will soar over the next few years. As technology advances, there has been a growing demand for more sophisticated and smarter textile products.

This, coupled with the rapid growth of low-cost smart wireless sensor networks, has been driving the market in North America. The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing increased demand for smart textiles as well, attributing the need to the rapidly developing healthcare and construction industries. On the other hand, the growing market for automobiles in Europe is boosting the smart fabrics growth rate in this region.

This growing demand creates opportunities for manufacturers who may have thought smart fabrics were out of their reach. As people begin to anticipate and demand them, the market will widen.

Decrease in Material Prices Gives Smart Fabrics a Boost

Smart textiles will get a lift from an anticipated reduction in the expense of manufacturing electronic components. Cheaper building blocks generally lead to higher demand. Conductive materials are needed for smart fabric manufacturing. Smart fabrics may contain electrical components such as:

Army uniforms in several countries have been made with nanotechnology. Anything that can assist with military efficiency opens new options and will garner lots of attention from government scientists, creating further demand for the material. Some scientists even believe smart fabrics could be used to help military personnel detect chemical weapons and alert wearers to biological threats.

Benefits of Smart Textiles

Creating a world where smart textiles become commonplace can be beneficial in several ways. Sustainability and extending the lifespan of the products we use have been worldwide topics of concern. By creating e-textiles demonstrating longer lifespans, better durability, and interchangeable styles, we can reduce the amount of textile waste in landfills dramatically.

With the ability to serve everyone from fabric consumers to astronauts, smart fabrics are incredibly versatile and customizable. There is a smart fabric solution for every need. Everyone seeks ways to improve their lifestyle, whether it's through their workouts, commutes or their social communication skills. E-textiles are technologically multi-faceted and can help to enhance an individual's lifestyle in so many ways:

While e-textiles are currently expensive and difficult to access, incorporating them into all areas of everyday life will make them more readily available. Although they come with a premium price tag, their value is much higher, having the potential to last through an entire lifetime of use.
Learn More About Our Textiles
A Recent History of Technological Advances in the Smart Textile Industry

Over the past few years, wearable smart fabrics have gained traction and are becoming more readily available to consumers. Here are a few highlights:

2015: While most of the technological advancements in smart fabric have occurred in scientific spaces, smart fabric started becoming commercially available in stores in 2015. Most of the first releases available centered around athletics and baby care, including big names like Hexoskin and Ralph Lauren's Polo Tech Shirt.

2016: CuteCircuit, a fashion-based brand, launched the groundbreaking SoundShirt. Using embedded haptics, this shirt allowed a deaf person to feel music. 2016 also marked the U.S. Commerce Department's first smart fabric-centered gathering.

2017: Google collaborated with Levi's® to create and release a Bluetooth-enabled jacket, Levi's® Commuter X Jacquard By Google. The project intended to help bicyclists who live in cities, giving them more accessible, hands-free communication on their daily commutes. The Next Generation Jacket was released in September 2019.

2018: At the Winter Olympic Games, hosted in PyeongChang, the entirety of Team USA wore self-heating jackets. Created by a collaboration of Ralph Lauren and several tech companies, these jackets kept athletes from suffering in the frigid temperatures.

2019: Technology brand Loomia releases a winter coat with a textile substrate layered heating system. The system minimizes the bulk of traditionally warm coats and allows for user control of their comfort setting.

Smart fabrics are continually advancing in their capabilities. Some of the latest e-textiles to hit stores include temperature control, integrated payment options, and health tracking features. There have already been major strides in creating wearable technology. Growing intrigue and industrial need will continue the upward trend of smart textiles.

The Future of Smart Textiles

Smart textiles and functional fabrics have been in sight of scientists and designers for years. Only recently have they made their way onto runways and into headlines. And, the more consumers and technologists learn about smart fabrics, the further they push the limits.

As technicians continue to develop these textiles, their capabilities will expand, making them able to function as a sort of second skin. Temperature-regulating fabric is already available, but progression will allow for a more fluid user experience. The fabric will read stimuli and respond to it with a shift in energy.

One of the most significant areas of progression will likely be in the field of health and wellness. Beauty and medicinal companies are looking at ways we can make fabrics that positively affect the wearer's health. This includes the ability to:

Making clothing that resists wear is presently underway, thanks to the innovation of smart fabric. Through continued development, self-healing and repairing fabric may become a reality. Tears, holes and seam rips could become a thing of the past. Clothing may evolve from short-term to lifetime purchases.

In the near term, we can expect the apparel industry to be early to market smart textiles by technology integration through flexible printed electronic methods. Beyond 2021, integrated electronic textiles will permeate diverse business sectors, providing integrated communication services, touch sensing remote controls, energy harvesting, and charging embedded during the formation of the textile structure.

Knitting and weaving technologies are setting the standards for e-textile manufacturing, and Apex Mills is helping to pioneer the future.

Yarn is the Next Invention

When considering developing a new yarn for interlacing into textile structures there are a multitude of formation methods to consider; wet emulsion, wet dispersion, vapor deposition, extrusion, wet spinning, dry spinning, electro-spinning, drawing, co-extrusion, covering, twisting, plaiting, and co-mingling, to name a few.

Universities, institutes, and companies are innovating yarn functionality for the next level of performance. Energy and communication are the newest performance characteristics that will be required to enable e-textiles.

Drexel University's Center for Functional Fabric has recently engineered a yarn that will store energy. This textile battery is much lighter and remarkably flexible, enabling it to become part of the fabric structure. Modifying traditional yarn with textile coatings and twisting methods, fibers are converted to a conductive yarn which is then paired through twisting with a stainless-steel yarn. The dual conductor systems work together to collect endless quantities of energy.
Creating technical, smart or functional fabrics is a regular business at Apex Mills. Our custom approach to textile product development begins with customers like you.

Discover Custom Smart Textiles with Apex Mills

At Apex Mills, we believe in creating a smarter world, where bold solutions to everyday problems thrive. Our business operates through one unifying motto - "Problem shared. Problem solved." We create custom fabric solutions for your specific design challenges, working with you as a partner. Each project is carefully evaluated to provide you with the best solution possible. Apex Mills practices Application Driven Design, ensuring we can fulfill your needs.

Every design is created and manufactured in the U.S., with locations in Long Island, New York, and North Carolina. Being an all-American company, we can provide quick and effective services globally. Apex Mills wants to help you find exactly what you're looking for. Partner with us and experience our fast and thorough customer service. Fill out our online questionnaire, and we'll get started creating a personalized warp knit fabric for you.
Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here!

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Smart Textiles: The Future of the Fabric Industry | Apex Mills

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Looking for a custom Smart Textile Solution? Use our custom solutions form here! Or contact our team now and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have! Textiles are everywhere - from the clothing we wear, cars we drive, and furniture we occupy to the roads we travel, bandages we use to heal, and structures that shelter us for protection, each fabric is carefully selected for its unique construction and properties.

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Individualism

"Personalisation/individualisation trend is supported by additional functionality"

(Ginsburg, 2020)

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Early morning in Oxford Street by Marble Arch, on 16th April 2020 in London, United Kingdom. ... [+]
In Pictures via Getty Images

One of the most glaring differences between socialist and capitalist societies centers on cultural ideology. Socialist countries have a collectivist mentality, where people are interdependent and link their self-identity to the "group". Conversely, individualism focuses on the independence of each person and prioritizes self-reliance. If there has ever been a time when we need a balance of both; it is now.

For the U.S. and other countries to avoid an economic implosion, we need to adopt the collective sensibility. The gritty, every man-for-himself American ethos encourages creditors to hold debtors to firm deadlines and not make any allowances. The landlord-tenant-lender dynamic is an illustrative example of how and why the US needs to partially shift this ideology. Many retail commercial tenants are not able to meet their rent obligations because of the lockdown's negative impact on consumer traffic. In turn, commercial landlords are not able to make their mortgage payments to their respective banks. Bankers ultimately need to answer to their shareholders and that is where the domino effect likely terminates. In the event that any one of these links in the chain defaults on their payments during normal times, the U.S.' individualistic ideology encourages creditors to hold debtors accountable. Regardless of any force majeure act of G-d, the bottom line of payment due-dates remains etched in stone. If pressed on this decision to not make any allowances in such unusual and tumultuous times, the banker might globalize the issue and argue that collective sensibility is impractical and has failed time and again when used by socialist countries throughout history.

Whether or not you agree with this argument, one thing is crystal clear: all of us should shoulder the imminent financial burden created by the virus if any of us can stave off a financial catastrophe. If the bank can convince its shareholders to authorize a deferral of loan repayments for the commercial landlord, then tenants can pay partial rent and pay the balance once the recovery begins.

Andrew Bleiman of Marks & Klein, LLP, a business attorney who concentrates in representing franchised businesses and other small and mid-sized businesses says, "It is critical that all stakeholders work together to find solutions and that all share in any burden, cost and responsibility to get through this. The long term viability and success of these businesses should be the focus in these communications in the immediate future - with the message being that relief and concessions over the next 60 to 90 days will allow these businesses to survive for the next 60 to 90 months or more." Collective action (or inaction) can save the national economy with partial compromises by each of the different human links of the economic chain.

While the economy depends on a shift to collectivism, the health and survival of our globe depends on individualism. Certainly, the most obvious and necessary manifestation of individualism during these times focuses on social distancing. Still, the future of the earth depends on more intangible effects of this cultural ideology. Since its inception, the U.S. has been synonymous with innovation. Franklin, Edison, Jobs, Gates, and Ford are just a few names that have blazed trails in creating tools that have become necessities today. Why does a disproportionate number of innovators per capita come from the United States? First, the United States' prioritization of individual's rights allows for freedom of expression, which encourages people to think independently. More specifically, the First Amendment enables a robust exchange of opinions and fresh thinking, and with them, new ideas. This promotes an environment of innovation that stimulates an innovative energy that has rippled throughout the nation. Second, the United States encourages innovation with unrivaled financial incentives. With the world's highest health care expenditure per capita and top-tier intellectual property protections, U.S. innovators are encouraged to create life-saving products that will make them abundantly wealthy. While innovators in most countries are encouraged to find a remedy for this insidious virus, the long-held tradition of innovation in the U.S. suggests that the answer will be found in an American lab. Let's just hope that a national and global collective effort to share the financial burden can save the economy from implosion while the individuals go to work.

I am an attorney, risk manager, and political economist who is an expert on all stages of cross- border transactions. Since 1999, I have advised foreign investors and

... Read More

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Collectivism and Individualism: Reflections from a Pandemic

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One of the most glaring differences between socialist and capitalist societies centers on cultural ideology. Socialist countries have a collectivist mentality, where people are interdependent and link their self-identity to the "group". Conversely, individualism focuses on the independence of each person and prioritizes self-reliance.

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Factors Contributing to Market Growth

"Increase in standard of living, rising incomes, awareness of safety and environmentalism, advances in medical technology, expanding automotive sectors, and increased spending on healthcare"

(Sharma, 2017)

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Global Smart Textile Market size is expected to reach $5,369 million by 2022 from $943 million in 2015 at a CAGR of 28.4% from 2016 to 2022. Smart textiles are fabrics that are manufactured to include technologies that provide the wearer with increased functionality. It senses and reacts to stimuli or environmental conditions, such as those from thermal, mechanical, chemical, magnetic, and other sources. The global demand for various smart textile products has increased continuously due to their expanding base of applications in end user industries. Most of the demand for smart textile comes from end use industries such as military and defense and healthcare. Both developed and developing countries, will witness the increase in demand with innovative trends. This can be attributed to the factors such as increase in standard of living, rising incomes, awareness of safety and environmentalism, advances in medical technology, expanding automotive sectors, and increased spending on healthcare.

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Integration of smart textiles & wearables, use of nanotechnology in textiles, applications in smartphones, wearables in healthcare sector, and application in the military, defense & sports sector are the major factors that drive the smart textile market across the globe. Increasing research and development in the smart textile market along with the growing demand in emerging economies such as India and China are acting as major opportunities in the global smart textile market.

North America was the highest revenue-generating region in 2015, which is expected to grow at CAGR of 27.9% during 2016 to 2022. Moreover, North America is expected to maintain its dominant position over the forecast period. Europe and Asia-Pacific are the second and third leading regions for smart textile market respectively.

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The global smart textile market is segmented based on function, application, and geography. On the basis of function the smart textile market is categorized into energy harvesting, sensing, thermoelectricity, luminescent, and others, which include weaving, knitting, and braiding. On the basis of application, the smart textile market is bifurcated into healthcare, military and defense, entertainment, automotive, sport and fitness, and others. Geographic breakdown and deep analysis of each of the aforesaid segments is included for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.
Top Investment Pockets:
At present, military & defense, healthcare, and entertainment segments have witnessed large-scale adoption of smart textiles due to increasing demand for functional and superior properties products. Automotive and sports & fitness are other popular segments in the global smart textile market. The rapid growth of smart textiles in the end user application is expected in subsequent years due to rise in demand for higher quality fabrics. These segments have a potential to generate high returns due to expected rise in the adoption of high-end fabrics.

Increasing adoption of smart textiles in the military and defense and entertainment sectors are expected to rise and have been identified as some of the lucrative targets for investment. As compared to other segments, these segments possess larger market size by value. Other emerging end user applications such as healthcare, automotive, sport & fitness, and others are expected to witness good growth in the coming years. However, these applications currently possess moderate market size in terms of value.

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Market Dynamics: Drivers: Integration of Smart Textiles and Wearables
With the integration of electronic components in smart textiles, they are used in various applications such as health management, actuation, response, and communication. They consist of components such as sensors, actuators, control units, and others. Wearable technology mainly concerns textiles, electronic devices, and apparel. These textiles help to control muscle vibrations, regulate body temperatures, and protect from environmental hazards such as radiation. As electronic components can be miniaturized, it is possible to integrate textiles and electronic components. These are the factors that are the driving the global smart textile market.
Restraints: High Cost of Production
The major restraint for the smart textile market is the high cost of production. Smart textiles require high-end materials and are highly sophisticated due to which perfect cost-price balance is not achieved by manufacturers. The market is hindered due to the cost of electronic devices and components, which further increases the prices of the smart textiles.

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LAMEA Review:
Brazil is expected to witness growth in the smart textile market and is presumed to be the market leader in this region. Brazil is the ninth largest economy in the world in terms of GDP and the fifth largest by purchasing power parity. Brazil is the only South American country that holds a prominent position in global textile production. The country is one of the largest producers of apparel, according to the Institute of Studies and Industrial Marketing of Brazil. The Brazilian textile industry is constantly growing owing to the acquisition of modern equipment and technical development, which is further expected to drive the smart textile market during the forecast period. UAE has the largest market for smart textile in the Middle East region.

Major players that operate in this market are DuPont de Nemours & Co., Koninklijke Ten Cate NV, Texas Instruments Inc., Google Inc., Gentherm Inc., Schoeller Textiles AG, Sensoria Inc., Textronics, Adidas, and Ohmatex.

Other key market players in the value chain include, Intelligent Clothing Ltd., International Fashion Machines, Inc., Interactive Wear AG, Vista Medical Ltd., Nike Inc., ONeill, Eleksen, Fibretronic Limited, ThermoSoft International, and Peratech Ltd.
Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

The smart textile market research report provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the current market trends, estimations, and dynamics through 2014-2022, which assist in identifying the prevailing market opportunities in different end user segments.

Market trends of major countries in each region are mapped according to forecasted market revenue.

Top investment pockets, which highlight the opportunity in the most lucrative end user segments is part of the study.

Focused study of the factors that drive and restrict the growth of smart textile market is provided.

Key manufactures of smart textiles are profiled and their recent developments are listed.

Smart Textile Market Key Segments:

By Function

By End User Industry

Healthcare

Military and defense

Entertainment

Automotive

Sport and fitness

Others

By Geography

1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION
1.2 KEY BENEFITS
1.3 KEY MARKET SEGMENTS
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.3 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS
3.4 PORTER'S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

3.4.1 Moderate Bargaining Power Of Suppliers Due To Large Number Of Suppliers And Low Switching Cost
3.4.2 Moderate Bargaining Power Of Buyer Due To High Product Dependency ,Less Availability Of Substitutes, And Number Of Players That Provide Quality Product
3.4.3 Less Availability Of Substitutes And High Cost Increases Product Differentiation
3.4.4 High Threat Of New Entrants Due To Growth In These Sector
3.4.5 Presence Of Numerous Players, Low Brand Loyalty, Low Switching Cost Increases The Competition Among Rivalries

6.3.1 Key Market Trends
6.3.2 Key Growth Factors And Opportunities
6.3.3 Market Size And Forecast
6.3.4 Uk Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.5 France Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.6 Germany Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.7 Italy Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.8 Spain Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022
6.3.9 Rest Of Europe Smart Textile Market, ($Million), Growth (%) 2014-2022

FIG. 1. TOP INVESTMENT POCKETS
FIG. 2. PORTER'S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS OF SMART TEXTILE MARKET
FIG. 3. GLOBAL SMART TEXTILE MARKET BY FUNCTION, 2015(PIE CHART OF GLOBAL NUMBERS BY TYPE)
FIG. 4. GLOBAL SMART TEXTILE MARKET BY APPLICATION, 2015(PIE CHART OF GLOBAL NUMBERS BY TYPE)
FIG. 5. GLOBAL SMART TEXTILEMARKET BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015(PIE CHART OF GLOBAL NUMBERS BY GEOGRAPHY)
FIG. 6. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 7. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 8. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 9. 7.2 KONINKLIJKE TEN CATE NV: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 10. 7.2 KONINKLIJKE TEN CATE NV: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 11. 7.2 KONINKLIJKE TEN CATE NV: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 12. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 13. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 14. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 15. GOOGLE INC.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 16. GOOGLE INC.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 17. GOOGLE INC.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 18. GENTHERM INC.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 19. GENTHERM INC.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 20. GENTHERM INC.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 21. SCHOELLER TEXTILES AG: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 22. SCHOELLER TEXTILES AG: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 23. SCHOELLER TEXTILES AG: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 24. SENSORIA INC.: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 25. SENSORIA INC.: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 26. SENSORIA INC.: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 27. TEXTRONICS: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 28. TEXTRONICS: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 29. TEXTRONICS: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 30. ADIDAS: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 31. ADIDAS: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 32. ADIDAS: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)
FIG. 33. OHMATEX: REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2013-2015 ($MILLION)
FIG. 34 OHMATEX: REVENUE, BY BUSINESS SEGMENT, 2015 (%)
FIG. 35. OHMATEX: REVENUE, BY GEOGRAPHY, 2015 (%)

TABLE 1. GLOBAL ENERGY HARVESTING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 2. NORTH AMERICA ENERGY HARVESTING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 3. EUROPE ENERGY HARVESTING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 4. ASIA-PACIFIC TYPE A MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 5. LAMEA ENERGY HARVESTING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 6. GLOBAL SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 7. NORTH AMERICA SENSINGMARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 8. EUROPE SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 9. ASIA-PACIFIC SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 10. LAMEA SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 11. GLOBAL THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 12. NORTH AMERICA THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 13. EUROPE THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 14. ASIA-PACIFIC THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 15. LAMEA THERMOELECTRICITY MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 16. GLOBAL LUMINESCENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 17. NORTH AMERICA LUMINESCENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 18. EUROPETYPE B MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 19. ASIA-PACIFIC LUMINESCENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 20. LAMEA SENSING MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 21. GLOBAL OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 22. NORTH AMERICA OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022.
TABLE 23. EUROPE OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 24. ASIA-PACIFIC OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 25. LAMEA OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 26. GLOBAL HEALTHCARE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 27. NORTH AMERICA HEALTHCARE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 28. EUROPE TYPE A MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 29. ASIA-PACIFIC TYPE A MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 30. LAMEA HEALTHCARE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 31. GLOBAL MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 32. NORTH AMERICA MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 33. EUROPE MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
EUROPETYPE B MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 34. ASIA-PACIFIC MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 35. LAMEA MILITARY AND DEFENSE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 36. GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 37. NORTH AMERICA ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 38. EUROPE ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 39. ASIA-PACIFIC ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 40. LAMEA ENTERTAINMENT MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 41. GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 42. NORTH AMERICA AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 43. EUROPE AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 44. ASIA-PACIFIC AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 45. LAMEA AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 46. GLOBAL SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 47. NORTH AMERICA SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 48. EUROPE SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 49. ASIA-PACIFIC SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 50. LAMEA SPORTS AND FITNESS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 51. GLOBAL OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 52. NORTH AMERICA OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 53. EUROPE TYPE OTHERS, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 54. ASIA-PACIFIC OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 55. LAMEA OTHERS MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 56. NORTH AMERICA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 57. U.S. SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 58. CANADA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 59. MEXICO SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 60. EUROPE SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 61. UK SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 62. FRANCE SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 63. GERMANY SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 64. ITALY SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 65. SPAIN SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 66. REST OF EUROPE SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 67. ASIA-PACIFIC SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 68. INDIA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 69. CHINA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 70. JAPAN SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 71. ASIA-PACIFIC SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 72. LAMEA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%)2014-2022
TABLE 73. LATIN AMERICA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 74. MIDDLE EAST SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 75. AFRICA SMART TEXTILE MARKET, ($MILLION), GROWTH (%) 2014-2022
TABLE 76. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 77. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 78. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 79. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 80. 7.2 KONINKLIJKE TEN CATE NV: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 81. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 82. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 83. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 84. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 85. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 86. GOOGLE INC.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 87. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 88. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 89. GENTHERM INC.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 90. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 91. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 92. SCHOELLER TEXTILES AG: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 93. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 94. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 95. SENSORIA INC.: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 96. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 97. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 98. TEXTRONICS: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 99. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 100. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 101. ADIDAS: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 102. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS
TABLE 103. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
TABLE 104. OHMATEX: OPERATING SEGMENTS
TABLE 105. KEY STRATEGIC MOVES & DEVELOPMENTS

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Smart Textile Market Size, Share | Industry Growth and Analysis by 2022

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Global Smart Textile Market size is expected to reach $5,369 million by 2022 from $943 million in 2015 at a CAGR of 28.4% from 2016 to 2022. Smart textiles are fabrics that are manufactured to include technologies that provide the wearer with increased functionality.