Social media has grown more powerful over the years and predicting its future has always been fun. With all the emerging platforms, unexplored technologies and tactics, demographic shifts and other impactful factors, all these require close follow-up and predicting the upcoming can be quite a challenge. Still, the buzz is all around and as we peak into 2020, there’re indeed forecasts from industry professionals so let’s have a look.

It’s Official – No More Instagram Likes

Already tried and tested in several countries, Instagram has removed its “Like” feature for psychological well-being as per the official buzz. But experts predict that the move is to make more profit out of influencer ad dollars. The move did bring back authority to Instagram whereas advertisers measuring a campaign’s impact have a few choices such as run Insta ads and/or pay an influencer.

Since the social platform ads have metrics and influencers can have them taken away, overpaying an influencer becomes a significant risk whereas running the ads become safer and more of analytical choice. Influencer marketing is here to stay but with Instagram removing the “Likes”, it may spark a new gig amongst the social media networks.

Incorporation of Google Social & Search Engine Result

As another failed attempt of Google trying to enter a social world with Google+, it’s retirement back in early April 2019 incorporates existing social networks into the search algorithm. It has been almost 10 years of Google going to-and-fro testing social influence on the search, SEO professionals found a way to bring search and social on the same platform. In 2020, social indexing would customize search engine result pages.

This is because of the patent granted to the search engine giant which entails a process to eye a social community influential user. The patent also clarifies the determination of an influencer’s score for a specific topic and reach. So far, Google has been unable to get even with social but, incorporation of the both would empower search engine result pages, thus making it a crucial strategy of social media marketing in Dubai and across the world.

Expansion of the Social Platforms

Going back to 2008, the only social platforms that mattered for the brands were Facebook and Twitter but today, the number has grown beyond imagine. Besides the two, many social networks like LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat and many others have joined the competition which would further gain momentum in 2020. Factors that would drive the niche social platforms are:

• Universal Internet Access

The number of internet users across the world would increase which means a significant rise in local social networks.

• User-Generated Search Content

A sudden gush of user-generated social content from platforms like Quora, Reddit, Twitter and others would pop-up in Google search results. This would allow brands, marketers and user incentive to engage actively on these niche sites due to greater visibility. All of this would fuel upcoming and/or newly created social channels.

Social media marketing in Dubai and worldwide is surely going to get a thrust with all the imminent changes and shifts in the user paradigm. All we have to do is wait and time would tell the best!