5 Important Facebook Marketing Trends for 2016

A new year means a roll out of new features. Here are the five most important Facebook marketing trends marketing teams should take notice of in 2016.

When developing your company's marketing strategy for the new year, it is important to look at the way Facebook is changing to accommodate business users. As more and more businesses recognize their social media presence as a marketing tool, Facebook's features and strategies become more specific to business use. As those features continue to develop, marketers need to stay on top of Facebook trends in order to stay relevant and ensure their social media presence is as strong as possible.

Search Marketing and SEO

These days, Facebook's search more is more than just a way to quickly find friends or family. Facebook now allows users to search for posts about news articles and trending topics, meaning marketing teams will need to extend their SEO strategy into social media posts as well.

While some may already be utilizing SEO keywords in their social media posts, if the Facebook search bar continues to develop into a go-to source for discovering news and industry leaders, companies will want to ensure their posts appear within the first few results.

Interactive Articles

Facebook has recently introduced Instant Articles, giving companies and publications the ability to post articles that can be viewed directly in the Facebook app. Because readers do not need to leave Facebook to read the entirety of the article, it is easier and faster to view the posted content.

As Interactive Articles become the norm for sharing articles on Facebook, readers will become less and less accepting of needing to leave the app to view a company's content.

International Relations

Facebook's post translation services are constantly developing and becoming more accurate. As it becomes easier for posts to be translated into a variety of languages, their audience and reach grows exponentially.

Being able to use translation software systems allow companies to make connections and build relationships with individuals all over the world without adding any additional work.

Developments in Messenger

We already have Businesses On Messenger, where businesses can send order confirmations, shipping details, or updates directly through the messenger app. As this development continues to grow and more features are added on, marketers could be looking at using Messenger as an advertising tool to send relevant products or promotions directly to the clients.

Although advertising on Messenger is not currently available, it is likely 2016 will see its introduction.

Live Video Streaming

Facebook's new live video streaming program gives influencers and companies the opportunity to connect with their friends and followers through a real-time broadcast. This option opens a number of doors for companies, including the opportunity to host live webinars, give product demonstrations, or conduct a question and answer session with clients and customers - all right within the Facebook app.

Utilizing Facebook's live streaming feature can give a sneak peak to your company's services and products in an environment they are comfortable in.

Staying up-to-date with Facebook marketing trends is important if you want your business to stay relevant. It's impossible to move forward with a social media marketing strategy if you are not taking advantage of the latest developments on the platform.

While it is still early in 2016, marketing teams need to consider the direction of each feature in order to be successful. In recognizing these five Facebook marketing trends for 2016, you're getting a jumpstart on what will soon become common practice on the social media page.