We spend all day every day at EzyInsights enveloped in Social Media, so here is our take on what sort of things you might be likely to see on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram over the coming year.

The good stay good
There’s a reason that the companies with the best presences on Social Media are good at what they do, and it’s not just ‘one weird trick’ that will keep them there in 2014. We’ve consistently seen that teams (either in-house or agency) who really understand Social Media don’t sit still. They build, improve and adapt.

Less love for Likes
For brands, chasing page likes is already outdated, ineffective and a misunderstanding of how to use Social Media. There are still big brands, for example Samsung, who value this vanity metric over actually engaging with fans and building a real presence. 2014 is when we predict you’ll see a lot less focus on likes and a lot more on conversations.

Deciphering day to day data
Let’s face it, getting reams of data nowadays is easy. Deciding exactly what to track and how to interpret data will be the number one focus for many brands. 2014 will see more brands understand how to measure performance on Social Media more effectively, which means smarter decisions, better content and happier fans.

Paid & Organic become the same thing
No one likes seeing irrelevant or poor content, but no-one can form an opinion on content they never see. In 2014, even the smallest brands will understand the need to boost the reach of their content. Instead of ‘should we promote’, the question will be ‘what will we promote’.

Authentic becomes fake
As many brands struggle to jump on the bandwagon in terms of producing content for Social Media, the first half of 2014 will see lots of attempts by brands to seem ‘down with the kids’. The problem with faking it on Social Media though is that consumers can see through it in an instant.

The year everyone in the company thinks they can do Social Media content
In 2014 we predict a lot more attention from people within companies about what to post on Social Media and ‘helpful’ suggestions. At best, Community Managers will receive some decent ideas, but more often they’ll have to endure managers ‘improving’ their output. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Raising the content bar
With so many brands producing better content, consumer experience and relationships with brands will improve in 2014 on Social Media.

Thanks for reading – we hope you have a great 2014 on Social Media!