One of the things we talk a lot about at the start of a new year is what trends we’re anticipating seeing in our various industries and areas of practice. We are pretty bullish on which social channels will survive and thrive and we feel the news media are not down and out just yet!

With that in mind, we asked a few of our area experts what to expect in 2021 via your social channels, media outlets and organizations so you can be ready!   Let’s go.

“This year, we’ll see long form social media content take a back seat. Long form social media videos of 1 minute or longer were briefly on trend in recent years, however the boom of TikTok and Reels in 2020 has nearly eliminated the chances of success for long form content on social media channels like Instagram. While long form videos will always have their place (i.e. YouTube, Facebook Watch), in 2021 we’ll see brands and content creators prioritizing the majority of their efforts on videos that are 30 seconds or less.”     Amanda, ruckus Digital

“Instagram maintains its status as the go-to social media app, even as Tik-Tok continues its growth.”    Kevin, APEX PR

“Employee and customer pressure will compel brands to entertain bold new advocacy commitments – from inclusion and diversity to tackling carbon emissions.  As well, the news cycle will move from a raging boil to a steady simmer by Q4 2021.”   Ken, APEX PR

“Events in a box. I think the days of in-person events are still faaaar off. This year I think we will continue to see brands bringing the experience into someone’s home with “events in a box”. We are currently working on one for Levi’s – it goes beyond just being a virtual event and includes product, lunch, etc.”  Kirsten, APEX PR

“I think TikTok and Instagram will continue to be huge – more than ever people are looking for a community even if they can’t access it in person. In the social space, I think the days of “influencers” are numbered as we move to more well rounded “content creators” that go beyond just taking a pretty picture and calling it a day.”  Emily, ruckus Digital

“Game-like content will gain more popularity (e.g. choosing your quarantine house, polls and etc.).”    Veronica, ruckus Digital

“I think that social media platforms will be under more pressure to tighten their regulations from the public and lawmakers based on recent events. This could lead social media platforms to have tighter rules around advertisement and content which could lead to change in social media tactics for many influencers and social channels.”    Elspeth, ruckus Digital

And from me, “We all remember Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) who made her Twitch debut in Oct 2020 to play Among Us and encourage viewers to vote.   I think we’ll see a lot more people/brands try to use various platforms, yes even gaming ones, to try and connect and reach their target audiences.”   

Finally, on the media front we saw media setting up their own media outlets.  Toronto broadcaster Brandon Gonez leave CP24 to start a YouTube news show call “The Brandon Gonez Show” which launched in January.  The initial segments are sponsored by a variety of brands and aim to bring a mix of good new stories, entertainment and local business coverage.  Look out for Substack, the emerging subscription-based newsletter platform to offer journalists a new audience and revenue stream.

What do you see in your crystal ball for 2021? Let us know!

Linda Andross is a managing partner at APEX Public Relations and ruckus Digital.