4. Active involvement of CEOs
Many directors of major international companies still do not have accounts on social networks or, if they do, they use them for purely private purposes. This is going to change in 2017.
The trend should be encouraged by such platforms as LinkedIn Pulse or Facebook for Business influencers. These were created precisely for managers and entrepreneurs to present themselves as experts in their field. Bill Gates, Richard Branson and others have already become active members of these content platforms.
According to Holmes, managers will also become more engaged on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
6. Automated conversations
Social networks will represent an even stronger sales channel in 2017. Customers will not only learn about possible purchases on them but also close their purchases directly and solve customer service issues.
At the same time another growing trend will be the development of so-called chatbots - computer programs involving artificial intelligence that communicate with users and learn from them. These "virtual assistants" will handle orders and other customer requirements without a live person having to deal with the situation.
Tools and channels may change but the era of social networks started by Facebook will continue.
"The one constant that businesses can depend on is that social media itself isn't going anywhere. It's increasingly the one reliable place to reach consumers," Holmes concludes.
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