Lockdowns and travel restrictions became the norm in 2020 and 2021 in Toronto and many other Canadian cities. Many of us subsequently became glued to our devices to keep ourselves entertained. The result is that new social media marketing content ideas are emerging for Canadian businesses!

And it shows.

The year saw a 21% increase in social media usage globally, according to Statistica (source).

If you consider the fact there are now 3.6 billion social media users worldwide, it makes sense to look at some of the social media content ideas and trends that are generating excitement.

Social media content ideas in smaller bites

TikTok saw dramatic growth in 2020 with 100 million active users in August. That has made the social media app a trendsetter in how users digest content.

TikTok users harness the power of short-form content to create videos in various genres – from dance to education.

TikTok’s can’t be longer than 60 seconds or shorter than 1 second.

You’ll often see specific sounds trending on the app which get repurposed by users to create their own videos.

In an effort to compete with TikTok, Instagram launched Reels, which allows users to create short-form videos similar to TikTok.

Take advantage of these smaller content bytes to keep users engaged with your brand.

Old is gold when it comes to creating social media content ideas

Baby Boomers are an overlooked market in the realm of social media. Most marketers find it’s best to target those born between 1946 and 1964 with traditional modes of advertising.

Think television and radio. However, a report by Hootsuite shows that 70% of those aged 55 to 64 bought something online in the last month.

And while Baby Boomers also faced the challenges in the latest recession, they are still more financially stable than younger demographics.

Today, it would make sense to target Baby Boomers using social media content marketing if they’re relevant to your brand.

But don’t target them based on their age. Create social media marketing content ideas that address their hobbies and interest.

Shop till you drop (your phone) on social media

There has been an exodus online as brick-and-mortar retailers faced reduced foot traffic thanks to pandemic-induced lockdowns.

And social media platforms are ready. Facebook offers Shops and Instagram has Shoppable, platforms where social media users can directly purchase products from their app.

Brands that don’t have their own online stores are using these platforms to keep business going.

Shopping through social media has made life ever so convenient and that is a win-win for both shoppers and retailers.

So if you’re thinking of using social media marketing content ideas to help your ROI, consider launching your brand on a social media app where you can sell directly to interested customers.

Keeping the content real

For Canadian consumers, authenticity will remain key. It’s a lesson that was learned the hard way for some brands that jumped to social media when the pandemic first hit.

Many social media users saw some brands as being tone-deaf trying to promote their products amid the early days of the pandemic through cringe-worthy sappy content.

The wiser brands waited, did a bit of social listening, and then joined the conversation on platforms like Twitter.

Brands that used social media marketing content ideas to offer users a sense of levity and fun did well among key demographics, according to Hubspot (source).

And stats from Morning Consult show that social media content that proved to be entertaining did well as many seek a sense of normalcy. Canadians are optimistic that better days lie ahead, and our social media experience will continue to evolve.