It’s hard to believe that 2017 is already coming to a close. It’s been an amazing year in the world of tech, with new and exciting innovations occurring in almost every sector and even better things on the horizon. As we welcome a new year, we thought it might be interesting to take a look forward and see what upcoming technology trends might be making an appearance in 2018. Here are a few changes we can expect from social media over the coming months.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality technology is already making an impact on mobile gaming, and this will continue with the introduction of Apple’s two latest iPhone versions. But trends indicate that social media platforms, like Instagram and Snapchat, will also begin rolling out AR features, enabling users to utilize the technology through special filters. Imagine being able to take a “selfie” with a friend who’s physically located halfway across the world.
AI, Chatbots and Voice Assistants
Many brands have already begun investing in artificial intelligence to provide personalized customer service via messaging platforms. 2018 should see an even greater participation than the existing 2.5 billion people currently using social messaging on a global scale. Expect brands to start expanding to other platforms, such as Kik and WhatsApp.
Live Streaming
Video has become one of the most powerful tools on social media. The ability to stream live has brought this intensity to the next level, and will continue to grow in popularity over the coming months. Brands large and small are beginning to recognize the value of live streaming for delivering more compelling content and expanding their reach. As such, live video will become an integral part of many marketing strategies in 2018.
Digital Hangouts
If you haven’t heard of Houseparty, it’s a live video platform where users (primarily Gen Zers) can hang out with one another virtually. The fact that its current audience tops one million users has already piqued the attention of Facebook executives, who are reportedly working to develop a similar feature, which it could potentially roll out as early as 2018.
Virtual Reality
Another area where Facebook is leading the charge for innovative new features is in connecting users via virtual reality. The development team has been working on a project called Facebook Spaces, through which it is leveraging its recent acquisition of Oculus, a VR software and hardware company. The launch of Spaces is expected to occur sometime in 2018, at which point it will be the first successful social media VR product.
In conclusion, the coming year is expected to be one that is filled with tremendous growth and continued evolution of social media technology. These innovations will improve the experience for users and allow brands to connect with consumers in better, more effective ways.
What do you think? Are you excited to see these changes coming down the pipeline? Which one are you most looking forward to? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below and let’s discuss!