We have looked, almost continuously, at our computer and cell phone screens for the last eleven months. Whether it’s for work, trying to study online, distracting the mind, staying informed, or simply communicating, our eyes have been focused on screens more than ever before.
As the first year in confinement approaches, it is natural to think that this increase in the consumption of digital media will be reduced as a result of physical and mental exhaustion. However, there are topics that will become more popular in digital content and will boom during this second year of new normality.
Next, I share with you the four digital content trends that users will consume with the greatest interest on social networks and websites during 2021:
Well-being and mental health
As time is extended with measures of social distancing and confinement at home, users are increasing their search for activities that help them maintain their mental health and emotional stability in optimal conditions.
According to Google, searches for meditation apps increased 77% from April to July 2020. While, in Mexico, “mental health covid 19” was the query with the highest increase within this category. This trend will continue through 2021 in video content and infographics with searches such as: “yoga at home,” “meditation exercises,” or “how to manage anxiety.”
Balanced cooking and eating
Let’s face it, in 2020 we discovered that we didn’t know how to cook and that our pantry was missing too many utensils. As the millennial generation grappled with this reality in their kitchen, searches related to “recipes” and “easy and nutritious meals” saw 200% increases in online search volume in both March and December of that year.
By unlocking the intermediate and expert levels in the kitchen, this year users continue to consume content from video recipes, cooking tutorials and even nutritional information. Platforms such as Pinterest and YouTube remain key platforms to communicate the cases about use and benefits that the brands in this category offer to their consumers.
Environment and sustainability
With historic frosts in some regions of the planet and forest fires in others, the consequences of climate change are more evident than ever. Therefore, users continue to pursue a more planet-friendly lifestyle.
According to The Nielsen Company US, 73% of those surveyed in a global study are willing to change their habits to help reduce their impact on the environment. To achieve this, they will be supported by online consultations on two central topics: 1) Learning about recycling techniques and waste reuse at home. 2) Impact on the environmental footprint of the products of daily use that they consume.
This will be a crucial content for the presence of brands online because, according to Nielsen, also 83% of consumers firmly believe that companies should help improve the environment.
Humor and entertainment
Of course, mental exhaustion will also have another indictment to its relief: trustworthy old online entertainment. According to the YouTube Culture and Trends Report, in 2020 “54% of people agree that this year, seeing creators or humorous content helped them get through difficult times.”
In 2021, as in all previous years, humorous content will dominate social media feeds, blogs, and video libraries. Not only through the classic bloopers videos, but through the new formats that have been incorporated into the digital diet of users such as TikTok loops and Instagram reels. In this category, users will not only value the openness of brands to incorporate humor into their official communication, but will also favor content from original and authentic creators.
With the permanent changes in habits in the lives of digital consumers, content possibilities open up to connect with the audience and help them in their adaptation process.
What does this mean for your brand?
Without a doubt, it is an opportunity to approach your audience from your area of expertise and offer content that meets these needs, either from your website, social networks or distribution list. Connecting emotionally with the user is always the best way to build strong relationships between the brand and the consumer.
At Mijo! Brands, a leading creative agency in digital marketing, with a presence in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, we have a multidisciplinary team of professionals who will support you with the generation of content that connects with your clients and prospects, as well as effective social media campaigns on various platforms that will help you position yourself and distinguish the different areas of opportunity that keep your business on the scene.
Andrea Herrera is Senior Digital Strategist at Mijo! Brands. She has a BA in Communication and Journalism from the Máxima Casa de Estudios, UNAM. From the development of content and paid media strategies, information architecture, to copywriting and analysis of results, she is committed to the value that digital efforts bring to the lives of users.