It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Socks are fuzzier, lattes are pumpkin-ier and everyone is starting to think about their New Year’s resolutions. While you’re considering cleaning up your diet (love your body), committing to more reading time (love your mind) or just eating more chocolate (love yourself), 2018 will most certainly deliver on what it’s already committed to: bringing new directions in the digital market. So even if your craving for sweets overpowers your new diet plan, make sure when you’re thinking about engaging potential residents or visitors to your community, you at least resolve to follow these social trends we will see in 2018:

Video is king

The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” still rings true, and if that’s the case, videos must be worth millions! Interactive media is already twice as effective in driving sales than text-based content alone, and this ROI is only going to increase in 2018. The best part? Video doesn’t have to be expensive! These days, the cameras on our smartphones are quality enough to create both fantastic cat videos and content that speaks to potential residents and visitors alike. Which brings me to my next point…

Friendliness is free!

Having a small budget does not mean your approach will make a small impact. No matter the tools you choose to use, your community itself can be your best asset.

People love reviews from other average Joes, but just reposting positive feedback isn’t enough! It’s up to each campaign to use authentic experiences that were created in their city to help enhance their brand story rather than hoping they get the point across themselves.

Look good, feel good

Creating content that engages people on an emotional level is key. These days customers don’t just buy a product anymore, they buy the feeling that owning that product gives them. The same idea applies to destinations. Visitors don’t choose a location without a rhyme or reason; they choose their vacation based on the potential for exciting, and thereby memorable, experiences. Now more than ever, communities are focusing their attention on selling a positive interaction versus generating a transaction. If your branded content doesn’t resonate in some way with your target audience, you have failed.

So whether your resolutions take you all the way to December or you cave on January 2nd, you can be sure these digital trends will thrive throughout 2018.