It’s been another quick season of social media changes and updates. From developing consumer habits to new features and more, tracking the trends helps you reach your brand’s audience meaningfully and intentionally—even in unusual seasons like this one. Check out our top five trends from March and April to see what they mean for you.

1. Getting Pinspired

Pinterest was already reporting huge year-over-year growth—up to 51% growth in revenue and 8% growth in monthly active users—and then we all got stuck at home. The weekend of March 21 saw the most searches and saves globally than any other weekend in Pinterest’s history. This led to the accelerated release of the app’s “Today” tab, which features curated topics, trending pins, and timely ideas that align with relevant user concerns. For example, right now the Today tab on Pinterest won’t show you vacation spots—but cute work-from-home spaces may be at the top of your feed. Users are even pinning ads more, which can inspire you to create beautiful, relevant content from your brand. With overall growth paired with a unique spike in activity, Pinterest may be a prime space for your brand.

2. Exclusive Brand Connections

Recently, Facebook made a move to bring groups to the forefront of the app—a shift toward community beyond individual friend connections. And that means brands can follow the trend and snag higher organic engagement. In groups, users join out of an existing desire to learn more about your brand, and you can respond by offering a space to build meaningful relationships. Groups also require members and admins to post from personal accounts, so they’ll allow you to put a face to your brand in a way that advertising often can’t.

3. Hop on a Call

In a world of #socialdistancing, social media’s ability to connect us has been huge—so huge, in fact, that Facebook messenger has recently seen 70% increases in group video calls. Time spent on the app has doubled globally in recent weeks, as well. Alongside other platforms experiencing significant traffic increases, Facebook is preparing to weather any issues that come with the change, which is key for users who are calling on the platform to help them experience the same connection and community they had before COVID-19.

4. Let’s Connect

Previously Sponsored InMail, LinkedIn’s new conversation ads are rolling out for beta testing to all advertisers. The new format is aimed at real-time engagement, meaning messages can only be sent to active prospects on LinkedIn. With an interactive element, these ads can include full-funnel campaigns with multiple customizable calls-to-action such as webinar signups, eBook downloads, and product education. Additional features are available to help marketers collect leads and track conversions. The clean, more personalized experience of these ads can open more doors when it comes to reaching your audience through LinkedIn.

5. We’re Always on YouTube

According to Google, data shows that 78% of consumers watch YouTube within every 24-hour time frame. That’s a lot of cake decorating tutorials and funny cat videos. But your brand can bet with certainty that your audience is on YouTube—so investing in those pre-roll ads might be one of your smartest moves.

Ready to think through how your brand can respond to this season’s changes in social media? Check out how we approach making a plan, and get in touch to get started.