The past decade revolutionized the way we socialize online.

Facebook introduced its first mobile app and became the first social media platform to boast more than one billion, and subsequently two billion, active monthly users. Instagram entered the scene and quickly became a runaway success. Vine shone like a shooting star for a brief time between 2013 and 2017. And, through it all we saw the rise and fall of many other platforms, challenges, trends and more.

2019 provided a peek at what to expect in 2020 and beyond, but here are just a few additional predictions:

Detoxing the toxins

After years of headlines highlighting the latest privacy violations, data mismanagement and research touting the many downsides of social media to our mental health, users are tired of the deluge of negativity haunting their social presence. Many are now jumping ship and switching platforms, deleting their social media accounts or placing self-imposed limits on their scroll time.

So, what does this mean for your social media marketing strategy in 2020? Expect to see page likes, follower counts and impression numbers stall or even begin to backslide. While many marketers may consider this to be DEFCON 1, now is the time to start diversifying your social presence. This can mean adding to your social portfolio with accounts on new, up-and-coming platforms, like TikTok, or beefing up your presence on underutilized channels.

And, while we’re already sounding alarms, Instagram is ending 2019 on a high (or low depending on who you ask) note by phasing out the visibility of post likes. Anticipate similar ideas to be tossed around by other social powerhouses, like Facebook and Twitter, but only time will tell whether this trend is here to stay.

Let’s get real

Playing hand-in-hand with the move towards a healthier social media experience, tomorrow’s social media users crave authenticity and more sincere online social interactions.

Facebook Groups are a great way to foster these types of connections while nurturing your audience. Facebook has increasingly prioritized content from Groups in the newsfeed and, based on its “More Together” campaign, the platform appears to be betting big on Groups in 2020.

Skip the picture-perfect stock photos in the new year and opt for new ways to show off the many facets of your brand on social media.

Stories took the world by storm in the 2010s and their global social domination shows no signs of stopping. Instagram and Facebook Stories offer a low barrier to entry for those working with a small budget or minimal assets. And, they allow you to show-off your brand’s more playful side in an authentic way.

And, while you’re at it, try putting away the keyboard and picking up the camera. If content is king, then video is most certainly queen. While marketers have sung the praises of video for many years, it has never been easier – and more worthwhile – to jump into the video game.

Get to know gen Z

Born between 1995 and 2010, generation Z is comprised of more than 2.1 billion individuals armed with more than $143 billion in buying power in the U.S. alone. With that kind of influence, this group is behind many of the major trends we will start to see unfold in the coming years.

The general push for authenticity from social media users is largely powered by gen Z’s pursuit of truth. They’re also strongly attuned to the negative side effects of a connected existence and are eager to take whatever steps necessary to protect their privacy.

So, how do we market to this unique market segment? Look for online experiences to become even more personalized as gen Z seeks products, services and brands that resonate with their unique perspective and individual “truth.”

And, keep in mind, these youngsters are digital natives who grew up with the internet, social media and the various implications of widespread access to both. They crave interactive online experiences that help to flex this tech prowess, so expect to see a surge in AR and VR advertising and social media integrations as well as a peak in interest in interactive videos.