Whether you are an avid social media user or not, you have likely noticed the recent trend of consumers preferring more sustainable products and ethical business practices. Businesses can incorporate the following five current sustainability trends on social media and in their business practices to appeal to the rising number of environmentally and socially conscious consumers.
Veganism and More Plant-Based Diets
Veganism, vegetarianism, and other plant-based diets have been rising in popularity for a long time, but demand for ending animal cruelty and animal testing has dominated recent social media trends. To utilize this trend, startups could advertise how their products do not harm animals or launch short video campaigns on Instagram Reels or TikTok that inform their audience about how their product lines contain no animal byproducts. However, vegan advertising should be considered carefully, because although vegans may share many key beliefs, they are not a monolith and have different motivations for pursuing a plant-based diet. Choosing to focus on a more specific group based on their motivations (animal cruelty, scientific, or health reasons) and tailoring a social media campaign to that group will be most effective.
Condemnation of “Fast Fashion”
Fast fashion is a business model where clothing is rapidly and cheaply mass-produced, often with unethical labor practices and a disregard for the environment. This clothing is usually of poor quality and must be discarded often, which contributes to filling landfills. As consumers have learned more about fast fashion in recent years, there has been growing condemnation of this practice. This movement has encouraged boycotting brands like Forever 21 and GAP for participating in this practice. Startups can appeal to this trend on social media by making content that shows their business adhering to ethical labor practices, proper waste disposal, and a commitment to quality products. If your business is focused on the clothing industry, you could also make posts on Facebook or Twitter that denounce fast fashion and show how your brand is committed to ethical manufacturing practices.
Action on Climate Change
Both on and off social media, a rapidly growing number of consumers are concerned about climate change and global warming. This has put limelight on wasteful or environmentally harmful business practices. Consumers overwhelmingly prefer brands that use eco-friendly packaging and manufacturing processes, so incorporating these ideals into your business model could be a great way to take advantage of this trend while also helping the environment. On social media, advertising how your business aims to play its part by reducing carbon emissions by X% or incorporating entirely recyclable packaging is effective at appealing to environmentally conscious consumers.
Organic Food Options
Fitness and health have always been a dominant trend on social media, but there has been a growing push towards preferring “organic” or “non-GMO” products. This trend has also evolved to include dietary and workout supplements, as well as more healthy menu options at fast-food restaurants. On social media, businesses can participate in this trend by showing how their products contain minimal artificial ingredients, or instead by focusing on the assortment of natural components used in their products. This can apply to businesses outside of the food and beverage sector as well since these beliefs stem from a general desire for less processed and more natural products.
Addressing Social Justice Issues
In recent years, addressing social justice issues like racism, sexism, poor labor practices, and a host of other injustices has exploded in popularity and urgency. This can be seen with businesses making public statements on social media in support of racial equality or the LGBT community. Although many consumers would likely appreciate businesses agreeing with their political and social opinions, this trend should be approached with caution because certain stances can be divisive to members of your audience. Ample target audience research is recommended first to ensure that your specific audience agrees with your proposed viewpoint. However, staying neutral on these important issues may be viewed less positively in the future as a growing number of consumers consider a company’s social impacts before purchasing.
Overall, it is important to note that you should avoid making promises that you cannot keep; if you promise to make your production process “greener” and then take little or no action, you will lose the trust of your customers and do irreparable harm to your brand image. This is just one example of common sustainability mistakes, so before launching any social media campaign based on addressing climate change or any other sustainability issue, be sure to avoid the common pitfalls that businesses encounter. Participating in any of these sustainability trends can be a great and effective way to attract a larger target audience, while also improving the environment and society. Soon, sustainability may be a requirement for all businesses!
