It’s all about trends.
Following social media trends is crucial in ensuring you’re using current and effective strategies on social media.
Every stage of the client journey requires a solid social media presence. According to research, 52% of new brand discovery occurs on Instagram, implying that this is a consumer’s first stop, even before visiting a company’s website.
Marketers must remain on top of the latest social media trends to effectively use digital platforms. Facebook and Instagram keep all social media managers on their toes by adding new features or tweaking their algorithms pretty much every week.
Plus, it seems like a new social media platform launched every day.
Here’s a look at eight social media trends you need to know for 2023.
1. The rise of AI
We can’t discuss social media or anything digital without addressing the artificial elephant in the room.
Different AI-driven solutions can provide insights into your brand’s social media content, profiles, and audience at a rapid rate. AI’s social media intelligence can help brands analyse and improve brand equity, identify consumer performance, and define target groups. In addition, social media tools driven by AI can check your scheduled social media content and then advise you what, when and where to post it for maximum engagement.
Take a look at how Meta is using AI to help advertisers.
2. Social Commerce
Social commerce is the future of online shopping, and it’s all about buying products directly through social media platforms. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest invest heavily in social commerce features, and users can easily purchase products without leaving the platform. This trend is making online shopping more convenient and accessible for users.
3. Ephemeral content
Ephemeral content is only available for a limited time and then vanishes; think Instagram Stories and Snapchats. People’s attention spans have shrunk in recent years, and their preferences for information consumption have also shifted, which is why the previously mentioned have grown in popularity. People can spend hours browsing through one Story after another because they are brief, entertaining, and addictive.
4. Video
Videos are the future of social media content, whether short-form videos like those popular on TikTok or Stories or long-form content on YouTube. According to a Cisco study, video content will account for 82% of all web content by 2022, highlighting the importance of employing video content to remain relevant in the social media domain. If you’re not already using videos in your content strategy, now is the time and start today with a feature like Instagram Stories. Start experimenting with video on platforms where image or word materials have typically dominated.
5. Personalisation
Personalisation has been a buzzword in marketing for a while, and it’s also becoming a critical trend in social media. Personalised content, tailored to the user’s preferences and interests, can significantly improve engagement and conversion rates. Social media platforms are already using algorithms to personalise content based on users’ behaviours and interests, and this trend is likely to continue in 2023.
6. Voice & visual search
Search engines will also expand their skills by making voice and visual search more critical in 2023. It won’t be long until consumers can get a product’s information just using image uploads. Voice search will be a change-maker in social media marketing too. When search engines take social profile signals, it will be like any other marketing approach when your content appears in voice or visual search. It is essential to ensure your material is voice search-friendly so search engines can get simple signals from your profiles and provide your potential customers with relevant results.
7. Social communities
Social media groups are formed to provide their customers with a networking platform. These are often private groups that others of the same thought can join to discuss their common interests. Many brands use these groups to bring together and meaningfully engage all their present and prospective customers. Group members can debate different subjects, exchange experiences and find answers to their issues.
8. Privacy and data protection
Privacy and data protection are becoming increasingly important to social media users, and it’s a trend that brands need to be aware of. Due to several high-profile data breaches and scandals, social media platforms are under increased scrutiny to protect users’ data. Brands prioritising data protection and privacy will earn consumers’ trust and loyalty.
