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Social Media Marketing today is a rapidly changing and dynamic landscape that constantly evolves, and keeping up with the latest social media trends today can be challenging.
However, this ever-changing environment also presents a golden opportunity for marketers and business owners who are looking for innovative ways to connect with their audience.
In order to succeed in this competitive arena, it is crucial to stay informed about the emerging social media trends that are expected to dominate in 2023.
The usage of social media platforms has been increasing rapidly, with a staggering 59.3% of the world's population actively engaged on various platforms. In 2022, there were over 4.74 billion active users, a significant 4.2% increase from the previous year.
This growth provides a promising opportunity for marketers and small business owners to expand their audience and boost their revenue.
However, with so many businesses concentrating their efforts on a limited number of high-performing social media channels, content saturation, user engagement fatigue, and budget overruns can easily become major issues.
To ensure that marketing efforts are directed towards the most effective social media channels, it is critical to understand the most significant social media trends that are set to make an impact in 2023, keep on reading to learn more.
1. The Continuing Rise Of Short-Form Video Content
Traditionally, video content has been viewed horizontally on platforms like YouTube and Netflix. However, with the increasing use of smartphones for video consumption, nearly two-thirds of YouTube viewing time comes from mobile devices, and the majority of mobile video consumption happens in a vertical orientation.
This trend, combined with the rise of short-form video content, has prompted many marketers to focus on producing shorter, vertical videos, with almost 40% agreeing that short-form videos generate the highest ROI and 48% stating that shorter videos are more likely to go viral.
In 2023, we expect brands to continue to embrace this trend, producing more short-form, vertical video content to promote their products and services. Shorter videos are particularly effective for social media marketing, with almost 75% of consumers preferring to learn about products or services via a short video.
In 2023, one of the most popular social media trends in short-form video content is the use of educational animated explainer videos. These videos effectively communicate complex concepts and sensitive topics to diverse audiences.
By incorporating educational content into their marketing strategy, brands can generate more leads and strengthen customer loyalty. Well-produced explainer videos can even sway customers who are on the fence about making a purchase.
By providing informative content that addresses consumer needs and concerns, brands can build trust and establish lasting relationships with their audience.
2. The Continuing Rise Of Social Commerce
The growth of e-commerce has paved the way for social commerce, a marketing strategy that utilizes social media platforms to sell products and services. This approach has gained traction among businesses as several social media platforms have introduced features that allow consumers to shop within their apps, making it easier to convert sales.
According to projections, the global social commerce market is expected to reach $1.298 billion by 2023. To capitalize on this trend, businesses are advised to enhance their social media presence by creating shoppable posts and linking to product pages, especially on Instagram.
Shoppable posts enable customers to view and purchase products directly from the feed by clicking on the tags associated with the products.
3. Extended Reality Spills Into The Mainstream
Augmented and virtual reality have been utilized in social media marketing for several years, with brands experimenting with interactive filters and lenses.
However, with the cost of the technology decreasing, 2023 is poised to be the year when AR and VR reach the mainstream, extending beyond just a small group of high-end advertisers.
This shift presents an opportunity for social media marketers to incorporate interactive elements into their campaigns, as research from Magna Global indicates that interactivity leads to increased ad recall and brand familiarity.
In fact, three-quarters of viewers who see interactive ads are likely to perform some action, such as looking for a product, seeking deals, or searching for more information online.
Breitling, a watchmaker, was one brand that leveraged augmented reality in 2022, creating an interactive guide that showcased its Navitimer wristwatch.
This was created as an interactive guide that told the story of its Navitimer wristwatch, take a look below:
The campaign was run on Facebook and Instagram, and Meta reported that the AR ads, when combined with traditional ad formats, achieved 30% greater reach compared to usual ads alone and a 2.76 times higher lift in consideration compared to normal ads alone.
4. LinkedIn Is Becoming The New Twitter
Recently, there has been news of a major shift in user behavior, as many individuals are migrating from Twitter to LinkedIn.
This trend is likely to result in a more personable and less formal approach on LinkedIn, as users begin to share personal stories and experiences that have shaped their leadership styles, as well as the challenges they've faced throughout their careers.
This represents a significant shift in the culture of LinkedIn, which has traditionally been a platform for professional networking and job searching.
For marketers, this transition presents a unique opportunity to connect with customers on a more human level. By sharing personal experiences and insights, brands can position themselves as relatable and trustworthy, building stronger relationships with their audiences.
In essence, this shift towards greater transparency and authenticity offers marketers the chance to humanize their brand and differentiate themselves from competitors who may rely solely on traditional marketing techniques.
By embracing this change, businesses can tap into the power of social media to build lasting connections with their customers and drive growth over the long term.
5. TikTok Is Becoming More Popular With Businesses
An increasing number of consumer-facing social media companies are recognizing the immense popularity of TikTok, the video-sharing app that has taken the world by storm. As a result, these companies are now actively exploring TikTok and placing greater emphasis on video content to remain competitive.
To keep up with changing consumer preferences and stay relevant, these companies are also adding more content discovery opportunities to their platforms.
For marketers who want to reach their target audience, this means that they need to adjust their strategies accordingly. Creating compelling and high-quality video content that resonates with their audience is now essential.
In addition, leveraging influencer marketing can help amplify brand messages and increase reach on the platform.
Building a strong community on social media is also becoming increasingly important, and this holds true for TikTok as well. Brands must focus on fostering a loyal following by actively engaging with their audience and encouraging user-generated content.
This can help create a sense of community around the brand and foster long-term brand loyalty.
Final Thoughts
Marketers and business owners alike must adapt their strategies by creating compelling video content, leveraging the best social media platforms, and building a strong community to maximize their reach and impact on the social media platform(s) of choice to maximize their SMM campaigns with the most effective social media marketing today and into the future.
