Social Media Trends In 2023
The current digital age is mainly determined by two factors: the customer and immediacy. Consumers want the service to be personalized, fast and for the channel to meet their needs. For this reason, social networks have become a tool to get to know customers better and offer them the experiences they demand based on certain trends. In this area, digital marketing has more and more weight.
The pandemic created the conditions for people to take control of brands during this and the next few years. For this reason, Hubspot & Talkwalker have prepared a study on the main social media trends in 2023 that brands should know about:
1. The dominance of TikTok
If there is one almost guaranteed trend going into 2023, it is the sustained dominance of TikTok as the top social network. The short video platform has broken download records, becoming the reference application to connect with current and future customers. What is this about? The application has a highly personalized content proposal system thanks to its powerful algorithm . This helps brands gain exposure, attention, and connection with the right audience. In addition, the future e-commerce and monetization model that will be introduced soon makes the presence of the brands even more consolidated.
The appearance of #TikTokResumes as a functionality that seeks to add more value to the consumer experience makes the brand more than an entertainment platform. This allows users to post their resumes and apply for jobs directly from the platform. With over 3,400 conversations online and over 300 million views on TikTok, this hashtag has gained traction among younger generations who want to express their originality when applying for a job.
It is important to appreciate that TikTok content is regularly spread on other platforms, demonstrating that it is a medium that consumers engage with on an omnichannel level and that it inspires other channels to try the content and match it. Consumers have fully and quickly engaged with TikTok, prompting other social media platforms to follow suit.
2. The guideline in social networks will improve when cookies are eliminated
What will be the advertising model of social networks in the future? This question is still unknown and does not have a concrete answer. Google is working to eliminate cookie tracking by 2023. This means that brands will have to learn to balance the need to offer personalized services with compliance with this new privacy standard. The future without cookies seems to be an ideal scenario for advertisers, publishers and consumers, but those organizations that have obtained personal data without respecting user privacy will have to reinvent themselves.
In this future scenario, social networks have a very important role. Thanks to them, companies have reached larger audiences and increased brand awareness and interactions. Last year, social platforms became a forum that allowed advertisers to connect with consumers in a more personal and direct way. For example, GoPro continually organizes marketing campaigns, such as the “Photo of the Day” competition, with the aim of increasing interaction with its users, maintaining customer loyalty and showcasing the quality of its products, following social media trends. social. Also check telecharger video pinterest
As a conclusion regarding this trend, these points will be key: take advantage of the trust that user-generated content offers, turn metrics into the best ally and educate, entertain and encourage interaction with your ads.
3. Coustomer journey made simple by social media marketing
Social media platforms are already offering eCommerce stores with new shopping features; even channels like Instagram do the same through social media influencers. These influencers sponsor brands through strategic partnerships, promoting their products and services to their large and loyal fan bases. The rise of influencer marketing offers a great opportunity for brands to align their products and services with important personalities, with the aim of attracting new audiences from the place where they spend their time. If you haven’t considered this strategy yet, now is the time. 69% of marketers plan to spend more money on Instagram influencersthan in any other market this year.
Marketing on social networks is not only about selling within these platforms, but about creating constant interactions that generate interest in the consumer. Instagram is a clear example of this with the introduction of new purchase functions that allow users to buy without leaving the application, thanks to publications, Reels and Stories.
Therefore, brands must be original and creative, taking advantage of the full potential of these applications to capture and maintain customer attention. To achieve this, images must be attractive, personalized, simple and follow the trends of commerce in social networks.
4. Content better adapted to consumer needs
Social media was already an integral part of our lives, but the lockdown drastically increased its use around the world. The number of people using social networks increased by more than 500 million worldwide compared to the same period the previous year, indicating an increase of almost 14%. To stay visible to potential customers, brands need to communicate in local, granular terms, targeting specific audiences and based on what’s truly relevant to them. This could mean creating special content for a generation, location, genre, or hobby. Now that companies have the personal data of their customers,users expect more individualized experiences throughout the customer journey.
Text results get 0.91 interactions per mention, while images get 2.85 and video results get 1.5. Trends in media consumption have been accelerated by the lockdown, as consumers at home have turned to digital media for information, entertainment and connection, and have accelerated convenience. This has fueled an uptick in content creation to meet growing demand. Consumers want stories designed for them, but not only with the information they expect, but also in a style that interests them. This led to an increase in live audio and video formats, which, although already popular, have now created more interaction.
The transition from working in the office to working from home caused people to seek more personalized experiences around their lives. The moment this situation changes again, we can expect that the demands will also change. For now, the traditional five-day office week is no longer guaranteed, so brands will have to offer a broader catalog of experiences to cater to a broader range of lifestyles.
5. The growing importance of omnichannel interaction
64.5% of Internet users receive breaking news through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram, instead of traditional media. With this increase in information comes the opportunity to broaden audiences and grow your connections with consumers by providing the information they want. But there is also a higher risk of spreading fake news and misleading content, because if you don’t tell the right story, consumers will find it elsewhere with information that is potentially damaging to your business.
A recent study revealed that inattention was the driving factor behind 51% of misinformation being shared on social media. With this in mind, brands need to keep a close eye on what their audience reads and believes to commit to sharing factual information that builds consumer trust.
6. Influencer marketing
The incredible growth of TikTok, “unfiltered” or unscripted content, and the rise of common influencers have all come a long way in a short period of time. The 2021 Influencer Marketing Hub survey reported that 67% of respondents use Instagram for influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is connecting more with consumers as the line between social media and e-commerce becomes thinner, making it one of the trends, allowing brands to thrive and see immediate results.
Influencer marketing offers better results and lower risk. The brands that make the most of these opportunities are the ones that research what consumers want and those that manage to identify the influencers that will give them the opportunity to have the greatest impact, being a fundamental part of the new digital marketing.
Influencers can reach consumers at a level that many brands can’t, and nearly half of consumers trust influencers’ recommendations before buying. Ordinary people are becoming influencers and it is precisely their understanding of what consumers want.
7. Brands will lead the decentralization of social media
We will likely start to see more brands, specifically those in the travel, payment and navigation sectors, incorporate social components directly into their user experience. Overall interactions and retention increase when consumers can stay in touch with their social group on an app.
Brands must strive to ensure that their platforms, applications and channels include a social component. Communities are key, but they are no longer limited to just the major social media platforms. Now, many brands are internally building their own social networks with forums and in-app features in order to take back control of their audiences. Decentralized social networks have a different infrastructure with no central server and no company controlling the site.
Consumers no longer see you as a brand, but as a connection and they no longer expect to receive only a service from you, but also a way to interact, participate and communicate. The option for brands is to allow these interactions to happen off the site through forums and social networks or to keep them within their platform.
8. Is the metaverse the future?
People in the video game industry are increasingly yearning for more immersive experiences, which explains why virtual words, like those in Fortnite or Animal Crossing, have worked so well. Today, the top four games that offer a virtual experience have strengthened their online presence as seen by monitoring conversations. Like many of the trends we will see in 2023, the introduction of virtual reality is spearheaded by younger generations. In addition, one of the trends is to share your achievements on these platforms through social networks.
This emerging trend is proof that online and offline experiences are slowly merging , creating even more opportunities for businesses. Many of the brands where Gen Z gamers spend their time serve as social spaces and gaming communities. These environments give way to creativity, collaboration and competition, and stay ahead in the digital age.
The great opportunity offered by virtual reality and augmented reality functions reduces the potential problems and barriers that brands can have when trying to reach a customer, space where the metaverse will play a key role.
9. The importance of inclusion
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) was a major talking point in 2020, and it has become more relevant in 2021. In 2023, brands must focus on their commitment to CSR, listening and acting on the social issues that matter most to them. to their audiences. Consumers are no longer interested in performative alliances, empty promises, or sporadic donations. They have high expectations and prefer brands that proactively foster connections with their audience and bring together people with diverse opinions. Brands must take a hard look at their actions, facts and culture to stay relevant in 2023.
Companies can no longer create their products or services by staying away from the issues that matter to their audience. Today’s brands must engage with relevant issues such as mental health, sustainability and social justice. Otherwise they will become irrelevant.
10. Communities will take control
Many companies approach social media the wrong way in hopes of staying in business. Brands need to be more strategic and develop content designed around the consumer, with the goal of establishing loyal and engaged communities. However, brands are not always in control of these communities. Social networks allow the latter to train outside the brand and in 2021 the power of these groups to disrupt some markets has been demonstrated as one of the trends. It is essential to develop strategies for digital infrastructures and collective spaces.
Isolation and social distancing have increased our need to socialize and connect. 2023 will see the continued growth of online communities, and these groups will be crucial for businesses to cultivate relationships and address their needs. Social issues that have been in the spotlight like the presidential election, the BLM movement, the #MeToo movement, sustainability, and many more have one important thing in common: they all have communities that drive them, a collective power that strengthens their cause . , idea or mission.
