8 Social Media Trends to Watch Out for this 2023

The world of social media is constantly evolving, and with each passing year, new trends emerge. As we look forward to what’s coming this year, it’s essential to be aware of these upcoming trends to stay ahead of the curve when using social media platforms effectively. Here are ten top social media trends you should watch out for this 2023.?

The Growing Popularity of Social Commerce and Livestream Shopping

Social commerce, or the use of social media to facilitate online shopping, is gaining ground. This trend will likely become even more prominent with platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, and TikTok offering more ways for users to discover and purchase products directly on their platforms.

With the introduction of in-app purchases and streamlined checkout processes, buying items on social media has never been easier. This convenience increases impulse buying on these sites since people don’t have to leave their feeds to make a purchase.

Livestream shopping is another trend that’s gaining traction quickly among social media users today—and we anticipate this trend will only grow stronger throughout this year. With livestream shopping, brands give customers a unique experience by allowing them to shop directly from influencers or streamers via video chats. This way, instead of simply watching product reviews online, customers get real-time feedback from someone who has direct knowledge about what they’re selling—making it easier than ever before with just one click away. More brands are expected to adopt this strategy, given how effective streaming services have been at driving sales so far.???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Short-Form and Bite-Sized Content Will Dominate

Short-form videos are taking over as one of the top forms of content on all major networks, including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 73% of consumers prefer to watch short-form videos to learn about a product or service. Creating engaging videos should remain at the forefront of any digital marketing strategy.

Short-form content such as TikTok videos has become wildly popular amongst younger generations—especially Gen Zers, who prefer quick snippets over longer pieces or stories—making this trend worth noting if you're looking ahead towards future strategies & campaigns targeting specific demographics. We'll also likely see other platforms following suit, introducing their short-form options alongside traditional ‘longer length’ posts/tweets, etc.

Greater Focus on User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is expected to become more prevalent as businesses and brands focus on leveraging the engagement and trust of their audiences. This trend is driven by the fact that consumers are increasingly turning away from traditional advertising formats, such as TV and radio spots, and instead relying more on their peers for product information and opinions. As a result, brands are likely to lean on content that resonates with their audience, increases loyalty, and provides a platform for meaningful interaction between them and their customers.

Greater Emphasis on Storytelling

Storytelling has become an increasingly popular trend in social media marketing in 2022 and will continue to be one in the year ahead. Many brands now recognise the power of connecting with their audiences through narrative-driven posts and campaigns, creating a more engaging experience for viewers. People respond positively to authentic stories rather than those focused on product promotion or sales-oriented messages.

Artificial Intelligence Goes Mainstream

As technology advances, so does the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is rapidly changing how we interact with each other, our digital devices, and how businesses operate. This means that social media trends are inevitably impacted by AI developments.

Many companies have already adopted automation across various industries, and its use will only continue growing over time. Automated content generation tools leveraging natural language processing (NLP) technologies can generate high-quality written copy from data input.

In addition to AI-generated content, chatbots will continue to rise. These automated programs are designed to simulate conversations between humans by responding in natural language patterns when prompted or asked specific questions via text message or voice command. Chatbots have become particularly popular among businesses as they provide customers with 24/7 customer service support without always having someone physically present – something that can be especially beneficial during off-hours when staff may not be available. However, customers still need assistance quickly resolving issues they face while using a company’s product or services.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be utilised even more by social media platforms to enhance user experiences and provide users with tailored content that meets their needs. AI algorithms can analyse user data such as previous engagements and interests, allowing platforms to recommend new content or products catered explicitly to user preferences.

The Growth of Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR)

Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality—these terms have been around since the mid-1980s. But, it wasn’t until recently that they began gaining traction within mainstream society, thanks mainly due in part to devices like Microsoft HoloLens & Apple’s ARKit framework. Similarly, social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat have AR filters used by brands for marketing purposes.

We expect this trend will continue this year, where we could see VR/AR being used more widely across various industries, from gaming & entertainment all the way through education and healthcare, amongst many others—enabling users to experience things “in person” without having to actually travel there themselves.

Social Audio Will Be the Next Big Thing

Social audio is rising in popularity as a new trend for social media this year. It has become increasingly popular thanks to its versatility and accessibility, allowing users to have conversations, share stories, and create communities within their networks. From podcasts to audiobooks, the possibilities for utilising this form of communication are endless.

This trend has been slowly growing over the past few years, and it looks like it will become mainstream. Social networks like Clubhouse and Twitter’s Spaces are beginning to make waves in the industry as users flock to their platforms to hear audio conversations from people worldwide. We expect more social networking sites to offer these interactive audio experiences in the coming years.

The Rise of Micro-Influencer and Nano-Influencer Marketing

The rise of micro-influencers (influencers having between 10,000 to 100,000 followers) nano-influencers (influencers having between 1,000 to 10,000 followers) in social media marketing is set to take off this year. According to a research by Influencer Marketing Hub, 90% of marketers believed influencer marketing would be more effective than traditional forms of advertising within the next three years. This shift can be attributed to an array of factors, including the ability of smaller businesses or brands on a budget to reach their target audiences through these influencers at a fractional cost compared with more prominent celebrities or macro-influencers. As well as this, nano and micro-influencers have also been found to offer higher engagement rates due to their closer relationship with followers; therefore, brands can select specific niches that cater to their products/services that better resonate with consumers.

These are just a few of the social media trends that 2023 is likely to bring. Staying up-to-date with these changes is key if you want your business or brand to stay ahead of the competition in this increasingly competitive landscape.

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