Revamp your socials: trends to look out for in 2023
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Social media is a funny old fish. It’s as vast as the ocean and moves faster than a Great White. So if you ended 2022 even more clueless than you were at the start of the year, don’t worry. You are not alone.
Let us guide you through these choppy waters. We’ve been analysing data and researching our channels to bring you this list of 7 social media marketing trends to swim towards in 2023.
TikTok reigns supreme
Unless you’ve not used your phone since before the pandemic, you’ll know that TikTok has become a staple of every social media manager’s home screen. Its fresh video format and potential to go viral captured the imaginations of the masses. And in 2023, it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
TikTok released a host of sparkly new features this year, each one directly inspired by other channels, suggesting it doesn’t just want to dominate the short form media space. It wants to dominate ALL spaces. TikTok’s feature timeline for world domination went a little bit like this:
With all these new features considered, TikTok is well on its way to becoming a super-app. A one stop shop for, well, everything.?
So, what does this mean for your brand? Well if you’re not on TikTok yet, stop what you’re doing (YES, that includes reading this article ??) and sign up. Seriously. You don’t want to be left behind.
PayAttention to BeReal
Now that you’ve finally gotten your head around TikTok, let's immediately throw a new platform into the mix, shall we? You know how we like to keep you on your toes ??
BeReal is a photo-sharing app that prompts users to post one unfiltered, unedited photo per day to a select group of friends. Receive the notification while you’re at the supermarket? Too bad. There’s no pretending you’re in Bali eating breakfast off a floating tray in a swimming pool here.
This is what Gen Z wants from social media: authentic content you share with friends that doesn’t make you feel bad about your life. It’s social media as it’s supposed to be: social. Still not convinced? As of December 2022, it’s still in the top 10 of social networking apps on the App Store, and has been installed roughly 29.5 million times. ? ?
Although the app only took off in 2022, it was actually launched in late 2019. Even so, it’s in its early days, meaning you can jump on it while the train is still moving. Brands like Chipotle, Pacsun and e.l.f Cosmetics have already experimented with posting offers on the app, and both Instagram and Tiktok have released their own dual camera clones.
This is why we’re backing BeReal in 2023. Imagine if you could go back in time and jump on TikTok before it exploded? Gotten to grips with the platform while other businesses were still using the Valencia filter on Instagram? Now’s your chance to correct the mistakes of your past.
Reels are going nowhere
“It’s a fad.”
“It’ll never last!”
These were the words of brands in 2020, reluctant to take the plunge into the unknown world of…. *gulp*... short form video.?
But look at you now! You’re a whiz at creating bitesize video content. You’re up to date with all the trending audios. You even have your very own ring light! It’s a good thing, too, considering Reels are here to stay.
Despite some chaos at Instagram HQ this year (full screen feed, anyone?), Reels grew by 220 million users between July and October 2022.? But Instagram isn't finished there, oh no. It’s still pushing video hard. For example, all videos are now posted as Reels now, which are heavily prioritised by the recommendation algorithm. This means the best way to get your brand in front of potential new customers is, you guessed it, Reels.?
LinkedIn gets the personal touch
Times they are a-changing over at our favourite B2B social network, LinkedIn. What was once a place solely to manage your professional identity is now seeing a rise in personal posts. From CEOs crying over layoffs to marketers sharing tips to tackle burnout, there has been a noticeable shift. But why?
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Some theories. First, the LinkedIn algorithm could well have changed to favour more personal posts. Long-form storytelling, a bit like a blog post, encourages users to stay on the platform, rather than, say, a post containing a link to another website. Why boost a post that drives people away when you can lure them in with a workplace tearjerker?
Second: the decline of Facebook. Let’s face it: trust in the platform is at an all time low, and people are simply using it less. Where will we overshare now?! Instagram is too curated. Twitter doesn’t give us enough characters to spill the tea. Why not give LinkedIn a go?
Finally, it could be a post-pandemic mindset shift. All that isolation has made people crave more authenticity in their lives, including in business. They want the sharing of ideas, the rebutting of unrealistic expectations, and frank discussions about mental health. They want transparency, legitimacy and cold, hard truths.
So, what does this mean for your brand?
We’re not saying you need to pour your heart and soul out on LinkedIn. But you might want to consider changing up your posting strategy. Try including some linkless posts that show your human side - words of encouragement, workplace anecdotes, and thought leadership through a personal lens.
Don’t overlook social SEO
When you discover a new brand, what’s the first thing you do? Look them up in the phonebook? No. Chances are you will search for them on social media. A business’s Instagram profile is more like a mini landing page than simply a place to connect. Twitter takes the form of customer service. TikTok is a calling card.
This trend is especially apparent in our younger generations. According to Google’s internal research, 40% percent of 18- to 24-year-olds are now using social media as their primary search engine. In September 2022, the New York Times even announced that “For Gen Z, TikTok is the New Search Engine.
Let’s take advantage of this in 2023. Rather than arbitrarily adding dead hashtags into your copy after a post is finished, use that time to research keywords. This way you can create content that people are already searching for.?
The future is AI?
If you were scrolling social feeds in December 2022 (and we’re assuming you did since you're reading this post), then you would have seen a whole host of digital avatars where your friends transformed themselves into cartoon characters, elven royalty, and sexy cyborgs. Lensa, an AI photo-editing mobile app, went viral after its artificial intelligence image generation tool made everyone look either gorgeous or terrifying.
Despite concerns about privacy and human artists and their work, the trend solidified the usage of AI created content going forward. Expect more of this in 2023.
As a market, AI is expected to grow yearly by 120%. While the job replacement threat of AI is very real, some businesses are already all over it. Take Chase, for example: in 2019 they hired Persado, an AI copywriter to create their online ad copy. After this trial, they found that the AI copywriter outperformed humans.
If the use of AI has piqued your interest, one way you can implement it into your strategy is with your own copywriting. Simply feed a few prompts into AI software and bish, bash, bosh: instant copy for your next social post! Just remember to read it thoroughly and adapt it to your own tone of voice first, otherwise your audience might think you’ve been kidnapped.
Here come the nano-influencers
For Instagram and TikTok, Influencer marketing isn’t just about big names anymore. While creators with millions of followers may have the largest followings, the truth is, many of them are unattainable. Besides, it’s been established: when you speak to everyone, you speak to no one at all.?
Enter the nano-influencers (those with less than 10k followers). Seen as more credible and authentic, their niche audiences offer brands direct access to their target market. Not to mention they’re cost-effective and have a much higher engagement rate than your traditional macro-influencer; an average of 3.69%. Thus, in the coming years, we can expect to see nano- and micro-influencers take centre stage as more brands are likely to opt for a more “community-led approach.”
??If you need help with managing your social media, pop us an email at [email protected] for a no obligation chat - we look forward to speaking with you!