Social Media Trends to Prepare for in 2022

The term "social trends" came into use in connection with statistical measurement of trend lines, but it was quickly used to describe movements not statistically measured, as, for instance, the trend in the growth of a social media channel.

Social media has managed to become an integral part of our lives in a short time. What started as a medium to stay in touch with friends and family, soon become a channel for brands and businesses to connect with their target audience through well-crafted?social media strategies. Social media managers everywhere are blinking eyes and poking heads out from behind the screens to take the lay of the land. They've got strategies to plan, and need to know: which social media trends are going to change the game in 2022?

As social platforms introduce new features and change their algorithms, social media trends likewise undergo an evolution. Take Instagram Stories, for example. A few years ago, Snapchat was known for its disappearing, FOMO-inducing content, but there didn’t appear to be a wide appetite for similar features on other networks. Now, over?millions of people use the feature?daily on Instagram, and more and more platforms are adding equivalent features. That’s testimony of just how quickly we adopt new trends in social media. It can be tough working in an industry that morphs faster than a Power Ranger!!

Thus the List of social media trends that will dominate the industry in 2022:

>Start spending big ad dollars on smaller networks:

New research shows that consumers may be more receptive to advertising on smaller channels like TikTok, Snapchat, and Pinterest than the bigger social networks. Google Search Trends also show increasing search demand over the last two years for ads on these networks. TikTok is leading the charge.

>Long-form video is a bust, except on YouTube

According to video hosting software company Vidyard, 60% of all videos published on the internet in 2020 were under 2 minutes long. This stat puts video length on social media platforms into perspective. Two years ago, with the advent of IGTV and Facebook Watch (not to mention the supposed demise of Snapchat), there was a moment when we all thought long-form video was the future.But then TikTok arrived in North America. In response, Instagram launched Reels in late 2020, and the rest is history. And even YouTube, the last bastion of long-form video on social media, has introduced a new format. YouTube Shorts.

>Outsource the engagement activities tactics to a Creator

“Creator” encompasses both professional influencer marketers and amateur content creators — basically anyone who writes, edits, designs, and films content to publish on social media with an entrepreneurial motivation. In the U.S. alone, 72.5% of marketers are projected to make use of influencer marketing by 2022.

>You won’t post anything without a social listening strategy

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses jumped on board the?social listening?train for the first time. They liked being able to respond in real-time to questions and conversations with their customers during a health crisis. Google search demand for keywords like “social listening” and “social listening tools” is up 22% year-over-year. This means that more people are on the hunt to either find out what social listening is or buy a tool for their business.

>TikTok will take over social media, leaving other platforms to adapt

If there is one trend that is almost guaranteed as we move into 2022, it’s the continued domination of TikTok. The short-term video platform has broken download records, quickly becoming?the go to app for connecting with current and future consumer.

If you’re going to succeed, you need to put consumers at the center of every piece of content, strategy, or campaign in 2022.