5 Social Media Marketing Trends That You Should Watch Out For In 2023
Did you try out the ice bucket challenge? Did you make Dalgona Coffee during the lockdown? Were you busy ‘guessing the gibberish’ on Instagram or selling NFTs on Twitter? If you’re not on a social media detox, chances are that you have come across these trends on social media.
While there’s a lot of content that trends on social media each day, most of these trends are transient. However, when it comes to the tricks of the trade of social media marketing, there are certain trends that we think are here to stay in the year ahead.
Join us as we point out the top 5 social media marketing trends that will indeed go viral in 2023 and help you become a social media pro.
Trend #1: Snackable content will be in high demand
In the year ahead, if you want to ace your social media game – your content should look like a snack (#internetlingo). Let us explain.
A trend that started with Snapchat, snackable content is nothing but a bite-size engaging content that users can enjoy and engage with on different social media platforms. That’s why stories and reels are more sought after than actual posts on Instagram nowadays.
The advent of this trend can be credited to Snapchat – which introduced the world to snaps-based communication. Soon, Facebook, Whatsapp, and Instagram a.k.a the Meta Universe hopped on the bandwagon with statuses and stories. A while later, Tik Tok revolutionized this snackable content even further. Short-form video platforms like TikTok witnessed phenomenal growth with a total of 2.6 billion downloads to date.
Today, stories rule. Right from the Meta Universe to Linkedin and Twitter, we’ve all got stories in some form or the other, and for good reason. Over 500 million people across the world check out Instagram stories every day.
Source: SproutSocial
All in all, easy-to-view, interactive content will lead your social media marketing game in 2023. So, start adding stories (including videos!), to your social media plan already!
Trend #2: Social Media will be the new social shopping center
We all are buying online – that’s no news. However, not many know that even though people use eCommerce platforms to buy, they use social media recommendations and reviews to decide what to buy. In fact, 87% of e-commerce shoppers believe social media helps them make a shopping decision, according to Absolunet. So, social media plays a vital role in the world of online commerce. However, now, it’s going to be even more crucial.
Social media platforms would now transform into social commerce platforms. This means that you would be able to make purchases directly from your favorite social media app. As a matter of fact, this trend is already taking shape. Social commerce buyers in the US have already increased by 25.2%, reaching over 80 million – a number that’s likely to reach 100 million by 2023.
This integration of social media with e-commerce is nothing but adding a quick shop now button or a direct checkout option on different social media platforms. The reason these works is that people are more convinced to make a purchase based on social media reviews – so, they quickly act on it if they have an instant buy option on the platform.
Source: Meta
Trend #3: Live Streams will make Social Media more lively
Ronaldo is going live today! Excited, aren’t you? Wait – where? Is he doing a Facebook Live, Instagram Live, or Youtube Live? The Live feature is now common in almost every other social media platform and we are not surprised.
Going Live gives you the capability to connect and interact with a large audience in real-time. By far, it is the most inclusive and intimate interaction that people can have on social media with a large group at once that too with the #videoon.
The concept of Live Streams was to compensate for the experience that the audience would get during Live Concerts during the pandemic. However, what began as a make-do solution to prevent the spread of COVID-19, has now evolved into a popular choice for most marketers while making their social media marketing strategy. Believe us, Live streaming is here to stay for a long time.
Source: Meta
Trend #4: Authenticity and Inclusivity will be key in building your social media image
Managing a brand’s social media presence is a matter of great responsibility. Whatever goes out from the social media handle, becomes the viewpoint of the brand. That’s why another extremely crucial social media trend for 2023 would be maintaining inclusivity. While you must know your target audience, you cannot just focus on one demographic. The more inclusive your brand is perceived, the more likable it is to the audience. We’re not just saying it for the heck of it. In fact, an Accenture ercestudy found that 29% of all shoppers would switch to a brand that’s committed to inclusivity and diversity.
At the same time, in the stride to “be inclusive and diverse”, you can’t go about “faking it” on social media. Going ahead, transparency and authenticity will be paramount in shaping your brand’s perception on social media. According to the 2020 Sprout Social Index, transparency and engagement with the audience are the top two factors that make a brand’s social best in class.
Source: SproutSocial
If you falter, own it, if you fail, accept it. If something you did is loved, express gratitude, if it’s reprimanded, accept your errors and move on. Overall, be real. People now perceive brands as an individual and follow them based on the virtues they stay true to and the stances they stand by. So, humanize your brand for the audience.
Trend #5: Augmented Reality (AR) will be the new cool
Do you remember the McDonald’s Spice Zapper filter, which allowed users to zap nuggets as they fell? Let us jog your memory a bit. Do you remember doing this? It was so much fun, right?
Source: SproutSocial
Not just these, those filters where you find cockroaches entering your nose or the latest Squid Game Instagram filter are all so amazing. Well, all of them are perfect examples of how fun social media becomes with the magic of Augmented Reality.
Augmented Reality lets you create experiences that are inherently interactive and highly effective for engagement. With its increasing popularity, in the year ahead, you would find brands leveraging the power of augmented reality to promote new products or encourage fan interaction.
Not just as a gimmick, AR would allow brands to up their social commerce experience by letting customers “try on” products, a feature that was implemented on Instagram in 2019.
To Sum Up
All in all, social media marketing is going to evolve and get even more competitive and challenging going ahead. Given that the world of social media changes every minute, you have to be on your toes to keep up with it. Most importantly, you need to tap on these top social media marketing trends to engage your audience on social media the right way.
