General News

The 5 most important social media trends for 2023

It can be very hard to know what social media trends to pay attention to and what ones to ignore. So, we’ve condensed it down to the ones that matter most in 2023.

We looked at the nine key trends outlined in Hootsuite’s global Trends 2023 report, alongside data from our own social media on what works well and what doesn’t. Combining both we bring you this list of five social media marketing trends that will continue to dominate the industry in 2023.

1- TikTok

It’s no secret that TikTok has taken over the world. Whether you use the app or not, people around you are. A host of new feature releases in 2022 suggest that TikTok doesn’t just want to be the number one social network for marketers. It wants to be the number one social network, period.

TikTok, long known for innovation, has released at least seven features this year that have come directly from other social media channels. These features alongside partnerships have come hand in hand in building TikTok into the “super app”. A super app is an all-in-one app that includes social, messaging, services, payments and basically anything else you would normally do on the internet. So, is it about time your business joined this “super app”? Before doing so, it’s important to ask whether it’s right for your specific goals – for example, question who your target audience is and whether you think they are on the app? Although it works well for some businesses, it’s a very content hungry platform and it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right tool for everyone.

2- You will still have to make Reels

Instagram has been super chaotic in 2022, with multiple feature updates. But, in our opinion, Instagram is still the reining platform for brands. Instagram has 1.5 billion daily users. And it’s still pushing video content hard. For instance, all Instagram videos are Reels now, and Reels are heavily prioritised by the recommendation algorithm. For marketers, this means that posting Reels are the best way to get in front of new eyeballs on the platform. Reels grew by 220 million users between July and October 2022. In conclusion, just continue creating Reels as this is the best way to be seen!

3- LinkedIn will be about much more than jobs

Have you noticed your LinkedIn feed filling up with more and more personal posts lately? The kind of content you would normally expect to see on your Facebook feed? Well, you’re not alone, the platform is remarkably more personal than it used to be. Has the LinkedIn algorithm changed to favour more personal posts? Or has the pandemic erased the boundaries between our personal and professional lives? The most viral posts are ones that contain a mix of long-form personal storytelling and photos (almost like blog posts), as well as. posts that have links to other websites in. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t seem like this less “professional” trend is going anywhere any time soon.

4- User Generated Content (UGC) is on the rise

User-generated content (UGC) is defined by content created by regular people on social media, rather than content made by brands. UGC is great for brands that care about increasing awareness and deepening relationships with their customers. It’s authentic social, and it makes the UGC creator feel special, both of which increase brand loyalty. In 2023, businesses should look to continue to look for help from social media creators to reach their ideal audience.

5- GIFs have got to go (sorry!)

Now this one may break a few hearts, but GIFs have got to go, they are… not cool anymore. What’s our evidence? Giphy, the search engine of gifs, has declined in value by 200 million USD since its peak in 2016. And according to Giphy itself: “There are indications of an overall decline in gif use due to a general waning of user and content partner interest in gifs… They have fallen out of fashion as a content form, with younger users describing gifs as ‘for boomers’ and ‘cringe’.” Just because reaction gifs are uncool doesn’t mean that all animated images are out, however. Using stickers as tools on your Instagram Stories isn’t going anywhere anytime soon (yes, they are technically gifs.) And creating animations to demonstrate how-tos is still a much easier solution than asking someone to commit to a full video.