Social Media Management Trends for 2023
Top 5 trends to pay attention to and use in your social media marketing this year.
1. Social shopping
2. Short-form video content (reels, TikTok)
3. Community building
4. User-generated content
5. Authenticity: Just BeReal
Most influencers, brands, and blogs will likely focus on trends going into the New Year. Trends are cyclical, and while it takes longer for some trends to circle back around, it's essential to be ready to assess their usefulness when the time comes. Social media trends can help boost engagement with your audience, but we have also found a not-so-secret ingredient that you need to keep at the top of your priority list.
What is Social Shopping?
Social shopping is the buying and selling of products through social media. Using direct links or affiliate links through social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, consumers can directly shop for something they love through their social media experience. With the advance of social media, the days of finding out where your friend bought those fantastic shoes via word of mouth are over. Consumers no longer have to rush out to the nearest mall and hope for success in finding the last pair in their size.
With the click of a link or a convenient swipe up, consumers can instantly snag their newest "I have to have that" item.
Social shopping was taking place prior to 2020, but Covid drove new sales and traffic for brands. According to Statista, consumers generated over 724 billion dollars through social shopping. This is expected to grow significantly over the next decade, with a growth rate of around 30% annually. This time next year, the number is projected to be close to $950 billion in social commerce. Social shopping makes many things significantly easier. From over-the-counter medicine to groceries to toys, social shopping drives spending.
Short-form video content (Reels, TikTok)
Short-form videos like Instagram reels and TikToks pave the way for growing your following on social media. If you ever mindlessly flip through one short video after another, you must see enormous appeal and possibilities for audience growth.
An Instagram reel is a full-screen, vertical video that can be up to 90 seconds long. Reels remain a permanent post on your timeline, unlike stories that disappear after 24 hours. Instagram is pushing reels via the algorithm that favors short-form video content over static posts.
Like reels, TikToks are short-form video content on any topic you can think of—many niche users of TikTok post very specific content, which can be found with hashtags. If you can think of it, it's out there.
Instagram reels and TikToks can be shared via Facebook, making this trend impossible to ignore. The opportunity for audience growth is limited only by your imagination. Short-form video content can be a lot of work. The payoff is worth it in finding your audience and future clients.
Community Building
As you grow your online presence for yourself or your small business, the key is developing a loyal customer base or community of people who repeatedly look for your content regardless of whether they have converted to a client yet. Today's connections become tomorrow's clients, and community building is key.
How do I build community?
Posting, commenting on posts, and engaging with others online is the key to building community. It may start with simple, authentic posts. As your community grows and people enjoy (or need) your content, they will continue to return and begin to engage. You respond, thank them for commenting, etc. It replicates a normal, in-person interaction but takes place entirely online. Ask for people to like or share your content. Ask questions that allow for conversation and response.
Community building looks like sharing your brand, educating people on your brand, and then engaging in any conversations that naturally occur.
User-generated content
User-generated content occurs (somewhat) organically when an individual posts about a product or service they use and love without compensation. Generally, the more successful the person is at sharing things without compensation, the more likely they will eventually end up as a paid "influencer" of sorts. They are, in fact, already influencing people by sharing things they use and love. Businesses should always give proper credit and ask permission before using user-generated content to avoid legal issues.
According to Sprout Social, user-generated content will boost brand engagement, increase conversion rates, build brand trust (seeing real people using the products) and educate users.
Authenticity: Just BeReal
Whether social media users recognize it or not, they already seek authenticity with the content creators they follow. A 2019 Forbes article on "The Psychology of Influencer Marketing" lists "personal connection" as one of five reasons we follow certain people. Personal connection comes from a sense that the content creator is being authentic in their online presence. As humans, we seek connection with others, and many of us sense when that connection is not genuine or feels off.
There is a new app:
BeReal, which encourages authenticity and gives a random two-minute time for you to post for the day. Unlike other social sharing apps, photos are not available after on a person's profile.
Photos are taken with a front-facing and back-facing camera simultaneously. Once the two-minute window is passed, you can still post, but users will know you posted late.
Whether the app encourages or generates authentic posts for individuals remains to be seen. Still, it is an app worth noting mentally in the landscape of social media marketing.
Strategy for 2023
At Flywheel, we are geared up for a fun and productive New Year. There is planning involved, onboarding new clients, and looking at ways to grow more. At Flywheel, we constantly assess various social media marketing avenues to help our clients successfully connect with their audience. We are eager to work with you in 2023. Click the button for a free consultation today!