Almost 5 billion people now use social media — that’s more than half of the global population! This means your potential customers could be on leading social media platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, and more.
But you’ve got to keep in mind that your competitors could also be on social media vying for the same customers. After all, social media is free and easy to use, making it an affordable way to gain leads. Keeping a tab on the current social trend can help you target the right person, increase sales, and establish client trust.
10 Social Media Trends to Watch Out for in 2023
Short-form video content
You might notice yourself watching more 15-second videos than those that are a few minutes long. It’s undeniable — social media users are hungry for engaging, bite-sized video content, which explains the popularity of Tik Tok, Facebook stories, and Instagram reels.
Even YouTube Shorts, a relatively young platform launched in 2021, has attracted 50 billion daily views in 2022.
You can maximise short-form videos to amplify brand awareness, connect to your followers on a personal level, or provide information about your products.
Social commerce
The idea of social commerce isn’t new even before COVID-19. 82% of online shoppers in 2022 said they buy goods directly from social media sites.
Today, more platforms have introduced shopping features to make the buying process easier (e.g., Facebook Marketplace, Twitter Shops, Tik Tok Shop, Instagram Shopping, etc.).
After all, it’s a lot more convenient to make a purchase on social media. You can read feedback from other buyers from the comments, easily leave a review, connect with other product users, or get insights about the product from the brand’s posts.
There are limitless sale opportunities for your business on social media. Just sign up for a seller account and start marketing your products and services on the social marketplace.
Creator/influencer marketing
Businesses work with influencers to generate follower engagement, reach new audiences, and improve brand perception.
Estimates show influencers will receive around 10 trillion monthly views by the end of 2023. If you leave out content creators in your marketing, you’re missing out on a lot.
Though hiring influencers can be costly, the ROI can also be massive — a return of around $5 for every dollar invested!
AI integration
Artificial intelligence is here to stay. For business owners like you, AI can help you efficiently generate social media content.
Here are some AI tools that have been creating a buzz:
- ChatGPT: Write social media copy and caption in a single click.
- Predis.ai: Produce professional videos, images, and carousels.
- FeedHive: Manage social media content, posting, repurposing, and performance analysis with ease.
- Vista Social: Manage different social media channels in one place.
Although these tools make social media marketing easy for you, it’s best to add a human touch to your content. Your audience prefers authentic, human social posts — not robotic, boring materials.
Social media SEO
Almost 40% of the Gen Z population use Tik Tok and Instagram as a search engine. So, if you’re targeting younger people online, optimise your social media for SEO.
Perform keyword research to find out which search queries are getting clicks. Make a list of keywords you wish to include in your future posts.
Use those keywords in your captions and add them to your images as alt texts.
However, remember that many people still prefer browsing on search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo. Diversify your SEO campaign to social media and traditional search engines for optimal results.
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Targeted ads
Social media advertising may sound easy for businesses with a huge budget. But this strategy requires extensive planning.
Social media users are wary of ads that are irrelevant, repetitive, and have no value.
Shift your focus away from broad targeting. Instead, pursue your current prospects and customers. If you want to expand your customer base, repurpose your ads towards a lookalike audience.
Community over followers
You may have heard this over and over again: build a community on social media. It sounds vague to some, but this carries a truth to it.
While growing your followers is important, retaining them is even more crucial. Your most dedicated and loyal customers will often come from the social communities you build.
Here are a few quick tips on building a social media community:
- Engage with your followers with personalised comments. Avoid leaving automated responses as much as possible.
- Address negative reviews professionally.
- Show some love to content creators and influencers to gain their followers’ attention.
- Encourage your followers to tag you in other posts to hear your feedback.
Meme marketing
Who even hates memes?
Memes are now a huge part of the internet. Social media marketers will have to include memes because people love them!
They’re engaging, great mood boosters, and most importantly, they leave you rolling on the floor laughing!
Not to take away the fun, but meme marketing also needs some deep thought. Some issues aren’t cut out to be funny, and that’s okay.
But keep in mind that if you want good social media marketing, you have to be a little crazy!
“Edutainment”
Keeping your followers informed is one thing that makes them loyal to your brand. “Edutainment” is no longer a child-only type of content.
This strategy comes in different formats and lengths.
For instance, you can start a podcast to share your business’s story and vision. Post short life hack videos featuring your product. Or tap into influencers talking about your brand.
No matter what your approach is, make sure to keep your audience informed and entertained.
Interactive content
We’ve talked about how responding to comments encourages follower interaction. But there’s more to that!
Interaction is also dependent on the actual content you share. Examples include games and quizzes (Buzzfeed is so good at this).
If you have the resources, building business-relevant tools can also drive engagement (e.g., a mortgage calculator for a credit card company).
Step Up Your Online Presence
There’s no one-size-fits-all model in social media marketing. Your content should be tailored to your target audience, and that involves keen preparation and implementation.
But if you want to see better results, implement online marketing strategies to your business on top of your social media efforts.
For example, list your business on popular online directories to help customers find your physical store easily.
Also, drive people to your social media page from search engine results by incorporating a solid SEO strategy into your marketing campaign. If you don’t have the resources yet, SEO professionals can help you start your SEO plan.
RECOMMENDED: The Crazy Easy Guide to SEO Marketing
Keep Up with the Latest Social Media Trends
One thing is for sure — social media trends are constantly changing. The success of your social campaign depends on how well you adapt to these changes.
The right social media strategy should be able to bring long-term results and engagements. Small businesses, particularly, can leverage social media to boost their online presence because it’s free and accessible.
But regardless of business size, marketers and business owners should first understand their audience to produce social content that resonates with them. This ensures your posts reach the right people and receive the desired feedback.
Discover more tips for small businesses to ramp up your marketing game.
