5 Social Media Trends to Expect in 2023

11 jan 2023 | by julie jones

Since its inception, social media’s purpose has changed drastically… many times. What started as a digital space to connect with friends and family has become one of the most vital marketing tools of the century!

For decades, marketers have been capitalizing on the business functions of social media, utilizing platforms for branding, lead generation, customer service, competitor research and e-commerce. Not to mention, taking advantage of the access to unprecedented amounts of consumer data (personal information, demographics, preferences and buying habits, etc) for targeted advertising. These types of functions have made investing fully in the power of social media a no-brainer.

As we see brands allocate more resources and larger slices of the company’s overall marketing budget to social media than ever before, the big question is how to use these resources in the most efficient and effective way?

For years now, social media managers have been navigating the treacherous, ever-changing social media landscape to ensure we get the most out of our socials. We are always chasing consumer-driven trends and having to pivot strategies at a moment’s notice. 

While one can never be sure what’s going to happen next in the social sphere, we’ve pulled together a few trends we’re confident will rule in 2023. Read on to make sure your social media marketing efforts align with what the consumer demands.

1. Authenticity is key

We choose to start with authenticity because we believe it’s the most powerful force for connection with consumers. Social media audiences are craving real, timely content and catering to this desire can give you a competitive advantage.

In 2022, we saw apps that promote authenticity, like BeReal, take off! TikToks and Instagram reels taken with iPhones were everywhere, and photo dumps of seemingly random, unedited photos dominated our feeds.  We predict this will be a lasting trend in 2023. 

For brands, this means breaking down the walls of your business and letting your audience peek behind the scenes. Try involving your staff, and letting them advocate for your brand and your culture.

Another part of being real is being accessible. When people reach out on social media, they expect a  quick response. In fact, since the pandemic, people have been using social media, more than ever, as a customer-service outlet, and they expect brands to do the same. 

This doesn’t mean you have to be online and accessible 24/7, but you do need to ensure your team is equipped to handle complaints, questions and comments in real time during business hours.  This could mean having ready-made templates for timely information, pre-written answers to FAQs, or using a social media management platform to keep track of all your messages and notifications.

2. Video is still the “it” content

Okay, we know video isn’t a new trend. We’ve been hearing for years that video is king when it comes to content, but we felt it was important to include video because its demand is just not slowing down any time soon.

Video is by far the most popular, engaging and shareable type of social media content. If you’ve been holding off on investing fully in video, it’s time to buck up! 

Social media uses videos of all lengths and types, (check out our blog on 2023 Video Trends for more information), but short-form video is leading the pack!  TikTok was the #1 downloaded app in 2022. Inspired by its popularity, Youtube Shorts and Instagram Reels launched on each platform and have been a rapidly growing form of consuming content.

We know the idea of video creation can be daunting. Video requires more time, resources and energy than other forms of content, but the results make it oh-so worth it.  The good news is that not all video needs to be professionally produced. While there is still a place for high-production branded videos, videos taken on phones in real time can be just as (if not more) effective on social media! As long as your social team knows how to work a phone with a decent camera, are strategic about your content and stay on top of trends, creating video can be fun and simple.

3. Social media teams are changing

Social media managers have always worn many hats; we plan, write, take photos and videos, design graphics, schedule, engage, monitor, report, etc. As social media becomes a true marketing superpower, we predict social media  teams will expand and more hands will be brought on deck to keep up with the demand for quality content. Social media professionals will be required to be a creative force on your team. They will need to have the capability for content ideation as well as execution. We predict we will see more social media specialists stepping into leadership roles in the coming years.

So, if your social media is still being done off the side of your office manager or marketing coordinator’s desk, I’m sorry but you’re likely falling behind.

We can’t say this loud enough: social media is a full-time job! Social media managers need to be constantly in the know, staying on top of trends and ready to craft relevant content at a moment’s notice. They also need to know your business inside and out, making sure that any social trends and memes they use are appropriate and on-brand.

4. Creators and influencers are your friends

Now that we’ve established social media managers need to be creative, accessible, on-the-ball and constantly creating content, you may be feeling slightly overwhelmed. Don’t worry! This next trend is going to help take the pressure off your social team. 

Content Creators and Influencer Marketing is  bigger than ever. Companies are dedicating large parts of their marketing budgets to working with digital Creators. As brands hunger for constant, authentic content, partnering with influencers and creators is a great way to get high-quality and highly effective content for your brand. 

When people hear an influencer or content creator they follow recommending a product or service, they’re more inclined to buy it. Micro and nano influencers are becoming increasingly popular because they’re seen to be more authentic and trustworthy. These are your average social media users, with anywhere from 100 to 10,000 followers, who share real life testimonials with their audiences. They’re also known as customer-influencers, and they create excellent content for you to share.

When searching for the right influencer or creator to partner with, look for someone who resonates with your desired audience, represents your brand values and, most importantly, someone who actually believes in your product or service. (See, everything comes back to trend #1).

5. It’s time to get on board with social advertising

You’ve spent the time and money to create kick-ass content, but what’s the point if the right people don’t see it?

Enter social media advertising.

For a while now, the social media giants at Meta and other social platforms have been placing organic branded content at a disadvantage. And sadly, it looks like this won’t be changing any time soon. That means you’ve gotta pay to play, folks. Many businesses are increasing their Ad Spend budgets this year and brands that aren’t advertising on social media are missing out on a lot of potential revenue.

What platforms will be most popular for advertising this year? Instagram and Facebook are still the top dogs, but as video booms, platforms like Youtube and TikTok are not far behind. TikTok advertising budgets are on the rise so it’s a great time to get skin in the game.

Long live social media

There is honestly never a dull moment when it comes to social media marketing! Through all the changes we’ve seen over the years, there is one thing we can be certain of; including social media as part of your overall content marketing strategy is a must in 2023 and beyond!

You rely on your social media team to keep up to speed in this fickle environment, so this year make sure they are equipped with the tools they need, be it time, resources or budget, to make authentic, engaging content and help reach your business’ goals.