Social media is, as 2022 has proved, an ever-changing landscape. Based on trends, consumer insights and cultural shifts, a lot can change very quickly. While social media can be a moving target, and there will be much more to track in the months to come, these are our new year predictions for social media in 2023. Let’s see which ones we’ll still be talking about in December…
Twitter & Emerging Platforms
It wouldn’t be a 2023 social media forecast if we didn’t start off by mentioning 2022’s Twitter madness. One of the biggest takeaways from the Twitter exodus are the various emerging platforms that have come to life.
- Mastodon Social, Twitter’s “alternative” has been around for 6+ years which uses servers and allows users to follow topics and other users, similar to Twitter and Reddit.
- Hive Social is an emerging platform that focuses on the “simplicity” of social media, it’s a mix of MySpace (music on your page anyone?!) Instagram (chronological photo posts) and Twitter, ultimately allowing you to express yourself without the pressure associated with social media.
- Tumblr has made a big comeback with some users jumping from Twitter to the “microblogging” network.We’ve also seen a reemergence of personal newsletters and blogs/websites.
Short Form Video Maintains Power
Though we can’t say if Vine will make a comeback, we know that TikTok is not going anywhere. It’s no coincidence that Instagram has learned heavily into Reels and short form video content in 2022. US adults spend on average 38 minutes watching video on social networks per day in 2022.
There’s a few reasons why short form video content has such a grasp on audiences:
- The versatility (have you seen those clips that stop you in central park and ask what you’re wearing?)
- Viral audio options (fun opportunities to remix or duet with trending sounds)
- Gen-Z’s shortened attention span (Gen Z is most likely demographic to skip content—including ads—that doesn’t interest or entertain them)
- Auto play lowers the barrier of entry for engagement, and makes grabbing the attention of your audience easier.
Shoppable Social
Closely related to short-form video is social shopping, which will boom in 2023 with almost half of the US population expected to order something they saw on social media in the new year. there are major opportunities in the new year for advertising to get creative and grain the attention of Gen-Z (the generation most likely to shop on social). We’ve seen social media platforms rise to the occassion with Facebook Shop, Facebook Messenger for customer service and purchasing, TikTok adding more shoppable solutions with new ad units, shopping tab to profiles, and exploring live shopping. Instagram building out their Shop Tab, and the seamless integration of card and shipping information. User reviews and hauls are also leading the movement on social shopping.
Live shopping is going to become increasingly popular in 2023, with brands working directly with influencers and creators to produce live unboxings and hauls. A brands’ best bet to strengthen e-commerce on social? Build trust among consumers, focus on customer service and accessibilty. What items, if anything, have you purchased on social media in the past year?
User-Facing Content
Between the BeReal boom and shoppable social, consumers want products and experiences that are authentic and relatable now more than ever. The era of user-generated content (UGC) is here: Reviews, unboxings, tutorials and product reviews posted on social media have placed consumers in the influencer role. Influencers and content creators know and work towards this strategy, but brands are able to go a step further with these genuine experiences and reviews by real consumers.
Mixed Media Experiences
Content that combines online with real life experiences, which we’ve seen more frequently this year, will really gain momentum in 2023. Mixed media blends two different mediums and in 2022 we’ve seen a lot of interesting mixed media experiences, including:
- Pinterest launching Shuffles an invite-only collage-making app
- Burberry partnering with Minecraft to promote a special collection and in-game adventure
- #BookTok TikTok’s very own book club
- Concerts in the Metaverse
According to Instagram’s 2023 Trend Report mixed media will rule content creation. The next generation expects their favorite influences to branch into new forms of media. For example, over 40% of Gen Z followers want to hear podcasts from their favorite social media creators in 2023.
Search Going Social
In 2022, it was revealed that younger users are “often turning to apps like Instagram and TikTok instead of Google Search or Maps for discovery purposes.” (TechCrunch) 40% of Gen Z users prefer using TikTok and instagram for search over Google. Information is shown in more visually-appealing ways on TikTok discovery video versus a plain-old Google search. TikTok videos tend to be quick, human and visually immersive – all factors that urge us to try something new. In 2023 we’re going to see this trend increase as users can find recommendations, local businesses, and store information and hours all through social media. TikTok just began to allow ads to appear in search. There is a lot of opportunity for TikTok and Meta to venture into search advertising and take advantage of these existing behaviors.
Here we go! 2023 is already off and running. What are you most looking forward to seeing on social media in 2023?
