Social media is constantly evolving. With this being said, there will be some innovative and exciting developments in social media throughout the new year. With 2023 here, we will break down our 2023 social media predictions.
The trend-setting social media world is in constant motion. It challenges agencies, brands, and creators to be dynamic, flexible, and innovative. Their work must excite viewers, increase their reach, and engage their loyal followers and fans to purchase what they are promoting. With hundreds of brand-new social media trends that are emerging daily, we are here to break down the top three that stand out the most to us. These trends are here to stay throughout 2023.
1. Using Social Media to Shop
Instagram marketing is essential for e-commerce businesses. Think of Instagram as a carefully curated platform where you can shop on the spot and purchase what the influencer/brand has shown you. Once the customer is ready to purchase, they can visit the product page on your website with just one tap. With a simple click, you have this instant gratification that almost makes you warm and fuzzy inside, or is that just me? The bottom line is that Instagram Shops continue to be a powerful tool to boost your sales.
This gives a chance for micro-influencers, as well as mid-size and larger influencers able, to make an income through sales with affiliate links. The great thing about having the shop feature is it allows the user to have a more immersive B2C experience while browsing Instagram. Instagram has become more than a photo-sharing platform since it competes with other social sites such as TikTok, Twitter, and even Facebook. Now even larger social sites such as TikTok are joining this movement. I predict we will continue to see even more social media platforms jump on this bandwagon!
"‘The website is dead. It's so unimaginative and boring right now, so there has to be a replacement," he said, commenting on the potential for the growth of live stream shopping in the US, which is still in its infancy.” Suketu Gandhi, Partner at management consultancy firm Kearney. (Business Insider)
2. Micro-Influencers Will Continue to Rise
Micro-influencers are those with 100,000 thousand followers or under. Influencer marketing has tremendous potential to power your brand’s visibility as more people find products to buy, places to eat, and even travel destinations from influencers. Many brands spread their budget across multiple platforms. By using several smaller influencers, also known as “micro-influencers,” they can have a multi-market reach and have more of a niche market.
With micro-influencers, having a smaller following allows them to have a much closer relationship than someone with 1 million followers. As a result, micro-influencers in the niche industry are positive, and ROI is high. You’ll find with smaller influencers, the content appears to be a lot more authentic and appealing. Making brands want to work closely with them, thus creating a long-term influencer-brand relationship. The days are over when your follower number does not matter anymore. It is who is interacting and if you have an active page.
“Being real and creating authentic content can forge a deeper connection with customers, encouraging brand loyalty and taking the bond past sales. Down-to-earth campaigns will take precedence, and audiences will have a deeper understanding of the brand as transparency is the new influence.” -Jemma Karle, Global Social Media Director
3. VR and Augmented Reality Are Here to Stay!
You have probably heard of the highly talked about Metaverse. Well, what the heck is it? This technology isn’t new, actually. It has been used with apps like Snapchat and Instagram for a long time. Think of those face filters and cute dog filters on Snapchat! Remember those? However, the innovative element is how the app allows users to drop their avatar that they use on other platforms into the app and use it in AR. The virtual elements brought into the real world provide an immersive experience to each user. The lines are seamlessly blurring between the virtual and real-world, much faster than ever imagined. Making AR an integral part of social media marketing.
Soon, virtual and augmented reality will allow us to experience the world with others, regardless of physical proximity, digitally. In a metaverse where the digital and physical worlds are interwoven, all of your data is fed into a larger network that allows you to interact with people across different dimensions and realities. Larger companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Samsung have already immersed themselves in VR and have netted millions in investment dollars and partners. I predict VR will continue to improve and get even better over the years. Seeing major improvements in the marketing space in 2023.
What Do You Predict?
What do you think? Do you think these three social media trends are here to stay? Or can we expect something new and completely different in 2023? Let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear your thoughts!