There’s a new adage that goes if you’re not marketing on social media, you’re not marketing, period. There are a million reasons for that but start with yourself. How many hours do you spend in this space every day?
According to the latest data, people spend an average of two hours and 27 minutes on social media daily. Depending on whether you’re a boomer or Gen Z, those numbers can shrink or swell throughout the day. But marketers do get the point. Customers live on social media, so that’s where they camp out.
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Regardless of your industry, here are the top social media marketing trends to help you design your strategy in 2023.
Tiktok Wants the Globe
Everyone said 2022 would be big for TikTok. They didn’t lie, and we didn’t doubt them for a second.
But the 2023 forecast for the social network is through-the-roof crazy, and we’re still not doubting. After all, we’ve seen the network strut its stuff in 2022. All those new releases sent us one clear message: TikTok wants the entire world, not only marketers.
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If you missed it, the channel has released seven features since February this year. It started by rolling out long-form videos, followed by TikTok Music, Search Ads, TikTok Stories, Photo Mode, and the latest, TikTok Now. The company has also locked hands with three popular e-commerce platforms on top of dabbling into podcasting.
So what’s up, TikTok? Well, if it isn’t more apparent, it’s doing an Elon Musk in the app industry.
It’s creating an app multiverse where anything and everything you’ll ever want to do online is possible. And why are we not surprised to hear that the social media giant is permeating the physical world?
The Chinese-owned company is reportedly building fulfillment centers in two key cities in America ahead of a planned e-commerce onslaught. It’s becoming bolder every day, pushing everyone to the edge of their seats. Everyone wants to know what’s in store for the network after all these big-ticket moves.
Judging by its current numbers, it’s standing on solid ground. It has 1.02 billion active users as of the third quarter of 2022.
People spend the most time on it than on any other social media site. While Google and Meta are still more prominent than any other digital company, TikTok’s size is more than respectable for a non-US-based social media outfit.
So what do you do as a business when TikTok behaves the way it does? Get on it.
Plan your strategy and take advantage of available technology that lets you track your progress. When you can afford them, consider TikTok ads. All systems go!
The Reel Deal With Instagram 
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For a while in 2022, we wondered what was going on with Instagram. The feature updates were dizzying! But none was probably more unwelcome than the barrage of recommended content or ads.
Seriously, you had to install third-party apps to have a decent feed, which was unfair for many. Why, oh why, Meta?
Well, Meta must have had the analytics to keep pushing because, despite what it did to Instagram, it is still the king platform for brands today. It has over 2 billion monthly and 500 million daily active users. But here’s something for marketers: 83% of these users are researching brands and products.
What’s particularly interesting is that Instagram Reels recently got a boost of 220 million more users by the year’s third quarter. In fact, the platform got so hot on videos that it turned all of them into Reels. And if you have yet to notice, Reels are now dominating content recommendations on the app.
Even Google Trends was stunned when Reels shot to an all-time high in July. As a marketer, those are all cues to get into the Reel business real quick. Besides, on a platform that’s been around for this long, ROI is the last of your worries.
Great that other sites are amping up their versions of Reels as well. Cross-posting would be easy and cut your total job in half, but keep an eye on those watermarks.
Most importantly, take time to research and produce timeless content. Ride the trends, but run an ongoing video strategy that is no less as impactful anytime as anything currently viral.
And, as always, keep your process efficient by using every useful technology available. It’s called being smart, which increases your productivity and improves your results.
Fix It Social
All businesses are prone to crisis at any given time, and few will have a plan for it. Since many people are on social media, these crises are bound to blow on social platforms, and we know what that means. Your brand can suffer irreparable damage if you’re not watching your channels.
In a recent study, 88% of businesses acknowledge they need to learn more about social listening, and 89% want to improve at crisis management. In any case, there’s one truth that has never died since the beginning of trade: consumers demand honesty and transparency.
According to another survey, customers expect brands and sellers to address issues within 30 minutes on social media. And it’s only fair. When brands are in a crisis, they must admit to it not only among themselves but publicly and then fix the problem.
Turns out social media hasn’t only increased brand power. It has also elevated brand responsibility. As a marketer, it’s your job to ensure that your brand holds up to scrutiny, fast.
When your channels make it easy to rake in sales, people expect customer service to be more accessible. And again, that’s only fair.
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So how do you go about social media crisis management? Nothing’s more important than creating an internal flowchart to guide your corrective actions. Once you have identified the problem and source, you can refer to the chart to plan the most appropriate resolution.
Acting on a problem without a preset process is dangerous. Crises can explode, and your organization must have a well-established method to contain the impact. Tempers can fly, issues can land on the laps of unqualified personnel, or worse, you can make compensatory commitments you can’t keep.
In the end, let your audience know you’re ready for anything, even before anything happens. Tell customers you’re there to listen before they have something to tell. And don’t just make those promises.
The most crucial part is following through. If you say refund in 24 hours, that refund had better be there within 24 hours, or the backlash will surely come much sooner.
LinkedIn, seriously? YES.
If you haven’t noticed any changes in your LinkedIn feed, you haven’t looked recently. In fact, “changes” might be too weak a word to describe what’s happening. There’s a revolution out there that you’d almost think you’re on Facebook scrolling down your typically cold and businessy feed.
No, they haven’t merged, but the posts are getting a little too Facebooky. CEO photos with their pets, tirades against gender inequality, couples coming out – we wonder if “revolution” is still a strong enough word. But as it is, LinkedIn has ceased to be what it used to be.
Whatever that means to the business community, it’s ultimately a boon for marketers, and they know it. They should. Whether it was the pandemic driving people up the wall or just a clever LinkedIn algorithm tweak, or both, the platform is now another opportunity to grab attention.
Its engagement rates are definitely better than average and much higher than Facebook’s. After releasing LinkedIn Audio Events, a podcast network, and carousels and reaction buttons, we doubt this is going away soon.
The growing preference for photos and long-form storytelling is another major twist marketers should keep a tab on with LinkedIn. It’s akin to a trend in Twitter, which now prefers posts without links over those that do. It suggests a shift in an algorithm that now wants people to stay onsite instead of sending them away through links.
What does this tell you? Time to revamp your LinkedIn strategy in the same direction. Start by giving more focus on the human side of your business. Be less formal in your words, and don’t keep them short anymore.
Ramble on but always with positivity, relevance, and usefulness to your reader. After all, LinkedIn is still a professional platform with over 15 million opportunities for job seekers in 2022.
Social Media in Search Mode
Ever searched for something on TikTok or Instagram? Maybe you were looking for the newest bar in town or trendy bags, or a virtual cooking class.
Perhaps you never realized you would have done it on Google two years ago, but now you do. If you’re a marketer, let that help guide your social media strategy.
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This trend has become so significant even the New York Times acknowledged it, especially with Gen Z. But what does this mean specifically for marketers?
One thing’s for sure. It’s nothing new.
It’s the same whole gist of Google SEO translated to social terms. Create content you already know people want, which boils down to honest-to-goodness keyword research. Stop the hashtag worship and get some real content work going.
You may not get an instant search-driven boost of traffic or engagement, but what’s to lose? At the very least, you’ll gain a whole repository of ideas for your next posts.
This social search phenomenon is also an excellent reason to change your perspective about social media profiles. They’re no longer just a place where businesses communicate and build rapport with their audiences. People are also coming to check out brands and products.
Don’t think you’re done with traditional SEO, but do approach your social strategy with a good dose of it. Keywords in your captions, bio, image alt-text – you know the drill.
With the same passion, hard work, and smarts you give your Google SEO, tailor your content for social search results. And don’t forget the analytics. You always need them.
Social Media on Buy Mode (or Not)
People buying off social media pages was the trend not so long ago, and China single-handedly lorded it. When North America and Europe couldn’t catch on, Meta called off Facebook’s live commerce functionality and Instagram’s Shop tab and affiliate product tagging option. The rest followed suit, no hard feelings, and everyone moved on.
Was that the end of social commerce? Maybe not technically, but in a survey, 49 percent of respondents haven’t bought anything straight from social media, and 40.5 percent prefer to purchase from e-commerce websites.
But wait, there’s more. According to the same survey, about 9 percent of consumers say they might shop on social media one day. Nine does not command much respect as a number, but it’s still something to grow something out of, at least if you listen to the signs.
Three things worry people when social shopping. One, they think they’re unprotected (for example, they might not get a refund even when reasonable). Two, they don’t trust the products or sellers enough.
Lastly, they’re not ready to reveal their financial details to social networks. By responding to these “signs,” you increase your chances of nailing social commerce.
Offer easy product returns and refunds. Show off positive reviews and use a rating system.
Keep buyers in the loop when it comes to their order status. Besides, there are many routes to social commerce, from shoppable posts to AR shopping.
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Skyrocket Your Social Media Marketing in 2023
With 2022 almost over, it’s time to rewire your strategies for the social media marketing trends of the coming year. But since the landscape is ever quick to change, it’s wise never to get comfortable with what you know.
Keep looking, exploring, and watching your channels to ensure you’re in tune with your audience. In the end, remember the things that will remain, regardless of the year or season. Stay laser-focused and give people what they want in the fastest and easiest yet most authentic way.