By Trevor Hart
Social media is one of the most powerful tools for brand marketing in 2023. As technology evolves, so do the tricks and trends that shape marketing through social media. Today we are looking at 2023’s most crucial social media trends including ephemeral content, influencer marketing, social shopping, and niche online communities.
TikToks, Reels, and Short-Form Video
The crowded and competitive social media landscape of 2023 requires a mastery of visual storytelling techniques. The most popular apps to market your brand on (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, etc.) are mostly visually-oriented, so creating stimulating content that the algorithm will favor is critical.
The dominance of TikTok has led other social media platforms to prioritize short-form video content in their algorithm, so don’t limit your video content to just TikTok. Rather, use this content in your social media strategy across the several platforms that have adopted the TikTok model (e.g. Instagram Reels, Pinterest Idea Pins, Youtube Shorts).
Maintain an ongoing understanding of how each platform’s algorithm prioritizes content. Incorporate the popular hashtags, filters, and other in-app features of the moment into your content. Especially for TikTok, what’s popular is constantly changing, so remain vigilant when monitoring trends.
The Power of FOMO: Leveraging Disappearing Content
Social media content that is only available to view for a limited time (usually 24 hours) is known as ephemeral content, or disappearing content. Stories on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat are all examples of this type of content. Ephemeral content provides followers a chance to connect with your brand in real-time through interactive media such as polls, short-form videos, and flash deals that won’t be posted on the main feed.
Ephemeral content creates a sense of urgency about your brand. Followers know they might miss out on exclusive content if they aren’t keeping up with your brand’s stories. Leverage this FOMO, or fear of missing out, to ensure your audience is consistently engaging with your stories and other disappearing content.
Authenticity through User-Generated Content (UGC)
Brand differentiation has never been more important for social media marketing than it is now, and showcasing your brand’s authenticity is a great way to stand out. According to Stackla, 79% of consumers report that UGC influences their buying habits, and 86% say that authenticity is a relevant factor in deciding which brands to support.
UGC is a powerful form of earned media that shows real consumers enjoying your brand in real time. Try curating a unique hashtag that gathers all of your brand’s UGC in one place. Seeing this non-advertorial content on social media builds trust between online consumers and your brand.
The Social Commerce Revolution
In 2022, only 68 percent of customers said they planned to make an online purchase through a social media platform. This number has increased dramatically in 2023, with 98% of consumers reporting that they plan to make a purchase through social shopping. With a 28% projected growth rate, social shopping has clearly impacted the ecommerce network.
Platforms that have embraced social shopping such as Instagram and Facebook allow brands to integrate static posts, videos, and branded content into curated, immersive experiences for online shoppers. Combined with in-app shopping, influencer-driven marketing leads shoppers directly to the product the influencer is promoting.
Sustainability and Purpose-Driven Marketing
Conscious consumerism has caused a shift in the online marketing dynamic; shoppers are more judicious than ever about where they spend their dollar. Demonstrating the purpose behind your brand or your company’s social awareness or environmental initiatives showcases your brand through a new angle of authenticity. Online users, especially among the Gen-Z population, want to see and support brands that align with the causes and values that hold cultural significance.
Trends are more fleeting than ever on social media. Your brand must have a finger on the pulse of what’s happening now. Key words for SEO, targeting parameters for ads, and visual elements for your feed should all align with what will resonate most with your target audience, which can change quickly as trends evolve.
The Evolution of Influencer Marketing
37 percent of online consumers report trusting influencers over brands. The key to pursuing influencer relationships for your brand is making sure your chosen influencer aligns with your brand and audience values, and make sure the brand-influencer relationship is an authentic partnership. Identifying influencers who actually hold influence over your target audience is crucial.
Before pursuing influencer relationships, know the two primary kinds of influencers: micro-influencers and macro-influencers. Macro-influencers are celebrities and public figures with online followings of over 100,000. Micro-influencers are more industry-specific with a smaller but more specific audience. Knowing the difference between these kinds of influencers will take your social media marketing to the next level.
Boosting, Engagement through Private Communities
Another trend to follow in 2023 is the rise of private social media communities. Similar to ephemeral content, private communities create stronger connections between your brand and followers. As any social media campaign will reveal, reinforcing existing relationships with your audience is easier–and more cost-effective–than generating new relationships. A private community is a safer, more engaging method of communicating with your most active followers. Private Facebook groups are a great example of how you can easily invest in an engaged, connected community for your brand.
Each of these trends are evidence of social media’s evolving nature, but they also showcase the limitless potential social media holds for marketing. Above all, showcasing your brand’s authenticity and creativity remains the tried and true method of connecting with your audience. By using a few of these strategic social media tactics, you’ll take your engagement to the next level.
Ensuring you are up-to-date on the best digital marketing practices is important, but navigating the ever-changing trends of social media marketing isn’t something you have to do alone. Reach out to an 88 West team member at hello@88westagency.com or (662) 322-8921 today to see how we can work together to grow your brand!
