No matter what profession you're in, you probably use social media on a daily basis to connect with clients, keep up to date with your industry, or research marketing trends. So what’s the next step in social media and how can it help you grow your business? Here are the most important social media trends to know for 2023 and beyond.
A number of platforms—including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram—now offer live streaming as a core part of their services. They’re all growing in popularity because people love being able to share behind-the-scenes content and exclusive material with their friends and followers. A majority of experts think that live streaming will continue to gain traction over the next five years or so. By 2023, it could even be one of mainstream social media’s defining features.
Brands will need to take a more organized approach and plan for Stories as a content format for their publishing calendars if they aren't already doing so. More importantly, the use of video as Stories will increase since they appear to outperform photos.
Similar to virtual reality, recent events have accelerated the adoption of Augmented reality (AR) experiences, including in the social space. AR doesn't require additional hardware beyond a smartphone, making it even more readily accessible than VR. It's also familiar from experiences like dynamic photo filters that have been on multiple social platforms for years.
Augmented reality is already beginning to take off; by 2023, it will be in common use, allowing us to experience virtual content and data as part of our everyday experiences. This tech allows brands to amplify and engage their consumers in more intimate ways than ever before.
With the social media industry constantly adapting to enhance the user experience, we're seeing more features and tools that support quick and easy shopping. Instagram, for instance, allows you to add product tags and enable easy checkout without ever leaving the platform. On Facebook, you can set up a Shop that people can browse and buy right on the platform.
purpose-driven campaigns to take center stage
While social media has always driven engagement with causes, the global pandemic has shined an even brighter spotlight on these causes. People want to help more than ever, and they expect brands to pitch in.
In fact, 74% of respondents in a Twitter survey want brands to showcase acts of kindness. And 77% feel more positively about brands that try to support society during this crisis.
Social media is a critical component of any marketing strategy, but it’s not static. As consumer behavior and preferences change, so do trends—and these are just some of our predictions on what we expect will be huge in 10 years. Trends come and go, but if you stay relevant and on top of them, they can also help you stay ahead of your competition. The importance? These changes could have a lasting impact on how you market your business.
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