Social media trends: The 2023 edition

Social media is a central part of our lives. With its ever-changing landscape, it’s become so much more than your traditional platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Even if you think you don’t use social media, you probably do without even realising it.  

Used correctly, social media can be a powerful marketing and engagement tool for any organisation. It has the power to get your message in front of an audience quickly. But with so many using social media the content overload makes competition very high. So, if you want to stand out from the rest, keeping up with the latest trends to inform your social media strategy is not a bad place to start.  

Platforms 

Let’s start by looking at new platforms BeReal and Tiktok are anticipated to be the big players this year:  

Tiktok  

Tiktok needs no introduction. It is fast becoming one of the most used social media platforms out there with over 1 billion active users a month. If I had a dollar for every time I have walked into my teenage stepdaughter’s room in the mornings to check if she is awake for school only to find her in bed scrolling through TikTok after TikTok….. well I would have a lot of dollars. The funny thing is she isn’t watching mind-numbing dances, she’s educating herself. Ways to organise her wardrobe, recipes to try and what skin care products are best. TikTok is the fastest growing news source for under 30s. 

For a while there TikTok was met with an eyeroll. But we are seeing more influencers, celebrities and organisations jumping on the platform. I too swore I would never use it, but I have to admit my guilty pleasure is watching home organisation and improvement tiktoks (and sending them to my husband hoping he gets the hint). The ABC and Tourism Australia have been quick to jump on the trend, while Mecca (cosmetic store) was one of the first Australian organisations to launch a livestream campaign allowing users to shop directly from TikTok. TikTok is certainly not for everyone, but one to consider if the audience is right.  

BeReal 

Although BeReal launched in 2019, it didn’t really burst into popularity until last year. BeReal is a photo sharing app where at different times each day users are prompted to share an unedited, unfiltered selfie as well as whatever their front camera is pointed at to a select group of friends. The purpose? To “Be Real” in the moment. 

It brings back memories of the early days of social media – before the heavily filtered, ad-heavy barrage of content – where we mainly posted about our day, food or dogs (ah the good old days…). The app’s authenticity has grabbed the attention of many users; reportedly it was the top social networking app in the AppStore last October with 21 million monthly users. It may be an ad-free platform, but it hasn’t stopped brands from jumping on the platform to reach their customers through relatable and authentic content.   

And if the numbers don’t speak for themselves, you know the saying ‘imitation is the greatest form of flattery?’ Well many of the bigger networks are coming out with copycat versions: TikTok now and Instagram’s candid challenge to name a few. It will be interesting to see the impact this has on BeReal, but either way, there’s no denying it’s a trend to keep an eye on this year.    

Content 

So what are some of the content trends to keep up with in 2023? It’s all about videos.  

The rise of Reels 

Reels are becoming the most watched content on Facebook and Instagram. This might be because they are prioritised by the algorithm, but nevertheless growing in popularity. The Global State of Digital 2022 (October update) shows in July-September 2022, the use of Reels grew by 220 million users, and in October 2022 Instagram reels ads reached 758 million users! If you really want to engage with your audience and gain greater reach, consider incorporating reels into your social media strategy.  

Closed captioning for videos  

The increased use of videos not only introduces the need to make content accessible but also the need to ensure your viewers watch a video to completion: Insert closed captioning (CC) for videos.  

Having CC for videos not only increases SEO (brilliant right!) it also increases engagement by creating a seamless viewer experience. There have been many times I have been stuck for hours in a dark room with my baby in my arms napping and my only friend is my phone. I will cycle through every app to kill the time and CC has been a lifesaver. If a reel on Instagram or TikTok doesn’t have CC, then next!  

UGC – User generated content  

Remember that competition to get in front of your audience I mentioned before? Well UGC is becoming one of the most successful ways of doing that and well worth a spot in your social media strategy.  

Not to be confused with influencers who get paid to promote something, UGC is real users talking about your program, product, or service. Think testimonials, reviews, images or videos shared on social media sites. Mark Zuckerburg said it himself:  

“People influence people. Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast message. A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising.” 

You may not realise it, but information shared by your own employees is considered UGC too. In fact, a report by LinkedIn found content has 2x higher engagement when shared by employees! Guess I’ll be sharing this blog on my personal channels too. 

I hope some of this information helps you with your social media strategies for 2023.