Social media has changed the world of marketing and advertising for the foreseeable future. It offers brands innumerable ways to reach consumers and has flipped marketing strategies on its head. The smartest marketers are the ones that keep an eye on the latest social media trends, to stay ahead of the competition and reach newer, wider audiences.
As 2022 draws to a close, here is an overview of the top four social industry trends that have emerged throughout the year, and how to leverage them in your organization.
TikTok became the new search engine for Gen Z
The age of Googling how to do something may be on its way out. In a recent study, nearly 40% of Gen Zers said that TikTok videos were where they went to learn about – and buy – new products, and that number is only growing. The #TikTokTaughtMe commercial that launched in June 2022 latched onto the growing trend of using TikTok as a place to teach and learn. This hashtag alone has over 12 billion views and counting. In the lead up to 2023, many companies are pivoting quickly to adapt to this change, adding TikTok capabilities to their platforms to cater to the Gen Z market. According to Brand Network’s CEO Mike Garsin, “Integrating with TikTok allows brand advocates and creators to express themselves on one of the most popular and relevant social channels.”
Interactive shopping experiences started to take off
QVC, a well known shopping channel first launched in the late 80s, revolutionized the instantaneous shopping experience for viewers. Fast forward 40 years, and we now have the ability to tune into live streams with influencers showcasing their favorite products that we can purchase with just one tap. Giving customers the ability to purchase at the inception of inspiration has significantly reduced the path to purchase and opened up a whole new content strategy for businesses. Going into 2023, brands should consider adding live-stream shopping events to their portfolios – utilizing TikTok, Instagram, and X to reach a larger consumer audience.
Organizations embraced brand authenticity on social media platforms
Brands have been facing challenges as younger audiences become skeptical of overproduced social media posts and fake news. These large budget productions no longer dictate content quality and resonate with customers. To combat this challenge, organizations have embraced authenticity in their marketing strategies, utilizing lower budget posts on social media platforms such as TikTok and BeReal to humanize their brand, generate engagement, and attract a following. This shift has taken social media from just a way to boost sales and advertise products, to a powerful tool that helps organizations grow customer relationships and break into new consumer groups.
Employee influencers brought a new, fresh voice to audiences
In 2022, the creator economy boomed as platforms committed to investing in creators, and brands leveraged more micro-influencers, many in the form of their own employees. These employee influencers became advocates and promoters, working to build their organization’s brand name as a trusted source for sustainability, authenticity, and other radical social issues. Employee influencers also enabled organizations to drill down into the working relationships and communities employees built themselves through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms. Influencer culture isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and brands would be remiss to not take the opportunity to utilize the employees within their own organization.
To learn more about each of the trends discussed in this article, explore our most recent blog posts, and stay tuned to learn more about what you can expect to see in 2023.
