Here are our predictions for social media marketing and trends for 2023 that are worth keeping an eye on.

The use of social media is continually increasing, and we don’t anticipate a slowdown anytime soon. More over 4.26 billion individuals globally used social media in 2021. In 2027, this number is expected to nearly double to 6 billion. Digital marketers must continuously be on the lookout for the next big thing due to developing technologies, constant feature changes, and shifting consumer behavior. It has never been more accurate to say that knowledge is half the battle.

We’ve put together predictions for social media marketing and what trends we predict will be popular in 2023.

Here are the areas we suggest marketers should concentrate on, ranging from the quick ascent of short-form films to maximizing the benefits of community building.

The popularity of TikTok will only increase.

We believe TikTok will continue to become the preferred social media platform for both advertising and users in 2023.

That is being influenced by a number of trends, including those experienced by other social media companies and the growing acceptance of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) formats in social media, two areas where TikTok is ideally positioned to lead.

TikTok will keep profiting from flaws in competing digital media platforms.

Although TikTok began as a social networking platform, it has developed its service portfolio and now actively competes for advertising dollars that are traditionally allocated to a variety of digital ad platforms.

It effectively competes for money that would otherwise go to Google or Amazon in the same way that it competes for ad expenditures a brand might consider allocating to Twitter, Snap, or Meta.

Many of the traditional advertising platforms, which were once seen as the default choices, are now having their positions questioned more frequently, with TikTok emerging as the winner.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Facebook’s $10 billion shortfall in the beginning of 2022. Ad expenditure and their stock continued to decline during the entire year, adding to Meta’s problems.

TikTok is well-positioned to benefit from marketers who are willing to invest where there is the greatest potential in light of Twitter’s current state of flux and the struggles of other traditional digital platforms.

TikTok also has user engagement and growth on its side. In addition to TikTok users continuing to grow (estimated to reach over 800 million in 2023), users are also using the app in novel ways.

Many people have visited TikTok throughout the pandemic, but not simply for amusement. As a result, TikTok has transformed from a platform for entertainment to a repository of useful knowledge.

According to Pew Research, TikTok is becoming a more popular source of news for Americans, as opposed to other social media platforms where participation is stagnant or declining.

Additionally, users are becoming more accustomed to the AR and VR elements that TikTok is in a perfect position to take advantage of.

It’s true that other social media sites provide similar features, such as Snap’s lenses. However, TikTok is a lot more likely platform where companies will feel comfortable testing these vehicles due to its first-mover advantage in this market, overall platform premise, and consumer base expectations.

Speaking of testing, this year saw the general adoption of AR and VR-related ad formats, which are no longer seen as novel or cutting-edge.

Brands are becoming more aware of their capabilities, how to match them with their marketing requirements, and how to assess their impact, which (again) bodes well for TikTok at the expense of not only other paid social platforms but also more generally for players in the digital advertising industry.

In 2023, marketers must “skate to where the puck is going,” not “where the puck has been.”

That calls for concentrating less on Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook, which seem to have played a little too much hockey without the benefit of helmets, and more on TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, which are skating recklessly in the right way.

Vertical short-form videos will dominate the content market.

In 2023, we predict that short-form video content will increase even more.

TikTok is a budding star, so it should come as no surprise that Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts were successful. The other platforms will undoubtedly follow. Short-form video content is already given prominence on Twitter, so brands should make this a priority when creating content. Additionally, we believe that the social media shopping experience will develop. If you don’t already have a shop feed set up on your social network accounts, do so right away and begin experimenting with ads.

Short vertical videos will continue to be a focus for businesses and content producers in 2023. Marketers should concentrate on the short-duration vertical videos that are becoming more and more popular across the major social networks.

In 2023, if you aren’t investing more in vertical videos that are under 15 seconds, you are passing up a significant potential. Vertical videos are the finest platform for marketers and content creators since they are simple to generate, inexpensive to produce, and have the best organic reach online.

You should concentrate on producing content on the platform where customers are spending the majority of their time if you want to promote your company or brand on social media. A short-form vertical video is one of the most significant Facebook marketing trends, and it will keep expanding through 2023 and beyond. Marketers could experiment with posting short vertical films in the Reels format and normal feed posts on Facebook. The latter may perform better in some circumstances!

We believe it will be more crucial than ever to concentrate on building a content library that is portable across platforms. Social media offers no promises. The social media is leased territory. Make sure you are repurposing your short-form vertical films for TikTok, Instagram, Facebook Reels, and YouTube Shorts if you are producing them. And I also believe that for such platforms, it will be less about fashion and music and more about developing original and distinctive content.

Marketers Must Expand Their Content Strategies

Three key themes will dominate social media in 2023: diversification, risk, and investment.

Brands have previously concentrated on a select few text-centric networks. The unpredictability of Twitter serves as evidence of how terrible this is. Anyone who uses social media for marketing, customer service, or PR in 2023 should, if they haven’t already, be making significant changes. Images and other alternative media are motivating factors, but they are only one component.

Since many of the younger networks on the landscape don’t have the reach of Twitter, brands will need to abandon the notion that being noticed is sufficient. These smaller cliques are powerful and active, whereas the more recent networks are more constrained and narrowly focused. Compare it to a lawn sprinkler to a pressure washer.

In 2023, savvy social media marketers will drastically alter their tactics. They will select networks with a specific goal in mind and share tailored material with that audience. This may, for instance, incorporate Qwoted for media and journalist contacts, SlideShare for customer education and authority development, YouTube for product awareness and brand building, email marketing for customer retention, and Qwoted.

That requires a lot of work and money, but here’s the thing: With so many new networks emerging, significant features being introduced, a recession looming, and Twitter expected to continue its downward spiral over the coming year, the businesses willing to put money down, make a statement, and take risks now will reap enormous rewards.

Current Social Trends May Be The Difference For B2B Marketers

Here are just a few social media predictions for business for 2023.

Due to its emphasis on workplace-related conversations and superior firmographic targeting capabilities, LinkedIn will remain the preferred platform for B2B marketers. In the upcoming year, I don’t think LinkedIn’s hegemonic status among B2B marketers will alter. With Musk in charge, Twitter will also undergo some significant changes in 2023. Hopefully, these improvements will include additional targeting options that will make the channel more appealing to B2B advertisers.

Additionally, social media platforms like TikTok and Pinterest, which are often utilized more for B2C marketing, may broaden their selection to include clean rooms and other targeting options, opening the way for more B2B marketers. First-party data activations on social media will take off in 2023 and beyond, thus I anticipate that Meta will offer a clean room solution soon as well.

B2B brands will start looking at leveraging TikTok for search strategies as it continues to outperform Google and Bing for Gen Z queries. Last but not least, social commerce will keep expanding. Ideally, we’ll start seeing some applications for bigger B2B firms to tap into, but that may not happen for a few more years.

The Main Way To Strengthen Brand Engagement Will Be Viral Marketing

Prediction: 2023 will be the year of viral marketing.

Due to the complete adoption of the digital-first business model by B2B buyers and sellers, the era of the “handshake deal” is now finished. In order for marketers to expand their brand in 2023, they will need to connect with customers online and use a more conversational, viral approach to digital marketing.

Social media, websites, and advertisements are excellent tools to generate interest and surface-level brand awareness, but in recent years, it has been increasingly difficult to stand out from the competition and make an impression on potential buyers. Strategic viral marketing is the answer. The audience feels something when they see viral marketing content. Customers leave feeling something that forms a memorable interaction with your business, whether they were amused, informed, or involved. Companies can determine the effectiveness and impact of a viral marketing piece by analyzing digital engagement, such as the number of likes, shares, and comments the content receives.

This enduring image keeps your company top-of-mind with potential clients, raising brand recognition and broadening your marketing reach through digital interactions. The sector will be dominated by viral marketing in the upcoming year. For the most impact, marketers must learn how to use it successfully across social media, websites, and digital advertisements. Starting with conversational tones and emotive tools, structure your viral marketing campaign with an emphasis on the audience’s interests rather than just what the firm wants to convey.

Brands Will Work To Establish And Uphold An Active Community

Brands will work harder to develop tighter ties with customers and followers – both offline and online – as a result of the gradual removal of third-party cookies. Assume that the objective is to provide meaningful user experiences that promote genuine connection and help users go down the funnel. In that situation, marketers will focus even more on omnichannel, the integration of online platforms with in-store experiences. Additionally, you will observe more brands participating in online forums. On Facebook, this is nothing new, but you’ll notice more of it on services like Mighty Networks, Circle, Slack, or Discord.

Social media managers have a great opportunity to invest in the potential of earned social in 2023 by looking beyond bought and organic content. It takes more time to develop, but giving your staff the confidence to promote your brand on social media makes it more reputable, scalable, and reliable. But the advantages go well beyond simply broadening your reach. Your staff members become into content producers, producing current and relatable thought leadership that your clients choose to interact with.

Your staff members promote the culture in a way that your employer branding team would like, luring candidates with genuine advocacy. Give your staff the tools and assurance they need to develop their professional brands, and they’ll be more motivated to work with you.

Customers don’t want to be moved from department to department; they want more genuine relationships. They seek out dependable alliances and connections. Social media has a great potential to become part of an organization’s culture, which would be advantageous for both the customer and staff experiences.

The social media managers who understand this strategic advantage and opportunity will be the ones who may be able to drive a significant change for the company.

Contact Seattle Advertising for all of your digital marketing needs!