Social media marketing is ever-changing, reacting to audience behaviour, and proactively putting trends in motion. 2022 was a transformative year in the world of social as we watched consumer trends change, new technology develop, and emerging platforms grow. The rate of change sees no sign of slowing, and that begs the question of what’s in store for 2023?
1. The Rise of the “Customer Influencer”
We’ve long been saying influencer marketing will continue to play a more important role in marketing campaigns. And that’s happened. Companies of every size have leaned in, cooperating with influencers to help drive brand awareness and online sales. We watched the footprint of micro-influencers grow, but what about micro micro influencers? Think everyday customers here.
Authenticity is such a powerful force with customers. Brands don’t always need to pay out of pocket for materials that can make a real impact on their KPIs. In 2023 we will see more brands embrace word-of-mouth marketing, using social media as a vehicle to source user-generated content from customers. With UGC resulting in 29% higher web conversions compared to campaigns or websites that lack this format, it’s a no-brainer for brands to utilise the treasure trove of real-life testimonials. Not only does this save valuable time and resources (as content is plug-and-play) but it shines the spotlight on a brand’s most loyal customers while at the same time helping prospective buyers make informed purchasing decisions.
2. Brands Will Tap Into Emerging Social Media Platforms like BeReal
Remember the Clubhouse craze? Part of social media marketing is all about experimentation. If you don’t try new formats, new platforms, or new trends, you’re already out of the loop. Not every test will work, but that’s exactly why it’s a test. With the success of TikTok and overall Gen-Z online behaviours brands will become more confident in dipping their toe into emerging platforms.
BeReal is a great example of an up-and-coming platform with a lot of promise. Similar to TikTok, when the app debuted brands were sceptical. But those that got onboard, and especially early saw the effort paid off. We’re already seeing creative strategies with brands like Chipotle who are using BeReal as a way to offer exclusive promos and discounts. This is just the start. More brands will look to apps like BeReal to grow their Gen-Z community with an authentic approach to marketing.
3. Customer Will Turn to Social for Care
It’s undeniable that the pandemic forever changed the way customers and brands interact with one another on social media. Social customer care has always been in the shadows, but with lockdowns and travel restrictions the invisible cloak was removed as brands soon realised – they just weren’t equipped. This trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and we will increasingly see that customers will turn to social media platforms to connect with brands about service-related issues. In fact, a recent survey indicated that 2 out of 3 consumers prefer to use social media during the buying process to ask questions, make purchases and seek post-purchase customer support. With growing numbers like these, brands will be looking for ways to harmonise the way customer support and social media marketing teams interact in order to provide the best customer experience possible.
In 2023 we predict brands will leverage new technology like live video streaming to provide quality service to customers straight from social media apps. Customers will be able to receive the same expert advice they would get in-store from the comfort of where they are. Brands like Orbit Baby are already implementing the power of live-streaming into their social media care strategy. As customers demand immediate responses from brands, we’ll see this trend will be one that will take root long term.
4. Video Will (STILL) Dominate
Marketers have been hearing it for years, “video will become the number one content format brands need to leverage.” In 2023 this will still be the case – but luckily for brands, it will be the scrappy, unpolished clips that will be what audiences want more of. Ditch the high-budget campaigns featuring celebrities and pick up a cell phone to start recording and editing in-app. Not only are brands publishing more Reels, but it’s paying off. According to a recent study, the interaction count for Reels was almost 40% higher than for traditional videos.
But the burden of video content creation doesn’t need to fall on brands. More and more content creators are turning to platforms like TikTok to showcase products. With hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt growing to nearly 27 billion views, it’s clear this format has become a perfect fit for influencers and users to share their experiences in an engaging way. Brands will take this a step further in 2023 and get savvier about partnering with video-first influencers who can help amplify messages relevant to audiences while helping scale production.
5. Brands will invest more in TikTok advertising
TikTok is doubling down on revenue generation with digital advertising. The relatively new platform is seeing tremendous results owning the title of the world’s fastest-growing media app making more than $6.2 billion from in-app spending since it hit the scene in 2017. Boasting nearly 30 million daily active users globally, it’s no wonder that brands are beginning to explore the potential TikTok has – not only in generating brand awareness but in its contribution to the bottom line.
Already, brands that have tapped into TikTok advertising are seeing promising results. According to a recent study conducted by Triple Whale, brands increased their spending on the platform by 231% in Q2 of 2022 compared to the same time period the year before. And even more impressive, the same study found that direct-to-consumer brands that were leveraging TikTok were generating revenue from $1 million to $5 million dollars. In 2023 we will see an increase in the number of brands and industries that will put more of their budget towards digital advertising on TikTok, which maps to the platform’s constant innovations in the digital advertising space.
Looking ahead
In order to be successful in 2023 marketers will have to roll with trends rather than fight against them. Authenticity will rule all aspects of marketing and will be the powerful ingredient that will make a good marketing campaign great. The rise of UGC and organic low-maintenance video will play an increasingly dominant role in the digital space as audiences shift away from flashy celebrity-endorsed campaigns, gravitating towards real-life reviews and testimonials from customers and influencers. Brands will be able to stretch their budget even further as a result, in building stronger connections with their audiences as they will be given a platform to be heard. There is ample opportunity for brands to really make their mark in the year ahead, it’s a truly exciting time to be a marketer.