Social Media Trends for 2023

Key Takeaways

• Many trends from 2022 continue in the year ahead. Most notably, the strong focus on video content remains, while e-commerce and social commerce options expand.
• Eleven social media trends in 2023 include: TikTok remains dominant, BeReal is picking up steam, and real-time communication and audio content production become more important.

General Trends for Online and Influencer Marketing

Videos have become increasingly important in social media in recent years and are expected to continue to be an important trend in 2023. There are a few reasons for this:

• Video is a highly engaging medium that allows businesses and individuals to showcase their products, services, and brands in a compelling way.
• The proliferation of mobile devices and faster internet speeds have made it easier for users to consume video content on the go.
• Video also enables more creative and interactive formats, such as live streaming and interactive video, which can increase engagement and build stronger bonds with audiences.

When asked which platform will be the most popular for video, it is likely that YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram will continue to be the main players in 2023. In this regard, the networks plan to continue to strengthen the video trend this year by further developing and improving their video features, such as live streaming, interactive videos, and video shopping. They are also adding more monetization options for creators and businesses, such as branded content and in-stream ads.

Social media has  been increasingly criticized for its negative impact on mental health, particularly among young people. In response, many platforms have focused on mental health and well-being in recent years, introducing features such as mental health resources, self-care tools, and anti-bullying policies.

In addition, data privacy has become an important issue for both consumers and companies in the social media and influencer marketing sphere . With the increase in data breaches, targeted advertising, and the use of personal data for commercial purposes, many people are concerned about how their personal data is collected, used, and shared. Germans in particular attach great importance to this!

Eleven Social Media Trends for 2023

By the end of 2022, social media has become an integral part of our lives and daily routines. To what extent is evidenced by a study from Hootsuite: In July 2022, the social media management platform surveyed 10,643 marketers and conducted so-called primary interviews with dozens of social marketing professionals, executives, observers and partners. The platform data was supplemented with research from The Harvard Business Review, McKinsey, Deloitte, Edelman, Insider Intelligence, Forrester, GlobalWebIndex, The CMO Survey and others.

1. TikTok will remain dominant: TikTok is predicted to maintain its position as the leading social media platform, especially among younger demographics. Brands will need to find creative ways to engage with this demographic and leverage the platform’s unique features, such as the short video format and interactive elements like filters, to stand out and connect with users.

2. BeReal App: The BeReal app ushers in an era of authenticity and aims to combat the problem of misinformation and false information by promoting transparency and authenticity. Users can verify the authenticity of posts, while the app also provides tools to verify information and promotes accurate news reporting. This could lead to a change in the way social media operates and increase consumer trust in the platforms. Here’s how influencer marketing works on BeReal.

3. Real-time experience:  Social media platforms are increasingly emphasizing real-time content and experiences, such as live streaming, to keep users engaged and keep them coming back. Brands need to find ways to create and share content that is timely and relevant to connect with users in order to create a sense of community. Also, feel free to plan a live event as part of a collaboration with your influencers.

4. Social audio niches:  Social audio platforms like Clubhouse and Spatial are growing in popularity and provide new opportunities for niche communities to connect and share. These platforms allow users to participate in audio-based conversations and discussions, creating a more personal and intimate experience.

5. LinkedIn is on the rise: LinkedIn is expected to move beyond its traditional focus of job search and networking to become a more versatile platform for professional development, content creation and business networking. This could include the integration of new features, such as video conferencing, e-learning and e-commerce capabilities, making LinkedIn an all-in-one platform for professionals.

6. Influencer marketing becomes top priority: Key opinion leaders (KOLs) will continue to play an important role in social media and brands need to consider how they work with a mix of KOLs to reach different audiences and achieve marketing goals. Brands can work with micro-influencers, who have a smaller but highly engaged following, and macro-influencers, who have a larger following, to reach different demographics and develop a comprehensive marketing strategy.

7. Social referencing instead of hashtags: Social referencing, or tagging friends and influencers, is becoming more popular, while hashtags are used less to categorize content. This is because social referencing creates a more personal connection between users and is a more effective way to reach a specific audience.

8. Generate captions:  Captions are becoming more common on social media. This is due to two reasons: on the one hand, we are always on the go, so a lot of video content is consumed without sound; on the other hand, users are more interested in content in another language. It also makes it easier for people with hearing disabilities to become part of your community. Your brand can soon have an international audience of its own!

9. Social commerce is growing: Social media platforms continue to be integrated into digital commerce, making it easier for users to buy products directly from the platforms. Read about the evolution of e-commerce to social commerce on the Kolsquare Influencer Marketing blog.

10. No one uses GIFs any longer: If you think GIFs will continue to be popular and used a lot in the wake of video’s popularity, you’re wrong. In 2023, GIFs will no longer be an effective way to engage your audience. Instead, you should direct your efforts towards creating interactive videos and visually engaging infographics. Overall, this encourages the use of 3D and AR, which will permanently change the landscape of social media.

11. Billionaires buy social networks:  It remains the case that social media platforms continue to be investments for the super rich. The reasons for this are obvious, as the billionaires hope to gain influence and control over the digital landscape and thus over all of us by buying or founding social networks. This trend becomes exciting when we think about supremacy and antitrust. In addition, the investments could also change the modes of operation, as has already been announced for Twitter in 2022.