Social Media 2023 Predictions
It's that time of year again where we take a closer look at the latest happenings in the world of social media. As a business owner or content creator, it's important to stay on top of these trends so you can make the most of your online presence. That's why we're here to share our Social Media predictions for 2023 and give you a heads up on what you might see in the coming year.
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Businesses will see a decrease in reach, while creators will see an increase in reach
One of the biggest trends we're seeing is that all social media platforms are increasingly focusing on creators. This is especially true for Meta, but all platforms will be drilling down on creators in the coming year. As a result, micro and nano influencers and creators will become even more valuable to brands, as they will be able to provide affordable content creation options.
To make the most of this trend, it's important for creators to step up their business knowledge and be ready to offer freelance content creation services to brands. On the flip side, small businesses can also benefit from partnering with creators, as they can help fill in the gaps that businesses may have in terms of content creation.
An increased emphasis on customized content for each social platform
As more and more users are active on multiple social media platforms, it becomes even more important to create unique content for each platform. Repurposing content, rather than simply reposting it, will keep users engaged and prevent them from unfollowing on multiple platforms. Even small changes, such as rearranging content, can make a big difference in keeping things interesting.
Instagram will continue to evolve it’s features
Instagram will continue to expand and incorporate features from other social media platforms into its platform, whether through purchases or recreations of existing functions. This can have both benefits and drawbacks, so it's important to keep an eye on how these changes may impact your content strategy.
The rise of the “customer influencer” (aka user-generated content)
One trend we're expecting to see in 2023 is the rise of customer influencer, or UGC. This is where customers become micro-influencers for your brand through word-of-mouth advertising. During a recession, this can be especially beneficial for businesses, as it can provide free promotion. As a business owner, you can encourage this by running giveaways centered around content creation. And for aspiring creators, this is a great way to get noticed by brands and potentially land paid gigs.
YouTube will continue to be the best place to make money
YouTube will remain one of the best places to make money, especially for creators. Other platforms haven’t truly figured out revenue sharing models, or impactful monetization yet for creators, especially not on the level YouTube has. Now as YouTube looks to increase adoption of YouTube Shorts and take on short-form competitors, they’ll have the bonus of adding monetization for YouTube Shorts this year which will fit seamlessly into their already established partnership program.
The Metaverse: Pushing the Tech, but Slow Adoption
The Metaverse will continue to push the boundaries of technology, but we don't expect to see a strong adoption of this technology by business owners or creators. Avatars and VR will be at the forefront of the Metaverse, but it will be some time before it becomes a mainstream tool for content creation.
Social Platforms Increase E-Commerce Options
All social media platforms are continuing to move towards e-commerce, but it remains to be seen whether this will be to the detriment of the social aspects of these platforms. Only time will tell if users trust these platforms enough to use them for e-commerce at the scale that is intended.
More authenticity, less fluff
Expect to see a continued shift towards more authentic, less photoshopped content in 2023. This means more transparency, unedited content, and a focus on the use of phones rather than cameras for content creation.
Twitter's future remains uncertain
With Elon Musk at the helm, it's almost impossible to predict the future of the platform. If he stays, the platform may continue to see frequent ups and downs. If he departs, the platform could become more stable but still face a lot of changes. It remains unclear if Twitter will become more or less important than it currently is.
Rise of Social Investment
More and more companies are investing in social media marketing, with ads and influencer partnerships becoming increasingly popular. However, during the upcoming recession, budgets will be tight, making it even more important to prove the value of these investments. Need help tracking your social metrics performance? Grab our Social Media Reporting Template.
Social search surges in competition with search engines
As people spend more time on social media, it makes sense that they will start to use it as a search engine as well. Platforms like YouTube are already seeing a surge in searches, and other social media sites will likely follow suit with improved SEO features and more searchable fields.
Online customer service improves
In 2020-2021, online customer service was on the rise but declined as things opened up. Brands will soon realize they can't afford to let it slip any further and improvements are likely to be made, whether through more efficient chatbots or an increased number of customer service agents. Twitter and Facebook may be the key networks for customer support.
Short-form video gets all the attention
Short-form video will remain king, with platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts becoming increasingly popular and content becoming shorter and snappier.
Audio-based social platforms begin phasing out
Audio-based social media platforms, like Clubhouse, Spaces, and Facebook Audio, are likely to decline in popularity.
Want to work with us to make sure you’re in the best social media shape for 2023? Book a consult.
