Social Media: What To Expect In 2023

The use of social media continues to rise and is projected to reach unprecedented heights in the near future. Currently, over 4.26 billion people around the world use social media, and this number is expected to grow to almost 6 billion by 2027.

As new technologies, features and consumer behaviours emerge, digital marketers need to stay on top of trends and anticipate changes in the industry. It’s crucial to stay informed and be proactive in the social media landscape. The phrase “knowledge is power” has never been more applicable to this field, as it is essential to be aware of the changes and anticipate them in order to stay relevant and competitive in the market.

To stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced world of social media, it is essential to anticipate and prepare for upcoming trends. To gain insight into what we can expect to see in 2023, I consulted with our social team of leading experts in the industry. They shared their predictions on which trends will be making a significant impact on the social media landscape.

Whether it’s the continued growth of short-form videos or the increasing importance of building a sense of community, these experts have highlighted the key areas that marketers should be focusing on in the coming year. Staying informed and adapting to these developments will be vital for businesses looking to succeed in the social media sphere.

In 2023, it’s predicted that TikTok will continue to experience significant growth as a leading social media platform for both advertisers and users. There are several factors that contribute to this trend. For one, other social media platforms are facing challenges, which opens the door for TikTok to take the lead. Additionally, TikTok has expanded its service offerings, allowing it to compete directly with other digital ad platforms such as Google and Amazon. As a result, it’s becoming a major competitor for ad budgets that would have previously gone to other platforms such as Meta, Snap, or Twitter.

The platform’s user growth and engagement are also on the rise. TikTok is projected to reach over 800 million users in 2023, and users are finding new ways to use the app beyond just entertainment. During the pandemic, TikTok has evolved into a valuable source of information, with more and more Americans getting their news from the platform.

Furthermore, TikTok’s incorporation of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) is also a major advantage. While other social media platforms have similar offerings, TikTok has a first-mover advantage, which makes it a more attractive platform for brands to test these types of ad formats. As AR and VR formats become more mainstream, this presents further opportunities for TikTok to grow and expand its advertising capabilities.

Marketers need to anticipate and plan for where the industry is heading in 2023, rather than relying on past trends. This means placing more emphasis on platforms like TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, which are currently experiencing rapid growth, and less on platforms like Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook which have seen slower growth in recent times.

Similarly, marketers should also focus on emerging markets with rapidly expanding economies, such as the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, instead of countries facing economic challenges like Russia, Italy, Germany, and the U.K. in 2023.

Due to this rapid emergence of Tik Tok, I believe that we will see an even greater expansion of short-form video content. The increasing popularity of TikTok and the subsequent launch of similar features on other platforms, like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, have already shown that there is a significant demand for this type of content. I expect that other social media platforms will follow suit and continue to develop short-form video offerings, which will only increase the demand for this format.

This will place an even greater emphasis on short-form video content as platforms like Twitter prioritise this type of content in the feed. Additionally, I anticipate a continued expansion of the social media shopping experience. Brands that haven’t already set up shop or ‘instant experience’ feeds on their social media accounts should start doing so and experiment with advertising to capitalise on this trend. 

This will be a critical part of brands’ content strategy and brands need to adapt and start experimenting with this before others grab the share of the audience.

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In 2023, I expect LinkedIn to remain a top channel for B2B marketers, thanks to its advanced firmographic targeting capabilities and emphasis on professional-oriented conversations. Its position as a leading platform for B2B marketing is unlikely to change in the coming year. LinkedIn is a clear leader for B2B marketers when it comes to targeting business-specific demographics, targeting decision-makers and the ability to engage in professional conversations. Brands will continue to see the value in this and other B2B marketers should follow their steps.

Alongside this, I believe we will see significant changes at Twitter under the leadership of Elon Musk, which may include new targeting options that would make the platform more appealing for B2B marketers. Additionally, platforms like TikTok and Pinterest, which have been primarily used for B2C marketing, will expand their offerings with tools like clean rooms to better accommodate B2B marketers. 

A data clean room provides aggregated and anonymised user information to protect user privacy, while providing advertisers with non-personally identifiable information (non-PII) to target a specific demographic and for audience measurement.

I also predict that Meta will introduce clean room solutions soon, which will lead to an increase in first-party data activations on social platforms. With TikTok surpassing search engines like Google and Bing for Gen Z users, B2B brands will start to explore using the platform for their search strategies as well. Finally, social commerce will continue to grow and I expect to see more opportunities for B2B brands to get involved, although it might take a few more years for them to be able to do so.

As we move into 2023, we can expect to see brands shift their focus towards building closer relationships with their customers and followers, both online and offline. With the phasing out of third-party cookies, brands will need to find new ways to gather data on their audiences and create personalised experiences.

One way to achieve this is by integrating online platforms with live or physical experiences, creating a seamless omnichannel approach. This approach will allow brands to gather more data on their customers and create more meaningful interactions, which can be used to drive engagement and move users through the funnel.

Establishing who your audience is and harnessing insights will be essential in creating these highly engaged communities. Tailoring content in a platform-first manner will allow businesses to further their reach and gain a better understanding of how to communicate with customers offline.

Another B2B social trend that will be on the rise in 2023 is the use of new technologies like AR and VR, which can create immersive experiences that connect customers with brands in new ways. This will enable businesses to deliver unique value in-store and keep customers coming back, instead of solely relying on online shopping.

Moreover, the importance of privacy will continue to play a huge role in these interactions, it’s imperative for the brands to have stringent measures in place to protect their customer’s data. This could mean offering more control over data management to consumers, making sure data is handled responsibly and transparently.

Overall, as we move into 2023, we can expect to see a greater focus on creating personalised, meaningful experiences that build trust and foster authentic connections with customers, through the use of technology and with an emphasis on privacy.

With the increasing emphasis on online privacy and data protection, brands will need to find new ways to connect with their customers and build long-term relationships. One strategy that will become more popular in 2023 is building and fostering a community of dedicated fans and followers.

This might mean investing in community-building platforms like Mighty Networks, Circle, or even messaging apps like Slack, Discord, or Telegram. Online course providers like Kajabi and Thinkific are also starting to integrate community features into their platforms. The goal is to create meaningful and personalised user experiences that foster authentic connections and drive engagement. This might include integrating online platforms with in-store experiences and moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to marketing.

By fostering a sense of community and belonging, brands can build trust and loyalty, which is increasingly important in an age of data protection and privacy concerns. And while brands will continue to use social media to promote their communities, it’s important to focus on building authentic, long-lasting relationships with their customers, as it will be key for the growth of the brand.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it’s important for brands to stay ahead of the curve by experimenting with new and emerging platforms. However, before diving in, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research to ensure that the platform aligns with your goals and audience – this isn’t exactly a new trend, but an ever important one as the landscape and your users time is spread across new and emerging platforms. Likewise, currently existing platforms are constantly adopting new changes & ways of attributing their results. 

Once you’ve identified the right platform, make sure to track performance holistically to fully understand how your social strategy is impacting your marketing and brand overall. This is exactly the approach that google has aimed to adopt with their latest Analytics tracking release. By merging website & app data, GA-4 aims to create an overall view of your marketing strategy with several different attribution models. GA4 uses ‘probabilistic matching’ to stitch together data from different sources and give you a more complete picture of your users.

Since the release of IOS 14 which gave users the autonomy of choosing whether an app can track you or not. Many marketers & businesses were pondering how they can collect valuable data on their customers. However, with the Conversions API tracking model, the users data is sent directly to the Facebook browser, bypassing the Pixel trackings hindered performance. The Facebook pixel will be removed full in 2023 & hence a Conversion API solution will be needed for every company looking to market effectively on the Meta platforms.

Utilising correct attribution models will allow you to make data-driven decisions and get buy-in from higher-ups for additional budget or resources. It’s also a good idea to establish a full attribution system that tracks how your social reach and engagement are driving brand awareness and other key performance indicators.