Happy New Year! With 2022 ending and 2023 already here, businesses are closing out the past year and turning their attention to what the future holds for social media marketing in the new year.
With significant upheavals at Twitter and Meta this past year, the future of social media marketing may seem a little uncertain. Still, we have a few predictions for what’s in store for some of the more popular social media platforms, and thankfully, much of it is good news!
Gaming
Video game apps are a popular way for users to unwind and have a little fun. An estimated three billion people around the world use mobile gaming apps. Done correctly, this can be the perfect opportunity for brands to capture customers by sponsoring a game or creating their own games, known as branded gaming.
For example, in 2022, invisible aligner brand Invisalign partnered with Roblox to help promote their braces alternative and make getting braces less scary to children who play the game. On the other hand, Toyota created a personality quiz app as part of a trade show booth. The game asked players to answer a series of personality questions and then generated a recommendation for which Toyota vehicle best suited their personality.
Expect to see more brands developing their own gaming in 2023 as more users worldwide gain access to smartphones and web apps.
Instagram has been working hard over the past few years to keep up with competitors like TikTok, such as with the creation of Reels and Stories. In 2023, expect to see more Reels, as well as interactive ads and even live shopping.
Live shopping enables users to shop via live stream, much like the shopping channels that have been on live television for decades. With Instagram live shopping, businesses can host live streams, where they can offer product demonstrations, share key product features, and get live feedback from consumers.
Instagram Reel for Tourism Thailand
While much of what will happen at Twitter is up in the air following their change in leadership this fall, some in the industry are predicting Twitter will become subscription based. Twitter has also discussed more robust verification protocols to ensure fewer bots are on the network.
Other predictions for Twitter include the ability to facilitate payments, such as with Meta.
The biggest thing to watch with Twitter is how they will tackle their current free speech policies, as their removal of certain safeguards may dissuade advertisers from advertising on the platform going forward.
Pinterest is a popular platform for creatives to gather ideas for everything from decorating to meal planning. In 2023, experts expect the platform to push live-stream shopping, and AR (augmented reality) for live-stream merchandise captures for sellers who use Pinterest to showcase their products.
Pinterest board for Cinzia Spa
The popular business connection website LinkedIn wants to be more than just a place to post your resume. In 2023, expect LinkedIn to encourage more video and audio content.
Forbes Magazine also predicts that LinkedIn will become an even bigger player in the B2B advertising industry, with an estimated 25 percent of all B2B advertising dollars spent on the network within the next two years.
TikTok
TikTok continues to increase in popularity worldwide, and other social networking sites are clamoring to emulate their winning formula. In 2023, expect TikTok to continue diving deep into live-stream shopping, much like Pinterest and Instagram.
As for what else to expect from TikTok, it’s anyone’s guess, as the network seems to have the “secret sauce” for attracting users and, despite its youth, seems to be the network to emulate, as proven by sites like Instagram.
Be Real
Be Real is a newer social media app that encourages daily selfies that are not filtered to push back against the heavily filtered, carefully curated images seen on sites like Instagram.
On Be Real, users get two minutes to take a photo and post it. The photos are taken simultaneously with both your front and back camera, so followers get a “real” view of what you look like and where you are at that moment. Friends can share their photos, comment, and even leave emojis on posts made with their own photos of their facial expressions.
While Be Real has yet to offer much for social media marketing, the network is definitely one to watch in 2023.
Facebook/ Meta
With Facebook’s change to Meta, the network has experienced many changes in the past few years, including changes to its algorithm, advertising policies, and more.
In 2023, users can expect more augmented reality, digital avatars, and virtual reality experiences throughout the platform.
In Conclusion
With so many significant changes in the pipeline for 2023, it can be challenging to keep up with everything you need for your business to be successful on these networks. Thankfully, a dedicated social media marketing team like the social media marketing experts at ELMNTL can help. At ELMNTL, our team works hard to stay ahead of the trends, helping to promote your business seamlessly, despite what changes social media may have in store.
To learn more about what a social media marketing strategy from ELMNTL can do for your business, reach out to us today!
