The world of social media and influencers is very competitive and full of events. Just think about how controversial Twitter was when Elon Musk ran it to see how crazy things can get.
But brands should make their mark and interact with their customers on social media. With so many social media networks to choose from for your marketing, it can be hard to keep up with what’s new and what brand-building opportunities are out there.
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1. Social media goes back to where it all started
Marketers use social media for many different things. It could be to reach a new audience, get back in touch with old customers, or try out some new creative content. But Neal Schaffer, an expert on digital transformation, thinks that social media will go back to its roots in 2023.
“I think that companies will keep questioning and reimagining what their social media presence should look like in 2023. “Social media is really going back to its roots as a place to raise brand awareness and connect with other people, not as a way to get more traffic,” he says.
From his own experience, traffic to his website from social media has dropped from 2% to just 1%. So, what should we do? He thinks that brands should use social media better and think about what it means and what it will mean in the future.
“TikTok and a brand new social media culture that focuses not on the number of followers but on the content itself have sprung up quickly,” he says. “This is the age of what they call recommended media.” “Because of this, it’s even harder for brands to make the kind of content that social media users want today.”
For example, in 2022 Meta launched a “Feeds” tab on Facebook that suggests content from friends, groups, or pages to users. This content can be customised and collected in a “Favorites” tab.
Instagram also does a lot to promote recommended media. In response to the rising popularity of the app BeReal, Instagram made “Candid Challenges.” This feature will tell people to take a picture of their surroundings and share it during a different two-minute window every day.
2. TikTok has new features and is popular with B2B
Last but not least, TikTok tells marketers to focus on what makes its communities unique. “Don’t be afraid to talk to #TiredMoms instead of all moms or #CozyGamers instead of all gamers.”
TikTok is also working on making its business tools easier to use and less complicated. There are also new ways for ads to be targeted. “You could go after everyone on TikTok who has used #thanksgiving. Alison Battisby, Social Media Consultant and Co-Founder of Avocado Social, says, “You can target people based on all the videos they’ve watched, whether it’s about beauty, fitness, or food, whether it’s fast food or gourmet food.” “TikTok really gives Meta a run for its money in terms of the user data it can now give to advertisers.”
Battisby has also seen more business-to-business content on TikTok than ever before. TikTok is a platform that B2B brands should think about and look into because there is a lot of learning going on there.
“There are lawyers, accountants, and all kinds of experts in fields that sound pretty dry. I follow a divorce lawyer on TikTok, and she has more than 1,000,000 fans. It’s a great chance to go out and see the world. “You have to go where your audience is,” says Battisby.
SEO is becoming more important on TikTok, which is something to keep in mind. You should optimise your videos so that search engines can find them on the network. Also, it’s important to know that Google used not to index social media posts, but now they show up in the SERPs. You can make your TikTok videos more effective by looking at keywords, your expertise or authority, and how relevant they are.
3. Social networks are starting to spread out from one place
Many people want a new kind of social media platform that was made by the people and belongs to everyone (as opposed to a billionaire). Because of this need, new platforms like Mastodon have sprung up.
“On Mastodon, you can join different “instances,” which are basically forums based on your interests or where you live. “The idea is that you move your social media profile between these places instead of having one central newsfeed like on Twitter,” says Battisby.
The other one is BlueSky, which is being built by Jack Dorsey, who used to be the CEO of Twitter. It aims to be a new decentralised service that is less of a social network and more of a way for other platforms to be built.
“It will give users more options when it comes to what kind of algorithms they want to use and how easy they are to use. That’s where people can sign up for the waitlist, and I’m sure a lot of people are doing that,” Battisby says to wrap up.
4. Influencers in a New Era
Influencer marketing has been called a trend for a long time, but in 2023, the word “influencer” will mean something different. It’s not just about the “mega influencers” with millions of followers. It’s also about the “micro influencers” who have a loyal following and know a specific niche well and can make great user-generated content.
It’s important to know the difference between content made by influencers and content made by regular people. The first one involves sponsored posts and a contract. User-generated content, on the other hand, is when someone talks about your brand or something related to it. Check out our blog post, “What is User-Generated Content and How Can Your Brand Use It (Plus 4 Great Examples)?” to learn more.
Neal Schaffer says, “As social media becomes more pay-to-play, brands should look more to influencers and user-generated content to help them break through the noise, not with their own voice, but with the voices of others.”
That means you need to find influencers who are important to your audience or field. This is very important for B2B brands and small or medium-sized businesses. As consumers look for content they need and want, companies need to work with influencers and content creators who have power in that area.
Schaffer thinks this means that “From a B2B marketing point of view, this could also include internal influencers, such as your employees, or non-influencers, such as your customers or other subject matter experts.”
5. A “super app” is on the rise.
A new super app would be able to interact with the customer in many ways and keep track of their behaviour and preferences.
“You don’t need to build that infrastructure if you can just keep track of (customers) everywhere you go. Boyd says, “It’s a waste of money if you can’t track people after they leave your app. You have to try to come up with an all-encompassing solution to keep them in your orbit and make sure you can sell the data.”
Microsoft’s search engine Bing is working to connect with Open AI’s ChatGPT so it can compete with Google. The chatbot will be used to improve search results on Bing, and it is planned to go live in early 2023. There are also rumours that Microsoft wants to make a super app that will “break Apple and Google’s hold on mobile search.”
6. Vertical and long-form videos are becoming more popular.
Long-form video is likewise becoming more popular. This is especially beneficial in the B2B arena because it helps to present more intricate information in a visual and accessible way.
“Video is an excellent medium for communicating “my brief opinion on what I’ve learnt this week” or “the greatest three things I’ve read or heard.” “It’s a great way for you to be a maven, a connector, and draw people into your content and feed because you become someone who becomes a trusted source of information and doesn’t just bang on about your own products and services all the time,” says Stephen Walsh, co-Founder of Kineo and Anders Pink.
Long-from videos can be utilised on LinkedIn live too. This will assist firms in hosting webinars, workshops, or seminars in order to educate and influence prospects and customers.
