You may have heard the phrase, “change is the only constant”. Well, there’s nothing better than social media to prove that right.
Managing social media at Instamojo has been rewarding and insightful, to say the least. Seeing D2C brands using social media to grow their businesses in 2022 has thrown up some interesting patterns. Allow me to highlight and acknowledge a few things that would rule in 2023 (and some things that just won’t fly.)
Here are 7 of the most important trends you need to consider for your 2023 social media strategy.
Contents
- 1 Trend #1: Shopping on social media is bigger than ever
- 2 Trend #2: Social search VS Google search
- 3 Trend#3: Capitalising on ‘trending’ audio
- 4 Trend #4: Social media advertising continues to rise
- 5 Trend #5: Influencer/Collaboration marketing
- 6 Trend #6: Continued domination of video content
- 7 Trend #7: Brand authenticity in 2023 and beyond
- 8 Supercharging your D2C social media strategy with Instamojo
Owing to the pandemic, social media has evolved and has come to become a significant economic force in the eCommerce industry. People now prefer to purchase products and spend money on digital services through Instagram posts or Facebook ads.
According to Business Standard, shopping on social media is predicted to hit $1.2 trillion by 2025 out of which millennials alone will account for nearly $401 billion of social commerce spending by 2025.
India along with Brazil are likely to be the top key markets.
Trend #2: Social search VS Google search
Yes, you read that right. Social media searches are now competing against Google searches.
For example, Instagram Searchable map is a feature that challenges a spot traditionally held by Google.
This feature allows you to see the most popular spots in your area, bookmark locations you would like to visit, etc.
It does not stop there, users tend to look up a D2C brand’s social media to check out its product catalogues- from apparel to tech.
Trend#3: Capitalising on ‘trending’ audio
Ever come across certain reels that have thousands of likes and millions of views? Yes, a good percentage of that can be attributed to what could be called “trending audio”.
The song or sound starts trending as it gains popularity. Like many other things, there isn’t any official communication from Instagram as to what makes an audio trend. The majority of influencers and brands get behind this trend to make their content reach a wider audience.
Related read: Instagram reels for your business: A beginner’s guide
How do you know if audio is trending and where can you find them?
- The ‘Explore’ tab on Instagram
Well, if you’re a social media marketer, odds are you spend a lot of time browsing reels. When a specific audio is “trending”, it’s indicated by a tiny arrow. You can even tap on the audio to see how many people are using that audio to make reels.
- Follow trending reels accounts on Instagram
There are creators out there who put together a list of trending audios for you to create your content on. Look for accounts that suit your niche or brand persona.
- Look for playlists on Spotify
Spotify regularly compiles and updates playlists with songs that have gained popularity on Instagram.
Trend #4: Social media advertising continues to rise
With the social media economy expanding so rapidly, brands are opting to adopt social media advertising in a big way.
It’s also important to note that platforms like Facebook, place organic branded content at a disadvantage. Despite the current slowdown, marketers predict that ad spend will only increase in the following years.
Trend #5: Influencer/Collaboration marketing
What is influencer marketing, really? It’s almost become a buzzword, hasn’t it?
But, for the unversed – influencer marketing is a brand collaborating with an online influencer to market or promote one of its products. Most such campaigns are monetary in nature.
A select few brands choose to gift the influencer with their products for content creation. This leads to your brand gaining more visibility effortlessly.
A Statista analysis predicted that by 2025, India’s influencer marketing business would be worth 22 billion Indian rupees and expand at a compound annual growth rate of 25%.
The rise in influencer marketing actually gave birth to paid sponsorship. As brands began to see value in these marketing campaigns, they set aside a specific budget to partner with not just the big influencers but also nano/micro-influencers.
Check out our Linkedin article where we discuss how influencer marketing is evolving in 2023.
Trend #6: Continued domination of video content
- According to Statista 2022, over 2.6 billion people worldwide use YouTube once a month. India has the most YouTube users in 2022, estimated at a staggering 467 million.
- 88% of people say that they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video.
- Video commerce in India saw a 47% growth rate in 2022 and is poised to grow even further in the coming year.
The stats mentioned above make it very evident that users consume an impressive amount of video content on a daily basis.
What’s more interesting is that Youtube predominantly hosts user-generated content (UGC). Branded content made by companies is also quite prevalent on the platform.
Considering video content’s power, brands should capitalise on these video marketing trends.
Let’s have a quick look at them below:
User Generated Content
UGC will likely continue to dominate social media. With the rise of Instagram reels and other platforms introducing similar features, authentic user-generated content will be crucial for brands to connect with their consumers.
Platform tailored content
A D2C brand should be keeping a close watch on all the platforms where its potential audience is present.
Each platform has a unique audience mix and specific targeting options. Your social media content plan should be tailored to each platform.
Maintaining a healthy presence across all of these will result in retaining your existing audience while attracting new users simultaneously.
Related read: How to set up social media for small businesses; A complete guide
Online webinars
According to Statista, 40% of global marketing events in 2022 were held virtually, compared to 35% in 2020.
Youtube isn’t the only platform on which the audience consumes video content. You could try our Facebook and Instagram live. If you want to adopt a more serious tone for your events, you could give Linkedin virtual events a try.
At Instamojo, we have our own webinars that discuss all things business. Industry leaders and experts from multiple industries explore hacks, tools, tips and strategic insights on business growth.
Connect to us to get notifications when we go live
Short-form content is ruling
Devising how to leverage short-form content should be every brand’s first priority while putting their social media strategy together. Platforms like Instagram and Youtube Shorts have emerged as great tools to host short informative or fun videos.
Several brands choose to collaborate with influencers actively posting content on these platforms. Advertisers wouldn’t be allocating their marketing budget to it had it not been effective.
Trend #7: Brand authenticity in 2023 and beyond
We’re living in the age of the internet. Nothing is forgotten and no one is forgiven easily. The same applies to brands and companies that actively seek to connect with their customers on social media.
Social media users feel more connected to a brand when the brand is more transparent with them.
Related read: How to build a brand for your small business: Tips and practical examples
Social media trends are really tricky to understand unless you spend time on the platforms yourself. Some of the core characteristics of these trends may stay consistent over the years. But as the platforms and tools evolve, so do these trends.
You should have a keen eye for detail. Treat each platform uniquely and separately. It’s essential to keep track of separate factors that affect consumer behaviour on separate platforms.
At Instamojo, we aim to help small business owners grow their businesses by providing them with the ultimate eCommerce platform. A powerful online store with the right social media presence can grow your business at an unimaginable rate.
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