The internet is a prominent place, and it’s still growing. There are about five billion internet users, more than half the world’s population. Moreover, there are about 1.9 billion websites populating the internet. However, only a handful of websites get millions of visits. These websites are known to be social media sites.
Social media is a massive deal for Americans. About 90% of Americans are using some form of social media. This is a 7% increase from last year. The most popular social media sites are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
There are many reasons why social media is so popular. For one, it allows people to connect with friends and family who live far away. It’s also a great way to stay up-to-date on current events, the latest news, and what’s happening worldwide. In addition, social media is an excellent platform for businesses to promote their products or services.
However, social media is not just used for personal or business purposes. You can also use it for marketing research, customer service, and political campaigning. With so many people using social media, it’s no wonder that businesses are taking advantage of its potential.
Here are new trends in social media that you need to know about:
1) Social Media is Becoming More Visual
One of the most significant changes we’re seeing in social media is the shift from text to visuals. This is especially true for sites like Instagram and Snapchat, built around images and videos.
Visual content is more engaging than text, and it’s also easier to consume. People are more likely to scroll through a feed of images than read through a wall of text. That’s why businesses are using more visuals in their social media posts. Start incorporating more visuals into your posts if you want your business to stand out on social media.
Additionally, virtual reality is starting to make its way into social media. Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter have features allowing you to view 360-degree videos. You can even create your VR content with a phone and simple software. As VR becomes more popular, people will likely see more social media sites incorporating it into their platforms.
2) Private Online Communities
Private online communities are social media platforms that can only be accessed by invite or membership. They’re becoming more popular because they offer a safe space for people to connect with others who share similar interests. These communities are often used for support groups, professional networking, and product feedback. As a result, an online community will likely get much more traction than open groups on social media sites. Moreover, many developers are giving communities a shot to create platforms for their businesses and social needs.
3) Hashtags are Becoming More Important
Hashtags are words or phrases preceded by the “#” sign. They’re used to categorize content and make it easier to find. Hashtags first became popular on Twitter, but now they’re used on just about every social media site.
Hashtags are becoming more critical because they help businesses reach their target audiences. When used correctly, hashtags can make your content more discoverable and increase your chances of being found by potential customers. If you’re not using hashtags in your posts, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to reach new people.
4) Live Video is Taking Over
Live streaming has become huge over the past few years, and with platforms like YouTube and Instagram, it’s easy for anyone to broadcast their content. Live streaming is an excellent way to connect with audiences in real time, allowing them to ask questions and even interact with other viewers during the stream.
A Cisco survey showed 82 percent of global consumer internet traffic would be allotted to video content. However, consumers’ tastes are changing in favor of short-form videos on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram’s Reels, Stories, and YouTube’s Shorts – ushering out the traditional long-form videos.
Furthermore, companies are turning to live streaming as an effective way to reach their target audience. According to Hootsuite’s research, whether it be telling a story, showcasing product demonstrations, advertising events, or just sharing company updates- social media videos should ideally not exceed one minute in length. Live streaming is a powerful marketing tool that can help bring your customers closer and build trust with your brand.
5) The Metaverse
You can’t talk about trends without discussing the Metaverse. The Metaverse is a virtual world that people can interact with using avatars. It’s similar to the Matrix, except you can explore an ever-expanding universe instead of being stuck in a computer program.
The Metaverse is still in its early stages but growing quickly. Social media platforms like Facebook and Snapchat are already dipping their toes into the Metaverse with features like filters and AR lenses. As the technology improves, we’ll likely see more businesses jumping on board.
Social media has become a vital aspect of people’s lives in no time at all. It began as an avenue to keep connected with family and friends. But it soon became the most reliable way for brands and businesses to reach their target audience through carefully planned social media marketing strategies. As this platform rapidly grows, new trends are emerging each day that companies need to stay on top of if they want any chance of staying competitive. Keeping up-to-date on these advancing trends will help them succeed in today’s market.
6) Short-Form Video Content
Any video that lasts less than one minute is considered a short-form video. Though the exact length may differ depending on the platform you’re publishing, the ideal period for these videos ranges from 30 to 60 seconds.
With over 1.5 billion monthly active users in the third quarter of 2022, TikTok has unarguably been at the forefront of popularizing short-form video content. People crave dynamic and fun videos, providing an excellent opportunity to tailor your business goals on this platform while delivering as much value as possible.
According to research, US users spend an average of 45.8 minutes daily on TikTok. Predictions show that in 2022 Instagram Reels will be the most engaging short-form video app, with a worldwide mean of 53 minutes per session viewership.
Notably, 90 percent of vertical videos have a significantly higher watch completion rate than horizontal ones.
7) Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) will become more incorporated into social media. Social media users will soon expect these technologies’ immersive, interactive experiences. While VR may still be embryonic on social media platforms, AR filters have already taken off, with significant players like Snapchat and Instagram leading. These visual effects lend an exciting entertainment element while enhancing shared content – making them especially popular among users!
AR can revolutionize experiences by integrating digital elements, transforming how people see things. Many social media networks have quickly recognized its potential and are now actively employing it in fascinating ways!
AR has become the go-to tool for social media brands wanting to offer customers a better shopping experience. People can now try out products before they commit to buying them, exponentially increasing click-through rates – Rebecca Minkoff discovered in her experiment that AR boosted clicks by up to 65 percent! But AR isn’t just limited to product testing; it also enables users on social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to access fun filters for photos and stories.
8) Influencer Marketing
Social media marketers dedicate countless hours to curating stunning visuals and powerful messages, yet prospective customers might overlook all of that effort. Partnership marketing doesn’t have to be complicated; 87 percent of consumers rely on referrals from family or friends who’ve gotten a complimentary brand experience, while 71 percent trust bloggers and social media stars who also experienced such generosity. What’s more, reviews coming straight from the customer are twelve times more reliable than what comes directly from the company!
Due to this, influencer marketing will continue to be among the top trends in social media. Companies engage with influencers to help spread the word about their business, as these personalities have already established trust with a sizable audience.
This type of marketing partners up with brands and influencers to produce content that resonates with the target market. The core focus should be on creating content that encourages people to take action instead of just passively consuming it – this could be anything from signing up for a newsletter, visiting an event page, or even buying a product.
9) Ephemeral Content
Ephemeral content, or disappearing content, is temporary and visible for 24 hours on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok stories. Unlike evergreen content, which can be viewed later unless manually saved to your profile, such as Instagram Story Highlights, ephemeral content usually has time-sensitive relevance, like flash sale announcements or daily updates that are no longer valid after the allotted period passes.
In a world where shorter content is preferred, ephemeral content reigns supreme. With stories that can be used to make swift decisions and fast connections with your following, you can effortlessly increase brand awareness without spending much effort. After all, it’s no secret that continuously publishing ephemeral content establishes frequent interactions with your audience – keeping them informed about every move your company makes!
10) Personalization
Personalization has become a global movement that is here to stay, yet its adoption for social media platforms has only recently taken off. Despite some people’s beliefs that personalizing content for different consumer segments on social media isn’t feasible, brands can still customize their ads according to numerous target groups.
Businesses and marketers note the power of personalization, particularly when delivering social media ads. Advanced targeting and customization options available on popular platforms make it easy to present the right ad at precisely the best time for each user. Even better – these services can also recognize products a person prefers, allowing them to be shown related items from different companies across various channels. Personalization is making an enormous impact on how businesses advertise online today!
11) Social Commerce
Companies have leveraged platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for years to market their products. However, it will become commonplace for shoppers to purchase items directly through social media channels in 2022. This trend is no longer exclusive to modern brands. The global social commerce industry will be worth $80 billion by 2025!
As social media channels become more ingrained in retail experiences, savvy brands and marketers should consider incorporating social commerce into their 2022 sales strategies. To provide a seamless shopping experience for shoppers, think about making your most popular items available directly on the platform they are browsing through. After all, no one wants additional steps or clicks between inspiration and purchase; with this in mind, you can create an effortless user experience to keep customers happy.
12) Chatbots
Chatbots are created to interact with incoming messages using predefined rules or through artificial intelligence (AI). Rule-based chatbots provide the same response every time and even adjust their answers when certain keywords appear in dialogues. Meanwhile, AI chatbot technology includes machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP), enabling them to comprehend the intent of conversations and respond organically.
Chatbots have many advantages for businesses and continue growing in popularity. Recent findings anticipate that the global chatbot market will reach an astonishing $1.25 billion by 2025. Gartner projects that 25 percent of organizations plan on counting on these virtual sidekicks as their main customer service aid not long after that. With ever-evolving capabilities such as automating customer service queries, optimizing sales processes, and boosting brand loyalty – it’s no wonder these robotic assistants are quickly dominating the business world!
13) Privacy and Data Security
The end of third-party cookies is forecasted to arrive by 2023, a critical component for brands in offering personalization to their customers. However, the growing privacy concerns have led many people to express dissatisfaction with this practice, and they are now seeking ways to address it quickly.
As the world moves forward, new solutions prioritizing consumer protection and transparency will spring up. Additionally, laws similar to the GDPR will likely continue being established globally to ensure the safety of personal data. Therefore, companies should start preparing by building reliable first-party solutions into their business models.
14) User-Generated Content (UGC)
Undoubtedly, user-generated content remains a popular trend in social media. However, people see influencer marketing taking an even more collaborative turn; for instance, shoppable Instagram posts created by influential individuals have successfully driven sales and product awareness. That being said, UGC offers multiple advantages aside from increasing brand recognition – it can also help businesses sell their products!
With the cost of traditional advertising skyrocketing, many brands have seen a greater return on investment by paying influencers to create content rather than maintain their production studios. This return-on-investment (ROI) gap is only widening as social media costs rise – so it’s no wonder some companies are choosing to reduce or altogether give up on their in-house content creation teams.
Bottom Line
Social media has come a long way in recent years, and the trends for 2022 are sure to keep up with that. From short-form videos on TikTok and Instagram Reels to leveraging AI chatbots and immersive AR experiences, there is no shortage of creative ways brands can engage their audiences. Additionally, personalization plays an essential role in connecting people with products they will love, while user-generated content helps companies build trust through social proof. However, it’s also crucial that businesses pay attention to privacy concerns and data security regulations when creating strategies for next year. With these new trends in social media in mind, you’ll be ready to tackle any challenge your customers throw at you!
These are just a few trends we’re seeing in social media. By staying up-to-date on these trends, you can ensure you’re ahead of the curve. Staying up-to-date with social media can give you access to many new social trends and take advantage of them.
