As 2022 comes to a close, it’s vital for all businesses to know what’s coming in 2023. Here are 6 trends to keep an eye on:
- BeReal
What is BeReal you might ask? BeReal is a social media app that encourages people to be their more authentic un-filtered selves. Users are supposed to post once a day, at the same time, and right when BeReal sends you an alert! When posting a BeReal, the app takes a picture using both your front and back camera. Some say that BeReal has become the new Instagram alternative! All in all, this app shows your friends your true self and not just posed & edited photos that you see on most other social media platforms.
2. Continued Domination of Short-Form Video Content
Short-form video content includes YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Pinterest Idea Pins. With the rapid increase of the creator economy, micro-influencers, and brand collaboration on social media, teaming up with creators is a great way to increase engagement and increase your followers. Instagram reels have really taken the world by storm when an Instagram update included a “Reels” home page on the main screen. Reels can be as simple as a GIF with music added to it or as interactive as a giveaway. Our clients at Café Rumba have increased in engagement ever since we started creating recipe reels with them!
3. Meme Marketing
While memes have been around for a long time, their use in social media marketing is much newer. Why are memes suddenly becoming popular as a marketing tool? Because they are engaging, funny, relatable, and gives your brand some raw personality. Timing is key in the meme world though. You need to keep an eye out for trending memes and hop on them before they are just not funny anymore or overused. A viral meme will get you traction on social media, but to get more long-term results from your marketing, the content needs to support your online identity. A great example of a very popular meme trend in 2022 was the “little miss” meme.
4. Increase in Paid Advertising
The algorithms within paid social media advertising are advancing every day. Businesses utilizing both paid advertising and organic posts is important as both strategies prove to be stronger when paired together.
Why do you need organic social media marketing?
- It shows brand consistency
- It builds brand awareness
- It fills in the gaps
- If you have a big following, it is extremely effective
Why do you need paid social media marketing?
- You can increase leads and conversions
- You can retarget on social media
- You can target specific customers
- You can take users to your website
5. Increased Personalization
As social media continues to become more and more personalized with content, businesses need to ensure they are creating the right ads to their targeted audience at the right times. A great example of personalization in marketing can be seen in the Olive’s Easy Meal program we launched earlier this year with Tyson Foods, Inc. This program focuses on educating and inspiring shoppers on how to create quick, easy, and tasty meals at home with deli products. By answering three simple questions, Olive will hand pick recipes specifically for each shopper and deliver them straight to your phone or email. Whether you enjoy cooking from scratch or meals that need no prep time, Olive’s Easy Meals can help customize dinner to the needs of you and your family.
6. Interactivity is a MUST
As much as consumers love personalization, they also love connecting a face to a business and feeling like they truly know them. While this might sound like just one more thing to worry about for brands, these new tools represent a perfect opportunity to build real relationships with your audience. Some good examples on how to start interacting with your followers would include the following: reaction stickers on Instagram, commenting on posts, show your face and talk on stories, behind the scenes footage, about me blurbs, Q&A sessions, & going live. Interacting with your audience is an opportunity to create real relationships and differentiate your brand from others.
Contact us today at Catalyst Marketing to stay ahead of the marketing trends!
