The digital landscape can change in the blink of an eye. Social media platforms are arguably some of the most rapidly changing elements of the digital landscape as customer behavior changes and technologies change. At the end of last year, we put together a short paper outlining some of the key trends that may surface over the course of 2023 for performance marketers working on social channels. You can download the full paper here, below is a summary of the main themes.
Authenticity is essential
There is a new generation of storytellers in existence and their audiences demand authenticity. For example, often creators on TikTok will never recommend a product without having trialed it first because personal experience is at the heart of what they do.
Social Commerce will grow
In 2023 US social commerce sales could rise by as much as 22% to over $56 billion as social media channels enable audiences to discover and purchase products. Ongoing enhancements enabling the customer journey to be more and more seamless will inevitably lead to a rise in purchase behavior.
Live Streaming is here
TikTok LIVE is likely to increase significantly in 2023, with broader adoption of live streaming across social platforms also growing. Think QVC for a new generation, as more customers adopt live technologies and start to purchase as a direct result.
Short-form ‘snackable’ content
Arguably not a new trend, but still the way that many people are preferring to consume information. Combine this with a desire for authenticity to ensure your content will be believable and engaging. The industries this applies to are endless, from beauty and fashion to cooking, travel, financial services, healthcare, etc. The shorter and more digestible the better.
TikTok continues to rise
Yep, the platform continues to see phenomenal growth. Last year, TikTok was the most downloaded social media app in the US. As our latest paper “What TikTok users want: The essential guide for performance marketers” shows, TikTok fulfills many user needs, such as replacing Google search for certain demographics.
Tracking & Measurement
An essential component of all performance marketing campaigns is the ability to track & measure KPIs. Privacy updates will continue to provide opportunities for marketers to update their thinking on how to measure success. In recent years we have helped various clients overcome privacy challenges in many ways, including across social media, which has resulted in amazing results.
Niche communities
From subreddits to micro-influencers, there is a community out there for everyone. These smaller communities are often a great way to reach particular audiences if your strategy and creative are correct.
Challenge assumptions
It’s more important than ever to make every ad dollar count. For example, test everything all of the time, set up a measurement framework, test your creative, test influencers, and keep testing!
If you are interested in finding out more please contact us, or here are some other resources that may be of interest.
- If you’re interested in finding out about TikTok users specifically then please check out our paper; What TikTok users want. The essential guide for performance marketers. Based on a survey this free paper outlines how TikTok users are using the platform for discovery, news, and purchase.
- Don’t forget to take a look at our ‘Digital Trends to Leverage in 2023’ paper for a wider range of predictions from the experts at M&C Saatchi Performance
- Jon was also recently featured in The Drum with an article looking into wider 2023 media trends, read the article here.
