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10 Social Media Trends to Watch in 2023

If there's one thing we can count on, it's that social media is always changing. This
year, authenticity was in like never before (hello, BeReal) and relatability became
more important than ever (goodbye, filters). In 2023, we're predicting an even bigger
shift towards community-led content and originality. 
Keep reading for the top social media trends to inspire your social media strategy in
2023.If video is more your style, check out our YouTube video outlining a few social
media predictions:
10 Social Media Trends to Watch in 2023
Here are the top 10 social media trends we expect to see making waves in 2023:
1. Less Copy & Paste Trends 
2. UGC Creators Shine
3. YouTube Shorts Take Off
4. AI Goes Mainstream 
5. Rise of LinkedIn Creators
6. Keyword Search & SEO Takes Center Stage
7. Gated Content  
8. Storytelling is Less Linear
9. Instagram Doubles Down on Creators
10. Pay Transparency Between Brands and Creators  

Trend #1: Less Copy & Paste Trends

In 2022, hopping on trends was a key strategy for growing on TikTok and Instagram.
But in 2023, solely using trending audio is on its way out. In order to stand out, we
predict creators and brands will incorporate more original content into their overall
strategy. From longer-form vlogs to no-frills conversations on niche topics, video
content is already shifting towards casual, off-the-cuff storytelling.Even video editing
is becoming more about telling a story, like using multiple apps to create clever
edits:The challenge now is to make your video stand out in a sea of copycats.
So, we expect to see an increase in brands and creators starting their own "trends"
by using a popular audio — but putting their own unique spin on it.Take
creator @lleakna, whose transitions took TikTok by storm, creating a new way to film
vlog-style content:Think less copy and paste; more original and off the cutting room
floor. FYI: With Later, you can plan and schedule your social media posts in advance
— saving you tons of time. Create an account today:
Trend #2: UGC Creators Shine
UGC (aka user-generated content) is incredibly popular with brands. In fact, a 2021
study revealed that 80% of consumers say UGC highly impacts their purchasing
decisions.But not every brand has a bank of UGC to use, nor an in-house team to
create photos that look organic.
Which is where UGC creators come in. Essentially, these creators get paid to create
UGC-inspired content for brands. And if it sounds a lot like freelance content
creation, you’re not far off. In 2023, we predict UGC creators will fill a gap in the
market and lead to an increase in Nano creators monetizing on social — without the
need to post on their own channels
Trend #3: YouTube Shorts Takes Off 
According to Adweek, views on YouTube Shorts have generated an average of 30B
views per day. The appeal of YouTube Shorts is twofold: creators who post on
Shorts are able to attract more viewers to their long-form content and grow their
number of subscribers. Plus, with YouTube's upcoming monetization
opportunities for Shorts, the platform will reemerge as a go-to for creators. Cha-
ching.
Trend #4: AI Goes Mainstream
The future has arrived and artificial intelligence (AI) is officially everywhere — and
more accessible than ever.Take TikTok effects for example. There’s a range of AI-
inspired effects to choose from, including the ability to create an entire background
for your video by merely typing text: Copy generators like Chat
GPT and Jasper.ai are also becoming popular with brands and creators to help them
draft outlines or ideas for written content.While AI can’t replace originality, creativity,
or thought leadership, we’ll likely be seeing a lot more of it in the coming years.
Trend #5: Rise of LinkedIn Creators
Fun fact: LinkedIn is older than Facebook. So why’s it on our list of social media
trends to watch in 2023?Two words: organic engagement. Creators are taking to the
platform, infusing personality in their posts, and standing out as experts in their
respective fields.

There’s even been an increase in LinkedIn “Power Users” hiring ghostwriters to

pump out content to their loyal followers. If you’ve overlooked LinkedIn in the past, it
might just be time to reconsider.

Trend #6: Keyword Search & SEO Takes Center Stage 

Move over Google — nearly half of Gen Z is using TikTok and Instagram for search
instead. This means that if you want your content to get discovered, optimizing your
posts with keywords is more important than ever. In a broader sense, this change
reflects how searching a topic on the internet has changed.Users are looking for a
more exploratory experience with curated takes and personal experiences (think
TikTok storytelling and honest reviews on Reddit).TIP: When building out your 2023
social strategy, make a list of keywords you’d like your brand to rank for and be sure
to regularly create social content around them.
Trend #7: Gated Content 
There’s been a growing shift towards gated content, for a few reasons: 
 Fatigue of “suggested content” popping up on social feeds 
 Creators and brands seeking a deeper connection with their most-loyal
followers 
 Creators wanting to “own” their content outside of always-changing social
media platforms
 Creators looking to monetize with “exclusive content” for their biggest fans 
Whether it’s using the Instagram Subscriptions feature or taking to Substack, will this
strategy make social media content and newsletters exciting again?
Only time and open rates will tell.
Trend #8: Storytelling Is Less Linear 
One trend we’ve spotted in 2022 that we think will take off in 2023 is the concept of
telling a story mid-way through instead of at the beginning. 
It’s the ultimate hook — whether it’s decoding a trending topic or sharing a sound
bite that’s bound to stop viewers in their tracks and make them want to play catch-
up.The @nolitadirtbag account is the perfect example. Its anonymous creator posts
cheeky jokes for very niche New York-based fashion communities. Not everyone is
in on the joke, yet the page is quickly growing because people want to be in on it:
This style of storytelling prompts the audience to dig a little deeper to understand
what’s happening.And what better way to get someone’s attention than to make
them feel a little FOMO?
Trend #9: Instagram Doubles Down on Creators
There’s a lot of talk about Instagram being “over", especially to younger
generations — but we wouldn’t count it out in 2023.One reason? The app still
has over 1B monthly active users. And while the average user may have some
complaints, Instagram’s staying power will lie in how it attracts (and retains)
creators. We’ve already seen it roll out creator-specific features in 2022, and we
think they’ll double down in 2023. 
For more Instagram predictions, read: 10 Instagram Marketing
Trends You Need to Know in 2023
Trend #10: Pay Transparency Between Brands and
Creators  
One thing creators know for sure: exposure doesn’t pay the bills. 
And on social media, pay transparency is quickly becoming a
popular topic of conversation:
Even big brands are being called out publicly for undercharging,
meaning what once flew under the radar no longer flies. 
Plus, with the rise of apps like Clara for Creators and Collab
Scale advocating for pay transparency in the industry, the gap
between what to pay (and what to charge) will only get clearer
with time. 
Social media is the wild west — it's constantly evolving.
And while it can be overwhelming when a new feature drops or a
trend emerges, it allows you to experiment and see what works
best for your specific audience and goals.
So whether it’s posting more original content or optimizing for
SEO, we’re tapping these 10 social media trends as ones to watch. 
Plan and schedule all of your social media content in advance with
Later — for free! Create an account today.
Never Forget to Post Again
Create, edit, and schedule content across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook,
Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter with Later.
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Lindsay Ashcraft

Content Marketing Specialist

Lindsay is a Social Media Coordinator at Later based in Northern California. You can
usually find her wandering around farmers markets or scheming up her next trip.
Follow her adventures: @lindsay.ashcraft.
13 Social Media Trends for 2023 and Beyond:

 1. Crisis Management for Social Media Will Be Essential

 2. Brand Authenticity Will Be the Way to Go
 3. The Use of Social Media as Shopping Outlets Will Remain Popular
 4. Short-Form and Bite-Sized Content Will Dominate Social Media Platforms
 5. The Phasing Out of Third-Party Cookies
 6. Decentralized Networks Will Become Alternatives to Mainstream Social Media
Platforms
 7. Sustainability and the Environment Will Become More of a Priority
 8. AI Will Play a Big Role in Post Recommendations (Facebook and Instagram)
 9. Integrations Might Play a Bigger Role on Social Media Platforms
 10. Interactive Ads Will Gain Traction
 11. Nano-Influencer and Micro-Influencer Marketing Will Become Mainstream
 12. The Human Touch Will Play a More Prominent Role
 13. Gaming Will Become an Alternative to Social Media Platforms
 Frequently Asked Questions

13 Social Media Trends for 2023 and Beyond:

1. Crisis Management for Social Media Will
Be Essential
A PWC survey shows us that more than 95% of businesses expect to face
a crisis within the next two years. The problem is that many companies still
don’t have a designated crisis response team or a crisis plan in place. 
Social media platforms have become a vehicle for spreading information
quickly. This includes issues, both minor and major. When left
unaddressed, one seemingly minor issue can transform into an even bigger
one, causing significant damage to your business, such as financial
damage and damage to your reputation. One example is Peloton. The
brand’s Tread and Tread+ machines were recalled after an accident that
led to the death of a six-year-old child. Despite the pressing nature of this
issue, Peloton didn’t immediately address the issue, recalling the products
in question only a month after the incident. Because of this, it faced
backlash from consumers and social media users. 
According to a survey commissioned by Twitter, 61% of respondents feel
that brands should be able to acknowledge crises as they happen through
their advertising and communications.Source: marketing.twitter.com
Furthermore, using social media as a crisis management tool can help
businesses regain the trust of their audience. As many as 81% of
respondents believe that social media has helped improve businesses/
accountability. The same report goes on to say that 89% of people say that
a business can regain their trust if it’s transparent, meaning that it takes
steps to admit its mistake and what it will do to address the issue. 
Because of how social media is utilized nowadays, not only by users but
also by businesses, it can be used as a potentially powerful crisis
management tool. 

2. Brand Authenticity Will Be the Way to Go

It’s no secret that consumer behavior is ever-evolving. Consumers
nowadays demand authenticity from brands, with 86% of consumers saying
that transparency has now become more important than ever. Aside from
transparency, today’s consumers expect businesses to nurture authentic
human connections and build an emotional connection to a brand. One
example of how brands can nurture authenticity is by empowering their
leaders to play a more proactive role on social media. 
Apart from fostering long-term trust, transparency can help consumers
continue to do business with a brand even during a crisis. Millennial
consumers in the same survey, for instance, want brands to be more
transparent on social media, with 69% of them wanting a company’s CEO
to have a “personal presence” on social media channels and that CEOs
have the power to make a positive impact when they’re transparent,
according to 71% of millennial consumers. 
Moreover, when brands work toward building more authentic relationships
and deeper connections with their audience, they’re more likely to enjoy a
slew of benefits, such as improved brand reputation and better sales
figures. 
3. The Use of Social Media as Shopping
Outlets Will Remain Popular
In 2022, we witnessed the steady rise of social commerce, which allowed
social media users to purchase products directly on social media. In 2023,
social media platforms are expected to continue to become popular
shopping outlets for consumers. 
Furthermore, it’s projected that by 2026, global social commerce sales will
reach a whopping $6 trillion, with the US having approximately 108 million
social buyers by 2025. 
A HubSpot survey shows that 36% of social media users purchased a
product directly from Facebook, followed by 24.5% of consumers who used
Instagram to buy products on social media. 
Source: blog.hubspot.com
Social media platforms are quick to catch on to this trend. Facebook, for
example, has rolled out its “Facebook Shops” feature, which allows
businesses to create a “Shop” complete with product listings, the ability to
let users add these products to their shopping cart, and purchase such
products directly from a dedicated checkout page. Plus, once businesses
have set up their Facebook Shop, they can integrate it with their
Messenger account, giving their audience a more seamless shopping
experience. 
However, it’s probably not going to be a smooth ride for social commerce.
Despite presenting a significant opportunity for growth, social commerce
may not yet be a viable solution for some brands. Before joining the social
commerce bandwagon, you may want to do extensive research on your
target market and preferred platform to see if they’re capable of supporting
social commerce initiatives and to determine whether or not that platform is
capable of scaling with your growth. 
4. Short-Form and Bite-Sized Content Will
Dominate Social Media Platforms
It’s expected that in the coming years, a majority of online content will be
video content. This prediction is relevant, given that 86% of businesses are
already using video as a marketing tool. However, the spotlight will be on
short-form and bite-sized content. Aside from being able to potentially
generate more engagement from your audience, they can be invaluable
tools for marketing and education, given that 73% of people prefer to watch
a short video to learn more about a product or service, according to the
same report. 
Bite-sized content, like short-form videos, also allows brands to still drive
engagement even if today’s audience has a shorter attention span, with
the average human attention span now clocking in at 8.25 seconds. For
example, Twitter introduced Fleets, a feature that’s Similar to Snapchat
Stories, where posts or videos disappear after 24 hours. 
Now, this doesn’t mean that brands should compromise quality when
creating bite-sized content. Despite shorter attention spans, high-quality
content still has the power to cut through the noise and hold your
audience’s attention. 
Want to create your own short-form video content? Here’s our quick guide,
complete with best practices you can follow to create outstanding bite-sized
content your audience will love.

5. The Phasing Out of Third-Party Cookies

It’s projected that by 2023, we’ll start to see the end of third-party cookies.
While third-party cookies allow brands to offer more personalized
experiences to their audience, they’re facing backlash due to growing
privacy concerns. Moreover, consumers are growing frustrated over this
issue and are looking for an immediate solution. 
What does this mean for brands and social media platforms? In the coming
years, you can expect to see measures, such as the creation of reliable
first-party solutions, being rolled out. Furthermore, brands and social media
platforms will have to prioritize consumer privacy and transparency, as we
can expect laws and regulations similar to the GDPR to continue to be
developed around the world. 

6. Decentralized Networks Will Become

Alternatives to Mainstream Social Media
Platforms
Decentralized social networks will become a viable alternative to
mainstream social media platforms in the coming years. This is due in part
to issues such as the user’s lack of control and censorship. Next year, we
may see such decentralized platforms start to gain traction as consumers
demand more control and better data privacy measures. We’re already
seeing such platforms emerge. For example, Minds is an open-source
alternative to popular social media platforms Facebook and Instagram,
while Mastodon is quickly becoming a Twitter alternative. Other
decentralized platforms you can start exploring now include LBRY
(YouTube alternative), Diaspora (Facebook alternative), and Signal
(WhatsApp and Messenger alternative).

7. Sustainability and the Environment Will

Become More of a Priority
Environmental buzzwords are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Today’s
consumers don’t want to listen to words like “sustainability” or “eco-friendly
—they want to take action to make an impact. Moreover, they’re expecting
brands to act on environmental issues, with 82% of consumers wanting
companies to prioritize the two Ps—people and planet—instead of profit.
It’s projected that by next year, you can expect to see brands taking action
to perform better in the market. 

8. AI Will Play a Big Role in Post

Recommendations (Facebook and
Instagram)
2023 will be an even bigger year for AI. You can expect to see more
content on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, being
recommended by AI to drive increased user engagement. Facebook, for
example, is introducing measures, such as displaying more recommended
content on a user’s newsfeed. This makes TikTok-like discovery via the For
You page possible.

9. Integrations Might Play a Bigger Role on

Social Media Platforms
Integrations continue to gain traction on popular social media platforms,
according to a prediction made by SocialMediaToday’s Andrew
Hutchinson. Facebook, for example, is working on integrating digital
avatars to encourage engagement, especially in the metaverse. Instagram,
meanwhile, will also be banking on integrations for creating different
content forms in a bid to support creators and empower them to create
content in the metaverse, according to Hutchinson. Other social media
platforms are likely to follow suit.

10. Interactive Ads Will Gain Traction

Extended reality technologies, such as AR and VR, have opened up new
opportunities for user engagement. One popular use case for such
technologies is filters. However, they can also be used to deliver better
shopping experiences to a brand’s audience, such as through interactive
ads. This type of advertising allows users to participate in the ad
experience instead of blocking them using ad blockers or skipping ads
altogether. Allowing users to participate in such an “experience” increases
the likelihood of them engaging with a particular brand or product. Aside
from getting more viewing time from your audience than traditional ads, the
use of interactive ads can help drive brand awareness. 
11. Nano-Influencer and Micro-Influencer
Marketing Will Become Mainstream
Influencer marketing isn’t just about big names on Instagram or TikTok.
While they may have amassed an army of followers, their influence also
often comes at a high price, which can prevent smaller brands from
working with them. Plus, given the volume of their followers, engaging with
them can be challenging. 
Furthermore, today’s consumers are increasingly gravitating toward more
authentic experiences and are open to engaging with brands and
influencers that offer not only value, but also authenticity. Thus, in the
coming years, you can expect to see more brands working with nano- and
micro-influencers. Despite their relatively smaller following, nano- and
micro-influencers often have higher engagement. Nano-influencers, for
instance, have an average engagement rate of 3.69%, which is higher than
that of macro-influencers. 
In the coming years, we can expect to see nano- and micro-influencers
take center stage as more brands are likely to opt for a more “community-
led approach.”

12. The Human Touch Will Play a More

Prominent Role
User-generated content made waves in 2022, with brands like Daniel
Wellington and Dove encouraging their audience to participate in their
campaigns or create their own content featuring their brand. Next year, this
trend is highly likely to become even bigger, with brands leveraging the
power of the human touch to nurture authenticity and drum up
engagement. As brands become more interactive, we may also start seeing
a more “relaxed” approach to audience engagement. For example, brands
may start using more conversational tones or taking steps to make their
image more relatable and accessible to their target audience, instead of the
usual carefully curated image that audiences are used to seeing. 

13. Gaming Will Become an Alternative to

Social Media Platforms
The gaming industry is projected to reach $321 billion by 2026. Its growth is
attributed to factors such as people finding new ways to entertain
themselves during the lockdowns while maintaining their social
connections, according to G2A.com co-founder and CEO Bartosz
Skwarczek. The growing popularity of AR and VR games is also a major
driving force for the industry’s growth.  
While it won’t be replacing social media any time soon, given its sheer size,
the gaming industry presents ample opportunities for brands to drive social
interaction and community engagement. While nothing is definite yet, we
may start to see brands leveraging the potential of the gaming industry to
drive social interactions. 

2022 Social Media Trends That Are Still Worth

Looking Into
1. TikTok Will Become Huge
While Instagram is still a firm favorite, TikTok is moving up in the ranks.
Plus, considering that short-form video content will become more popular,
TikTok is the ideal platform to use in 2022. 
During the past two years, TikTok has also launched a number of useful
tools, like ads and business profiles, aimed specifically at businesses. So,
it’s no longer just a platform where young creators can show off their dance
moves. All in all, it’s set to become one of the main platforms that brands
can use to reach millennials and Gen Z.

2. Smaller Networks Will Become Popular for Ads

TikTok isn’t the only “smaller” (if you can still call it that) platform that’s
catching the attention of consumers and brands. Pinterest and Snapchat
are also gaining in popularity. 
According to data shared by Pinterest Business, ads on their platform can
generate twice the return on ad spend for retail brands, compared to other
social media channels. While Snapchat isn’t as popular for marketing as
Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat advertising statistics show that the
potential advertising audience on Snapchat has increased notably. 
Also, considering Apple’s announcement earlier in 2022 that it will block the
ability of Facebook to target a significant segment of its users, it’s key that
brands start to look at other platforms. 

3. Social Commerce Will Continue to Expand

Brands have long used social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest,
and Facebook to sell their products. In 2022, though, the ability to buy
products directly via social media will become a norm. Gone are the days
that it will be used only by innovative brands. In fact, eMarketer anticipates
that the social commerce industry will be worth $80 billion by 2025. 
From shoppable posts to Instagram Storefronts, social networks are
continuously evolving to become retail platforms. Brands and marketers will
continue to leverage these and incorporate social commerce in their sales
strategies in 2022. 
So, when designing your user experience, be sure to give some serious
thought to this, even if it's only for your most popular items.  After all, your
goal should be to create a frictionless shopping experience and having to
switch to a website when browsing social media might just soon become
one too many clicks for your target audience. 

4. Reaching New Audiences Will Become a Primary

Goal
According to research completed by HubSpot, the main social media goals
of most marketers in 2022 will be to reach new audiences, grow
relationships with customers, and boost customer service. Previously,
these goals focused more on boosting sales and advertising products. 
So, it’s anticipated that there will be a clear shift in how brands will use
social media moving forward. Instead of using it purely for advertising, it will
also be used as a channel for fostering deeper customer relations. 

5. Video Content Will Continue to Dominate

Video content remains one of the most engaging forms of content. A Cisco
study in 2021 projected that 82% of all online content will be video content.
A year later, a Wyzowl survey confirmed those projections. 86% of
respondents indicated that video is one of their main tools in their
marketing arsenal. This clearly shows how important it is to start utilizing
video content to stay relevant in the social media domain.
If you're not currently creating videos, it’s time that you include them in your
content strategy. In the near future, videos will dominate social media and
anyone who doesn't realize that will have a tough time. What is important to
keep in mind for the future, though, is that long-form content is no longer
the way to go. You simply have to look at the success of Stories, Reels,
and TikTok to realize that engaging short-form videos are now the
preferred choice of consumers. 

6. Social Audio Will Become More Popular

Since Clubhouse was launched in 2020, it has become increasingly
popular. In June 2021, Facebook followed suit by officially launching its
Live Audio Rooms and podcasts in the United States. 
And, brands are taking notice. More than 74% of businesses indicated in
Hootsuite’s 2022 Social Media Trends survey that they’re planning to invest
in audio-only content in the next year. The same survey revealed that
hosting an audio live stream as a thought leader was the most popular
strategy. 
That being said, at this stage, the trend has not yet caught the attention of
smaller businesses, especially considering that it’s not the most affordable
form of content marketing. It might only be an audio clip, but there’s still a
lot of time and expertise that go into creating audio content. 

7. Paid Advertising Will Become a Necessity

According to Hootsuite’s 2022 Social Media Trends survey, more than 40%
of respondents indicated that the decline in organic reach and the need to
spend more on paid advertising were their biggest challenges. Considering
that the average organic reach for a Facebook post is just slightly over 5%
according to Hootsuite’s data, it makes sense why paid advertising will
become a necessity. 

8. Augmented Reality Will Become More Mainstream

Social media will see a rise in the adoption of technologies like augmented
reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). As these platforms grow, users will
demand better and more engaging experiences, and these technologies
can make that happen.
While the adoption of VR in social media might still be at an early stage, the
same can't be said for AR. Augmented reality filters are now being used on
several major platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. These were
introduced to enhance the visual content shared on social media and are
widely popular. 
Augmented reality enhances our reality by adding digital elements to it and
changing the way things actually look. Social media platforms have found
interesting use cases for this technology and have started leveraging it in
recent years.
Instagram, for example, uses augmented reality for its numerous photo
filters. We’ve all seen those filters that can add makeup to your face or
sunglasses or bunny ears, right? Perhaps too many of those posts already.
That's nothing but an application of augmented reality for social media.
The applications of AR on social media are not limited just to photo filters to
post fun posts and stories. Brands can also leverage augmented reality to
provide better shopping experiences to their customers. It’s becoming more
common for brands to use AR so that people can try out products
beforehand. In fact, according to an experiment Rebecca Minkof did , AR
can boost click-through rates by as much as 65%.
Augmented reality can have a lot of potential social media applications for
brands. And, this trend will be further driven by social media platforms'
continuous efforts to add more AR functionalities. This technology is
definitely only set to grow in the next few years. 

9. Influencer Marketing Will Continue to Soar

Influencer marketing isn’t a new trend, but it’s one that is going to stay for a
while. Social media today is dominated by influencers who are getting paid
exorbitant amounts to promote brands.
The adoption of this trend can be seen from both perspectives. Not only is
there the sheer rise in the number of influencers on social media, but
there’s also an increase in marketing spend on influencer marketing by
businesses.
Investing in influencers is much cheaper than running paid ad campaigns,
and yet it delivers good results. Moreover, influencers can help marketers
achieve a variety of marketing goals and not just generate leads. These are
the two main reasons why it has become so popular and is continuously
getting stronger and bolder.

Marketers aren’t just collaborating with 1-2 influencers now, but are working
with a whole network of small, relevant, niche influencers. This kind of
influencer gets much higher engagement and costs much less. Going
forward, more and more marketers will use this strategy and work with
multiple smaller influencers instead of one celebrity.
The challenge, though, will be to identify which influencers will align the
best with your brand. 

10. Increase in the Use of Social Media for Customer

Service
Social media has traditionally been a place for people to connect with their
social networks and share photos and videos. However, those days are
long gone, and social media is now so much more than just that.
It has become a retail platform, a product discovery platform, and now,
even a customer service channel. A lot of brands have started recognizing
social media networks as platforms for delivering customer service.
This transition happened gradually as brands started noticing that many
customers try to reach out to them on social media. This may be because
of a lack of response on other channels or just because it was a more
direct way to reach the brands.
It goes without saying that brands started responding to such messages
and directing those customers to the right channels.
Fast-forward a few years, and imagine the number of such interactions
growing multifold. It's not just some one-off cases where customers post
their questions or complaints on social media and brands respond. Now,
it has become a significant enough customer service channel for brands to
recognize it as one. In fact, according to Gartner, 60% of all customer
service requests will be sorted out by means of digital channels by 2023. 
And, it is one of the most important customer service channels, owing to
the massive repercussions of not handling a customer well in front of other
users. So, it becomes all the more important for brands to handle these
customers well.
To help you use your social media channels in this “new” way, it can be a
good idea to create templates for FAQs and invest in a chatbot to boost
your response time.  

11. Personalization Will Be Paramount

Personalization is a global consumer trend that has been there for several
years now. However, it is still a recent one when it comes to its adoption for
social media.
Some might argue that brands can't exactly personalize their social media
content for different consumer segments. True. But, they can still customize
their social media ads for as many target segments as they like.
The key aspect where businesses and marketers are leveraging the
personalization trend is their delivery of social media ads. Social media
platforms have started providing advanced targeting and customization
options for marketers. These let you show the right ads to the right people
at the right times.
Personalization has reached a level that these social media platforms now
also understand the type of products you like. And, they show you ads for
similar products from different brands.
Don't believe me? Try checking an ad, any ad, on Instagram. Within
minutes, you will see ads for similar products all over your feed. The more
ads you click on, the better it will understand your online behavior and
preferences. And, the next thing you know, all of your Instagram ads will be
personalized and curated to your tastes.

12. User-generated Content Will Continue to Be

Popular
Brands leveraging user-generated content is not a new trend but is a trend
that is still going strong and will continue to do so. The only thing that has
changed is the rate of adoption, with more and more marketers utilizing
UGC.
Some brands, like Daniel Wellington, motivate their customers to create
content and tag the brand for a chance to get featured on their page.
Some, like Olay or Dove, run relevant marketing campaigns that encourage
people to submit their entries to be a part of the campaign.
Some brands, like Airbnb, completely rely on user-generated content for
their social media content.
No matter how you want to leverage UGC, you should have a place for it in
your content mix. User-generated content is free and is considered much
more authentic than branded content. It can help your brand seem more
trustworthy and can do wonders for your image.
So, if you have never experimented with user-generated content for your
social media profiles, it's time that you start using it.

13. Local Targeting Will Become More Prevalent

Just like local SEO is for local brands who want to get more organic traffic,
local targeting is the counterpart for social media. Many brands use
location-based targeting to reach out to and attract people from a specific
geographic location.
One common way in which brands attract a local audience is by geo-
tagging their posts and stories. If you add a location to your social media
content, it will automatically draw in a local audience.
Social platforms like Instagram provide the option to search for posts from
nearby places or specific locations. If you add locations to your content, it
will show up in these search results, helping local people find your brand
and content.
Geo-targeting works especially well for promoted posts or tweets as these
platforms help you target the right audiences.
For example, if you use the "boost post" option on Facebook, you can also
select the locations that you want to target. Facebook will show your posts
to users in those locations.
Brands can also use geo-targeting to get more people to attend their local
conferences and brand events. Or, they can use location filters in their
social media ads to advertise only to a relevant, local audience.
There are many benefits of location-based targeting on social media, and
you simply need to know how to leverage it.

14. More Brands Will Incorporate Social Listening 

Social media is a gold mine for data and insights that businesses can use
to refine their social strategies. And, with the launch of so many social
listening tools, it has become very easy for anyone to access these
insights.
Given the ease with which you can tap into social conversations to draw
meaningful insights, social listening has made its way into every marketer's
strategy. Data shared in Hootsuite’s 2022 Social Media Trends survey
found that the majority of respondents felt that social listening has
increased their organization’s value over the past year. 
Brands and marketers are using it for a variety of use cases. From
understanding the impact of a social media campaign to understanding
how people perceive a brand, you can get a lot of information using social
listening. This has made social listening an integral part of most marketers'
social media strategies.
There are many social media listening tools that you can use for this
purpose. So, start experimenting by setting up brand mentions, branded
hashtags, and other keywords and hashtags that are important to your
niche. 

15. Instagram and Twitter Will Remain Popular

While a lot has been said about TikTok and smaller channels like Pinterest
and Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter aren’t going anywhere in 2022. 
 Source: blog.hubspot.com

In fact, according to research completed by HubSpot, Twitter and

Instagram will become more important to B2B businesses specifically. In
2022, 70% of respondents indicated that they plan to increase their
investment on Twitter, while 63% of B2B businesses planned to increase
their spend on Instagram. To put this into perspective, only 49% of B2B
brands planned to increase their investment on Facebook. 

16. Inclusivity Will Be Key

In the past two years, corporate social responsibility was a hot topic (and
for very good reason). In 2022, brands will need to continue emphasizing
their commitment to inclusivity. 
Brands will need to know which social issues mean the most to their target
audience and go over into action. Consumers have set high standards for
brands when it comes to social responsibility and a one-off gesture will no
longer be enough.  

17. Social Media Communities Will Continue to

Increase
While this is not something new, it is definitely something that is becoming
more popular now than ever before.
Social media communities are basically social groups created by brands to
provide a networking platform for their customers. These are usually private
groups that like-minded people can join to talk about their shared interests.
Facebook Groups are a brilliant example of such social communities. Many
brands utilize such groups to bring all of their existing and prospective
customers together and engage with them in a meaningful way. Group
members can discuss various topics, share their experiences, and seek
solutions to their challenges.
Brands can also utilize their social media communities to launch new
products, seek customer feedback, and gain valuable customer insights.
So, when creating new content keep in mind how it can help to create
engaged communities so that you can help to strengthen online
communities in 2022. 

Wrapping Things Up
These are just some of the trends that will dominate the social media
landscape in 2022 and beyond. By taking advantage of these trends, you
can stay ahead of your competitors. 
The biggest anticipated changes are the rise of TikTok and short-form
video content. While Instagram and Twitter will continue to be important
(especially to B2B businesses), 2022 might just be the year for smaller
networks like Pinterest and Snapchat. Oh, and social commerce is a must
for eCommerce businesses. 
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that social media is a
dynamic and competitive space. What worked before isn’t guaranteed to
generate the same results. So, keep abreast of the latest developments
around these themes and use these for your social media initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the biggest social media trends for 2022?
We have given our predictions for the social media trends of 2022 and
beyond in this article. Some of these include:
- Ephemeral content will keep gaining popularity
- Niche social platforms will perform well
- Instagram will remove likes
- Social commerce will expand
- Video content will dominate
- Technology adoption will be at an all-time high
- Influencer marketing will continue to soar
- More regulatory control and legal scrutiny
- Higher adoption of augmented reality
- Increase in the use of social media for customer service
- Personalization will be paramount
20 Latest Digital Marketing Trends
in India 2023 every Marketer must
know
Last year, we saw trends changing every month. As I predicted, artificial
intelligence and automation were massive hits and still continue to surprise us. 
Just in December 2022, ChatGPT blew every marketer’s world apart. ChatGPT was
to Digital Marketing just as Zoom was to online meetings. 
So what’s in it for digital marketing in 2023? Have we reached the peak yet? 
Certainly, not! 
2023 is going to be as exciting as 2022 for digital marketers, designers, and content
creators. While some trends will be improved, many newer trends will enter the
industry to test the waters. 
Before wasting any time, let’s get to the list of digital marketing trends in 2023 and
what can you expect to change! 
FYI, if you don’t know what digital marketing is, chances are that you won’t
understand any of the trends. Hence, I recommend that you watch Karan Shah’s 45-
minute masterclass on digital marketing basics to get started.

Here are the 20 Latest Digital Marketing Trends

of 2023
Want to strengthen your marketing game in 2023, these are the trends that you
should be knowing about:
 1. Google is changing & so should your SEO
In 2023, what the user wants is what will show up on the SERP. It’s all about
providing an answer to the user’s query and adding value to their knowledge instead
of selling a product/service.
If you are handling SEO for a brand or freelancing, my suggestion would be to sell
an experience of searching instead of advertising the product. When users love your
content, they will automatically engage with your brand and start trusting your brand. 

Last year, Google rolled out multiple algorithms updates to rank user-friendly content
and healthy off-page SEO strategies much higher than those that purely optimize for
search engines.
There is no guarantee that Google will slow down with its update in 2023 as its
ultimate goal is value to the user. So if you want to safeguard yourself from this
volatility, you have to change your approach today and stand in the user’s shoes. 
Learn SEO from scratch to create an SEO strategy that gives you returns.
2. Purpose-Driven Content
The new generation you are going to market to in 2023 is more aware of their
surroundings and issues than any other generation. They won’t let any
taboos/stigmas slip under the carpet and in fact, motivate others to join them. 
In 2023, think one step ahead and create purpose-driven content. Show your
audience that you care about the environment and are driven to make a change, and
you will definitely win their hearts. 
In purpose-driven content, you can either communicate your purpose like IKEA.
They are dedicated to making fast and affordable furniture that anyone can buy at
any age. 
On the other hand, you can also work towards a greater purpose. For
example, Mama Earth plants one tree for each order received and aims to plant 1
million trees by 2025. 
Read this blog to know about the best digital marketing courses in Mumbai in 2023
3. Quick Commerce
When I say, quick commerce, it is difficult to understand but when I say Swiggy
Instamart, Zepto, Dunzo, Rapido, etc, it requires no understanding. 
Quick commerce is a faster version of e-commerce where delivery is done within a
few minutes. If you have a product that can be stocked and sold via quick
commerce, I say jump at the opportunity right today. 
Get your product listed on of the quick commerce apps in 2023 and you will see
more visibility and desire to buy your product. 
If you want to test your product, here’s a bonus strategy that will work.
Get your product listed on any of the quick commerce apps and then add it as a free
sample in the user’s cart. This way, you can test your product and also create
awareness. But make sure to track those who test your product as it will help you
remarket. 
4. AI in Digital Marketing – ChatGPT Revolution
As discussed in the introduction itself, Artificial Intelligence is dangerously growing in
digital marketing. We discussed this in 2022 as well but who knew that creativity can
be programmed into artificial intelligence? 
ChatGPT is the biggest talk of the town today but very few know how to deliver
prompts or in simpler language, talk to it. 
In 2023, the AI in Digital Marketing trend is going to be all about how you talk to it
and get your work done. 
The easiest way is to talk to it like a baby. Just as you have to teach the baby to walk
or talk, you have to teach ChatGPT to work on your command and make your
command the easiest words to understand. 
Secondly, you can download various chrome extensions that add prompts to your
ChatGPT. For example, I have downloaded the AIPRM for SEO extension and these
are the prompts I received: 
These are just 2 out of the 69 prompts available that can make an SEO Associate’s
life much easier.
5. Push Notifications
2022 is when push notifications were being tested and 2023 is when brands will or
should use it to their fullest advantage. 
Push notifications are a way of becoming a part of a customer’s ecosystem and keep
nudging them with offers and clickable content. 
Some brands don’t value an aggressive marketing strategy and hence end up not
going for the push notifications strategy. 
6. Web3 is Coming
Now, this is more of a digital marketing trend that you must look out for and also
track because it is going to be the next big thing in the world of the internet. What
Google is trying to achieve via algorithm updates, is what Web3 is developing
keeping in mind only and only user. 
It is based on blockchain technology, the same that supports cryptocurrency, NFTs,
and other digital commodities. It is a decentralized form of technology, making you
and me in full authority of our actions on the internet. 
When will Web3 go mainstream?
It will take another 5-10 years. However, since it is the future of marketing, you
should keep reading and talking about it since it is going to become one of the most
powerful platforms for marketing. 
7. Personalization
 If you want to outperform your competitors and want to stand out in the market, you
must focus on personalizing content, products, emails, etc. Personalization is the
next big trend that will soon become an industry standard.
According to research by Instapage, 
 63% of consumers are annoyed with the fact that brands repeatedly keep blasting
generic advertising messages.
 80% of consumers say they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers
them personalized experiences.
 90% of consumers claim that they find personalization appealing.
The best example to understand the power of personalization is Amazon and Netflix,
which have personalized recommended movies for each user. Here are some other
examples of brands that are progressively using personalization at present:

Starbucks: Starbucks introduced a gamified mobile app that keeps track of the
number of times a customer visited, the purchase history of the customer, and their
location. This personalized app allowed customers to customize their drinks, and it
enabled them to receive rewards. The feature ‘reward system’ on the app itself
spiked the revenue to $2.56 billion.

8. Augmented Reality 
By the definition of Wikipedia, Augmented Reality is an interactive experience of a
real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are enhanced
by computer-generated perceptual information. 
It consists of 3 basic features
 a combination of real and virtual worlds
 real-time interaction
 accurate 3D registration of virtual and real objects
While virtual reality makes buzz and gets everyone excited with grand sci-fi ideas,
Augmented Reality is much more plausible from a marketing point of view. Experts
foresee that AR will continue to outperform VR in terms of market share. 

Brands are progressively using this AR technology to elevate the consumer

experience and increase sales. 
One such example is IKEA, which has its own app that allows the users to click a
picture of their room on their smartphones (iOS 11.0.1 for now) to test drive IKEA’s
furniture in it. The users can move the furniture around to check out how the furniture
looks different from different angles.
Another example would be Gucci, which is the latest luxury brand that newly added
an Augmented Reality feature to its app to let users ‘try on’ sneakers’. 
The user can choose to see 19 different sneakers on their own by pointing their
smartphone camera downwards. It enabled users to swipe left or right to change to
another pair. The app also lets users take photos, which can afterwards be shared
on social media or in messaging apps.

 
9. Metaverse
A world within our world is what the Metaverse is popularly known as. The
Metaverse is currently owned by Meta (Facebook).  The idea of a digital space
where virtual and augmented realities co-exist to create a universal experience is
both new and potentially untapped.
A digital avatar of yourself in a futuristic world where all possible actions can be
taken seems a lot to do with gaming. So how does it become a Digital Marketing
Trend in 2022?
Metaverse has made social commerce possible with a network of realities/virtual
universes where space exists almost everywhere. Well, digital marketers have found
an opportunity for their brands to fill that space and create a whole new medium of
digital marketing.
Although we haven’t reached the prime of marketing in such a space, the potential is
immense!
10. NFTs
Non-Fungible Tokens are the digital assets that you can trade. Each NFT has a
unique token that says that this is the original NFT and is owned by you. NFTs have
disrupted the art and technology world but it has started penetrating the marketing
world as well.
Free NFTs are offered in a raffle as brands for their main marketing goals. For
example, Marriott Bonvoy created a raffle where the winners would receive their own
NFT and 200,000 Bonvoy points.
These kinds of digital marketing campaigns have been targeted by high-end brands
like Adidas, Marriott, etc only. Once more and more brands utilize NFTs as a
marketing tool, the growth and opportunities are unlimited.
11. Crypto
Cryptocurrency can be called the INSTAGRAM of the Finance World. It entered the
industry and slowly conquered while everyone never saw any potential in it. There
are 10-12 million active crypto investors in India and have been increasing since the
returns are massive.
Cryptocurrencies have become one of the cooler things for millennials and therefore
everyone wants to invest. Crypto investing platforms are using this need of the new
generation and offering them FREE parts of 1 cryptocurrency to create awareness
and also give investors a glimpse of this investment avenue.
No surprise if like Google Pay, we use Cryptocurrencies for our groceries and daily
needs. Digital Marketing Trends 2022 have truly reached the greatest heights.
12. Livestream Commerce
Livestream Commerce is quite new to India but China has already made a billion-
dollar market over it. Brands choose their social media platforms to showcase their
products live and the audience is able to buy the product live itself.
Even on Instagram, the Shop feature has enabled brands to put up the Show Now
button on live video content which cuts the chase for the customer. Livestream
commerce has reduced the time taken by the customer from advertisement to
purchase and therefore is one of the best digital marketing trends in 2023.
13. Voice Search Optimization
According to research by Review42 on voice search, they found that 55% of
teenagers use voice search every day. This massive adoption by the entire
generation shows how popular voice search is going to get in the future.
There are a couple of reasons why Voice Search, a feature we all received with our
smartphones around 2014, is taking off in a big way this year. Firstly, the increasing
adoption of smart speakers. 20% of households have bought a smart speaker such
as Amazon Alexa or Google Home. The adoption of devices that are fully voice
search controlled is a big indicator of how people have started to get accustomed to
this new behavior.
Secondly, Google claims that they have achieved 95% accuracy with their Voice
Search. With higher precision of search, the ease of use factor for voice search has
jumped up. Now with better accuracy to match what you ask for, and the ease of
using your voice to get results makes the process personalized and attractive.
Thirdly and most importantly, it is projected that by 2023, 50% of all online shopping
will be conducted through voice results. This is a whopping $40 billion opportunity for
digital marketers to exploit. With so many growth factors indicating the rise of voice
search, making your website ready for voice search will be very essential for the
future.
We found a guide by SEM Rush during our research. This article will teach you how
to optimize your website for voice search in simple 7 steps. 
14. Programmatic Advertising
Programmatic Ad Buying is the use of software to purchase digital advertising. While
the traditional method includes human negotiation, requests for proposals, and
quotes, programmatic buying makes use of algorithms and machines to buy ads.
Programmatic Advertising is when AI is used to automate so that advertisers can
target more specific audiences. 
The automation is quick, and efficient which ultimately increases conversions and
lowers the customer acquisition cost. 
Real-time bidding is a type of programmatic ad buying, it allows better and fast
targeting, qualifying ads to be bought and sold on a per-case basis, which means
visitors who are your targeted audience will be exposed to the ad. 
Here’s how Programmatic Advertising works:
Programmatic Advertising is rapidly increasing every year and is predicted to be
used for a huge majority of display advertising in the next couple of years.
One of the best examples of the same would be ‘The Economist’, a digital and print
publication, which started a programmatic advertising campaign with the aim of
persuading curious readers to try the publication. 
The same campaign generated 6,50,000 new prospects, an additional return on
investment (ROI) of 10:1. Brand Awareness for “The Economist” also elevated by
65%.
15. Chatbots
Chatbots are considered one of the top digital marketing trends in 2023, the AI-
based technology makes use of instant messaging to chat with customers, and with
site visitors. It is designed to communicate with customers by textual or auditory
methods. 
Businesses can leverage the use of chatbots to engage with customers. Since there
are plenty of users visiting the website at once, it advantageous to have a technology
that answers hundreds of users at once.  The benefits of having chatbots are 24/7
customer service, instant responses to inquiries, and answers to simple questions.  
63% of people prefer messaging on chatbots to communicate with businesses or
brands. This virtual support provides excellent customer services, this means a
business gets rid of repetitive tasks and can focus on important work. 

Starbucks has introduced a chatbot that operates via the MyBarista app where you
can order by auditory message through Amazon Alexa or messaging. 
Another amazing example of chatbot systems is the recently launched project
LaMDA by Google. It is going to revolutionize the coming generations of chatbot
systems. Here’s a bonus read on everything you need to know about Google’s
LaMDA. 
Besides allowing customers to remain in the comfort of their homes right up until
their coffee is ready the chatbot messages the customer when the order is ready for
pickup, the chatbot also allows payment and tipping. 
Read this extensive MBA in Digital Marketing guide to know about the eligibility,
admission process, popular colleges, career opportunities and cost of studying. 
16. Email Marketing- Less is more
As the name implies, automated email marketing is sending emails to your
customers automatically based on triggers or schedules you set.
Emails have always been the most reliable channel of digital marketing. Promotional
emails are an amazing way to reach out to your customers and let them know what
your organization has achieved or any sale you have coming up. 
But, the time of essay-long emails is done. In 2023, emails that are simple to
understand and take less time of the user are going to work and lead to higher
conversions.
Have a look at Neil Patel’s emails for inspiration:
 According to the research of Backlinko:
 You are 6x more likely to get a click from an email than from a tweet
 Adding a call-to-action button in your emails instead of simply a text link can lead to
a 28% increase in click-throughs
 78% of marketers have seen an increase in engagements (including CTR) in the last
12 months
But to up these statistics for your company, ensure that the copy is simple and easy
to understand.
Learn to build powerful and successful email lists and email marketing campaigns by
enrolling here: Online Email Marketing Course with Certification
17. Marketing Automation
Automation drastically uplifted the industry in the last year and is going to be one of
the major digital marketing trends in 2023. Marketing automation is all about
streamlining the processes and automating them to make them more smooth,
effective, and faster. One of the best uses of marketing automation is going to be
under lead collection and nurturing.
If you manage to bring a lot of traffic to your website but do not collect effective leads
at the right time, then the traffic makes no sense. With the help of marketing
automation, you can integrate various CRM tools and lead nurturing software that
assist you in collecting leads at any time of the day and making the process
personalized.
After these leads are collected, you can also nurture them stage by stage
systematically. This ensures a higher qualitative conversion rate.
18. Short form Video Content
 Video Marketing is also one of the top digital marketing trends in 2023 and is likely to
be at the top for more years to come. Here are some stats that will demonstrate the
importance of including a video in your digital marketing current trends list.

According to the research by Impactplus:

 72% of businesses say videos have improved their conversion rate 
 70% of consumers say they have shared brands video 
 52% of consumers say that watching product videos makes them more confident in
online purchase decisions
 Video content is 50 times more likely to drive users than plain text.
According to Seotribunal, if your website includes a video, it’s 50 times more likely to
bring organic search results as compared to plain text. Why does this happen?
Because people find video content more captivating, hence google brings such sites
on the top results. 
But to bring better results, short form videos are your go-to. The recent addition by
the popular platform YouTube is called “Shorts”. It is similar to Instagram Reels,
where you can create short-form video content for 15 seconds or under.
The Instagram Reels was great news for marketers & content creators. Especially
since TikTok was banned in a few countries, reels have served as the best
replacement. 
The great news for digital marketers is that Reels are providing more than double
engagement rates when compared to posting a normal video.

And now with the newly launched insights features on Instagram Reels, you can
even track your performance and analyze your work!
As a marketer, you can use this feature to showcase many kinds of content such as
informative content, behind the scenes of the organization, product reviews, etc.
An excellent example of this is Louis Vuitton’s Instagram reels, they are of high
quality, stunning, and very innovative. Every single reel of Lois Vuitton has gone viral
with an average of 5M views!
An effective Reels and video content strategy is necessary to grab and retain your
customer’s attention in 2023.
Related Post: 8 Low Budget Video Marketing Tips For Your Business
19. Shoppable Content
Shoppable Content is any content- picture, video, or article, that includes a direct link
to a buyout portal. 
This makes the process of a customer getting aware of a product through content
marketing and making a decision to buy the product on an eCommerce platform far
simpler and direct. 
A product on the eCommerce website has a very standard layout- description,
details, pictures, and price. With the introduction of Shoppable content, the way
eCommerce operates and markets its product is going to change. Instead of dreary
and boring product descriptions, each product can be marketed as a story in the
form of interactive content.
Instagram has introduced a shoppable content feature, where users can buy a
product directly from a story or a post. Even Pinterest has introduced this feature for
its audiences.
Brands such as H&M have stepped up their marketing game with their shoppable
content, by turning their Instagram profile into shoppable posts.
They tag products into their Instagram posts so that users from their huge following
of 36+ million followers can get inspiration and discover new products, and make
purchases using Instagram only.

Modern consumers appreciate smooth user experience and engaging storytelling for
their products. With shoppable content, the entire experience of eCommerce will get
a face-lift. A consumer now expects fast-loading visuals and rewards companies who
put in the effort to create attractive content. 
20. User-Generated Content
People like to participate in activities, especially activities relating to their favorite
products or services. User-Generated Content or UGC harnesses this excitement of
the customer and prompts them to create something of their own with the concerned
product and share it with the world.
UGC campaigns run on the creative submissions by the customers of a product or
service, as per the challenge or prompt given by the company. This strategy is so
effective that UGC posts enjoy a 4 times higher click-through rate in comparison to
normal promotional campaigns.

UGC is a great strategy for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it massively reduces the
time, effort, and resources required to run a campaign. UGC campaigns gather a
pool of high-quality promotional materials, all submitted from the customer at no cost
to the organization. Secondly, UGC receives 28% more engagement rates when
compared to a normal post, as the trust factor of a post that is coming from an
unpaid customer is far higher.
Despite these wonderful benefits, it was noted that only 16% of brands have any
form of UGC strategy in place. Of the brands that have harnessed the power of this
digital marketing trend, GoPro has been a crowd favorite. By giving prompts to their
customers to make videos using the GoPro equipment, they have succeeded in
creating a craze in people around the world to post their adrenaline-filled life with
these cameras with their campaign “Video of the Day”.