Social Media Trends to Watch for 2023
Tracking social media trends is challenging because social media is always changing. Social media advertising and engagement strategies that worked last year may not be as effective this year. Social media users that once flocked to one social media platform may have shifted their interest to another social media platform. Social media content types that used to score phenomenal results may no longer make a similar splash.
To ensure the long-term success of organizational communications and outreach, it’s critical that organizational leaders stay current on social media trends projected to impact popular platforms. Recognizing that social media trends are somewhat of a moving target can help marketing teams position their organization’s digital presence strategically.
Here are six social media trends for 2023 that we’re tracking at Becker Digital:
Trust is more important than clicks.
Social media's role in organizational development has shifted drastically over the past few years. Previously, social media was simply a communication tool to broadcast information about the organization. Performance was measured by conversion - how many social media users responded to the content’s call to action.
Today, social media plays a much broader role in organizational sustainability and reputation management. In a time of historically low levels of public trust in established organizations and government agencies, social media plays a critical role in restoring - or destroying - trust in organizations. Thus, how we gauge the success of social media should be re-evaluated through the lens of its trust-building potential. Clicks fail to capture this vital metric.
Learn more: Restoring Public Trust through Social Media
Prioritize the right social media apps for the organization.
The popularity of social media apps has the potential to change drastically in a relatively short amount of time. While posting heavily edited “inspirational” photos on Instagram may be the thing to do in 2016, such social media experiences have lost their luster by 2022. Organizations developing an effective social media strategy must track what social media apps are popular right now - not what was sensational in 2016 - and which social media apps are projected to increase in popularity among their target audience in the year ahead.
Usage of Facebook and Instagram has rapidly declined as Millennial and Gen Z users flock to newer social media apps like TikTok. While Meta (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company) has tried to update in-app features to be more comparable to popular emerging social media apps, their initiatives on this front are failing to resonate with modern social media users. Additionally, Twitter has reported a rapid decline in active users over the past few years - a trend that even innovator-extraordinaire Elon Musk has not been able to reverse.
Government agencies face several unique challenges in 2023 regarding social media strategy. While TikTok is extremely popular with Generation Z, concerns have been raised regarding the national security risks. As a result, the federal government recently banned federal employees from using TikTok on government devices. This follows bans on TikTok usage by the Department of Defense and multiple state governments. Thus, while very popular in terms of usage, TikTok usage by government agencies isn’t a good idea for 2023. When identifying which social media platforms to use in the new year, it’s important to evaluate options in the context of multiple influencing variables - not just app popularity.
Generation-specific social media strategies should be prioritized.
Social media users encompass multiple generations - Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers. These four adult generations utilize social media differently - they frequent different social media apps, respond to different types of social media content, and utilize popular social media apps for different functions. For example, Generation Z prefers the ephemeral content options of Snapchat, while Baby Boomers have flocked to the more static and archival features of Facebook. Understanding these key generational differences, and developing generation-specific social media strategies, is important for public sector organizations.
Here are a few generational marketing resources authored by our team of generational marketing consultants:
Integrating generational marketing strategies into organizational social media marketing is paramount for sustainable growth and success in the digital realm. While generational marketing isn’t an exact science, identifying trends across multiple generations as they relate to organizational target audiences can help increase the return on investment (ROI) of social media marketing.
Watch the Webinar: Millennials vs. Gen Zers: Challenges and Opportunities for the Public Sector
Platform-specific social media content is essential.
Social media content that works on YouTube may not be as effective on Twitter. Different social media apps have different content capabilities and features. Additionally, there’s great diversity in which each generation of social media users uses social media platforms. Organizations should not resort to cross-posting content from one platform to the next; instead, they should have a process for creating platform-specific social media content that is optimized for the specific social media app and its user base.
Developing platform-specific social media content may require more time and resources than simply cross-posting one graphic to every social media app the organization is active. This broad approach fails to capture the level of engagement that unique content optimized for each app’s capabilities and user base. To streamline this process, organizations should develop and implement a content management system specific to the needs and breadth of their operation. Working from an established content development and management system will help streamline an otherwise time-consuming process and maximize results for social media-related initiatives.
Learn more: 5 Social Media Content Management Tips for Nonprofits
User-generated social media content can make or break your organization.
Today’s social media users utilize popular social media apps for a variety of functions - communication, entertainment, and networking; however, these are not the only functions social media currently serves. An increasing amount of social media users are utilizing popular social media apps to research organizations via user-generated content (UGC). Instead of reviewing organization-authored content, social media users are seeking out UGC for more ”authentic” insight into what really goes on at the organization. This is especially true of Gen Zers - a generation of digital natives that prioritize peer-based referrals of organizations over corporate communications and publicity.
According to Google, nearly 40 percent of Gen Zers are utilizing social media app search functions instead of traditional search engines to research brands and companies. If an organization has positive UGC affiliated with its digital footprint, social media users may be more inclined to patronize the organization; however, if UGC is negative, this may dissuade users from supporting the organization. Unfortunately, many established organizations are unaware of what type of UGC is posted about their organization; thus, their social media strategy may be limited in effectiveness.
Learn more: 3 Ways User-Generated Content Impacts Organizations
Immersive experiences encompassing the digital and physical worlds are paramount.
Static social media posts aren’t enough to engage today’s social media scrollers. Many social media users view their digital content as extensions of themselves and want to share their experiences seamlessly on social media platforms. This social media priority is especially true of Millennials and Gen Zers. Organizations should recognize this emerging demand for social media integration and identify ways to incorporate the digital and physical worlds into their outreach initiatives. Examples of ways to facilitate a more integrated, immersive experience include things like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, event-specific digital assets, and virtual photo booths. When developing content for social media, prioritize social media content and engagement strategies that help bridge the divide between the digital and physical worlds.
Learn more about social media trends and strategies:
Becker Digital specializes in developing and implementing effective social media strategies for the public sector. We help mission-driven organizations connect with diverse communities on- and offline. Our team of experienced consultants specializes in bridging digital divides and engaging diverse audiences. Contact us today to discuss your organization’s mission and goals.
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