A new year means new trends in the digital world! The social media sector is evolving fast, very fast, with its share of surprises both large-scale and small-scale. Social networks have been revitalized over the festive period, and have developed new functionalities for their users.

2023 is shaping up to be the year that will change the course of things. Indeed, brands will have to learn to reclaim their sector by understanding the fusional relationship that exists between consumers and brands. They’ll need to listen better, use better consumer data to get closer to their communities, and be able to capitalize quickly and easily to act accordingly. So, if you’d like to find out more about this year’s major social media trends, be sure to read our article! We’ve put together a small selection to keep you up to date with the latest digital news and help you prepare for the next twelve months. Enjoy your reading!

In search of authenticity

In a digital context where the quest for transparency and authenticity has become paramount, several platforms have lent themselves to the game of simplicity and made it their DNA. Such was the case with the BeReal app, which according to a recent Google study was voted best app of the year 2022 by the public. Promoting “real life” through its content, the app has raised awareness that content perfection is coming to an end. Above all, social network users are looking for authenticity from brands and influencers. So we’re leaving behind the perfected, retouched content that sells dreams, and giving way to the real thing through simple visuals, posted in real time and without artifice to meet this user demand. There is a real demand on the part of Internet users for unfiltered content, with personalities and situations they can easily identify with. That’s why platforms such as BeReal and TikTok are so popular: they’ve understood these expectations and are gradually taking over from the traditional content we’ve seen until now on certain social networks. Stay tuned!

We were just talking about authenticity as a social media trend. In line with this new user need, we find a second trend that continues to develop and prove itself: User Generated Content.

UGC, a guarantee of confidence

User Generated Content is set to be a huge success in 2023! By reusing any type of content created by the public on social networks and not by brands, UGC is an important lever for enhancing brand image and reputation. It conveys a certain truth and reality, and enhances the relationship of trust between customer and brand. Let’s take the example of a customer satisfied with his travel experience. He’ll share a photo of his trip on his networks, mentioning the brand he went with, and this will enable the brand to reuse it for its own content on the networks. By doing this, the brand is sure to gain notoriety and enhance its image with users who will identify with the experience of another customer. As a result, they are more likely to be interested in the brand and its products and services. It is therefore advisable to use this lever to strengthen the relationship with your customer and generate more trust via your networks. Consumers are looking for a certain level of trust with brands on social networks. Accessing real content is important to them, as is interacting easily with the brands they are interested in. This brand/consumer relationship is one of the trends of the new year!

Less individuality, more community

Today, getting loyal and engaged consumers is the objective that companies must meet in their social media strategy. In 2023, we’re seeing new emergences in user behavior. Being present on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin or Twitter is important and must be implemented in your strategy. However, we note a need on the part of consumers to belong to a community that resembles them and to have a privileged contact with brands, other than on networks where certain comments can get lost among the stream of interactions. The solution to building a strong, engaged community interested in a brand’s products or services can be found on dedicated messaging platforms such as Slack, Discord or even Telegram. It’s a trend we’ll be keeping a close eye on over the coming months!

Decentralized social networks

Another growing problem is the lack of control an individual has over social networks. Indeed, users rarely have a say and are not free to decide what content they want to see, how their data is stored or what kind of censorship is put in place by network managers. As a result, we’re seeing a surge in decentralized social networks that offer users more control and improve the overall experience. However, this is not an easy solution, as not all consumers have the same expectations regarding the level of censorship and freedom of expression. So, without a central force, the risk of toxicity and radicalization is high. These nascent decentralized social networks may not take over in 2023, but they will have the merit of attracting the attention of the big players. We can expect to see the big social platforms taking more account of problems reported by consumers, perhaps even giving them more power.

TikTok on the rise

If 2022 proved that TikTok offers opportunities to stand out from the competition, 2023 will show us that it’s now a matter of course to position yourself on the platform to drive your social media strategy. If TikTok has shown innovation (with its new short and entertaining video format) by inspiring Reels on Instagram or Shorts on Youtube, it has also drawn inspiration from its own competitors to develop its functionalities. Tiktok Now, photo mode, TikTok stories, TikTok Music, long videos and advertising, as well as partnerships with Linktree, Shopify and Woocommerce, have seen the platform gradually transform itself into an all-in-one “super app”. In the U.S., Canada and the U.K., it is now possible to buy and sell products directly from the platform: a huge step forward, and a considerable asset in terms of brand visibility and traffic generation. Stay tuned and get ready for this new feature to arrive in Europe!
So, if you haven’t registered on the platform yet, now’s the time to do so!

Short, real videos – l’Essor du Snack Content

Earlier, we mentioned the short videos found on TikTok and other social networks. Indeed, snack content and short video formats were on trend in 2022, and will be just as much so this year! As you may have guessed, these contents take their name from the little snacks you can eat at lunchtime when you’re a bit short on time. In social media, the concept remains the same: users have access to short content that they can “nibble” on as they please, quickly and easily. It’s no secret that today’s web users are looking for short, attractive, punchy and effective formats for information and entertainment. Today, it’s essential to adapt your digital communications strategy accordingly. With the arrival of TikTok on the international scene, other platforms have been forced to adapt their video content to this new trend, notably with Reels on Instagram and Shorts on Youtube. The aim of these new video formats? Capture attention by getting to the heart of the matter, while generating emotion! If Generation Z is the demographic driving force behind this trend, so are other generations. These short video formats are easy to create, popular and engaging. So embrace this new trend and don’t hesitate to use it in your communication strategies, to help you achieve your objectives in terms of visibility, engagement and stand out on the networks!

Another way to boost your visibility this year: optimize your natural referencing on TikTok! New user habits and behaviors are emerging on this essential platform this year. Let’s find out what’s new!

TikTok and SEO

According to an internal Google study, 40% of 18-24 year-olds now use social media as their main search engine. In 2022, the New York Times wrote that “for Generation Z, TikTok is THE search engine par excellence”. Indeed, young people favor social networks to search for information and find, for example, new restaurant addresses, activities, new sites to visit and where to socialize. On TikTok, new features make it possible to use the platform as a real search engine. More and more features are appearing, such as the “local feed” for nearby search results. But how do you use this phenomenon in the social networking environment? It’s very simple: think about optimizing your TikTok content via good SEO to place it at the top of TikTok’s results pages. Well-done SEO will also bring visibility on Google, which has already started to position TikTok videos among its search results to make this content stand out to the public. It therefore seems worthwhile to think about new ways of optimizing your SEO via this fast-growing platform, in order to stand out and gain visibility.

Augmented reality and virtual reality

Virtual reality is a trend we’ve seen in a number of different sectors, including social networking! But where does virtual reality fit into the social media sphere? One of the formats that brands can reuse on platforms such as Instagram are filters. Filters not only alter facial expressions or personality traits, but are also used to create entertaining and engaging games. To stand out on the networks, brands can create their own entertainment filters to capture users’ attention and create a real experience on the platforms. There are a multitude of possibilities for creating your own filters: it’s up to each brand to find the one that will set it apart on the networks and match its image!
What’s your next filter?

Focus on the customer experience

As we’ve seen here(The use of social networks in France during containment – Travel Insight (travel-insight.fr)) consumer behavior and expectations have evolved with the pandemic.

Nowadays, time seems more precious, and no one wants to waste it, even when it comes to interactions with brands. The rise of instant delivery of goods, or of ultra-fast shopping services such as Gorillas or Flink, proves that consumers are less and less patient, that they are volatile and that when they want something, they want it immediately. So, one of the new challenges facing brands will be to provide instant products/services, so as not to frustrate consumers. The customer experience is more than ever at the heart of these concerns. Brands need to be able to provide assistance, information or solutions as quickly as possible. And to do this, social networks enable brands to speed up their response times, thanks in particular to instant messaging. By 2023, we can expect to see more brands creating dedicated support channels on social networks, enabling them to provide fast, effective responses, whatever platform consumers use to contact them.

Tweet Tiles: Twitter’s new post format

Let’s end this list of social media trends with this new format for publications on the bluebird’s social network. What are tweets tiles and how do I use them? Still being rolled out and tested on a number of accounts, this new feature should be available to everyone in the near future. It will enable users to buy or sell NFTs directly from their posts. A big step forward for Twitter, which is constantly developing and releasing new features!

We’ve seen a number of social media trends emerge in the industry this year. In 2023, social networks will continue to play an essential role for companies and users alike. New trends are emerging, and brands need to adapt to them by implementing an effective and optimized social media strategy to differentiate themselves from the competition. With the advent of the metaverse, new, ever more immersive formats will emerge and take their place on the social networking landscape. Let’s stay in touch and keep abreast of the year’s latest social media trends to enhance your brand and stay competitive in the marketplace!