Social media is constantly evolving and changing, and small businesses need to keep up with the latest trends and best practices to stay ahead of the competition and reach their target audience. Here are some of the social media trends that small businesses should know and follow in 2023:
- Social commerce: Social commerce is the process of selling products or services directly through social media platforms, without redirecting customers to an external website. Social commerce has been growing rapidly in the past year, especially in China, where almost half of social media users have made a social purchase. Social commerce can help small businesses increase their sales, reach new customers, and provide a seamless and convenient shopping experience.
- Social audio: Social audio is a new form of social media that allows users to communicate and interact through voice-based conversations. Social audio has gained popularity in recent years with the rise of platforms like Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces, Spotify Greenroom, Facebook Live Audio Rooms, etc. Social audio can help small businesses to showcase their expertise, build trust and rapport with their audience, join relevant discussions, network with potential partners and clients, and generate more leads.
- Social responsibility: Social responsibility is the expectation that businesses and brands should act ethically and contribute positively to society and the environment. Social responsibility has become more important for consumers in the past year, as they demand more transparency and accountability from the brands they support. Small businesses can demonstrate their social responsibility by sharing their values, mission, and impact on their social media channels, as well as engaging with causes and movements that align with their brand.
- Video content: Video content is still one of the most engaging and effective forms of content on social media. Video content can help small businesses showcase their products and services, tell their stories, educate their audience, entertain their followers, and drive traffic to their website. Video content can take various formats and lengths, such as short-form videos (TikTok, Reels), long-form videos (YouTube, IGTV), live videos (Facebook Live, Instagram Live), stories (Snapchat, Instagram Stories), etc. Small businesses should experiment with different types of video content and see what works best for their brand and audience.
- Predictive analytics: Predictive analytics is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data to forecast future trends, behaviors, and outcomes. Predictive analytics can help small businesses optimize their social media strategy by providing insights into their audience’s preferences, interests, needs, and pain points. Predictive analytics can also help small businesses anticipate market changes, customer demand, competitor moves, and industry opportunities. Small businesses can use tools like Talkwalker or Hootsuite to access predictive analytics for their social media channels.
Social media trends can help new businesses to get a competitive edge in their industry and stand out from the crowd. By following these tips, and making the most of these social media trends, you can create a successful social media marketing campaign for your business.
