Social media stress
Marketers, strategists and social media managers: listen up! The social media landscape has been evolving non-stop over the past few months. Not paying attention for one day? You missed 786 new features, trends and updates. So what will change this upcoming autumn? What do we need to take into account to be a social expert for the rest of 2023? We’ve got you covered!
Video
A feed full of static square visuals with nice filters is officially something from the past. Video conquered social media last year and is here to stay. No big shock, we felt it coming for a while now: Instagram Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts... And the list just keeps on growing.
The algorithm clearly prefers video to photo, which means your videos will be seen more often. The general rule here is to keep the length between 7 and 15 seconds. In other words: keep it short! Nobody wants to sit and wait for your message. If you’re not grabbing attention in the first split seconds, it’s over for you. And a little bonus tip: shorter Reels will automatically replay and each start counts as a new playback! Almost feels like a cheat code to social media, right?
BeReal
At this point, we’re all familiar with BeReal, the app that forces us to be… Well, real. And even though it doesn’t necessarily feel like the platform to you need if you want to be more visible, you should keep an eye on it. BeReal teaches us that brand authenticity is more important than ever. Nobody wants to see overly curated content. We want to see who you really are, no nonsense.
AR & AI
Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence are no longer a unique toy or a nice bonus... AI is more accessible than ever and offers a bunch of brand new possibilities. Whether you want to use it for silly filters on TikTok or as an inspiration for copy… It’s time to explore!
Additionally, companies are increasingly focusing on how their online sales experience has to be just as valuable as the offline experience. Augmented reality completely immerses the audience and makes everything scarily realistic. Think of street advertisements that are given a third dimension: in an advertisement for anti-wrinkle cream, people can look into a camera and their reflection is shown with wrinkles. Cue the panic runs to the shop!
UGC creators
Nothing has a bigger impact than user-generated content. In fact, a 2021 study shows that 80% of consumers say UGC highly impacts their decisions. Actually finding UGC for your brand however, isn’t exactly a piece of cake. And that’s exactly where UGC creators come in. These are creators who get paid for creating UGC-inspired content for brands. They create authentic-feeling content for the brand’s socials, so unlike influencers, they solely make content for the brand’s own social media.
Corporate responsibility
Besides selling products or services, consumers also expect companies to take a stand on social issues. Depending on what the company speaks out about, the consumer chooses whether to buy the company's products and whether to commit to the company. Even the CEO is expected to participate in conversations and make clear statements.
Linkedinfluencer
Motivational speeches, inspirational quotes, life lessons... If you're feeling down, LinkedIn is the place to be. The LinkedInfluencers are on the rise. More and more people post what they feel and think from a professional profile. They break taboos in the labour market, make contacts with other companies and sometimes even get to meet the CEO of a company. A little thrill on LinkedIn? Sign us up!
Why are we not on TikTok yet?
We can’t believe it either, but many companies have still not yet made the leap to TikTok. What on earth are they waiting for?
With users of all ages now, TikTok is no longer just the rebellious youth platform it used to be. TikTok advertising is relatively cheap at the moment and figures are available that show that the click-through-rate is on average between 1.5% and 3%. Proponent or not, TikTok is here to stay.
Next Gen - recruiting
Gen-Z, the generation born between 1996 and 2012, has largely reached an age where they can start working. To recruit them, you should be where they are. Whereas in the past people were recruited via jobsites or LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram are now filled with vacancies too. The war on talent also forces us to launch increasingly creative campaigns in order to attract potential new employees.
So there’s a lot of work to be done. Strategies need to be reviewed and content rethought. The new trends offer many opportunities to develop static social media profiles into dynamic, digital communities... Are you down for a little change?