2023 is “that year” where attention spans are reduced to a maximum of 7 seconds and the Gen-Z population is chronically online! The COVID pandemic has contributed to the rise of influencers, who now decide what happens online and offline. The era of “being influenced” has led to a massive change in how we live or the products we use. Although the age of social media has proven to be a boon for brands, keeping up with the trends is quite a hassle. There's always a buzz on social media in the Middle East, whether it's influencer marketing or e-commerce integration! Out with the old, and get in with these new trends in 2023!
Short-form vertical videos
The reel trend isn’t going anywhere in 2023 either! Showcasing your latest products or just staying in touch with your customers is easier said than done, but short-form vertical videos, be it for Instagram and Facebook reels, YouTube shorts, or TikTok, have changed the game. Thanks to Tiktok, one can now blame attention spans for being stunted, meaning you need to sell your product as attractively as you can in the shortest amount of time possible! However, there are a few tactics you can use to stay ahead of your game while posting short-form vertical videos.
Most viewers watch videos with their sound off, while others may find it hard to follow. This is when closed captions come to your rescue! Include subtitles and spell it out for your viewers as to what the content of your video is or what is it you’re selling. Educate your audience and the easier your users understand, the better they are engaged.
If you’ve created long videos or are repurposing videos from Youtube, the best way to repost them on social media would be to split them into parts and post as you go!
Create brand challenges. Be it a quirky line or a particular dance step, keep creating new challenges for people to follow through.
E-commerce
COVID-19 shaped small businesses by combining e-commerce and social media. Influencers took advantage of the shop feature on social media by linking products right on the platform. Haven’t we all been there, where you’re mindlessly scrolling through Instagram and making impulse purchases? If you’re a C2C brand that can count on such impulse purchases, make sure you integrate your website with your social media in 2023! By integrating your e-commerce website with your social media, you increase your conversion rates and increase your legitimacy. You show exactly what your brand stands for, and this also makes your consumers stick out for you! With your products being available on your social media handles, it is easier for your consumers to share them, increasing your conversion rates once again.
Influencer Marketing
The era of “being influenced” isn’t going anywhere! As we get into 2023, we see that the concept of “influencer marketing” has exploded. Customers like to see what they’d be experiencing firsthand, and influencers have made it sound all the more personal. Austin Evans, Marques Brownlee, and Safwan Ahmedmia are all household names thanks to their tech reviews focusing on realistic reviews and guiding consumers on what to buy and what not to buy. In fact, virtual influencers are also gaining quite a bit of traction nowadays. These virtual influencers can be customised according to your brand's ideals. The metaverse can also be used in influencer marketing by holding product launches, fashion shows, and concerts and making such experiences accessible to all, no matter where they are. It wouldn't hurt to have a larger audience!
The BeReal Hype
BeReal’s the new kid on the block, and no, it isn’t the new clubhouse! BeReal is all about being authentic, and brands are still figuring out how to advertise themselves on it since curated content like on other platforms won’t work here. Like every platform, get in there first to get the "first come, first served" advantage! Although BeReal claims to send notifications at any time of day, they do take your time zones into account. Take behind-the-scenes tours of your brand to show your authenticity. People like to see real-time updates that showcase who you truly are. Offer limited-time coupon codes and promotions through BeReal that are only available to your BeReal audience. At the end of the day, remember what BeReal stands for. Authenticity is what BeReal is about. On BeReal, create unfiltered content strategies that are distinct from your other social media pages!
SEO’s entry into content
If you thought that Google was going to be the only search engine in 2023, you’re wrong! Studies show that Gen-Z prefers Instagram or Tiktok over Google to search, which means to get discovered, you need to be focusing on SEO practices in your social media handles. This is because social media gives a false sense of authenticity to consumers as storytelling has taken over platforms. While building content strategies for your social media in 2023, make sure you incorporate keywords into your content. As Instagram prioritises trending audios on reels, similarly, prioritise keywords and create your social media content around them. Create a list of keywords where your brand could rank to ensure you stay ahead of the competition!
To Post or Not to Post
Let's say you usually get your shawarma fix from a specific stall until a certain food blogger told you that the best shawarma in the world was from a shawarma truck right next to your office! You’re “influenced” to change your preferences effortlessly. This is exactly how social media works! As trends come and go, handling a business at such an age isn’t a walk in the park. Whether you’re in it for shopping, activism, or just memes, social media has something for everyone. Make sure your brand does that as well!