Social Media has evolved from simple, trivial tweets, status updates, and no-filter food posts, and it just keeps evolving. It has proven itself to be a tool for marketers and creators to promote their products, services, and their brand.
However, despite its efficacy in promoting your content and brand out there, the trends change so fast. In 2022, these are the hottest trends to look out for this year.
Five Social Media Trends to Watch on 2022
An Improved Social Commerce
According to Hootsuite, Social Commerce is the process of selling products or services directly through social media. The shopping experience takes place in the social media platform; from product search, research, to purchasing.
In research organized by The Harris Poll and Sprout Social, 73% of businesses are already participating in social commerce while 79% is expected to be following the trend in the next three years.
All of the major social media platforms have introduced social commerce tools that allow sellers, creators, and consumers alike to promote, sell and buy products they see on these platforms. Shopify, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook among others, have become some sort of virtual mall where patrons and followers of certain influencers can easily browse products and purchase them right away.
The Boom of the Creator Economy
Creators and influencers are seen in a new light these days.
A recent report says that there are more than 50 million people worldwide who consider themselves creators. Although they are not limited to social media platforms, creators who use social media contribute to the bulk of the expected $13.4 billion influencer industry.
Platforms like Youtube, Snapchat, Instagram, and Tiktok are investing in their own versions of a creator fund, where these platforms give incentives to creators to spend time posting and creating on their platforms.
@bellapoarch Uniform of the day✨ #ragnarokorigin @Ragnarok Origin NA
Bella Poarch, a Tiktok creator, has collaborated with brands like Nyx Cosmetics and Moncler
The creator economy has matured so far, and this gives brands of all sizes and renown access to more strategies. Even micro-influencers with less than 15k followers are assessed to have higher engagement rates on platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, and Tiktok and this opens the market more.
The Rise of Short-form Vertical Videos
The precursors of short-form video content were Snapchat and Vine. These days we have Instagram Reels and Tiktok conquering the creator market.
It’s been proven that video content is a great way to engage your audience and drive sales. Based on these stats, video content is also a great form of storytelling and explaining your product:
- Videos on Instagram get more engagement than other formats
- Tweets with videos get 10x engagement compared to posts without videos.
- Pinterest reported an increase in Year over Year organic video pins from 2020 to 2021.
Through videos, we’ve seen content creators and brands establish connections with their audience and consumers at a deeper level, highlighting products and raising awareness about causes they are passionate about.
Authenticity and Compassion
In the rise of social media marketing, we’ve seen brands shed their untouchable corporate image over the years, reaching out to their audience and consumers in a more human light.
The internet has given everyone access to information about a brand’s products and their causes which has made people wary of fake news now more than ever. Brands collaborating with influencers and creators take on a different approach as they invite them to speak in events about their causes and create videos or content that show their audience a more authentic and compassionate side of the brand.
Memes
On Instagram alone, meme accounts are partnering with major brands and it seems that in 2022, they’re going to have an even bigger moment.
From astrology to social media manager woes, brands are finding ways to connect to their audience with the help of niche meme accounts.
This video from St. Hoax shows how powerful and adaptable memes can be. Marketers can take advantage of this.
Benny Drama, St. Hoax, and Astro Wonders are just three meme accounts that have made a name for themselves partnering with major companies.
These are just a few of the features trending on social media today, but we’ve seen how the trends shift from year to year. One thing is for certain though for creators and marketers using tools in these platforms— consistently creating smart and engaging content trumps at the end of the day.
We know how tricky social media management can be, and if this isn’t your forte and you’d like to seek professional help, Sidekicks is an on-demand virtual company and we’re eager to help visionaries and entrepreneurs like you. Get a free ebook and learn more about how we can help you by signing up to our newsletter. If you prefer something more personal, we also offer a free 30-minute consultation.
