According to research, there were 4,48 billion social media users worldwide in October 2021. In other words, 60.99 % of the total global population uses social media. The average social media user uses 6.6 social media platforms, and they spend an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes on these social media every day. It’s a fast-growing market and with new updates and features added every day, we can expect even more active users jumping on board.
Picture 1. Social media trends change very quickly in today's markets
Most of these trends are present out there to a certain extent already, but with user behavior changing constantly, some will get a greater emphasis in the times that follow.
Top 5 Social Media Trends in 2022
1. Short-form Videos Taking the Lead
Apart from a ton of dance challenges and recipes, TikTok has brought another interesting trend – short-form videos. A quick exchange of scenes, captions to arouse interest, music incorporated to fit perfectly to the images and here you go, that’s your recipe for success!
Encouraged by the huge success that TikTok has had worldwide, many other social media platforms are trying to provide the same set of tools to their users as well as similar content, to increase their engagement numbers. YouTube came up with Shorts, Instagram is updating their video options constantly, and expect to see much more of that next year as well. Take that into consideration when you’ll be working on your next video content.
Picture 2. TikTok contributed immensely to the popularity of short-form videos
2. Social Selling Goes Mainstream
If there’s one thing that blossomed during the pandemic, it must be online shopping. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, many people turned to the online world, and shopping online became the only possible way of acquiring new stuff. With consumers becoming more used to online shopping, social platforms are bound to evolve in the direction of eCommerce.
Shoppable posts are already present both on Facebook and Instagram and making it easy for your users to buy directly from your social media platforms will soon become a norm. After all, who wouldn't want to give their users a chance to shop directly from the platform while roaming through your social media content?
Picture 3. Difference between social selling and traditional selling
3. Customer Service More Important than Ever
The age of phone calls and emails is long gone – and with the rise of social selling, it has become even more important to be available to your customers on as many channels as possible.
Research shows that 77% of people prefer texting over calling, so consider including live chat widgets or Whatsapp/Facebook messaging options to your business websites and check your social media DMs regularly. Consumers nowadays expect to get a response very quickly, and remember – if you’re not responsive, your competition is just a click away.
4. Further Development of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has accounted for a significant share of marketing budgets all over the world. With many brands turning to influencers for either spreading brand awareness or for sales purposes, we can expect that the standards of measuring their success and performance will become much higher.
Additionally, with people becoming more immune to influencers advertising just about anything that comes to their table, brands will start looking for longer-term relationships and ongoing strategies which will benefit both parties included.
5. Augmented Reality Enhancing Customer Experience
Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement of changing Facebook’s name to Meta and transforming it into a virtual platform combining social media, entertainment, eCommerce, and virtual/augmented reality has shed greater light on this social media trend present for a couple of years.
You’re probably familiar with filters adding sunglasses or bunny ears to your face – well, some brands are using virtual/augmented reality features to enhance your customer experience already. Now you can virtually try out a lipstick, or check out how a certain sofa would look in your apartment. Expect to see a lot more of this in the next year, as social media platforms continuously add more AR functionalities.
Wrap Up
These are just a couple of trends we will be seeing in the next year. Keeping up with social media trends and developments is what will keep you ahead of your competition. It’s a highly competitive and dynamic space, so what worked before may not work anymore. Being aware of the ever-changing developments will help you build better relationships with your customers and ensure your business growth.