It’s been a big ol’ year out there in social media land. If it feels like the ground (well, platform) has been shifting under your feet, you wouldn’t be wrong. There’s been a ton of change – and I think we’re going to see even more in 2023.
I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do have a passion for Google Trends and a subscription to just about every futurologist’s blog. Here’s what I think social media is going to send our way this coming year.
Facebook: it’s not you, it’s them (content creators, I mean)
Facebook had a rough year in 2022, but it’s hanging in there. According to my magic eight ball, in 2023 we’ll start to see more short-form content on Ye Olde Facebooke. That means a focus on discoverability and a flattening of the playing field as the platform shifts away from paid content and content from friends and fam. I’m estimating a solid 40% of your feed will end up being people and orgs you don’t follow.
This trend stems from TikTok, which is all about showing you the best content from all users versus encouraging you to build your own social feed. We’ve been seeing this shift from the Zuck already, but expect Facey to double down in 2023.
Instagram: Still Reely into Reels
Instagram is showing no signs of slowing its roll. With a massive 2 billion active users, the photo-focused app is still going strong. But with the behemoth of TikTok continuing to divert the attention of Gens Y-Z, Instagram is working hard to replicate TikTok’s success. Just like on FB, we’re going to see more AI recommendations – and a ton more Reels all over the place. Think Reels in your feed, Reels in your grid, Reels in your discover tab, Reels in your Stories…
If you’re still lagging on Reels adoption, make 2023 your year. You don’t have to get fancy. You just have to put yourself out there. (Click here to get started.)
LinkedIn: Slowly Letting its Hair Down
LinkedIn has been moving away from resume-style profiles and corporate posts for a while now (see the rollout of Creator Mode as an example). According to my scrying bowl, in 2023 we’re going to see a further shift towards candid, “human” posts – and way more behind-the-scenes content from both people and orgs. Not only that, but LinkedIn is going to turbocharge its data and analytics capabilities to help content creators direct their efforts (yay). I think we’ll also see more emphasis on video as a core content type as LI strives to keep up with other platforms, so keep an eye on those intro videos and video chat options as new functionality rolls out.
Twitter: Simply Unpredictable
*nervous laugh* Welp, what can I tell ya. Given the state of things right now, Twitter could go in just about any direction. Maybe it’ll pull through and be A-OK. Maybe we’ll see growing tech issues and vulnerabilities. Maybe we’ll see the remaining advertisers bellowing, “run away! Run away!” Who’s to say. Still, if you’re using Twitter as your main platform, it’s probably worth exploring additional platforms, and building out your newsletter, Substack or preferred way of capturing leads (which you were doing already, right? Right?)
Ready to leap on 2023’s social media trends? Sign up for my Content in a Snap! to make sure that you’re directing your energies in the way that makes sense for your brand – and your bottom line!