Out with the old and in with the new! There’s no denying 2022 was a busy year for the marketing industry, but that doesn’t mean it’s slowing down anytime soon. We’ve looked back at some of the top trends from this past year and now it’s time to break down what’s here to stay for 2023.
Let’s take a look at our 2023 Trend Predictions:
Gen Z is absolutely fueled by nostalgia, often for a time in which they were not alive. In 2023 we are going to see more and more brands embrace elements of nostalgic design because it not only appeals to the younger generation, but it naturally fuels nostalgia in older audiences, which leads to brand connection. We are already seeing this trend come alive on TikTok where old tracks are going viral, as well as brands such as Lemme that are tapping into this design style. Prepare to see more and more campaigns looking to leverage this powerful emotion.
Humanizing your brand will be more important than ever and partnering with influencers and UGC creators that deliver content in an authentic way will resonate more with their audiences than pushy advertising from mega celebrities. We hate to admit it, but the influencer marketing space can be very expensive, and larger influencers may not always be the most effective for your brand’s strategy. Rather than emphasizing influencers with the aesthetic lifestyle and mega follower count, showcasing content that is real will be favored in order to better resonate with the average audience. In addition, by favoring smaller influencers, not only do you still receive amazing content creation, but you may also see better engagement results with their audiences, which goes far beyond the amount of followers.
Yes, you read that right! Content creation has evolved rapidly over the last few years. We went from mostly graphics on Instagram to full on video-first strategies across industries. Let’s be honest, most SMMs working now were not hired for their video creation skills, so we are going to see more and more brands hire content creators specifically to execute content needs. SMMs will still be leading on strategy and dictating creative vision, but they will hand the reins over to UGC creators to bring their vision to life. Keeping this distinction in mind, we also see the SMM role and general social departments allowing for more specialization, versus one person having to be a jack of all trades.
LinkedIn is going to increase their spending on the influencer space for their platform, meaning that influencers who want to share more of their business knowledge, build connections, or be a part of the LinkedIn influencer community, will start joining. Simultaneously, the creator industry is allowing influencers to develop into their own brand, making LinkedIn a natural progression for them to continue to build an audience. This will result in a lot more “career” TikTokers who move over to the LinkedIn platform and repurpose their content in order to position themselves as thought leaders in their industry.
Did you know that 69% of people on TikTok researched a product after seeing it from a creator? Take a look at #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt for proof! TikTok became the preferred search engine over Google in 2022. Going into 2023, brands will need to take everything they’ve learned about website SEO and plug it into their short form social content. From using hidden keywords to drafting fun yet specific captions, SEO should be a major focus for social media managers heading into the new year.
Creators interact with their followers in an authentic, no bullsh*t way which helps them develop massive audiences with an insane amount of trust. In order to be successful in 2023, brands are going to need to reflect that in their interactions with consumers, specifically when it comes to customer service. Being authentic and personable when interacting with customers will help create long-lasting relationships. Brands that embrace this type of engagement and interaction will be the ones that come out on top.
And on that note, 2023 is looking like another year filled with ever-changing trends and brand growth. Cheers to the new year and may all your memes get approved by HR!
