Where social media is headed and how to follow along
There has been a lot of chit-chat around the fact that social media is dying. But we are social beings, and as long as there is internet, people will be logging on to look for a connection. Social media isn't dying. It's evolving, as it should.
Community is king
In 2023, the focus is on growing niche communities. "They’re the perfect incubators for brand awareness, engagement, loyalty, and trust.” Says Crystal King, HubSpot Academy Social Media Professor.
To achieve this, you need to use your resources wisely. Find a single platform that can compile everything you need to know about the health of your campaigns into a single report. And use tools that make it easy to prove the value of social media activities.
Social media is the future of e-commerce
Shoppers like the convenience of shopping where they find their inspiration. Social media marketers are certain that consumers will buy products directly in social apps more often than on brands’ websites or third-party websites. Embrace the fact that social media is the future of e-commerce, especially for visual apps such as Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok. 
But you can’t just sell on your social media accounts, you first need to build brand trust. People will worry about whether or not you are a legitimate business and if they can get a refund. They might also be concerned by the quality of products sold. The best way to ease their minds is to have legit testimonials front and centre and, more importantly, have a professional e-commerce website they can buy from.
SEO is gaining momentum on social media apps
Recently TikTok surpassed Google as the primary source of information for Gen Z. This has definitely made the guys over at Google worried, but it just shows you how social media is evolving into social search.
Which cafes to visit... how to write a cover letter… what events are happening near me… Although these are questions millennials and boomers might type into a search engine, Gen Zers are using TikTok for that. According to HubSpot’s research, “87% of social media marketers think consumers will search for brands on social media more often than through search engines in 2023.”
This means that you need to optimise your account for social search, and you do this by:
- Including relevant keywords and hashtags where they will permanently live, such as your bio.
- Using an easily searchable username and keeping it consistent across all your platforms.
For an in-depth look into the future of social media, we suggest downloading the Global Social Media Trends Report by HubSpot and Brandwatch.
