There is no denying the power and popularity of social media. In a country of just under 40 million people, a whopping 33 million (or 87%) of Canadians use social media.

Social media can be used for many things, from building and maintaining friendships, keeping in touch with family, dating, selling products and services, building brands, and attracting clients.

With so much interest and investment into social media, it’s no wonder the world of social media is constantly changing. Just when you think you’ve mastered Facebook, the world obsesses over Instagram. And once you’re comfortable with your Instagram strategy, Snap becomes the next big thing.

In order to win the social media game, it’s important to keep up-to-date on the emerging trends. Here are five trends we expect will gain momentum in 2023.

1. The rise of TikTok

TikTok is a relatively new social media platform that is focused on bite-sized video content. TikTok really took off during the pandemic, with tweens around the world recording dances and sharing them with their peers as they stayed home during Covid 19 related lockdowns.

TikTok harnessed that popularity and released a host of new features throughout 2022, and became an important platform for advertisers looking to target its 1 billion users.

As the company continues to expand across the globe, it’s important to jump on this trend now. If your business does not have a TikTok handle yet - today is the day to claim one. Better late than never!

2. There’s no avoiding reels

The use of Instagram reels skyrocketed in 2022, with 220 million additional users jumping on the reel train between July and October alone. 62% of Instagram members use the platform to research brands and products, and the popularity of video content like reels has never been higher.

This means that to really take advantage of the power of Instagram, you’re going to have to create and distribute reels. Make your reels fun, and keep up-to-date on what’s going viral. Use those trendy songs and dances that are going viral to make your reels relatable and relevant.

3. Diversification in LinkedIn

LinkedIn isn’t just about job postings anymore. If you’ve spent time on the professional social media network lately, you’ll see many of your contacts using this platform as a way to build their own professional brands, positioning themselves as thought leaders and subject-matter experts.

This is a great opportunity to highlight the knowledge and expertise that exists within your business. Encourage your ownership and executive team to build their LinkedIn presence to develop a community that likes, shares and otherwise engages with your content. You’ll be amazed at how impactful your LinkedIn strategy can have on building your brand.

4. The replacement of hashtags

Adding hashtags to your social media posts used to be one of the best ways to ensure your content got in front of people who were searching out the topics relevant to you. Social media users once relied on hashtags to sort through the masses of information and images available to find the ones most relevant. This has changed.

Google reports that 40% of people aged 18-24 are now using social media as a search engine to research topics, news, brands, and services, but they’re using the search function, not just hashtags.

To stay ahead of this trend, make sure your social media captions are optimized with the keywords you want to show up for. For example, if you’re a cosmetic dentist looking to provide more crowns and implants, post about those topics on social media and mention those services in the captions.

5. Closed captioning for the win

Social media is becoming a more accessible world and social media users are increasingly choosing to consume video content on silent, especially when they’re out in public.

This highlights the importance of adding captions to your video content. Not only does this make your content accessible for the hearing impaired, but it also does what every marketer should be trying to accomplish – serving the right content to the right people, in the format they prefer.

Inevitably, there will be dozens more social media trends that arise in 2023 and we’ll do our best to keep you updated on which ones to watch.

If your social media strategy needs a refresh, contact our team at Vitamin D Marketing & Design today. We’d love to discuss the many ways we can work together to build your brand and create a social media presence you can be proud of.