By Business Victoria
Over 82% of Australians use social media. So it’s important that your small business has a strong social media presence. Social media allows you to connect with your customers, develop your brand, and keep an eye on competitors.
But social media is constantly changing. This can make it challenging to keep up with new trends. That’s especially true for busy small business owners doing everything themselves.
So where should your focus be in 2023? Here are some social media trends for you to watch.
Using AI to create content
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere in 2023!
Businesses are already using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Jasper and Plann to help with copywriting tasks. To use an AI tool, you put prompts or suggestions related to a topic into the app. The app then creates copy suggestions.
AI copywriting tools might not be able to capture your company’s tone of voice, personality, and values. However, they can create content quickly, saving small business owners time.
AI can also be used to improve your website content so you’ll be ranked higher by search engines. AI can help you to create top-ranking SEO content by discovering relevant keywords and rewriting copy to include specific keywords and topics.
Start thinking about how AI can benefit your small business. And maybe try using an AI tool. Some come with free accounts or trial periods.
Video is on the rise
Video is now the preferred content format for most social media users. Video works because it gets your message across quickly and effectively.
Almost 3 billion people log into Instagram and TikTok each month. Since 2018, the number of videos watched online has nearly doubled.
Social video has been shown to generate 1200% more shares than text and image content combined. So it makes sense to have video as a central part of your digital marketing strategy.
Benefits of video
- Increased user engagement: videos evoke strong emotions from people, leading to more comments, likes and shares.
- Building trust: videos can make your brand seem more relatable and authentic.
- Capturing short attention spans: the average person can get distracted within a few seconds, so it’s important to capture their attention right away.
- Increased brand awareness: being able to visually show your brand and reinforce messages through repeat watching helps your brand stick in customers’ minds.
- Increased traffic to your website: good video content can improve your website’s SEO ranking. Google favours websites with video content.
If you’re not already, practice creating Instagram Reels. These 15-second short-form videos are ideal to share with your followers. Learn to download videos from TikTok and Instagram without watermarks (a logo superimposed onto an image) and share them across all your social media channels.
When creating video, focus on creating content that is relevant for a long time and provides long-term value to your audience. Examples include FAQs, ‘how-to’ guides, and tutorials.
Being authentic
Users are turning to social media platforms such as BeReal and Instagram Stories for a more genuine experience. While BeReal prohibits advertising and commercial use of the app, companies are finding creative ways to engage with users, such as sharing photos of their team in the workplace or at an event.
Creating authentic content can help form stronger relationships with customers and build brand loyalty. If they feel your business is genuine, customers will feel good about supporting you.
Conclusion
Keeping in touch with the latest social media trends can help you to build brand awareness, connect with customers, and drive growth. Embrace the opportunities offered by social media and position your business for success.
Further reading
This article is adapted from the Business Victoria article, 7 social media trends to watch in 2023.
