It’s a tried-and-true joke, however the one fixed in social media is that it’s not fixed.

Just a few years in the past, nobody would’ve predicted the comeback of QR codes or the meteoric rise of TikTok. In 2021, Apptopia famous that TikTok was probably the most downloaded app on each iOS and Android gadgets and is predicted to depart Fb and Instagram behind.

As a savvy marketer, it helps to keep watch over what’s occurring within the trade so traits don’t take you by an excessive amount of shock.

That’s why we’ve put collectively a listing of social media traits to look at in 2022.

1. TikTok continues to develop

Whereas the app might not see the identical development it noticed in 2020, it doesn’t appear to be it’s slowing down anytime quickly. TikTok reached 1 billion month-to-month energetic customers in September 2021. The corporate has additionally been investing in creating its advert platform, making it simpler for manufacturers and companies to create a presence on the community.

Some TikTok stats that stand out embrace:

Moreover, the corporate claimed that 47% of customers have “purchased one thing seen on TikTok” and that 67% “agree that TikTok impressed them to buy even once they weren’t trying to take action.”

Given this development and utilization, it will be clever for companies to take a more in-depth take a look at TikTok, particularly in the event that they serve a youthful viewers. Be taught extra about the way to use TikTok for your corporation and the way its traits can affect your social technique.

2. Manufacturers make investments extra in social commerce

Social commerce is whenever you purchase and promote services or products instantly from a social media platform. All the most important social networks have invested in social commerce and this pattern predicts that they are going to proceed to take action.

In line with analysis performed by The Harris Ballot, on behalf of Sprout Social, 73% of companies are already taking part in social commerce whereas 79% count on to be doing so within the subsequent three years. Due to this pattern, Sprout added devoted integrations with Shopify and Fb Outlets. This fashion, you’ll have the ability to tag merchandise out of your retailer with out having to go away Sprout.

Insider Intelligence predicts that social commerce will proceed to develop within the subsequent few years. In 2022, it initiatives that there might be 97.2 million social commerce consumers within the US, which is 38.2% of web customers.

Sprout’s information additionally reveals that 80% of shoppers surveyed usually tend to purchase on social due to model familiarity. That’s an infinite proportion to concentrate to.

You possibly can faucet into this pattern by taking a look at how shoppers uncover merchandise by way of social commerce. Try some nice examples of manufacturers doing this proper, and check out the way to craft your individual social commerce technique.

3. The creator financial system matures

Creators are having an enormous second.

YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok all invested in their very own variations of a creator fund. In line with a current report on the creator financial system, greater than 50 million individuals worldwide contemplate themselves to be creators. Creators aren’t restricted to social media networks however those who do use social media contribute to the anticipated $13.8 billion influencer trade.

With the maturation of the creator financial system, extra methods change into obtainable to manufacturers. Micro-influencers with lower than 15k followers are benchmarked to have increased engagement charges on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, giving smaller manufacturers a possibility to develop their presence.

To get began on this pattern, be taught the way to incorporate creators into your content material technique.

4. Manufacturers develop a social audio technique

Audio is nothing new however its look on social media is. An audio technique consists of every part from radio to podcasts to music playlists. A social audio technique narrows it all the way down to the platforms which have audio-only options.

Clubhouse, a social audio platform, was one of many greatest leaders of 2021 on this area. Regardless of eradicating the invite-only requirement and releasing an Android model, Clubhouse fell out of recognition. The thought, nevertheless, has been included into different social media platforms.

In mid-2021, Fb launched a slew of audio options like Rooms, podcasts and Soundbites. These options have been additionally launched to assist audio creators and supply them with extra instruments for his or her content material.

Twitter created Twitter Areas with a plan to monetize it. As a model, you possibly can host audio-only discussions or stream essential information. A social audio technique isn’t for each model however should you’re trying to broaden your advertising channels at a decrease price, then a function like Twitter Areas is perhaps for you.

5. Livestream procuring transforms ecommerce

An ecommerce pattern that’s rising in reputation is livestream procuring on social media. The continuing pandemic solely fueled its development since brick-and-mortar procuring wasn’t as obtainable as earlier than.

In China, the place livestream procuring is extremely well-liked, the gross merchandise worth (GMV) of ecommerce live-streaming went from 4.5% of the entire on-line procuring’s GMV in 2017 to an anticipated 20.3% in 2022. Within the US, reside commerce income is anticipated to triple by 2024, reaching 35 billion {dollars}.

Livestream procuring is interesting to shoppers as a result of it incorporates a customized ambiance of the particular person live-streaming with the convenience of procuring from residence. A McKinsey report confirmed that 35.6% of livestreams have been within the attire and trend class.

All the most important networks have already got or have plans to include livestream looking for shoppers. When you haven’t already set it up, be taught extra about the way to use shoppable content material in your social media advertising technique.

6. Brief-form movies are valued extra

With the rise in reputation of TikTok and Instagram’s personal proclamation of valuing video, it comes as no shock that short-form video is a social media pattern in 2022. The video format of Tales now exists in some type in all the most important social media platforms.

One examine discovered that 93% of manufacturers surveyed bought a brand new buyer due to a social media video and one other firm says that over half of video viewers will watch to the top if it’s underneath a minute lengthy.

Fortunately, short-form movies are extra simply accessible to manufacturers than longer ones. The genuine and decrease manufacturing nature of Tales and TikTok movies is a part of the larger enchantment to shoppers.

To get extra concerned in short-form movies, discover 5 tips about creating Instagram movies and the way to arrange your individual video advertising technique.

7. Sustainability turns into a part of the acquisition resolution

Sustainability and local weather change have gotten huge influencers in making buy choices, impacting social commerce.

Primarily led by Gen Z, a examine discovered that 28% of Gen Z adults have been involved with local weather change, which can also be mirrored of their attitudes in the direction of manufacturers. Eighty-nine % of web customers consider that manufacturers ought to do extra to scale back their carbon affect and 88% consider sustainability needs to be an ordinary enterprise observe.

The acutely aware however skeptical shopper values transparency and types which can be enthusiastic about their values. If not executed genuinely, you’ll discover that buyers are fast to determine company greenwashing, which ends up in our subsequent pattern.

8. A social media disaster plan is a rising necessity

Incidents can shortly amplify on social media, creating disaster communication conditions in a single day. These conditions are sometimes fast-paced and troublesome to organize for.

In 2022, the necessity for social media threat administration and mitigation will rise – which means public relations and social groups must type a unified entrance. Whether or not it’s unfavorable product suggestions, website outages, going viral for the incorrect causes or real-world tragedies, it’s essential that manufacturers construct efficient company communication methods with social on the middle.

Manufacturers can preserve their eyes and ears open for any potential crises with social listening and proactively use real-time reactions to form communications round delicate matters.

Replace your advertising technique

The start of the yr is an enormous one for entrepreneurs. In addition to trying again on the earlier yr and evaluating methods, it’s additionally a time to look at upcoming traits. We are able to’t predict the subsequent viral problem on TikTok however we are able to let you know to contemplate the community as a advertising channel. In 2022, social media firms are investing in livestream procuring, audio content material, the creator financial system and extra. Take this second to replace your social media advertising technique.