The only constant in digital marketing is that change is inevitable. Social media platforms are notorious for not giving their users a heads-up before altering the way they operate. Sometimes it feels like as soon as you’ve mastered your platform and gotten into a groove of marketing your brand, you’re suddenly left scrambling to rethink your marketing strategy for a trend that may not even last more than a few months – looking at you, formally-known-as Twitter!
While we’ll never know for sure what the executives at our favorite digital platforms are planning, those of us who are constantly working in social media and have a finger on the pulse of the industry can often sense a trend coming long before it hits the main feeds.
1. Bright Colors
Muted color palettes have been the norm on visually-focused platforms like Pinterest and Instagram for quite some time now. Many people find these colors to have a classy, professional, and put-together aesthetic that’s ideal for a wide range of businesses to use to market their brand. But designers who have grown tired of being confined to “earthy” and “vintage” palettes can celebrate, because we sense a change coming in 2023, and it’s all thanks to one specific target audience!
Generation Z has been shown to be much more attracted to bright colors than recent generations, and they take it to the extreme. Full saturation, contrasting colors have been known to catch their attention. In fact, Pantone has named their generational color, “Gen Z Yellow,” a particularly bright and cheery shade of yellow.
So if Gen Z is an audience you have been trying to reach, perhaps a pop of color is exactly what you need!
Whether you’re a fan of fully-saturated, bright colors or not, there’s no denying that they’re eye-catching. We’re looking forward to seeing (and creating!) fun new designs this year incorporating this bright colors trend!
2. Emphasis on Social Impact
In recent years, we’ve seen the biggest brands in the world weigh in on important social issues through messaging as small as a Tweet or as massive as a Super Bowl commercial. Not knowing where a brand’s values lie is a thing of the past, and has been for quite some time.
But now, consumers don’t want to just hear a brand’s response to a major social issue; they want to see a company’s values front and center. And this isn’t just for the big-name brands we see every day; many consumers are taking social impact issues into consideration whenever they are shopping. According to research from McKinsey Company, nine in ten Gen Z consumers believe that it’s a company’s responsibility to address social issues, and 52% of Millennials always research a company’s background before making a purchase.
Your audience wants to know your brand authentically. What is your social impact strategy? What do you do to make your community a better place? Now is a great time to think about how to put these things front and center in your marketing.
3. Audio-Focused Content
Most of us have been focusing on the visual aesthetics of our content for so long, it can feel strange to think about audio when promoting a brand on social media. But if you’ve ever had a trending TikTok sound stuck in your head for hours after you watched it, it’s easy to see why audio is such an important factor in your content. Audiences are much more likely to be influenced by your content if they’re remembering the sound that went along with it. And thanks to the huge popularity of TikTok and Reels, we can expect to see other platforms place importance on this aspect as well.
The time to select the audio that goes along with your beautifully captured, cleverly edited video content won’t be when you’re scrolling through the “trending audio” list as you upload it. The right time to choose your audio is during the planning stage, before you even pick up your iPhone or camera to shoot.
Make it a habit to consider trending audio in the planning process for your video content to see your views and engagement soar.
4. Customer Service via Social Media
Sliding into DM’s isn’t just for shooting your shot anymore. Audiences have gotten used to being able to reach out to brands and companies via instant messaging across a variety of social media platforms. And more importantly, they’ve gotten used to hearing back!
Contacting a brand’s Instagram to ask a question they can’t find the answer to on their website, or even just asking a question in the comments of a post has become commonplace. Reaching out via social media feels like a much more personal and direct way for an audience to interact with your brand, especially since it is the way many people interact with their friends and family. And responding to them promptly is a great way to connect with your audience and earn their trust and loyalty.
Now more than ever, it’s important to keep your eyes on those inboxes and comment sections across every platform to ensure you aren’t leaving anyone hanging. If that seems like a lot to keep track of, it can be hugely beneficial to have a hands-on digital marketing team to stay on top of your social media platforms for you.
5. Short-Form Video is Here to Stay!
So, maybe you don’t need a crystal ball to predict this trend that has been going strong for the last few years, but it’s a trend we’re excited about nonetheless!
Short-form videos have taken the social media world by storm thanks to TikTok and Instagram Reels. While Instagram is now prioritizing photos again after all the backlash in 2022, we’re still expecting to see this trend continue as other platforms like Youtube and Twitter begin to prioritize short-form video. This growing popularity also means it’s increasingly important to stay relevant and think of creative ways to make sure your content stands out.
If you haven’t started making TikToks, Reels, or YouTube Shorts because you think it isn’t right for your brand, it’s time to reconsider. There are tons of niche accounts on these platforms and many of them are performing exceptionally well. Your audience is out there. It’s easier to get in front of new people with compelling short form videos that are accompanied by well-written captions using the right keywords and hashtags to reach your target audience.
We are excited for all of the digital marketing trends (predicted and not). If the feeling you’re getting is less “let’s go!” and more “oh no!” drop us a line! Let’s talk about how we can help your business thrive in the ever-changing digital world.
About Swell Media
Swell Media Solutions is a boutique marketing agency that works with business owners across a variety of industries to drive growth and create on-brand content that’s consistent with our partners’ purpose and vision. Our team of designers, copywriters, and digital marketing specialists are trained in organic and paid social media management, digital advertising and mass media management. We work closely with businesses to develop marketing strategies that elevate brand awareness and increase brand loyalty to optimize growth.
