Discover what’s trending on social media in 2023, including how to use it to better understand customers, jet propel customer service, and keep up with the latest trends.
When a company establishes an online community of raving fans, it creates a human connection between customers and brand. These communities are the backbone of any brand and this essentially is an opt-in method for customer nurturing that enables a lot of tactics like user-generated content and word-of-mouth marketing. It’s also a source of direct customer or prospect feedback. Listen-in people as the insights and intel garnered from these yarns should be going straight up to board level to base strategic business decisions from.
A study conducted by Reddit and GWI found that online community participation has been steadily increasing over the years and that 82 percent of community site users are receptive to brands participating in these spaces. There’s also evidence that younger generations are more influenced by information shared in online communities than some traditional sources. Social is starting to fragment with micro communities emerging and edgy platforms such as BeReal, Reddit, Mastodon, Twitch and of course Tik Tok taking on the big guns. Watch this space.
Social media is becoming an increasingly important channel for customer service, as users turn to these platforms to get quick answers to their questions and resolve their issues. In the future, social media is likely to play an even more significant role in customer service, with users expecting quick and convenient answers to their questions and a seamless experience when interacting with brands.
AI in Social Media:
Okay, so now’s the time to get personal and it’s Artificial intelligence (AI) that is rapidly becoming an important tool in the world of personalisation in social media. AI algorithms can analyse vast amounts of data, such as consumer preferences and online behaviour, to deliver highly personalised experiences to users. As AI continues to advance, it is likely to play an even more significant role in the future of social media, providing users with more personalised and engaging experiences. First party data is your best buddy here to make this doable.
It would be remiss of me not to throw in a line about Chat GPT writing copy and creating creative at a push of a button. Sure, this will happen but as consumers we’ll become weary of this and yearn for content and copy writing that is truly thumb-stopping and unique to cut through the clutter.
Influencer and Ambassador marketing
Since we acquired The Social Club back in 2019 the uptake of influencers in New Zealand is vastly different to what it was a couple of years ago. We’re working with more and more brands who use an ‘always’ on approach and B2B brands are jumping on board in droves.
With 61 percent of consumers trusting influencer recommendations and compare this to 38 percent trusting branded social media content, the proof is in the pudding.
Check out these numbers:
- – $5.20 Businesses are making $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing
- – 63 percent of marketers intend to increase their influencer marketing budget in the next year
- – 51 percent of marketers say influencer marketing helps them acquire better customers
- – Marketers find that influencer-generated content receives an average 8x more engagement than branded content
With new technologies and trends poised to have a significant impact on the way people use social media platforms, it’s a full-time job staying up to date. It’s fair to say that one social media manager cannot be a master of all and it’s critical to have deep experts in all areas. What a ride and how thrilling it’s going to be!
This article was originally published in the March/April 2023 issue of NZ Marketing. Click here to subscribe.
