Social media marketing trends in 2022 that you should know about

If there's one thing about social media most marketers can attest to, it's the fact that it's constantly evolving. Many years ago, no one would have predicted TikTok's meteoric rise or the return of QR codes.

Savvy digital marketing strategists are always on the lookout for social media trends so they don't get taken by surprise. Below are some of the social media marketing trends you should know this 2022:

TikTok will continue to grow

While TikTok won't see the same growth it had in 2020, it has not shown any signs of slowing down. In September of 2021, it reached 1 billion monthly active users. Other impressive TikTok statistics include:

• The average user spends 89 minutes on the app daily
• At least 90% of users log in daily
• 69% of the teens in the United States are on TikTok

Understandably, businesses are taking a closer look at TikTok and how they can take advantage of its exceptional growth and usage. This is especially true for those brands serving a younger audience.

Sustainability will become a factor in the purchase decision

Climate change and sustainability are starting to impact social commerce and will become huge influencers in buyers' purchase decisions. This trend is led primarily by Gen Z. At least 28% of Gen Z adults are particular about climate change, which is evident in their attitudes towards brands. In addition, at least 88% of consumers believe sustainability should be a standard business practice.

Short-form videos will become more valuable

With TikTok's phenomenal rise, it won't come as a surprise that short-form videos will become one of 2022's top social media trends. One study revealed that more than half of video viewers would finish watching videos that are less than a minute long.

Short-form videos are also preferred since they are easily accessible to brands compared to longer ones. The authentic appeal of short-form videos also resonates with many consumers.

Livestream shopping will transform e-commerce

Livestream shopping on social media is one of the e-commerce trends that has become quite popular. In the United States, revenue brought in by live commerce is expected to triple by 2024 and will reach a staggering 35 billion dollars.

The popularity of live stream shopping is not surprising considering the benefits it offers—it combines the ease of shopping from home with the personalized appeal of live-streaming. At least 35.6% of live streams were in the fashion and apparel category.

Many brands will have a social audio strategy

An audio strategy can involve music playlists, radio, and podcasts. This type of strategy also makes use of platforms with audio-only features. One of the biggest leaders in this space was the social audio platform, Clubhouse.

While Clubhouse fell out of popularity, the idea of incorporating a social audio strategy has remained. In line with this, Facebook introduced several audio features, including Soundbites and Rooms.

Augmented reality will become even more mainstream

There is an expected rise in the use of technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). As these types of platforms will continue to evolve and grow, users will expect and demand more engaging and better experiences.

Unlike AR, the adoption of VR in social media is still in its early stage. AR reality filters are now used on several popular platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat. AR enhances reality by changing the way things look and adding digital elements.

Through the years, social media have found many exciting and interesting use cases of AR technology and have leveraged it for years. Case in point: Instagram has been using AR for its photo filters.

Final Thoughts

Keeping up with the many social media trends can be tricky. However, brands and businesses must know and understand them to seize opportunities to connect effectively with their target audience and create great content.