Social Media in 2023: A Predictive Analysis

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a decade since the world was introduced to Snapchat and almost two decades since Facebook launched. In the years since, social media has grown in popularity, with new platforms popping up left and right. So, what does the future hold for social media and digital platforms? Here’s a look at what we expect over the next one to five years.

Before we dive in, it’s important to remember that as social media continues to grow and new platforms surface, people are looking for more than just a way to share photos and thoughts. They want to connect with others in meaningful ways. Designing a digital strategy to connect with your target audience and establish trust will be essential to your digital marketing efforts moving forward.

Future of Social Media & What to Consider

1) More Than Just a Pretty Face

Social media users are starting to care more about substance than perfection. In an era where anyone can curate a perfectly polished feed, people are craving authenticity and connective content more than ever before. This shift is already starting to happen—look at the popularity of TikTok, BeReal and Instagram Stories. As we move into 2023, expect to see even more platforms and features that prioritize relatable, unfiltered content over staged photos and videos.

2) Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Recently, there’s been a noticeable shift towards smaller, niche platforms. This trend is likely to continue as we move into 2023—after all, people are becoming more and more selective about who they want to follow and engage with online. So don’t be surprised if you start seeing your friends or businesses abandoning specific platforms in favor of a more intimate experience tailored to their interests. This is one reason we are focusing on building trust with followers by connecting with them on a deeper level. We believe that, just as in everyday life, people will base their decisions on which platforms to use and what brands to follow on trust. Our “trusted” friends circle is always smaller than our regular friend circle. Schedule a call with our team if your business could use some help creating a digital strategy designed to connect with its audience and build trust.

3) The Rise of Augmented & Virtual Reality

Augmented (AR) & virtual reality (VR) is getting more buzz these days, and for a good reason—it has the potential to completely change the way we interact with the world around us. We’re already seeing AR used in some social media apps (Snapchat filters, anyone?), but it will only become more prevalent in the coming years. As our team continues to dive deeper into the possibilities of augmented and virtual reality, we’re excited to see where this technology will be in the next five years. The connections we’ve made with people on the Horizon Worlds, a Meta platform, have been a real eye-opener as we see brands like Wendy’s, UPS, McDonald’s, and others embrace the new possibilities for awareness in a virtual world. Giving a glimpse of what social media connection could be like in the future.

KillerB Closing Thought

Social media and digital platforms are constantly evolving—we can probably all agree on that—but what does the future hold for your favorite (and not-so-favorite) platforms? Only time will tell. However, if our predictions are correct, we can expect more focus on substance over style, a movement toward smaller niche platforms, and new possibilities to connect and build brand awareness with people using augmented and virtual reality in the coming years.