Social media trends for 2022

There’s no doubt that social media pretty much rules the roost when it comes to promoting your brand. Whether celebrating your business’s milestones or new products, providing a face to the team who make the magic happen, or simply sharing a feel-good picture of the office pet, social channels are invaluable. 

Social media really began to take flight in the early 2010s, with Instagram coming into its own, Facebook morphing into more than just a meeting place for mums, and the allure of the 140 character limit of Twitter soaring in popularity. At that time, things seemed relatively carefree and relaxed compared to today as we posted pictures and simple updates as and when we felt like it. But fast forward to today and we’re now pretty adept at juggling at least five different social media apps on our phone or tablets, including some newer additions. Snapchat, Whatsapp and of course TikTok are the latest must-haves, with TikTok being hailed as the marmite of the social media world (with more than 2 billiondownloads, love it or hate it, it’s here to stay).

The pattern seems to be that just when you think you’re up to date with the latest social media trends, another platform, restriction or hashtag appears for you to get to grips with before it too is obsolete – which often isn’t very long. So, how can you hope to keep up with things? Well, worry not, because we’ve done the hard work for you and rounded up six key social media trends for 2022 that you should be aware of. Take a look below…

Or, if you’re looking for help and advice with starting or using TikTok, we know a great TikTok marketing agencywho can help.

1 – Cookies are on their way out

It can’t have escaped your notice that on pretty much every website you visit you’re bombarded with cookie requests, and that’s also the case for social media ads. But, as Google work to phase out cookie tracking by 2023, how will ads remain personalised and compliant? For content savvy advertisers, marketers and brands, this won’t be much of an issue. But for those who have profited off privacy-invasive data from their customers, it’s time for a strategy rethink. That means getting creative and thinking outside the box to capture users’ short attention spans and draw them into what you’re advertising. 

2 – The pandemic has brought about a content shake-up

It’s no surprise that the pandemic increased our use of social media by a whopping 14%worldwide – with limitations on social interaction, digital was the next best option. As a result, consumers now have greater expectations from brands when it comes to how they choose to interact with their customer base. Tailored content that means something to specific demographics has never been more key for engagement. Consumers want brands to connect with them in a more personal way. This could be through location specific content, via their gender, or through hobbies they’ve cultivated during the pandemic. Video content was popular pre-pandemic, but with the lack of face-to-face contact, this has grown massively. The next step is increased personalisation.  Other platforms that had fallen out of favour, such as Pinterest, are re-gaining momentum. Pinterest usage has massively increased since the start of the pandemic ( it’s been reportedthat monthly active users increased by 100 million in 2020) and it’s having a new lease of life. This platform could be particularly effective at reaching nicher personas or audiences.

Then there’s the fact that content formats themselves have grown and become much slicker since social media began. It all started with just text, then came images, then came collections of images, then video and now audio. It’s probably still too new on most platforms to have substantial data regarding audio engagement, but it’s available on Twitter, LinkedIn, and is coming soon for Facebook. For some, Facebook Audio Rooms are already here, and will shortly be available for all users. Could the concept of WhatsApp Voice Messages transition to Facebook? It’s a key thing to consider for content strategies as a way of creating content that engages audiences early on in their purchasing journey.

3 – Omnichannel engagement has changed the ways consumers interact with social media

Today, 65%of people receive breaking news from Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Snapchat. This shows that social media is replacing traditional news sources. But, consumers are also becoming increasingly wary of ‘fake news’, the volume of which has soured throughout the pandemic.  For brands to make the most of this new trend, honing in on consumer insights and social listening tools will be key to locate the right kind of information their customers want. By doing this, the potential is there to develop more consumer connections and audiences. 

4 – Influencer marketing has matured

The characteristics required to become an ‘influencer’ have become ever vaguer over the past few years, with an avalanche of self-professed ‘influencers’ popping up across various social media channels. Despite this, the reach these individuals can offer makes them one of the most successful forms of social media marketing. And that’s set to continue. Again, good ol’ Covid has had a lot to do with the speed at which influencer marketing has become more prevalent, but that’s definitely not a bad thing. The rise in influencer marketing has led to tighter regulations and levels of responsibility for influencers to adhere to, generating greater brand transparency and in turn greater customer loyalty for those in a brand-influencer partnership.

Furthermore, Virtual influencersare also coming in strong for brand engagement. Lil Miquela is a great example of this, having collaborated with several major designers including Prada, Dior & Calvin Klein. Virtual influencers have been around for a couple of years, but more and more brands are now getting in on the action. This trend is a biggie! If you haven’t already jumped on it, it’s a great way to expand your customer base in 2022.

5 – Brands must follow through with their promises, now more than ever

The need for greater brand transparency can be seen in the fact that consumers no longer accept performative allyship or ‘woke washing’. This is where companies promise to make changes, donations or declarations with regards to their CSR and then fail to follow through. This has never been a good look, but now it’s a definite no-no. Brands should be on the front foot; forming relationships based on initiative, having learnt from their audiences’ preferences, rather than relying on consumers to spoon feed them on what they should and shouldn’t be doing. Constantly staying on top of their actions and culture should have always been a priority for companies, but in 2022, brands that talk the talk and don’t walk the walk just won’t cut it. The takeaway is simple – be specific, be genuine and be transparent in your approach. 

6 – Developing content around communities is key

A sticking point for brands on social media can often be posting non-specific content in the hope that it might land right side up and resonate with some members of their audience. It’s now time to work smarter. 

This year, focus on the communities that have been formed outside of social media – movements such as BLM, #MeToo and sustainability. These have large, passionate followings that can be tapped, and which can deliver great results and strong partnerships for your brand. It’s all about honing in on what’s important to the consumer to create content that best resonates with them.  

Another way that brands can connect with communities is through private groups and “dark social”. This isn’t a new term or concept, but it’s continuing to grow. The practice of brands creating private groups instead of pages, and pushing people to join the group rather than follow a page, has done extremely well. 

Engagement rates are WAY higher in groups than on pages and if you’re in a group you’re five times more likely to see a post than you are a post from a page you’ve liked or followed. Peleton is a good example of this, with the official group having significantly more people in it than the UK page has like/followers. Take note!

So, there you have it, some key areas to consider when planning your social media content to ensure you’re targeting, engaging and growing your audience effectively. 

But now you’re feeling like you’ve got all the gear but no idea? That’s where we can help. At Next Chapter, we have a specially selected team of industry experts, all of whom have run a multitude of successful campaigns across a variety of different sectors – often exceeding predefined KPIs. We know social media inside out and we understand how to best use it to bolster your brand.

Reach out to the Next Chapter team if you want to disrupt and challenge on social media.