8 Emerging Social Media Trends for 2022 and Beyond

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Social media has been around for over a decade now. It seems like only yesterday that MySpace was the biggest thing on the internet. In the last few years, we have seen the rise of platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

As always, technology is changing at a rapid pace and trends come and go in social media. We can expect to see some big changes in the social media landscape in the next few years. Here are some of the biggest social media trends that we can expect to see in 2022 and beyond.

Trend #1. The Rise in Popularity of Video Content

Take a look at some popular social media platforms today, like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. What do they have in common? They are all focused on video content. It is no surprise that video content is becoming more and more popular. 

A recent study showed that by 2022, online videos will make up 82% of all internet traffic. This is up from 75% in 2017. This trend is only going to continue as we move into the future. 

The video craze makes sense as we are now living in a world where we consume most of our content on our phones. It is much easier to watch a short video than it is to read an article. 

With the combination of both visual and audio elements, videos are also more engaging and can be more entertaining. It makes sense if brands leave no stone unturned when it comes to creating new video content; from story-driven videos to even training videos on social media.

Trend #2. Social Commerce Continues to Soar

Social commerce is a term that you are going to start hearing more and more. It refers to the ability to buy and sell products or services through social media platforms. 

We have already seen this trend taking off with the popularity of platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These platforms make it easy for users to browse and purchase products that they see. 

This trend is only going to continue to grow in popularity. Social commerce will grow three times as fast as traditional commerce.

Trend #3. The Rise of Private Social Networks

We are already seeing a trend of people moving away from public social networks like Facebook and Twitter to private ones like Snapchat and Instagram. This is because people are becoming more aware of the dangers of sharing too much personal information online. 

Private social networks allow users to control who can see their content and who they are connected with. This gives users a sense of safety and security that they don't have on public social networks. 

The trend is only going to continue as people become more and more concerned about their online privacy. 

Trend #4. GenZ and Millennials Will Continue to Dominate Social Media

If you take a look at the most popular social media platforms today, you will notice that they are all dominated by GenZ and Millennials. This is not a coincidence. These two generations are the most active users of social media. 

GenZ and Millennials grew up with social media and are very comfortable using it. They are also the most likely to start new trends. This is why we can expect to see them continue to dominate social media in the next few years.  So, if you use social media to market your product, it's always better to target these two groups. 

Trend #5. VR and AR are Becoming More Popular

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are two technologies that are often used in social media. We have already seen their popularity increase with the success of platforms like Pokemon Go and Snapchat filters. 

These technologies allow users to interact with content in a more immersive way. They also make it possible for users to create content that is more interactive and engaging. 

We can expect to see VR and AR become even more popular in the next few years as they become more affordable and accessible. By 2022, it is estimated that the VR market is expected to grow to $209.2 billion.

Trend #6. Humanized Brands Are Now Common

In the past, brands were seen as faceless entities. But this is starting to change. We are now seeing more and more brands that are humanized. 

Humanized brands are those that have a personality and a voice. They interact with their social media followers in a way that is relatable and authentic. 

This trend is becoming more and more popular because it allows brands to connect with their customers on a personal level. It also makes them more relatable, approachable, and trustworthy. 

Trend #7. Customer Service on Social Media is Becoming a Necessity

Customer service is another area that is starting to move to social media. In the past, if you had a problem with a product, you would have to call customer service or send an email. 

But now, more and more companies are offering customer service on social media. This allows customers to get help faster and easier. Not only that, but it also allows companies to show that they care about their customers. 

More than 80% of customers expect companies to interact with them on social media. That means we can expect to see this trend continue to grow in popularity. 

Trend #8. the Boom of Social Media Influencers

Influencers are people who have a large following on social media. They often use their platform to promote products or brands. 

The trend of using social media influencers to promote products is only going to grow in the next few years. With a solid follower base, they offer an effective way to reach a large audience.

Micro and nano influencers, in fact, have even more engagement than celebrities, making them more effective for marketing purposes.

Wrapping Up

These are just some of the social media trends that we can expect to see in the next few years. As social media evolves, so do the ways in which we use it. So, if you want to stay ahead of the curve, make sure to keep these trends in mind. 

Author

Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video production company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).