Expert Tips For 9 Social Media Trends You Need to Know for 2022

If you’re like most small business owners, you’re probably trying to keep up with the latest social media trends. But keeping up with social media changes can be hard – especially if you don’t know what to expect in the future.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the top social media trends that are expected to dominate in 2022. So, whether you’re just starting out on social media or looking to evolve your strategy, read on for some valuable insights! 

1. Social Retailing

It’s not enough to post and ghost anymore (if it ever was), and users are all about social commerce this year. Brands need to create a full experience around their product or service – livestreams, shoppable buttons, influencer campaigns. It’s not exactly new, but it definitely will be taken up another notch in 2022.

2. Customer Service Goes Social Again

For many, customer service has taken a back seat to a lot of the fun and flash of social media. Use 2022 to get back to authentically connecting with your customers when they have an issue or when they just need a little communication with a brand. Don’t forget that social servicing is how many brands built their following in the first place back when social media was still a wild, wild west!

3. 3. Hiring from Social Platforms

It’s a Gen-Z world now, and even recruiting is turning to social platforms. Finding your new team members through avenues like TikTok marketing will depend on you being upfront about your mission, values, company culture, and the human element of your brand. Whether B2B or B2C, take the opportunity to solidify your branding and appeal to the next generation of the workforce.

4. Brands Showcasing Their Human Side

Consumers today prefer looking at brands holistically to make sure they align with more than just the great products. Offer a human side to your company by showcasing the personality and points of view that your company values.

5. Accountability

Brands are being taken to task more and more for the promises they’ve made – environmental, social, cultural – and those same brands better be backing them up with their actions. Consumers vote every single day with their dollars. So, make sure you’re listening and responding to the conversations around your brand on social platforms with sincerity when they come at you with those receipts.

6. Brand Authenticity

If it isn’t clear yet from this roundup, authenticity is the new way of the future. Consumers are far more attuned to when they’re being sold to, and fake connections just won’t cut it anymore. Meet users’ skepticism with transparency about your company and its values. Empathize with their heightened awareness of social issues and use social media to show them you’re aware, too.

7. User-Generated TikTok Vids

UGC or User Generated Content is still the pinnacle of social content, and TikTok is the place with the most social currency. Use it to build brand awareness and support the sense of authenticity and accountability around your company culture through shortform videos on the platform. Run contests, repost and share, and just generally show appreciation for your customers who participate in creating content around your brand.

8. LinkedIn has it’s Influencer moment

It seems each platform has its own distinct slice of the social influencer pie, and LinkedIn is the next spot to get the highlight! In 2022, LinkedIn has begun focusing on creators, especially with the rise of Work from Home culture. This will be the spot for developing your personal professional brand through thought leadership and engagement potential.

9. #NoFilter

“Perfect” can be so boring. Posting social content without first curating filters and effects has been slowly growing over the last few years, and we think it’s time for the shift to go mainstream. In-the-moment authenticity is the key to engaging a modern audience in a way that will prioritize genuine connections over “perfection”. 

That’s it for our roundup of the top social media trends to keep an eye on for 2022. Of course, things are always changing in the world of social media, so don’t be surprised if some of these predictions change by the time next year rolls around. But as of right now, these are the trends we think will be most important to watch.  If you want help staying ahead of the curve and ensuring your company’s social media is on-trend, contact Agency Partner today. We have years of experience helping businesses just like yours make the most out of social media and stay ahead of changes in this ever-evolving industry.