SPARKS
December 2023
As the year comes to a close, we’re excited to share our Top 5 Social Trends of 2023 with you!
From navigating influencer transparency to embracing the surge of user-generated content, the digital landscape has undergone some remarkable changes this year, and we’ve curated them all in one spot for you! Let’s dive in, shall we?
Transparency continues to thrive
The start of the year brought many new revelations. Particularly, how important it is for influencers or content creators to be transparent about paid partnerships and ads when they are sharing content. The ASAI made sure this was enforced by introducing trading restrictions on influencers when promoting a product or service.
In many countries, including Ireland, there has been a demand for awareness and transparency in influencer marketing. Governments across the world have been working on establishing guidelines and regulations to ensure that influencers disclose their relationships with brands and are declare their sponsored content. These regulations aim to protect consumers by ensuring that they are aware when content is created for promotional purposes. For more information on the guidance set for influencers visit the ASAI website.
De-Influencing
One big trend we saw across social media in 2023 was de-influencing. To sum up de-influencing for it is basically how influencers and creators started discouraging their followers from buying viral or trending products.
The biggest thing that this trend has highlighted is the over-consumption of goods by many influencers, content creators and as a result by the average person, and how normalised it has become to own multiples of the same product. As trends come and go so quickly online, “keeping up” is a big issue, as this not only promotes over consumption but can also be damaging for the younger generation, as it makes many believe that if they should be keeping up with the latest “trends”. De-influencing was a trend that we appreciated a lot this year.
Where are all these ads coming from?
2023 was the year of ads! From scrolling through your own Instagram feed to listening to your Alexa, it was nearly impossible to not be served with an ad. In relation to social media, well it’s getting increasingly frustrating for users to use the platforms. We see it on Instagram how engagement on the app has decreased and continues to decrease, with one of the main reasons being ads!
The platform’s solution? Make the user pay! We’ve seen X introduce it, and most recently Meta has introduced paid subscriptions, where you’ll see no ads, but for a price of course. Are people actually paying for it? We certainly won’t be, but who knows what the future may hold. A big positive coming from more placements, is the protection of your brand. You can now protect your brand even more and decide where exactly it serves. Which is getting more important in today’s digital world.
Metaverse = dead
If you haven’t heard it by now, 2023 was supposed to be the year of the Metaverse. Well, that didn’t exactly go to plan! The problem with the Metaverse is the why. Why would people access it? What’s the benefit to them? With so many other ways to connect with people and interact, it just seems kind of pointless?
People get used to their favourite platform and many build a community on their own feeds, which they can choose to either engage with or not, whenever they feel like it. And with engagement levels down across other platforms, we’re not sure if 2024 will be the year either? Maybe in the future? Sometime? Maybe?
UGC Creator’s Shine
Firstly, if you don’t know what a UGC creator is, well then get to know. A user generated content creator is a brand’s way of leveraging the content made by a user of their brand/product to use on their own feeds.
Well, why should your brand use them? Many in the social media space feel that it’s the most authentic way to advertise across social media at the moment. Considering the space is getting more competitive and busier, standing out is becoming increasingly difficult.
By leveraging a creator’s content, the brand can get access to their trustworthy followers, and reuse the content they make. This cuts out extra costs and time for a brand. Coming into 2024, we’re going to be seeing a lot more UGC Creators collaborating with brands, just watch this space!!
Do you need help with your digital strategy or have a specific topic you want us to cover?
If there’s anything you want us to cover in our future Sparks Roundups, or if you need help planning and implementing your digital marketing campaigns, just pop judy@h-c.ie an email, and we will be happy to get back to you.
For more on our digital offering, look at our Digital Marketing services or follow us wherever you get your social: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
