5 Social Media Trends to Prepare for in 2022
By: Tiffany Brandon, Social Media Manager
New year, new trends! In 2021, we said goodbye to IGTV…and hello to TikTok and Instagram Reels! While new social media features and trends can feel never-ending, they also give you the opportunity to experiment and connect with your audience in a different way. So, what should you look out for in 2022? Here are our top 5 predictions on what’s in store for the future of social media marketing:
#1 The Chronological Feed is Making a Comeback!
Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, confirmed that three new feed options will soon be available in the app to give users more customization over the content that they see (two of which would give users the option to see posts in chronological order).
The main Instagram feed will be split into three tabs:
• Home: According to Mosseri, the Home feed will be similar to the “experience you know today.” Although unconfirmed, we expect to see a lot more suggested content populating this feed over time.
• Favorites: This feed will consist of content from a curated list of accounts. Mosseri says this will be a feed to capture all the posts from people “you don’t want to miss things from.”
• Following: And finally, this feed will be a chronological list of all the accounts that you follow. That’s right, the chronological feed is back!
#2 Short-Form Video Is Here to Stay
Short-form vertical video has boomed, thanks to the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels. If you haven’t given Reels or TikTok a whirl yet, there’s no better time than now. Not only is video content an engaging form of storytelling, it’s also a major growth hack on social:
• Videos on Instagram get more engagement than other formats
• Tweets with videos generate 10x more engagement than those without
• Facebook users spend 3x more time watching live videos than uploaded videos
In 2022, we expect to see a lot of new trends and short-form video content creation. As TikTok continues to dominate the social sphere, Instagram is likely to reward Reels users, so you could see a boost in exposure or engagement for playing around with the format.
#3 Relating to Followers Through Memes
Everyone loves a good meme, right? In 2022, we predict memes (both static and video) are going to have an even bigger moment. Memes are a great way for brands and creators to connect with their audience and join trending conversations. And the best part? They don’t need to be fancy. Check out The Marketing Millennial’s simple meme that generated thousands of reactions on LinkedIn:
#4 Organic Reach Isn’t Enough
In Hootsuite’s annual social media trends survey, a whopping 43 percent of respondents reported that their biggest challenge was “the decline of organic reach and the need to increase paid advertising budgets.”
Trying to keep up with constantly shifting social media algorithms and the decline in organic reach can be incredibly challenging. If you want to maintain your engagement and reach in 2022, putting paid dollars behind your content will be key.
Businesses that prioritize a marketing budget to allow for paid social ads typically see better data, better audience insights, and better results throughout their marketing funnel.
#5 Rise of the Linkedinfluencer
LinkedIn and influencer: two words you likely never thought would work together. But in 2022, think again! LinkedIn is a platform you won’t want to underestimate.
The shift to work from home culture has made many people realize the importance of creating a memorable personal brand on LinkedIn. This year, we predict seeing more creators using the platform, more professionals growing their personal brands, and more CEOs positioning themselves as experts in their field.
Not to mention, the engagement potential on LinkedIn is bananas! Check out this post that has over 20K reactions:
Social media is like the wild, wild west – it’s constantly evolving! While it can be overwhelming when a new feature drops or a trend emerges, it allows you to experiment and see what works best for your specific audience and goals. So, whether it’s posting more meme content or getting your creative juices flowing on TikTok, these are five trends you’ll want to explore in 2022!
Sources: Later, Hootsuite