Social Media trends for businesses to follow in 2022 – Everything you need to know

Social Media is the name given to online networking platforms in which people can post engaging and exciting content and showcase their products, life, or just about anything else. Most popularly used via apps, the various social platforms can be accessed from anywhere at any time. This is one of the reasons that Social Media has grown in popularity is that society nowadays needs instant gratification. Gone are the days when people were happy to wait for a business to open before they contacted them. Consumers want to have access to all of a business or companies information at the touch of a button, and thanks to Social Media, they can.

Social Media plays an integral part in peoples everyday lives, as it allows for self-expression, self-marketing and self-promotion. There is the potential for worldwide reach and international exposure using social media, and sending direct messages or ‘DM’s’ is the new ‘word of mouth’. Imagine if one of your customers sends your product or service to any number of people on their follower’s list…the reach of your business could grow tenfold in just one day. Social Media Marketing is an easy, simple and effective way to be constantly reachable for potential clients and makes engagement with potential audiences as simple as ‘Like, Follow, Share’.

Social media accounts can utilise various popular and well-known platforms for both personal and business accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Other rising stars in the Social Media Industry are Snapchat, Clubhouse and, importantly, TikTok – but more on that later!

So what are the top trends coming in 2022, and what do you need to do to get ahead of everyone else on social media?

Augmented Reality, otherwise known as AR, has grown increasingly popular in the last ten years. Giving users the ability to alter the world around them using a mobile or computer. When Augmented Reality first became popular, it was difficult for the average person to have the ability to use it at the touch of a button.

As we moved further into the 2010s, with smartphones’ increased popularity and availability, Augmented Reality became quickly integrated into our everyday lives. Pokemon Go and Bitmoji filters on Snapchat were platforms that became hugely popular and allowed people to sample AR in their daily lives.

AR enables people to try products before buying them on the shopping side of things. For example, IKEA released the IKEA Place app in 2017, allowing shoppers to place furniture within their home or office via their smartphone to see how products would appear in real life with all products to scale. This has a massive advantage for businesses. It allows customers to ‘try before they buy’, enabling them to make informed decisions for their purchases, and the statistics back this up. Statistics show that online consumers have a 33% chance of purchasing when using Augmented Reality to help them make an informed decision.

If your E-commerce business wants to gain traction quickly in 2022, and you want to outrank your competitors, moving forward with an app that features or allows for Augmented Reality is a sure-fire way to do this.

Due to consumers’ increased need for instant gratification, the demand for long and informative videos on Social Media platforms is becoming non-existent. Consumers are no longer interested in watching videos that last longer than a minute. Advertisements on smaller platforms like TikTok and Snapchat will continue to grow in popularity throughout 2022 due to their ‘snackable’ content that is short, sweet and engaging.

The optimal video ad length is only 15 seconds long, meaning businesses advertising on these platforms need to offer a lot of information condensed into a 15-second clip.

Instagram has jumped onto the popularity of TikTok, scrapping their relatively new ‘IGTV’ long format video for Instagram Reels, which very closely follow the format of TikTok. This allows users to upload short videos that are the best for reach, engagement, and turning your viewers into followers and then loyal customers.

TikTok is on track to become the worlds largest and most popular social media platform in 2022. With the increased demand for short and engaging content, it is easy to understand why TikTok is outranking all other Social Media platforms.

TikTok has noticed this, and to capitalise on their growing popularity, they have introduced a range of tools for businesses to utilise while using the platform. They have introduced business profiles, TikTok Ads, and creator marketplace. This makes it easier than ever for businesses to pave their way to online social media marketing success.

The audience range for TikTok is also wide and varied, meaning you can attract audiences via TikTok that you may not have been able to on other platforms.

Instagram grew at a rate of 6% in 2020. In the same year, TikTok grew by 45%.

Moving into 2022, consumers will use Social Media to buy products and services rather than visiting real shops or even using online stores. This is simply because it is simple, easy and it makes sense for businesses to integrate sales into their pages. The informal, easy and conversational element encourages consumers to message via social media platforms as a pose to making formal enquiries via the phone.

As well as this, customers will no longer want to speak to businesses via the phone. All platforms have a messaging system that makes it easier than ever to communicate with businesses. With platforms like Facebook Messenger introducing message templates for users to make enquiries, it has never been easier. By 2023, 60% of all business enquiries will be via social media.

In 2022 and beyond, social media is predicted to be so vitally important to businesses that they will need to hire experts to deal with the demand, maintenance, and everyday running of Social Media. This is why you need to get AHEAD of the trends now and come on board with Surrey Social Media, your local and global Social Media Marketing Agency. We have various packages and customisable deals for you to enjoy and benefit from. Don’t get left behind!