Social Media Trends For 2022

Zaib Shadani is the Founder and Managing Director of PR, Social Media and Video production agency Shadani Consulting

As the person at the helm of Shadani Consulting – a specialized PR, digital marketing and video production agency, it’s critical to ensure I have a finger on the pulse of the market, so as to prepare our clients for what lies ahead. A key determinant for success in 2022 is going to be an understanding of what to expect, the trends to look out for and ultimately, where to focus marketing efforts and ad spend. Here are my top 5 tips on how to maintain a leadership position in 2022.

Tip 1: Don’t underestimate the power of TikTok for marketing

In September 2021, TikTok passed the 1 billion user mark, making it the 4th most popular social media network in the world (excluding messaging networks). This number is all the more impressive when we take into account the fact that in January 2021, it only had 689 million users – meaning a whopping increase of 45% in less than a year! And this trend is expected to continue in 2022, pushing TikTok up the ranks of social media networks. However, what’s interesting to note is that many businesses are still trepidations and cautious when it comes to using TikTok as a marketing tool, opting for Instagram and Facebook instead. My advice for businesses looking to make a mark in 2022? Definitely jump on the TikTok bandwagon, because it’s going places!

Tip 2: Organic reach is dead – You have to embrace the “Pay for Play” model

Social media platforms may be free to join, but at their heart, they are advertising mediums and that’s the primary way they make money. Most social media platforms operate on a “pay for play” model, where the average number of people who see organic posts, that aren’t pushed by advertising spend, is very low – for example, the average organic reach for a Facebook post is usually 5%. While businesses definitely need to incorporate elements that will increase their chances of organic reach (like writing great captions, using correct hashtags etc.), the reality is that post boosting and targeting audiences is the only way to get eyeballs on your content. There is no point in having beautifully curated content if no one gets to see it. If you want to reach a larger audience, then consider targeting your ideal customer and boosting your content with paid social media.

Zaib Shadani

Founder and Managing Director

Shadani Consulting

Tip 3: Social Media is becoming synonymous with Shopping

All major social media channels are now shopping enabled, whereby physical store windows have essentially, become swapped for digital windows, as the first point of contact. Increasingly, consumers like to shop on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest, with the simple click of a button. In fact, studies indicated that up to 70% of consumers look to Instagram to discover a new product. With users being able to not only discover, but also indulge in instant gratification and instantaneous shopping experiences, it’s no surprise that the latest evolving trend is “Livestream Shopping”. Already popular in China, it offers an interactive shopping experience where a host presents products and audiences can ask questions and interact via chat. As consumers increasingly gravitate towards “social commerce,” brands will need to embrace new ways of selling.

Tip 4: Augmented Reality as an immersive brand experience

More and more brands are pursuing Augmented Reality (AR) as a way to connect directly with users and bring the store directly to the user – no matter where they are located. The most popular way is through virtual trials of things like accessories, makeup, sunglasses etc., which are quite popular on Facebook and Instagram. But the potential of AR for brands is limitless as a way for creative and fun immersive experiences that allow users to get up close and personal with products, without having to leave their homes.

Tip 5: The demise of long-form video

The success of TikTok and Instagram reels has changed the way we consume video content and made it apparent that “the shorter the better” is a winning mantra for video content on social media. Of course, the content needs to be entertaining, but the reality is that marketers need to re-calibrate their efforts into packing their messages into short bite-sized videos. Even YouTube, the king of long-form content has taken note with its “YouTube Shorts”, in an attempt to go head to head with TikTok and generate short-form video content.