With each passing year, social media use only increases. Currently, 90% of Americans are active on social channels. What’s more, social media users are spending an increasing amount of time on their preferred platforms. Because of these steady growth trends, investing in these networks is a no-brainer in 2023. 

While social media is a crucial component of modern-day marketing, the investments you made last year won’t necessarily yield the same returns this year. That’s because the world of social media is constantly evolving.

So, which paid social media investments are worth it in 2023? Keep scrolling—we’ll highlight four areas worth investing in this year. 

#1 TikTok 

Since 2018, TikTok has taken the world by storm. It’s currently the fastest-growing social media platform. Thus, savvy social media strategists are funneling more of their ad budgets into the platform—and you should too. In fact, direct-to-consumer brands increased their TikTok ad spend by 231% in 2022 alone. 

To grow on TikTok, you don’t have to jump on any dance trends or challenges—instead, simply share original content that’s authentic to your brand. You can also leverage the reach of nano- or micro-influencers using TikTok’s creator marketplace.

Once you’ve established a presence on TikTok, you may also want to start thinking about ways to utilize its upcoming augmented reality (AR) development platform. AR is a highly-immersive medium with unprecedented marketing potential. Getting a head start on your AR marketing strategy may give your brand the competitive edge it needs to succeed. 

#2 Short-Form Videos

Short-form videos may have taken off on TikTok first, but they can now be found on many other social media platforms—most notably, Youtube and Instagram. 

Since these platforms are promoting short-form, vertical videos, it’s a good idea to start producing them for your brand. After all, this type of content currently boasts the best organic reach on the internet.

Luckily, investing in short-form videos doesn’t have to be expensive. You can simply chop up your existing long-form videos and spruce them up with a little creative editing. After that, you can post your short-form videos across the following platforms:

  • TikTok
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

#3 In-App Shopping

As your social media audience grows, you can amplify your returns on investment by encouraging more in-app shopping. Consumers are increasingly willing to make in-app purchases. Notably, the number of customers who made at least one purchase on a social media platform increased from 68% in 2021 to 98% in 2022.

Based on these numbers, it’s no surprise that in-app shopping has the potential to be incredibly profitable. According to Statista, it’s projected to generate $6.2 trillion by 2023. 

If you want to snag a piece of this pie, you need to set up stores on your social media platforms and prepare them for sales. You can do so by:

  • Creating your product catalog
  • Keeping your product inventory and pricing up-to-date
  • Featuring eye-catching photos and snappy descriptions
  • Tagging your products so they’re easily discoverable
  • Allocating more of your ad budget to promote your in-app products
  • Running timely sales and promotions

#4 User-Generated Content 

Modern consumers, especially Gen Zs, value authenticity. Generally, user-generated content (UGC) is viewed as more authentic than celebrity endorsements or high-end influencer campaigns. That’s because UGC is created by regular people, rather than companies or brands. 

You can encourage your loyal customers to generate more UGC for your brand by:

  • Hosting contests and giveaways for UGC participants
  • Establishing catchy hashtags that consumers can include in their UGC posts
  • Promoting UGC in your stories and news feed posts
  • Thanking your followers who post UGC for their public promotions and patronage

These simple steps can increase your conversion rate and help you build a close-knit community with your customers online. Companies that leverage UGC enjoy 29% more web conversions than those that don’t. 

The best part? You don’t have to pay out of pocket to reap these benefits. As a result, you can save more money to invest in other areas of your social media campaign. 

Skyrocket Your Social Media ROI With Semgeeks

As you can see, there are many exciting opportunities for paid social media marketing this year. If you need help adapting your social media strategy, Semgeeks is here to lend a hand. 

We’re a top social media agency, New Jersey-based, that works with B2B and B2C companies in a variety of industries, ranging from education to entertainment. 

Find out how we can help you reach your digital marketing goals in 2023—reach out to our team today.

 

 

Sources:

DemandSage. Social Media Users — How Many People Use Social Media In 2023.
https://www.demandsage.com/social-media-users/
The Washington Post. How TikTok ate the internet.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2022/tiktok-popularity/
Insider Intelligence. D2C brands spent 231% more on TikTok in Q2.
https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/d2c-brands-spent-231-more-on-tiktok-q2
TechCrunch. TikTok is building its own AR development platform, TikTok Effect Studio.
https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/23/tiktok-is-building-its-own-ar-development-platform-tiktok-effect-studio/
Forbes. The Rise Of Short-Form Video: TikTok Is Changing The Game.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/08/27/the-rise-of-short-form-video-tiktok-is-changing-the-game/?sh=4723d12b5083
Sprout Social. Social Shopping in 2022: Consumer Behaviors in the Social Shopping Cart.
https://sproutsocial.com/insights/data/social-shopping-2022/
Statista. Social commerce revenue worldwide from 2022 to 2030.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1231944/social-commerce-global-market-size/
Instagram. Instagram Shopping Guide and Best Practices. 
https://business.instagram.com/shopping/guide-and-best-practices
Forbes. Best Practices For Marketing To Gen-Z
https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultalbot/2021/03/23/best-practices-for-marketing-to-gen-z/?sh=4d0f9bc44319