From Likes to Shares: How Social Media Engagement Will Evolve in 2023

Introduction

Are you tired of scrolling through your social media feed and seeing endless likes but no real engagement? Well, get ready to see a shift in the world of social media as we know it. In just two short years, by 2023, social media engagement is set to evolve from mere likes to meaningful shares that truly engage audiences. Read on as we explore this exciting phenomenon and what it means for brands and individuals alike.

The Rise of Ephemeral Content

As social media usage has increased, so has the popularity of ephemeral content. Ephemeral content is content that is only available for a short period of time before it expires. Examples of ephemeral content include Snapchat stories, Instagram stories, and Facebook Live videos.

The rise of ephemeral content can be attributed to a few factors. First, people are increasingly interested in consuming content that is immediate and authentic. Ephemeral content provides a window into someone’s life that feels more personal and real than traditional forms of media.

Second, the proliferation of mobile devices has made it easier to consume and create ephemeral content. People can watch and create Stories on their phones while they’re on the go. This convenience means that people are more likely to consume ephemeral content than other types of content.

Finally, social media platforms are incentivizing the creation of ephemeral content. For example, Snapchat gives users rewards for creating snaps with filters or stickers. And Instagram gives users special features, like polls and questions, for creating stories. By making it more fun and engaging to create ephemeral content, platforms are encouraging people to produce more of it.

Ephemeral content is here to stay. As social media platforms continue to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative ways to create and consume this type of content

More Emphasis on User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is any content created by users of a particular system or service. This could be anything from blog posts and comments to photos and videos. UGC is often seen as more trustworthy and relatable than traditional marketing messages, which makes it a valuable tool for brands looking to engage with their audiences.

In the past, social media platforms have been largely focused on generating and curating content from professional sources. However, this is starting to change, with platforms like Facebook and Instagram place increasing emphasis on UGC. This shift is being driven by changing user behavior, with people becoming more likely to consume and share UGC than traditional marketing messages.

This trend is likely to continue in the future, as social media platforms look for ways to keep users engaged. Brands will need to adapt their strategies accordingly, placing more emphasis on creating and promoting UGC that resonates with their target audience.

The Decline of the Like Button

The Like button has been a staple of social media engagement for years, but its days may be numbered. A recent study found that the Like button is being used less and less, with users instead opting to use other features such as the share button. This shift is likely due to the fact that users are becoming more aware of the privacy implications of the Like button, as well as the fact that it doesn’t provide as much value as other engagement options.

As social media platforms continue to evolve, it’s likely that we’ll see even more changes in how users engage with content. So, what does this mean for businesses? Well, they’ll need to adapt their strategies for creating and promoting content accordingly. For example, if you’re aiming to increase shares, then you’ll need to create content that is truly shareworthy. As always, staying ahead of the curve and keeping up with the latest trends is key to success on social media.

Increased Interactivity and Social Commerce

The way we interact with social media is constantly evolving, and the next few years will bring even more changes. Here are some of the ways social media engagement will become more interactive and social in the coming years:

1. Increased Interactivity

Social media platforms will continue to become more interactive, with features that encourage users to engage with each other. For example, Facebook is testing a new “ask” button that lets users request information from their friends, and Twitter is working on a similar feature that would let users solicit help from experts on specific topics.

2. Social Commerce

As social media platforms become more integrated into our everyday lives, we’ll see more opportunities for social commerce – that is, buying and selling products and services through social media channels. For example, Facebook is already testing a buy button that lets users purchase items without leaving the site, and Twitter has been experimenting with a “buy now” button for tweets about products.

3. More Live Video

live video content will continue to grow in popularity as platforms like Facebook Live and Periscope make it easy to broadcast real-time video to a large audience. We’re also likely to see more Augmented Reality (AR) features being used in live video, such as the filter Snapchat recently introduced that lets users turn themselves into different characters.

Conclusion

In summary, social media engagement is sure to evolve between now and 2023. Engagement will be driven by the continued development of innovative technologies such as AI, AR/VR, and more advanced analytics. The need for deeper connections among users will also motivate social platforms to focus on creating features that promote meaningful conversations, not just “likes” or “shares.” Ultimately, all these changes should lead to a better user experience across all platforms.