14 Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Dominate in 2022

Around 70% of Americans use social media, making it one of the strongest channels for marketing and growing your customer base. And unlike television or print ads, social media platforms can track user behavior, helping to put your business in front of the right people.

Several platforms have shown growth in recent years, such as TikTok, Nextdoor, and longtime favorite YouTube. But no matter the platform, there are several trends that are set to dominate the social media landscape in 2022.

To get the most out of your digital marketing strategy, keep an eye out for the top 14 social media marketing trends in the new year.

1. Short Video Content

Social media may be single-handedly cutting our attention span down to mere seconds. And that means your marketing strategy must keep up with the demand for short-and-sweet content.

Short videos are engaging enough to make users stop scrolling, yet quick enough to ensure they don’t get bored. And in recent years, users have come to expect video content when spending time on social media platforms.

That trend will only continue in 2022. There are several ways to use short video content when marketing, from short paid video ads to TikTok videos with viral songs to bite-sized Instagram Reels and Stories.

2. Branded Filters

Augmented reality has become a huge trend on social media with the use of interactive filters and virtual experiences requiring only a smartphone camera.

Now, it’s time for businesses to get in on the action, creating branded filters that promote their business and products.

The options are practically endless. Filters promoting a new campaign or product drop boost brand awareness and allow customers to interact with a business in a whole new way. And because social media users have been flocking to these face and body filters, it’s win-win marketing for both sides.

Expect to see the growth of augmented reality on social media in 2022, and use it to your advantage when planning your social media marketing strategy.

3. The Rising Influence of Influencers

Influencers have been, well, influencing for a few years now. And you can expect this trend to continue in 2022.

But going forward, micro-influencers will reign supreme.

These smaller influencers have 25,000 followers or less, and they generally boast better engagement rates than bigger accounts. And when they promote a new bag or their favorite skincare product, it feels more authentic and organic to their followers. Then, people are more likely to trust and follow their favorite influencers’ suggestions.

To get ahead (and stay ahead) in 2022, businesses will continue to leverage the influence of influencers. And to avoid falling behind, you might want to consider doing the same.

4. Audio Content

Despite the explosive popularity of video content, not everyone wants to be on camera. And not everyone wants to watch, either.

If the growth of podcasts and audio books is any indication, some people prefer to consume content while multi-tasking. This means stopping the endless scrolling and putting down their phone to wash the dishes, go on a walk, or take a bath.

And in 2022, you can expect this to extend to social media. Audio-based social media is likely to soar with apps like Clubhouse leading the way.

Other platforms will likely jump on board eventually too. One prime example is Twitter, which recently launched its own audio-based Spaces feature.

From storytelling to live community chats, find ways to incorporate audio into your social media strategy to keep your followers listening.

5. Social Shopping

Now more than ever, small e-commerce companies are making a name for themselves utilizing only social media. And customers are for it, embracing social shopping to treat themselves.

In 2022, shopping via social media platforms will likely become more mainstream. And for marketers, social media is an ideal way to sell products because of the frictionless path to checkout: customers see a product in a video or on a post, and almost immediately they can purchase it, often without being redirected to another website.

Incorporate a shopping function on posts that look inspirational and eye-catching, not sales-y. You can also take user-generated content and promote it with links to featured products.

And only time will tell what other social shopping features will be added to social media platforms in the new year. Keep watching, and don’t be afraid to try new methods to sell your e-commerce products.

6. Paid Ads Will Matter More Than Ever

It’s hard to accidentally (or not-so-accidentally) go viral these days. A catchy post or unusual video just doesn’t have the same impact it once did.

To stand out amid the chaos and noise of social media, paid advertisements will still be important for businesses and marketers.

And following recent SEO trends of localization, social media advertising will likely embrace location more than ever, targeting specific geographic audiences in order to thrive.

Keep in mind that even paid ads should appear as inconspicuous as possible. Discourage a quick swipe or tap past your ad by making it blend in with your other posts naturally.

Story formats will continue to be a popular placement for paid ads, as well as other short-form video content.

7. Trendy Memes

Memes are transforming into something much more alive and engaging than they originally were.

Especially with the growth of TikTok, memes today (and moving into 2022) are often video-based involving a popular dance, song, joke, or theme that anyone can recreate.

Businesses that can use these memes to their advantage will win major points with social media users. But the key is to carefully select which trends to follow and which to skip. Just because a song or joke is all over social media doesn’t mean it’s worth following, especially if it has nothing to do with a brand’s image or marketing goals.

And remember that you must act swiftly with trendy memes. For example, TikTok trends don’t last long, with a trend cycle of only around a week.

If you’re late to post an of-the-moment dance or buzz-y joke, the content may not generate the interest you were hoping for.

8. Live Videos

Live videos have been popular for the last couple of years, and this is a trend that won’t die any time soon.

But to get the most out of live videos, you need to understand what makes them attractive in the first place.

Live videos, such as going live on Instagram Stories, feels like an intimate experience for followers, especially if those videos are only available for a limited time. This makes going live a great opportunity to connect with users and customers who want to feel personally involved with your brand or product.

But if live video is over-utilized, it feels less intimate. That’s why, in 2022, live video should still be a part of your social media strategy, but going live should feel rare and special to followers.

9. Interactive Data Marketing

Boost your engagement while learning more about your followers. What could be better than that?

Interactive data marketing employs surveys, polls, Q&As, contests, quizzes, and other interactive content to learn more about social media users. This kind of content encourages engagement and helps followers feel like part of your social media community when they can compare their responses to others’.

And while platforms like Instagram already offer many of these options through Stories stickers, they’ll become even more popular in the future.

Get creative with your business marketing with interactive options on social media.

10. AI Improvements

When it comes to the digital sphere, social media is still a relatively young invention. And while it’s already come a long way, it still has plenty of progress left to make.

One area still undergoing improvements is the use of AI (artificial intelligence) in social media. Artificial intelligence can boost content optimization, understand user behavior, and track trends across a platform.

And if you run a business, AI can be a key player in making sure your content is placed in front of the right eyes.

2022 will likely see more improvements in social media AI as social media platforms work to better understand social media content and match users to products and account recommendations.

11. Using Multiple Platforms

The popularity of social media platforms feels like an endless ebb and flow. Old standbys like Facebook continue to maintain popularity, yet its audience is evolving and growing older. And new platforms are always launching, offering fresh ideas and perspectives to the world of social media.

Because of this, expect one of 2022’s top trends to be the use of multiple platforms.

If a business has a presence on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch, for example, they can reach a variety of audiences in a variety of ways. By limiting themselves to only one or two platforms, they miss out on other niches and subgroups. And when one of their go-to platforms slows down or shutters entirely, they lose a sizable chunk of their digital marketing strategy.

But in order to utilize several platforms effectively, it’s crucial to know and use the next trend in this list.

12. Quality Over Quantity

2022 will likely see a shift in social media marketing strategies where those with a less-is-more approach will win big.

With so much noise and competition, the best way to get ahead in the new year is to limit how much content is produced and posted. That way, only high-quality content is prioritized, which the algorithm will favor over quantity.

Plus, most people don’t want to be constantly marketed to. The more available a brand seems, the less valuable it will appear to social media users.

Businesses will start to take note, aiming for quality over quantity.

High-quality content should have a clear message, provide value, and encourage engagement. And each video or post should have a specific audience in mind. That target audience can be reached by being highly sharable and using hashtags that are relevant to your brand.

13. Social Media Customer Service

While not a marketing trend necessarily, social media platforms will continue to support customer service operations in the future. This can be used as a tool to maintain customer loyalty and a positive brand reputation, helping to avoid lost sales or unnecessary returns.

Direct messages, comments, and even public posts can be used to communicate with customers, answering questions or responding to problems. Eventually, social media may even replace hotlines and company emails, becoming a legitimate way to reach companies’ customer service representatives.

But because social media is more casual and interactive, customer service may start to evolve. Expect more friendly chats, quick problem-solving, and easy ways to market and upsell products.

14. Social Media Communities

As social media balloons, many crave a small, tight-knit community online. And this is key for future marketing trends.

Understanding smaller communities can help marketers learn about and target different niches and needs. Not only that, but businesses themselves can be at the front line of these groups, creating their own communities of loyal followers and brand-obsessed customers.

Look to Facebook groups, Clubhouse rooms, and Reddit boards for inspiration. These types of communities will likely take hold of social media marketing trends in 2022 and beyond.

Boost Your Account in 2022 With The Top Social Media Marketing Trends

Social media has become a normal part of daily life, yet it’s always growing and evolving. For businesses and marketers, this means it’s crucial to know how to keep up.

Look for these 14 social media marketing trends in 2022, and get creative utilizing them for your own accounts.

If you’re still looking for more advice on social media trends and digital marketing, read our latest technology articles!