2022 social media predictions: TikTok, NFTs, commerce & significant engagement

Drum reporter and former social media manager Amy Houston asks industry experts what they think some of the big social trends will be in 2022 to help you strategize.

The past year has produced some important milestones in the social media landscape. Mark Zuckerberg introduced Meta to the world, Jack Dorsey resigned as head of Twitter, Facebook was facing one of its biggest scandals to date and, as always, the memes were on point in everything.

It’s hard to imagine what 2022 could bring, but as we all know social media is moving fast and it’s good to be prepared for any eventuality. So I asked some top industry experts to weigh what the next social year would bring.

Donna Herron, Social Media Director, Extreme

TikTok was again in the lead this year and Herron predicts that consumers will shop more on and in the video sharing app and via live streams. It is “one of the fastest growing platforms” [so] You can also expect a shift in ad spend on TikTok in 2022 – either from other social channels or traditional media, “she added.

On the subject of retail, she notes that “now every fourth online purchase (according to Visa) is made via an interaction with a social media platform” and we expect this to increase by 2022, with the possibility of more “AR” Features and the ability to checkout in the app – we know these social platforms don’t want us to go. “

Privacy and data was a massive debate this year. Herron says this will last until next year and will affect the way we use data to measure social attribution and ROI. Although this could be a big challenge, as internal teams at all levels are adapting to a digital world with less data. “

Alistair Parrington, Chief Solutions Officer and Creative Social, Jellyfish

A big trending topic this year was the introduction of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) where a lot of people asked WTF, is that you? Over the next year, “the rise of Web3 will permeate our behavior and interactions online and on social networks – in other words, a decentralized, blockchain-based Internet with NFTs taking hold across the social landscape,” predicts Parrington. He says social media users “should expect the idea of ​​being able to buy and own moments from your favorite shows, influencer online lives, and selfies to become more mainstream as the year goes on.”

So far, social media has been mostly about facilitating sharing, but “In 2022, participation will continue and that includes the idea of ​​owning and driving the economy of the internet,” notes Parrington. He points out that the entire social media model could be challenged and challenged by new “blockchain-based social platforms like DeSo, where users are paid for their interactions and contributions, which enables these users to do the bypassing traditional social channels that have been generated ”. Revenue by showing them advertisements and instead recording and generating this revenue directly for themselves. “

He concludes that with the launch of its watch in the summer of 2022, Meta will continue its foray into wearable technology, “although questions about the acceptance and popularity of its smart glasses launch this year are raised”.

Peter Gasston, Creative Innovation Leader, VCCP

The expansion of social commerce continues to be a big topic for the year ahead as companies “increasingly view social platforms as an e-commerce opportunity,” says Gasston. This can be done through “product catalogs and curated collections, labeled media, engagement in groups or messaging channels, or collaboration with creators”.

Social media communities are becoming more important than ever as interactions shift to interest-based groups. “Facebook gives Groups moderators better tools to encourage healthy interactions, Twitter promotes communities and topics as better ways to interact, and Instagram even recommends opening a new account to eliminate the amount of legacy sequel,” he added. We’ll also see the continued growth of Reddit and the rise of Discord and even Roblox.

Aurelien Pakula, Social and Influencer Director, VCCP

Will there be long content in 2022? It is clear that 2021 was the year of short media, with the TikTok explosion, the growth of Instagram Reels, and the introduction of YouTube shorts. However, “there seems to be a subtle change on the social platforms. TikTok has expanded to include three-minute videos, reels have expanded to 60 seconds, Facebook Watch now has its own tab in the mobile app, and Facebook gaming seems to be attracting more and more viewers, ”notes Pakula.

Philip Ossai, Social Media Executive, Restore Digital

Over the next year, more brands will see the benefits of more meaningful social interactions and community-based strategies as a better way to “connect with their audiences,” says Ossai. Since many YouTubers organically build an engaged audience on Linked and TikTok, Ossai predicts that the organic reach on these platforms will still be achievable in 2022 and that brands will have to take advantage of this.

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