Social Media in 2023: What to Expect in the Year Ahead for B2Bs

Michelle HeathersDecember 14, 2022News

2022 was a year to remember! A social media mainstay is under new ownership, content consumption trends continue to shift, and new tools are being rolled out that could fundamentally change how we interact with our favorite platforms. There’s a lot to be aware of as we head into 2023, but here are some key points B2B minded companies should be aware of:

Twitter’s Tumultuous Turmoil

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter in the latter half of 2022 has been interesting to watch, to say the least! News of firings, resignations, possible pay-to-play schemes, and shifts in the company’s content moderation policies have many asking questions about the platform’s future. 

Amidst all that uncertainty, let’s focus on a few things we know about Twitter: 

Even though the platform doesn’t reach as many users as many of the world’s top social networking sites , it remains a significant player in the arena of brand interaction and performance, especially in B2B. Reportedly 82% of B2B companies use Twitter, and many users specifically research and follow brands. These factors alone should entice you to keep Twitter as part of your marketing plan. Who knows what 2023 will bring, but as of right now the smart play is to brush up on Twitter best practices and keep on Tweeting.

LinkedIn Growing in New Ways

LinkedIn has long been seen as the professionals’ social media, and the platform is positioned for more growth in the year ahead.

LinkedIn has seen user habits shift to now include personal updates as well as employment and business information. We’ve been saying for a while now that LinkedIn is trending towards what Facebook was just a few short years ago. Don’t expect LinkedIn to drift from its core function of business networking, but keep in mind this shift could give career minded individuals more reasons to use the platform in the years ahead.

LinkedIn is poised to capitalize on its recent growth after rolling out new data insights for job seekers earlier this year. The Future of Skills data tool essentially helps users learn what employers are looking for in available positions, with the goal of making job seekers more hireable. At the very least, this could lead to individuals interacting more heavily with companies and brands that interest them.

That wouldn’t just benefit job seekers. Data gleaned from the Future of Skills tool can be used by marketers to improve audience research, making it easier to refine your target audience.

LinkedIn continues to improve their video and chat features, which includes expanding popular audio events that were rolled out in 2022. This could result in more opportunities for audience interaction with companies through webinars, meet-ups and more.

The bottom-line: LinkedIn is a B2B no brainer in 2023.

Facebook Making Major Shifts

The next year will be a significant one for Facebook, as Meta plans to seriously change how users interact with the platform. 

Meta has already begun to significantly shift what content you see on your Facebook feed. Instead of posts from your friends or pages you’ve liked, you’ll see more trending content from people and pages you’ve never heard of. The move is in response to social media trends driven by platforms like TikTok, which focus on entertainment content rather than that from personal connections.

Meta Founder Mark Zuckerberg said the shift could eventually result in a 60-40 split of content in your feed from people you know vs. trending or suggested content.

What does this mean for your company? It could open doors to new audiences, provided you have engaging content (specifically video) ready to post.

Another Facebook shift to watch in 2023 centers on direct message marketing . “Click to Message” ads for Messenger (as well as WhatsApp, another Meta product) have already seen success engaging users. We can expect to see more ad options promoting DM connections, as well as tools for brands to capitalize in these interactions. If you weren’t already thinking about direct engagement with potential customers and clients via DMs, it would make a great New Years resolution!

Don’t underestimate Instagram in B2B

Instagram continues to be a major force on the social media stage, but its case for driving leads in the B2B space remains mixed. That doesn’t mean a social media platform with 2 billion monthly users has no role to play in B2B. After all, there are plenty of B2B buyers on Instagram, making it possible to leverage new leads

We have said for years that Instagram is a great place to promote a company's brand , but you should also think of it as a way to showcase your great corporate culture. Doing so could draw the attention of new talent and help fill needed job vacancies. Try creating some eye-catching Reels in 2023 and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised!

That’s just a few of the things on our social radar. What’s on your radar for your B2B brand? Let us know in the comments!

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