Digital Marketing Year In Review

Happy (almost) New Year! With 2023 just around the corner, we’re looking back at the social and digital marketing themes that defined 2022 and thinking about how they will inform strategies in 2023. Let’s dive in.

• Short-form video: From TikTok’s domination to YouTube Shorts and Reels, quick video clips ruled 2022. In light of dwindling attention spans and algorithms that feed users an uber-personalized diet, bite-sized content makes total sense. If you haven’t yet made your short cinema debut, consider adding a brief explainer video or behind-the-scenes footage to your 2023 resolutions.
  
  
• The end of cookies: As we continued the move toward a cookieless future, we saw tech companies begin to implement new ways for marketers to gather customer data. Google introduced a cookie alternative. LinkedIn expanded its Group Identity targeting option. Some brands even experimented with AR technology (more on that later) as a creative way to get first-party data. Google is set to phase out use of third-party cookies completely in 2024, so 2023 is the ideal time to begin trying out other methods to get valuable customer information.
  
  
• AI/AR takeover: Between the Metaverse, the emergence of generative AI technology like Chatbot GPT, and increased use of AR in marketing, a brave new (virtual) world took shape in 2022. This technology is still new and may be creating more questions than answers at this stage. But in 2023, resolve to fully embrace it and explore the ways it could bolster your marketing strategy.
  
  
• The seismic social shift: Social media sure looks a lot different than it did just a year ago. Elon Musk took over Twitter, which led to a mass exodus of users and the proliferation of competitors. (Read about Spill and Post below.) Other platforms scrambled to replicate TikTok’s massive success. And BeReal ushered in a new era of authenticity in social media. The constant changes reminded us to never put all of your eggs in one basket. How will you keep your social strategy agile in 2023?

TL;DR: Take full advantage of the marketing trends that shaped 2022 to plan your strategy for the new year. (And for more predictions about the future, check out What’s Next Now, our monthly trends report.)

🚨 App Alert(s) 🚨

With Twitter still in a state of flux, competitors continue to pop up. Last month, we told you about Mastodon, a Discord-esque alternative to Twitter. Now, we’ve got two more journalist-approved platforms for you. 

First up is Post, which hopes to capture Twitter’s news-focused audience with a platform for conversation and debate. As more individuals look for another place to voice their opinions in lieu of Twitter, this could very well be a contender that sticks. 

How Does It Work? Users can write posts of any length, as well as like, comment, share, and repost others’ content. Creators can even sell individual articles to dedicated listeners (think of it like a mini newsletter subscription).

Spill is another alternative platform in the works by two former Twitter employees, who created the platform in part to elevate overlooked voices, such as Black women and the LGBTQIA+ community.

How Does It Work? According to its creators, if you set new trends, then this is the app for you to get some traction. If your spill goes viral, you can even expect to get paid. Look out for more details when it launches in January. 

Ultimately, whether you’re a media relations professional looking to connect with journalists or a superfan live tweeting The Bachelor, these new competitors could be worth looking into until the dust settles at Twitter.

TL;DR: Two new competitors to Twitter (Post and Spill) have emerged, opening up more options for those looking to start afresh on a new platform. 

ICYMI