Even though we are still finding it bonkers that 2022 is coming to a close (wasn’t it March yesterday?), it’s time to start looking forward to a new year. With the start of a new calendar year comes new opportunities to make it a successful year. On that note – I’ve compiled a few of the documented 2023 trends that I think will be key for small business in 2023.
Tik tok isn’t going away
As much as most of us (me included) wished Tik Tok was just a phase for the young kids these days, it’s not going away and is set to grow even further in 2023. Currently there are 3,166,292 Australian users on Tik Tok with this number expected to rise to 3,418,814 in 2023.
For those that don’t know what the hell it is – Tik Tok is social media sharing platform for short video content. Want to start dipping your toe in the water but not sure how? My suggestion would be to repurpose short form video already utilised for other platforms to test whether Tik Tok audiences resonate with your brand.
Influencer marketing to continue to rise
The term “Social Media Influencer” and “Content Creator” have been around for a few years but still continue to grow year on year – demonstrating great results across many different industries. In 2023 it’s expected that more small business will get involved with micro influencers. Whether you are wanting to engage an influencer, gain engaging content to use on your own platforms or collaborate with a like-minded business – the benefits to your brand can be enormous. Top tip: Don’t get caught up in a bad situation! Make sure the deliverables and payment of services are clearly outlined and agreed to by both parties.
Transformational Experiences
With such a wide range of choices for customers and guests comes a high level of expectation when engaging with a brand. In 2023, it’s time to really focus on every touch point in your business and how it adds a sense of value to customers. This includes your website (online shopfront), all forms of communications, automated emails, social media and the actual moment of using a product, service or experience.
Having a brutally honest friend or mentor external to your business to do a little audit for you is the easiest way to pinpoint where you need to focus your energy this coming year.
Want to know more about transformational experiences? This is a great guide put together by Tourism and Events Queensland.
Video, video, video
Nothing new here, but video continues to outperform on many social media channels and offers content diversity when utilised on websites. In 2023, try and make a sustainable goal to create short form video for your brand. Can only make the time for one 1 video a fortnight? Great! Let’s start there.
Socially responsible brands
A huge 71% of consumers have said that it’s vital for their chosen brands to take a stand on social issues. Socially responsible marketing allows brands to connect with audiences that resonate with the causes they support. But please make sure you are authentic in doing so. Practice what you preach because consumers will see you through this if you aren’t putting actions into place.
Despite competing with others on price, if a consumer connects with your stand on a social issue (eg: eco friendly) they will continue to choose your product time and time again.
Be ready for voice search
We’ve all got that one friend who *always* sends a long voice note instead of a quick text and this love of voice continues to filter through to search. In fact, 5.7 million Australians now own a smart speaker – making voice search more important than ever.
How can you be optimised for voice search? There is plenty you can do but a few small bits are:
- Use conversational wording in your website content [there are platforms to help with this]
- Have a think about all the questions you get asked in your business on a regular basis and build a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions page on your website
- Make sure you’ve got your Google Business Listing up and running – and you are optimising this on a regular basis
These are just some of the many trends set to shape the marketing space for small business but as we know, this space constantly changes! If you need help navigating and planning for another year in business, get in touch.