With Facebook reaching an impressive milestone of 2 billion daily users in early 2023, it solidifies its position as the dominant force in the ever-evolving realm of social media. In this dynamic landscape, it’s crucial for marketers to stay on top of the latest Facebook trends that will shape their strategies. And here’s the hint: AI-driven Facebook trends are at the forefront. If you haven’t considered the impact of artificial intelligence on your Facebook strategy, now is the perfect time to dive in!
The 8 Latest Facebook Trends for 2023
Trend 1: Embracing the Power of Reels
When Instagram introduced Reels, their success was immediate. However, it remained uncertain if the same level of popularity would be achieved when Reels arrived on Facebook.
Now, with sufficient time passed, we can confidently say that Reels are here to stay. In the past year, Reel plays on Facebook have doubled. Also reshares have also doubled in the six months leading up to February 1, 2023. This growth is on par with the levels seen on Instagram.
Despite the current loss of revenue due to short-form Reels taken away from the feed, Facebook has made it clear that Reels are a major focus for the platform, as indicated in earnings calls and other announcements.
In addition to creating organic Reels content, there are opportunities for advertising through creators’ Reels and creating your own interstitial Reels ads. As the platform strives to generate more revenue from Reels, keep an eye out for new possibilities to advertise through short-form Facebook videos as well.
To-do List:
- Expand your perspective and consider Reels as an integral part of your Facebook strategy, not just limited to Instagram.
- Allocate a portion of your ad budget to test ads on Reels and create your own paid Reels content.
- Stay informed about updates on new advertising opportunities with Reels by following our blog and social channels for the latest insights.
Trend 2: Embracing Facebook Shops as Live Shopping Fades Away
In October, Facebook made the decision to shut down live shopping, redirecting its focus towards Reels. While live shopping had a slightly longer lifespan on Instagram, it was eventually discontinued on both platforms as of March 16. The concept of live social commerce didn’t gain the same traction in North America as it did in China, aligning with Meta’s goal of efficiency for the year.
Fortunately, businesses that have established a customer base through Facebook need not worry, as the platform is not completely abandoning social commerce. You can still directly sell your products through the platform using Facebook Shops.
eMarketer predicts a gradual growth in the number of social commerce buyers on Facebook, making it the leading platform for social commerce in the United States at least until 2025.
Although live shopping is no longer available, you can still broadcast live videos on Facebook. While the commerce features of live shopping are no longer present, you have the option to link to external websites during your broadcasts.
To-do List:
- Conduct an audit of your Facebook Shop to ensure it is optimized for maximizing sales. For inspiration, take a look at some examples of successful Facebook Shops.
- Review your Live Shopping sales reports to identify the products that resonated with your Facebook audience. Then explore ways to showcase these products through Reels, ads, or Facebook Live product demonstrations.
Trend 3: Meta Verified Opens the Doors to Verification
The highly sought-after blue check badge is now accessible to any adult on Facebook or Instagram, willing to pay a monthly fee ranging from $11.99 to $14.99. This feature is currently available in select countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
At present, Meta Verified is exclusively offered to individuals, with plans to extend the program to businesses in the future. Brands should keep a close eye on this development.
While brands cannot apply for Meta Verified yet, there are still advantages to consider. The program facilitates collaborations with creators by ensuring you connect with the authentic account of the intended individual. (We’ll delve deeper into working with creators in Trend 6.)
Additionally, you can leverage the program to obtain verification for key figures within your company. Consider verifying the profiles of your founders or spokespersons under their own names. Meta Verified also grants access to live customer support and protection against impersonation, mitigating certain social media risks for your organization.
To-do List:
- If the program is available in your country, encourage prominent individuals within your business to subscribe to Meta Verified. Particularly if they discuss business matters on their personal Facebook profiles.
- If you reside outside the current availability area, join the waitlist to receive notification when you can sign up.
- When researching potential creators for collaboration, look for the blue checkmark as a sign of verification.
Trend 4: AI Empowers Content Creation and Discovery
This is the latest Facebook trends so far. Despite its recent introduction, ChatGPT has quickly been surpassed by its successor, GPT-4, showcasing the advancement of AI content creation. Facebook recognizes this trend and has dedicated resources to AI development. With Mark Zuckerberg announcing a new top-level product group at Meta focused on generative AI.
The company’s focus extends to various projects, including creative and expressive tools, image enhancement (including ad formats), and video and multi-modal experiences. In 2023, Facebook users and marketers will further refine their utilization of third-party AI content creation tools. This enables sophisticated and business-centric applications compared to previous trends.
While AI can not fully replace writers, photographers, or designers, it will significantly accelerate and simplify their work processes. Particularly in content iteration for A/B testing. Writing short-form copy, such as social media captions, will become easier with AI advancements.
AI will also drive enhanced content discovery in 2023. Facebook aims to present users with more relevant content recommendations powered by AI systems. Tom Alison, Facebook head, highlights the platform’s investment in AI-powered discovery. This expands beyond Reels to recommend various content types like photos, text, groups, short- and long-form videos, and more.
To-do List:
- If you haven’t already, explore AI content creation by following our next post for the best AI tools for a head start.
- Familiarize yourself with the Facebook algorithm and Facebook SEO to optimize your content for AI-powered recommendation tools.