3 Updates That Revolutionised Social Media Marketing in 2023
2023 marked a pivotal year in social media marketing, featuring innovative updates and strategies from Instagram Threads through to the revamped, X. Discover how these changes are shaping the future of digital marketing in our latest blog post.
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It has been another busy year in social media marketing – from new platforms such as Instagram Threads right through to the (slightly) controversial rebranding of Twitter to X. To mark the end of this momentous year in social media marketing evolution 2023, we have broken down 3 of our favorite social media updates that we believe have revolutionized social media marketing.
1. Launch Of Instagram Threads
As mentioned, Instagram Threads was one exciting launch that shook the social media community in July 2023. Initially launched as an alternative to ‘rocky’ X, The platform took only 4 days and 6 hours to reach 100 million users and in the 119 days since the 100 million users mark, the platform has an additional 37 million users.
While its initial launch was all that was spoken about in its first month, its existing high user base did quickly decline with the app’s daily active users being down 79% since its official launch. However, as we mentioned in our last blog post on the future of Instagram Threads, the platform is bringing out new features to try and entice people back to the app. Threads is also due to be made available in Europe in December 2023 potentially becoming a significant part of the latest social media marketing strategies.
Nevertheless, Threads is a good alternative for X, especially considering that advertisers have recently pulled out of the platform which could spark a bigger shift away from the app. As reported back in October 2023, X has also floated the idea of charging all new users as part of its expanding efforts to combat bots.
2. Twitter's Rebrand To X
Talking of X, it has been a busy year for Elon Musk and his new challenge. We could probably write a full blog post on X’s updates (then go back on updates), but for the sake of this piece, we’re just going to concentrate on the main points which shook up social media managers.
When discussing X, it makes sense to begin at the start which includes Twitter’s initial rebrand in July 2023. Back then, Musk said, “Twitter was acquired by X Corp both to ensure freedom of speech and as an accelerant for X, the everything app.” Based on this, it’s clear that Musk was looking to put his stamp on the iconic platform and that includes testing new subscription models and shutting down the ‘Circles’ feature.
But what’s next? That’s a very good question. There seem to be new updates coming to X every week (similar to Instagram Threads) so the platform could go anywhere. It’s clear Musk is looking at ways to combat bots on the app through various subscription and verification models, but this could always change as we go into 2024. Nevertheless, it’s key that the two platforms are predicted to continue to go head to head as we continue into the new year and beyond, reflecting the latest social media marketing trends.
3. Increased Focus On Social Communities
One key trend that we identified for 2024 was the rise of digital communities with a particular focus on communities nurtured via social media. Platforms have also contributed to this trend with updates such as the launch of Instagram Broadcasts. While Broadcasts are only available to creator accounts at the time of writing, it does allow brands to strengthen campaigns with influencers as these creators can post affiliated posts via their broadcast channels.
Overall, brands are realising the power of these communities in fostering deep, meaningful connections with their audiences. For example, LEGO’s user-driven platform, LEGO Ideas, invites enthusiasts to submit and vote on new product ideas, transforming customer engagement into collaborative innovation. Similarly, beauty giant Sephora’s ‘Beauty Insider Community’ offers a space for beauty enthusiasts to connect, share tips, and discuss products.
The benefits for brands are clear – a strong social community can transform customers into brand advocates, foster loyalty, and create a more authentic marketing narrative. As we move into 2024, the emphasis on social communities is likely to grow, becoming a cornerstone of digital marketing strategies and we’re looking forward to seeing how platforms bring out new features to further support this, underlining the innovative social media techniques 2023 has introduced.
What Can We Expect From Social Media Updates In 2024?
We have already made it clear that we believe digital communities will be a massive aspect of social media marketing as we head into 2024. However, other platform updates and new features will also continue to revolutionise SMM. It’s already clear that Instagram Threads and X aren’t done with adding new features to their respective platforms to drive people back onto the app, and we expect them to continue to go head to head as we head into 2024.
When it comes to other updates for next year, it’s clear that AI isn’t slowing down any time soon so it will be interesting to see how this fits into various platforms as well as strengthening personalisation via social media for customers through automated systems.
