The last few years have brought massive changes in consumer behavior that affect how small businesses approach social media marketing services.
As people adapted their routines, new platform algorithms influenced the content people saw.
For small business owners creating social media marketing plans in 2023, understanding the latest algorithms is key to their success.
When content better matches what platforms want to show users, it gets viewed and shared by more people. So what changes should marketers start making with their content creation?
Social Media Marketing in Flux
Amid the global changes of 2020-2022, people relied heavily on social media. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok saw engagement skyrocket to all-time highs. But increased use also led people to crave more emotional uplift from their feeds.
Platforms took note, adjusting their algorithms. Suddenly content had to do more to capture user attention. It wasn’t enough to simply post—businesses had to share posts that made people pause with laughter, surprise or awe.
Match Emotional Needs to Earn Reach
But what emotions connect best on each platform in 2023? And what types of content should you create to trigger those responses?
Among leading platforms, some key needs dominate:
Facebook Favors Positivity
Facebook caters heavily to users sharing life updates with family and friends. Feeds focus on happy lifecycle events, family photos, job changes and more. To earn engagement:
- Emphasize emotions like joy, inspiration, pride.
- Show real people enjoying your product/service.
- Give behind-the-scenes peeks at employees.
- Share local community support and events.
Instagram Values Creativity
Instagram draws users wanting cultural connection. They follow creators and brands expressing visual aesthetics aligned with their own tastes. Predictability doesn’t captivate users here. Instead, content should surprise and delight viewers aesthetically. Some proven tactics include:
- Show products in artful lifestyle scenes.
- Spotlight user-generated content.
- Give sneak peeks of new offerings.
- Use Instagram Stories for reveals and limited-time/exclusive offers.
TikTok Thrives on Entertainment
TikTok focuses fully on fun, playful content. Users want to be entertained by clever concepts, challenges, jokes and memes. Small businesses should tap into trends and themes aligned with their offerings. Ways to make TikTok smile include:
- Create dynamic duets/stitched videos with customers.
- Launch a “TikTok challenge” for users.
- Tell backstories of products through recipes, demos etc.
- Mash-up audio trends with apt video content.
Optimizing Social Content in 2023
Beyond emotions and formats, optimization matters. With any post you create, ensure you:
- Write clear, concise captionsstating your goal to hook viewers.
- Use relevant hashtagsso you appear across niche communities.
- Tag locationif you have a local physical business.
- Run A/B testswith slight creative twists to see what content connects most.
Convert Engagement into Action
Creating engaging social content lets you capture customer attention amid endless feeds. But for small businesses, it must also drive conversions to protect marketing ROI. With every post, consider:
- What feeling do I want viewers to have?
- What do I want them to do after viewing?
Then shape messaging and CTAs to steer them there. Track conversions back to various social posts to learn what content and formats perform best.
The key for small businesses in 2023 is recognizing the psychological and emotional needs algorithm changes tapped into on key social platforms.
Then relentlessly focus creative efforts on content that triggers those needs for your ideal audience.
When you consistently delight viewers, algorithms reward you with greater organic reach. And that visibility powers conversions.
