The world of marketing and social media is ever-evolving: there’s always a new trend, a new platform, a new set of “rules” to abide by… and all that change can be a lot. 

But change shouldn’t stop you from continuing to grow your business and get your name out there! That’s what you have us for — to help you navigate the waters without so much as breaking a sweat. 😎

We’ve rounded up our top 2023 marketing and social media trends that you can start adopting today — keep reading for the full run-down of what’s in, what’s out, and what’s about to get BIG next year (according to The Quirky Pineapple Studio)!

What’s “in” for 2023 marketing

Marketing never stays the same — and that’s what makes it so exciting! There’s always room for reinvention, improvement, and updates… and, even though it’s a lot of work to keep up with the trends and the changes, we honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. 

We love the opportunity to try new things, and we love seeing how our community engages with that new “it” social media and marketing trend. 

If you’re hoping for a refresh, here are some of our top 2023 marketing predictions that can help boost you into the new year!

1. Short-form video continues to reign

Short-form video content isn’t really new, but it’s worth mentioning because… it’s not going anywhere any time soon.

According to Hubspot, 90% of marketers are currently using short-form video to engage with customers and make sales. Plus, it’s also been reported that 1 in 5 marketers are planning to start leveraging short-form videos for the first time in 2023.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram — with its Reels tab — have turned their entire focus to video content: it gets the most reach, the most engagement, and the most attention from users around the world. 

Put simply: short-form video works wonders. Compared to long-form video, it’s also a lot easier to digest and enjoy — especially in today’s fast-paced world where people claim they “don’t have time” to watch, read, or enjoy content like they used to.

Plus, since its rise in popularity, social media platforms are also updating the way people can interact with these short videos. Instagram, for example, now allows you to directly tag products within a Reel, which makes it easier for people to tap-and-shop for whatever you might be selling them in that specific case. 

That, along with updated insights and even more power over how/where the content is shared, makes it a win-win for brands and businesses who want to spice things up and add video to their 2023 marketing strategy.  

2. Influencers, Creators, & thought leaders are making an impact

Influencers and Creators have been around for years — so have thought leaders, sure — but our 2023 marketing prediction is that they’ll gain even more power and create even more impact in the upcoming months.

Why? Because they add credibility to your marketing. They’re also, in most cases, a breath of fresh air from all the self-promotion and salesy language that are intrinsically connected to marketing and building a business. 

Leveraging an influencer, creator, or micro-influencers popularity is a great way to reach new audiences, raise brand awareness, and seem a lot more relatable to people online who are eager to shop from brands they can believe in and connect with.

Influencer marketing today goes beyond just having someone share your product: there’s an even bigger push to showcase not just the product itself, but all of the benefits that come with it. 

Cliché or not, influencer marketing isn’t necessarily about selling “something” — it’s about selling a story, a lifestyle, or an opportunity. 

The same goes for thought leadership — especially when making the most of employee thought leadership. Much like working with third-party influencers, leveraging employee thought leadership can also help add a touch of “realness” to the way you present your brand online, as well as showcase industry knowledge in a variety of different ways — like short-form video, for example 👀 — and even open up a new, more direct line of communication with your audience. 

2023 marketing will be more about connecting, and having “real people” out there speaking on behalf of your brand opens up new opportunities for that connection and relationship building.

3. “Welcome to the Metaverse”

With the introduction of the Metaverse, virtual experiences are growing in popularity — and, today, these go a lot further than they ever have.

While online chatrooms and hangout spaces — hello, Habbo Hotel and Club Penguin! — have been around for years, the Metaverse is opening up doors to previously unexplored territories that are slowly proving to be increasingly beneficial for brands and businesses.

Hosting virtual workshops and talks, designing immersive experiences, and sending customers out on the hunt for NFTs… the Metaverse (literally) offers an entirely new world of opportunities to market your business and raise brand awareness.

Although the concept isn’t fully-developed just yet, we believe that 2023 marketing trends will see a push towards the Metaverse, with different types of options coming up for different types of businesses. 

4. Email marketing is here to stay

When it comes to 2023 marketing trends, email marketing is here to stay.

We’re firm believers in the power of email marketing to retain customers, build on engagement, and increase revenue — and we’ve seen the results of powerful, impactful, and well-thought-out email marketing firsthand.

Adding email marketing to your 2023 marketing strategy can be a great, cost-effective way to stay in touch with your audience that doesn’t involve doing “too much”, especially because a lot of what goes into it can be repurposed or updated to fit the format.

Adding videos to your emails, including social media posts, and throwing in other engagement elements like personalized messaging, carousels, sliders, GIFs, tap-to-shop can help shake things up and keep people interested and eager to open your emails.

What’s even more important is email marketing’s ability to combine storytelling with other traditional marketing and sales techniques. You have a lot more room to be personal, intimate, and creative when it comes to email marketing in comparison to other formats like social media — and making the most of this one-on-one contact can take you a long way.

5. More connection, less manipulation

We’ll never get tired of saying it: there should be no room for manipulation in marketing if you’re hoping to establish a strong business.

Manipulation might get you quick sales — with the countdowns that induce FOMO and never expire, binary thinking, and the stress-spiking copywriting — but it will stop working after the first time. 

After all, no one likes to be tricked into doing something they don’t really want to do… and that’s exactly what manipulative marketing does: it deceives, it tricks, it lies.

Want to learn how to write compelling, engaging copy that converts and doesn’t turn to manipulation? Our Heartfelt Copywriting Bundle is a powerful toolkit designed to help you express your brand personality, share your brand message, and make more sales through the power of community and connection.

Instead, 2023 marketing will see the rise of authentic content that aims to connect with the audience and inspire them to take action. It doesn’t push, it gently leads. It doesn’t force an idea upon them, it helps them envision a better future.

And, most importantly, it doesn’t use deception: it speaks truthfully and relatably.

This goes in line with the idea that perfectly curated feeds and overly-edited content is slowly disappearing in exchange for content that’s less polished: blurry images, mismatched feeds, photo dumps… these all add to a feeling of making a brand seem more approachable and personable. 

What’s “out” for 2023 marketing

To be honest… we wouldn’t really say anything is “out” in terms of marketing — except maybe for manipulative techniques and “quick sales” tactics. Those have got 👏to 👏 go!

But, in terms of the type of content you create, what you dedicate your attention to, how you deal with Mosseri’s never-ending, nail-biting updates… it’s all up to you and how your business is performing. 

The truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to marketing. Every business is different, everyone has different goals, and there’s no way to encapsulate everything into a neat little box without excluding anyone…

Infographics might not be the next hot 2023 marketing trend, but if they work for your business and your community engages with them… don’t let that stop you from continuing to make and share them!

The low-down on our 2023 marketing predictions

This time of the year is always exciting — there’s an air of opportunity that inspires brands and businesses to try something new and switch up their old ways. 

Over at The Quirky Pineapple Studio HQ, we love looking to the future and looking back on what we’ve done, to help us create a roadmap of where we want to go in the new year. That’s why we love marketing trends and predictions so much: they’re a great source of inspiration and motivation!

In terms of 2023 marketing, here’s what we believe we’re expecting to see more of:
1. Short-form video will rise in popularity
2. Influencers, Creators, & thought leaders will take over your feeds
3. Businesses entering the Metaverse
4. Email marketing will take on a bigger, more impactful role
5. People will look to connect, not just shop

Even though it’s impossible to actually pinpoint if these will come true — they are only predictions, after all! — we’re excited about the possibility of seeing these gain more attention and popularity in 2023.

Do you have any more predictions for what’s coming in 2023 for marketing? Let us know!