Experts Predict Significant Alterations for Social Media in 2023

It is hard to believe that just a year ago, anyone could have predicted that Elon Musk would acquire Twitter, only to later seek someone else to manage it. Indeed, 2022 was a tumultuous year for social media, with Donald Trump launching his own platform, Truth Social, renewed calls to ban TikTok, and the lack of a viable Twitter alternative.

Experts anticipate that 2023 may bring even more changes to the social media landscape. However, one thing is certain - these platforms will remain popular among younger generations.

As Wendy Mei, Head of Product and Strategy at social media app Playsee, points out, "Generation Z will continue to have a significant impact on the social media industry and their emphasis on authenticity will drive transformative changes in the sector.

New Services Could Emerge

Generation Z social media users will likely continue to prioritize authenticity and accurate representation of themselves and others in their content, leading to a preference for less curated and more genuine content. "Established platforms that have become associated with unrealistic ideals may struggle to meet the demands of this generation, resulting in dissatisfaction and potentially opening opportunities for new platforms that prioritize authenticity," said Mei, Head of Product and Strategy at social media app Playsee. "As with any industry, some platforms may not survive the year, so it's important for us to focus on creating sustainable and desirable long-term user experiences."

Mei also suggests that users may seek new ways to integrate social media into their daily lives to fulfill their need for connection and community.

Twitter's Downward Spiral Will Continue

It appears that Elon Musk may be having second thoughts about his $44 billion purchase of Twitter. His approach to managing the social media platform is not likely to yield positive results in the near future.

"Twitter's decline will persist as long as Elon Musk persists in remaining a public figure and responding to critics in a confrontational manner," said Charles King, technology analyst at Pund-IT. "Additionally, Twitter may seek to collaborate with well-established partners to revitalize struggling aspects of its business, such as its advertising division.

Twitter's reign as a top social media platform may soon be over.

"With the emergence of strong competitors, poor management by Musk, and ongoing legal issues with its employees, it's likely that Twitter will fall behind and join the ranks of platforms like MySpace by the end of the year," said Rob Enderle, a technology analyst at the Enderle Group.

Meta Problems?

Twitter is not the only social media company looking to move past the challenges it faced in 2022. Many within Facebook's parent company, Meta, likely also hope to leave last year behind. However, it remains uncertain how they will achieve this goal.

"The Metaverse social network project will continue to struggle until technology advancements catch up with its ambitions, which is likely to happen later in the decade," said Enderle, a technology analyst at the Enderle Group.

"Speculations that Meta will divide into two separate entities, one focused on Facebook and the other on the metaverse, are likely to come to fruition," King, a technology analyst, said. "This could potentially appease major shareholders and institutional investors, but it may not be enough to help Mark Z's vision of a commercial metaverse to gain traction or succeed."

Will TikTok Actually Be Banned?

It seems likely that TikTok, a Chinese-owned video-sharing app, will face a widespread ban in the United States in the near future. Several states have already prohibited the use of the app on government devices, and last week the House of Representatives banned it on all staff devices.

However, in the short term, the company may continue to see success.

TikTok is the only platform that will continue to see an increase in users, said Lon Safko, a tech entrepreneur and author of the Social Media Bible. It's surprising that Vine failed, but TikTok took off quickly. Short-form videos have always been an effective way of communicating, especially as the average human attention span has dropped below that of a goldfish. This form of communication has proven to be so successful that YouTube now offers its own version of TikTok-style short-form videos.

Therefore, TikTok may still have a chance.

Despite the ban on TikTok on U.S. government-owned devices and in some states, it is unlikely to decrease its popularity among young people and the advertisers targeting them, said King, a technology analyst. Despite the well-known risks associated with other social media platforms, including the spread of false information and extremist rhetoric, it hasn't had a significant impact on their users.

Influence Could Wane

2022 may have marked the peak of influencer marketing – despite the fact that a survey conducted last year revealed that nearly 25% of Gen-Z respondents aspire to become influencers. The market is becoming saturated and it is likely that those who fail to establish themselves will have a harder time succeeding in the future.

"The influx of people attempting to become influencers has made influencer marketing more challenging in 2022," said Safko, a tech entrepreneur and author of the Social Media Bible. "Interest in promoting products by successful influencers has decreased significantly."

Furthermore, as we move into 2023, many social media platforms have reached maximum user capacity and may struggle to maintain shareholder value.

All social media platforms are facing pressure from their Board of Directors to maintain and increase revenue, even as user engagement and activity are decreasing," said Safko, a tech entrepreneur and author of the Social Media Bible. "We will continue to use social media, but it will require significant effort and resources to achieve limited success. There will still be occasional success stories, where someone becomes an influencer more by chance than by design.

Old Problems Will Remain

Experts predict that 2023 will bring significant changes to the social media landscape, particularly as political divisions remain prevalent.

"Social media platforms will continue to be a convenient and relatively safe political target as the next election approaches. Artificial intelligence will play a more prominent role in the industry, but most applications will be used to scam users, while a few will improve moderation and enhance user engagement," said Enderle, a technology analyst at the Enderle Group.

It's important to note that not everything will change this year, some trends will continue.

"Dating apps continue to grow in popularity and usage," Safko, a tech entrepreneur and author of the Social Media Bible, noted. Apps like OkCupid, Hinge, Tinder, and Grindr are more popular than ever.