Top 10 social networking trends in 2022

Every year, Hubspot and Talkwalker publish a study on social network trends. Here's an overview of the 10 phenomena expected for 2022. Tiktok, metaverse, inclusivity, audio format... We share with you all the information.

Hey you! 

Every year, HubSpot and Talkwalker 

This year again, HubSpot (CRM and marketing tool) and Talkwalker (monitoring tool) published a long-awaited trend book of expected evolutions on social networks. The year 2021 was full of changes (memes, remixing, nostalgia marketing, misinformation, etc.), 2022 will not be left behind. Discover the 10 key trends expected for next year. 

TikTok continues its crazy rise

We talked about it in our article on the figures and trends of social networks in 2021, TikTok is the platform in vogue. According to the study, it would be the first application (except Facebook) to have reached 3 billion downloads. At the same time, screen time is increasing, content is diversifying, new categories of users are signing up, more and more brands are investing in the platform… In short, it is the place to be. In fact, the platform recently announced the arrival of a brand new advertising platform. This one, more intuitive and complete, should allow brands to develop their visibility. 

The evolution of social ads and the end of cookies

And speaking of advertising, this is the main trend. The ads on social networks should experience a real boom. This is a trend that we can already observe at the end of 2021. We talk about it in an article dedicated to the subject. The reason for this return in force? The end of cookies and tracking. In other words? Less targeting, less tracking, less performance measurement, less general information about users and consumers. Ads on social networks can be a solution and allow to collect data, this information so precious to brands. 

The marriage between e-commerce and platforms

The COVID crisis has accentuated the trend: yes, e-commerce is a global phenomenon. An important example? The resounding success of Black Friday. Platforms are now ready to engage the subject. Previously reluctant to direct their users to pages external to their applications, they have now found another strategy. What is it? They create their own shopping features. Intuitive, fluid, efficient. This is for example the case of Pinterest, which made the announcement just a few weeks ago. In other words? In 2022, brands are going to have to reinvent the shopping journey, be creative, adapt to the new tools at their disposal. 

Content and its uses are changing 

The way we consume content has largely evolved. More videos, more personalized content, more proximity, more transparency… Users’ expectations are increasingly important. They are also more and more demanding from a commitment point of view (moderation, fake news, protection of users’ health, etc.). 

Audio, the most expected format

It has gradually made its way into 2021, audio is the format that should be the most popular next year. The 2 trends? Podcasts and conversation platforms (Clubhouse or Twitter Spaces). This is also one of the topics where the monetization part is the least advanced, and the most expected. 

Misinformation on social networks

This is not so much an emerging trend, but a fundamental phenomenon. Fake news, misinformation, content moderation, prevention badges, etc… This topic is all the more important as the impact of social networks and platforms is growing. And on this point, the platforms are obviously very much expected, but so are the brands. 

Collaborations between brands and content creators

Influence, a word that is not always well understood and that in fact echoes content creators. It’s one of the most favored forms of marketing by brands. Less risk, better results, a less frontal approach, quality content, a well identified target… In short, the advantages are numerous. And platforms should help accelerate this aspect. Some have already announced tools to facilitate the signing of commercial agreements between brands and content creators. 

 The emergence of new platforms

There are the behemoths (Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, etc…), but we also see the arrival of new platforms. Yes, some are coming on the market and becoming real must-haves (this is the case of Mym for example). It is also possible that brands are starting to work on the subject, and are creating their own platforms and tools (internal social networks, forums, newsletters, etc.). What’s at stake? To free themselves from the platforms and to be able to dictate their own rules of the game. 

The metaverse

Yes, that one again. And you haven’t heard the last of it. For those who are late, here is an article to better understand the subject. If it’s not active yet, the metaverse will be (and already is) an omnipresent topic. Brands are starting to invest on the subject, Facebook is about to open stores to develop the subject, etc… In short, it should be more and more visible in our daily lives. In the virtual world, and in the real world. 

The commitment and inclusiveness of brands

Fight against discrimination, protection of minorities, commitment to the planet… Platform users expect a greater social responsibility from brands. Brands will have to align their values and actions if they want to continue to be in tune with and reach their audiences.

The growing power of communities

As we have seen on many occasions (Me Too, Black Lives Matter…), platforms have an increasingly important power. On our societies, on politics, on companies, on personalities. They are capable of creating, in record time, real movements, and thus redrawing the contours of our societies. This collective power should continue to grow in the coming year.