What will 2023 bring to the social media world?

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As the end of 2022 fast approaches, I thought I would look into what the predicted trends and outcomes will be for social media in 2023. Trends are a part of life, whether it’s fashion, communications, or even social media. We all can relate to trends and talk about them, especially when they impact our everyday lives. In the past couple of decades, social media trends have dominated in so many ways, here are a few of those growing trends according to the social media guru’s.

TikTok

TikTok is growing rapidly, like Facebook, TikTok occupies a similar space in the social media realm. It’s fun, interactive and it prioritizes on people’s first connections. By the end of 2022 it is estimated that TikTok will reach 1.8 Billion users according to Retail Group. With that many everyday followers platforms need to continue to keep their brands alive and attractive. Not only is TikTok by passing all other social media platforms, according to a report from NBC News they revealed that about 40% of Gen Z use social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram for search entries rather than Google. TikTok is also looking at extending their platform as a dedicated shop feed, allowing customers to shop is various different categories. For any businesses that uses social media TikTok is a great resource and companies should start to optimize their brand content so they can rank high in the TikTok world and make presence on the search pages.

Will TikTok be our new search engine? Will it take over the social media world?

Brands Will Become Creators

What do we mean when we talk about a Brand becoming a creator? As we all know creating a brand that will catch attention is extremely important when it comes to using social media platforms, but what if I tell you it is predicted that it will no longer matter how many followers one brand has, but will relay on a brand’s interaction and content to capture their audience’s attention. From a business perspective, this will help generate new customers to their brand without actually having them follow you, allowing businesses to have a better opportunity to engage with future prospects to help promote and sell their products or services.

So lets think about our standard platforms like Instagram. Instagram promotes their content by looking at the most likes someone has, not really the actually brand or account but TikTok relays on engagement such as watch time, saves and shares to promote their content. As right now, each show equal value and are still generating interaction on their sites but TikTok is showing a faster progress because it is just simply easier and more convenient for the customer.

From a business concept I think all companies should review their content creation strategy and dive in deep to see what these platforms can do, and how they are going to really optimize their product.

Short Videos

As most of us already watch these types of videos through various social media platforms, in 2023 they are predicting that shorts videos will become the latest trend. For someone like YouTube who are constantly having videos posted to the platform, all with different time lengths, they have released their plan to adhere to the upcoming demand. They will be launching a new platform called “YouTube Shorts” this will help them adapt to the consumers growth. Why are these short video trends taking off? Short videos have become extremely popular with the Gen Z generation, they are easy to create, fast to watch, don’t cost a lot of money and most importantly they have a high engagement with users. So why do they think this will become one of the newest trends? We are busy, time is precious and very limited. People don’t want to be watching a 20 minute video, they want content that is quick, concise and gets right to the point. Also our attention spans have shortened over the years especially with the younger audiences. So it makes sense to react to these actions and provide short videos to ensure messaging, content and sales are still able to meet the consumers needs.

2023 is going to be an exciting year for social media and I am looking forward to seeing all the new trends these platforms bring to the table.

With all the new ways the world is changing, what changes will 2023 bring to the social media world?
#Socialmediain2023 #2023trends. Check out my blog for a few of the upcoming trends. https://bit.ly/3W9QfQd

What trends to except on social media in 2023. It’s going to be an exciting year!
Check out my blog for a few of the upcoming trends https://bit.ly/3W9QfQd

Making Social Media Work for You

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In my last few blogs I have posted about some of the negative aspects related to social media, so I figured I would change things around and look at some of the positive and some of the benefits social media has to offer. I think the best way to feel comfortable with social media is to learn about the benefits, learn what it can do for you and the ones around you. Once you have figured that out….. well that’s hard to say, I haven’t been able to do that yet but I’m willing to try.

So lets think what are some of the benefits social media can offer us
* Access to tons of information at our fingertips
* Ability to stay in touch with people around the world
* Advanced way to sell and buy products
* Social Networking
* Entertainment

These are just some of benefits that I can think of that social media can offer and I am sure there are way more, but for today lets take a look into each of these and see what type of benefits can come from social media.

Information

You no longer have to go to the library and rent out books to complete projects or research papers, these can all be done online. Information is readily available and take seconds to find any type of research to complete any type of task. This course has been a prime example of that. For an introduction to social media course I have personally learnt what a blog was, I had never even heard about blogs. Before my first blog I had to google what it was before I could even get started.

Information about where you come from, your heritage where your great great grandparents come from can all be accessed through social media.

Even looking and applying for a job, using platforms liked LinkedIn or Twitter which provide job opportunities right at your fingertips, also due to Covid a lot of job interviews are done virtually using things like zoom, teams and skype. These options are allowing us to make more use of our time avoiding travel and traffic, saving on wear and tear of vehicles and in the long run saving us money.

Connecting with Others

Online spaces like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and any other networking platforms can offer people the opportunity to be with friends, explore the world and build independence. As much as parents fear for some of these independence experiences, we do have to learn to let go and let our tiny humans become their own person. Social media platforms can help manage and recognize risk, it can teach us about rules and boundaries, it can help us develop who we are through peer groups. How can we say that these platforms offer any less experience then saying a person moving into their first home, or going off to school or moving to a new city. All of these adventures are testing our responsibility and independence helping to shape us into the people we are or becoming. Social media can defiantly play a large role in these big steps. Social media can help overcome these fears by allowing us access to various community groups for meeting new people, maps to get to know your location and the out reach to fit in.

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Buy and Sell Products

Lets think back to building your personal brand, what did you learn when building your own brand? Were there any benefits to building your brand to buying and selling products. OF COURSE THERE IS.

Has anyone ever purchased a product off Facebook because they were scrolling and an advertisement has popped up? I know I have, I have just recently purchased a few for Christmas, products I probably wouldn’t have bought if it didn’t come across my social media.

Avenues like these are great for social media platforms to buy and sell products, using their brand to catch your attention and tag on to recent searches. Not only can you buy items but we sell items as well. Things maybe your children have grown out of, or things you no longer require. Social media has created ways to easily sell from your living room couch. Places likes Facebook marketplace, or community groups you have joined etc. allow you to post items in your community or even outside your community. People then can comment and ask question for instant responses, a quick arrangement is made for pick up, you leave it outside and BAM the item is gone. Can it get any easier then that?

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Social Networking

In order to social network before we had to attend conferences, group gatherings and have an in person face to face experience. Now thanks to social media we can talk to friends, colleagues, businesses all over the world on any device. For me social networking is great in relation to the fire industry. I am able to ask questions about best practices or educational strategies to departments all over the world. I can reach out to people in the states, overseas and learn about different cultures to incorporate into my work lesson plans. This is a great experience and has helped to me to communicate better with more diverse expectations.

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Entertainment

How does social media play into entertainment? Think about YouTube, YouTube is a platforms that allows people to upload videos for everyone to watch. Does anyone know how Justin Bieber was discovered? At the age of 13 Justin preformed in a singing competition. His mother recorded it and then uploaded the video to YouTube so friends and family that were not able to attend were able to watch. She continued to upload random videos of him singing and playing the guitar. A music prompter saw his videos and asked him to come and record a demo and now he has a net worth of $285 million. Amazing, this is just one example of how social media plays into the entertainment world. Everyday millions of people watch videos/tutorials/listen to music all through social media platforms. I have honestly learnt how to change a tire on my car by simple watching a YouTube video. With all this information again, being readily available to us, how can we ever go back to a world that doesn’t included social media.

Take a moment, could you imagine a world without Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube? Could you see yourself going into stores and having to stand in line at Christmas to buy that one special gift or having to enter a bank and see a teller to pay a bill? The world as we know it would be strange, silent and possibly even boring. Social media has helped our world grow and in my eyes become more accessible to our busy every day lives.

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Social media doesn’t always have to bring fear to someone when using it. There are so many benefits that come with social media. View my latest blog to check some of them out. #socialmediaforthewin #socialmediabenefits https://bit.ly/3B4fQlo

Imagine a world with no social media, could you survive just one day? Social media isn’t all bad, it has provided us with so many benefits in our every day lifestyle. Check out my blog for just some of the benefits of social media https://bit.ly/3B4fQlo

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What dangers hide behind the faceless?

As a child or young adult were you ever called names, made fun of or put down by your peers from school, sports teams or maybe a complete stranger? How did it make you feel? Were you able to get over it and move on? What if you could never escape the constant murmur of being picked on or tormented?

When I was younger we had bullies, we had those kids that picked on the most vulnerable and teased them about the way they looked, dressed, talked etc. but everyday, it came to an end. Once you left the school yard and returned to class or went home at the end of the day, the bullying stopped. What if it never ended? What if from the second you woke up to the second you went to bed there was always someone doing something negative towards you?

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If you own any type of devices or have access to social media cyberbullying can happen to you or someone you love. Unfortunately now a days it is not only about a simple insult to your face now it follows you everywhere you go. Bullying now is not just a set of mean words if can include shared posts, pictures or personal information being released without your consent, it has now become any type of form in which that person is being humiliated. As young teens spend most of their time on their devices and on social media the doors to cyberbullying are endless and are becoming a real danger to our society.

“More then one third of all students are cyberbullied with social media being the # 1 platform.” Delete Cyber Bullying. Because cyber bullying is so readily available and so easy for one to hide behind their device it has become so much more dangerous. Social media can provide such great information and have so many beneficial aspects to it, but it can also provide so many hidden truths which can be scary. A person can make several different social media accounts using various different platforms. In each of these accounts they can change their identity, pretend to be someone they aren’t, and with each of those accounts they can target a person and attack them from every angle, making the person feel completely selfless, beaten up or suicidal. Have you ever heard of the term “cat fished” MTV had a show on it many years ago and it was about persons who had meet an individual online who they totally connected with. They would talk for months or even years without ever meeting in person. In the end of the show it always shows one of the people on the other end being someone completed different from the person they had portrayed. Could you imagine how betrayed you would feel? This is what happens when someone is being cyberbullied they have no escape, but at the same point they get totally consumed into the that world. Meaning they continue to log on to see what the next post is about them, to see who else has joined in, until they get to the point where it has taken over their whole life and emotional self.

There is also the fact that it may not just be one person doing the bullying against the victim. Once one person starts the bullying it can lead to a whole group commenting or taken part in the abuse. Teenagers especially, want to fit in, so the opportunity for one victim to be bullied by 10-50 people all at one time is not out of the ordinary, talk about being completed defeated.

In a world where we know Cyberbullying is an issue and is an issue which is continuing to rise what can we do as parents, friends or colleagues to help protect these young victims. According to Jerry Thompson from Family Online Safety Institute here are 10 tips to help protect children from Cyberbullying.

Before: Prepare
1.Set healthy boundaries as early as possible – Set parental controls on children’s devices preventing them to have full access to social media. Limit their usage on social media to avoid them constantly being online and open to the full time battle of bulling.
2. Have an open channel of communication with your child. – Encourage your child to come to you with questions about relationships or any online activity that doesn’t seem right. Discuss the rights and responsibilities that come with the privilege of using social media. 
3. Look for teachable moments and be open to learning along with your kids. – Have discussions with children about cyberbullying, privacy and other online risks that may be associated with social media. Have open discussion about what is and isn’t okay online and what you and your child can do during an unsafe situation. Always let your child know you are there for them no matter what the situation may be.
4. Create an environment of awareness and understanding around mental illness – Children with depression, anxiety and other psychological conditions are often targets for bullies. Fortunately, you can help de-stigmatize these illnesses by educating yourself and your kids about their causes and effects. 

During: How to prevent cyberbullying
5. Monitor for behavior changes. – Watch for changes in your child, like isolation, withdrawal, and aversion to activities or social situations that were previously enjoyed, these can all be red flags for cyberbullying.
6. Be aware of how much time your child is spending online – If you notice that your child seems increasingly or emotionally preoccupied with their phone or computer, it could be a warning sign. If these signs are happening and you feel concerned check your Childs activity on their devices. As a parent don’t be afraid to snoop. You can always ask for forgiveness later.
7. React calmly and compassionately – If your child talks to you about something that may have happened to them or a friend that is in relation to cyberbullying, work together to decide how to move forward and what actions can be taken to make it a safe situation.

After: Help your child to cope and communicate about cyberbullying
8.Make Time to talk to your child – If you observe any behavioral or emotional changes, talk to your child and try to keep things as non-judgmental as possible.
9. Ask them what they want. – If your child is experiencing distress because of a situation online, ask them how they see things turning out and what the outcome could be, come up with a solution together.
10. Think about the bigger picture.– Consider helping organizing school-wide, student-led events and initiatives on cyberbullying.

As young people continue to spend more and more time on social media, it’s quite likely that cyberbullying will only increase over the years to come. All we can do is prepare ourselves and our children on how to react and communicate if they are ever in a situation where they or someone they may know is being bullied.

If you know someone who is being bullied please visit Bullying Canada at https://bit.ly/3TJW0T9 or call 1-(877) 352-4497

Resources

https://bit.ly/3AkybKX

https://bit.ly/3UIL35G

https://bit.ly/3hFqt7t

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Fat, Dumb and Ugly, these are just some of the hurtful words that can come out of a bullies mouth. What if the bullies mouth never closed and constantly spit out harmful and demeaning words or phrases. Cyberbullying is on the rise and we need to teach our children it is okay to talk about it. Weather you are a victim or know someone who has been affected by cyberbullying, it’s time to stand up and be heard. Read my blog about what we can do against cyberbullies. “What dangers hide behind the faceless?”

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Don’t become a victim, stand up for victims. Follow my blog to help teach our children about cyberbullying and what we can do to get a head of it. “What dangers hide behind the faceless?”
#noonedeservestofeelworthless #stopcyberbullying

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Social Media, Addition or Relevant?

When you think of addiction or someone who is an addict, do you automatically jump to drugs, gambling, alcohol, sex, or abuse? Have you ever really looked up the term addict?

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary an addict is defined as: one exhibiting a compulsive, chronic, physiological, or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity.

Now think, are you or someone you know an addict when it comes to social media. As a mother of 2 young children and someone who is now being asked to focus on social media to help perform my job I must ask, when is it appropriate to disconnect from social media?

It is so easy to grab your phone, tablet, computer and waste some time on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram but as much as these avenues can help promote educational messaging, or sell products or push advertising, on an average how many people are using these platforms to look at the latest dance trending, what friends are eating for breakfast lunch or dinner or to see what is the next popular show to watch is. “As of February 2021, about half of the world’s population uses social media. That is roughly 3.96 billion users across the globe irrespective of their age and internet access. It is also estimated that on a global scale, a user spends an average of about 2 hours 30 minutes on social media a day. “ Maple Addiction Centre. https://mapleaddictioncentres.ca 2.5 hours a day on average on social media, 17.5 hours a week, 910 hours in a year, is it fair to say that we are addicted or has social media become so natural that it is more of a habit that we can’t break or don’t even notice we are doing.

I have so many questions when it comes to social media and to say what is exactly acceptable. If you are using social media for work and have to spend more then 3 hours a day doing it, does that fall into the same category of being addicted to social media. I mean it is for work so then it must not apply to me. I understand that social media is becoming the new social norm and part of our daily lives but to what extent is it crossing the line of too much.

Our children are on social media all day long too and it is becoming part of their every day social norm. Even when in school they are asked to do research on a project or book. My daughter is a great example, she was doing her latest project and every search she did on the internet was constantly reverting her to a post on social media relating to her topic. Do I tell her no, that’s social media and its bad, you can become addicted, or do I let her continue to work on her project as these are the avenues we are moving to.

I honestly have to ask myself, am I addicted to social media? Is this addiction hereditary for my children, what they see is what they do? Is it safe to say everyone is an addict when it comes to social media?

Next time you attend a family function, go for dinner with friends, or sit around and watch a movie with your family see if you can break the habit/addition even just for a few hours or a day. When you reach for your phone, see if you can stop yourself for going on, then see how long it take you to naturally reach for your device again.

Refer to Maple Addiction Recovery Center for more information regarding addictions and counselling.

Are drugs, alcohol and gambling the only type of addicts out there? What about a social media addict, do those exist? Check out this link to see if you or someone you know are addicted to social media https://bit.ly/3NTA4U9

Are you an addict to social media? Are you checking to see how many new followers you have all the time? For more answers log on to https://bit.ly/3NTA4U9
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