There have been hundreds of valuable Facebook trends that have cropped up and taken over the platform since its launch in 2004. With hundreds of engaged users, content creators, and active businesses, Facebook and creators continue to invest in new technologies and to try out new content formats.
In 2023, the rise of Reels and Meta’s various AI projects have particularly marked how brands see Facebook. For this article, Business2Community has curated the top trends from a myriad of reputable sources such as Meta’s website, consulting analyses, Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook posts, and social media research reports.
Key Facebook Trends
- Facebook Reels ads have the potential to reach 616.8 million people, which is 31.1% of Facebook’s total ad reach.
- The fastest-growing content type on Facebook is AI content recommendations, accounting for 20% of the content users see in their feeds.
- Facebook’s generative AI open-source model Llama 2 was downloaded more than 30 million times in October 2023.
- Between 2021 and 2023, the use of Facebook Marketplace or Instagram Shopping increased by 16% in North America.
- Facebook is the most popular platform for brand and customer engagement worldwide.
What are 2023’s Facebook Trends?
From 2023 onwards, Facebook announced that it will focus on Reels, AI-driven feed recommendations, and generative AI. It is crucial for brands to stay updated as these trends would affect post reach, Reels ads, and user experience.
Here are 7 of 2023‘s key Facebook trends explained:
1. Short-form Facebook Videos and Reels are Gaining Popularity
Reels plays across Facebook and Instagram doubled between 2022 and 2023. Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook, also mentioned the social element of Facebook Reels, as people resharing Reels more than doubled.
The Digital Global Overview Report by We Are Social analyzed different aspects of internet use in 2023, including Facebook Reels. It found that Reels ads have a potential audience of 616.8 million people, which accounts for 31.1% of Facebook’s total ad reach. According to Meta, 37.6% of the Facebook Reels ad audience is female, and 62.4% is male.
Repurposing Instagram content into Facebook Stories and Reels performs well, as both companies belong to Meta. This way, companies increase reach, as more people will see the content distributed across two platforms.
2. AI-Recommended Content is the Fastest-Growing Category
With AI-driven content recommendations, Facebook experienced a 7% increase in time spent on the app. The AI content recommendations from accounts social media users don’t follow are the fastest-growing content type, making up 20% of the content in users’ feeds.
With these recommendations, users discover content and communities tailored to their interests. These could be recommendations on Facebook groups to join in their area, a Facebook page similar to those they already follow, or local events they might be interested in.
For example, below are some Facebook groups recommended to a user. This user is most likely an English speaker based in Prague and is a member of expat networking groups or accommodation groups.
In a Salesforce survey, 74% of customers said they expect a more personalized customer experience when they provide more data to companies. Facebook’s AI content recommendations are an example of data-driven personalization, benefiting both users and the company.
With personalization in place, users will be more likely to be satisfied with Facebook’s services, as they will get their data’s worth. For Facebook and other social media sites, personalization contributes to customer retention, as people will spend more time on the platforms that cater to them.
3. Generative AI Will be Even More Important
2023 was a big year for Meta’s generative AI technologies, as it launched Llama 2 and Emu.
A large language model, Llama 2 is an LLM like OpenAI’s Chat GPT and Google’s PaLM 2. In October 2023, Llama 2 saw more than 30 million downloads, making it one of the leading open-source models in the industry. Emu is Meta’s image and video generation AI. By using Emu, creators can generate and edit content based on a text prompt.
Below is an example of Mark Zuckerberg giving prompts to Emu to generate images and videos:
Generative AI is a part of Meta’s key 2024 investment areas, as the company plans to integrate AI features into Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Using Llama 2 and Emu, people will be able to generate AI stickers, co-create images, and get help from Meta AI, an AI-powered virtual assistant.
4. More Creator Tools and Monetization Opportunities Will Come Online
In November 2023, Meta launched automatic A/B testing for creators to see what works best with their audience. No longer will you have to test the same post with various captions and thumbnails. By using this tool, creators can test up to four different captions or thumbnails for Reels without lifting a finger. Once tested for engagement and reach, Facebook publishes the winning version.
Here is how a creator used A/B testing to decide which caption would bring the highest engagement for their Reels:
This is only one example. Facebook is constantly adding new features and tools to offer creators more effective optimization and monetization strategies. In 2023, creators have three main monetization opportunities:
- Earning with content: Creators can start subscriptions where their audience supports them by paying a monthly fee for exclusive content. Eligible creators can also join the Facebook Stars program to produce on-demand videos and Facebook Live videos.
- Running ads: Creators can place ads on Reels, short-form video content, and eligible Facebook live videos.
- Making brand partnerships: With brand deals, creators make money while recommending brands’ products to their audience. This is often the most lucrative strategy.
5. Facebook is One of the Top Social Media Platforms For Shopping
eMarketer expects social shopping to double between 2023 and 2027. According to HubSpot, Facebook is the second most popular social selling platform among marketers, ranking just below Instagram.
Sellers use Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Shops depending on the availability in their region. Between Q1 2021 and Q1 2023, the use of Facebook Marketplace or Instagram Shopping increased by 16% in North America.
In North America, shoppers made mostly in-app purchases, whereas other regions, namely Latin America, stood out for shopping through sponsored posts or ads.
6. Facebook’s USP is Still Messaging Friends and Family
GWI Social Media Trends Report interviewed over 950,000 internet users to find out about the unique selling proposition of different social media channels. 69% of Facebook users said they use the social media platform to message friends and family.
The next most popular app for messaging friends and family was Snapchat, with 41% of votes.
With collaborative generative AI stickers and upcoming features, Facebook is planning to add new features to make conversations more fun and creative, taking advantage of its USP.
7. Customer Service Remains a Strong Suit
In 2022, 71% of companies used social media for customer service. Although the social platform preference differs from region to region, Facebook was selected as the best platform for customer engagement for most countries in the world.
Facebook Messenger has a wide range of customer service features, including automated FAQs, showcasing product catalogs, chatbot plugins, and live agent integrations.
Here is an example conversation where a user starts by speaking to a chatbot, and then switches to the live agent. This service provides a seamless experience for the customer and makes it easier for customer service reps to manage the situation.
How to Find Facebook Trends
As AI plays a bigger role in Facebook, there will be new features for creators, businesses, and users alike that inspire new valuable trends. Here is how you can stay up-to-date with the latest Facebook trends.
Follow Mark Zuckerberg and Meta Accounts
Mark Zuckerberg regularly posts updates about Meta. By following him on Facebook, you can learn more about upcoming trends, updates on products such as VR headsets and wearables, and other Meta apps including Instagram and WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, the Meta Newsroom and Meta accounts across platforms publish articles about trends across all Meta companies, including Facebook.
Read Social Media Marketing Reports
Companies like HubSpot, Hootsuite, Social Sprout, and GWI publish yearly reports on social media trends. These reports also include Facebook marketing trends based on data from various social media accounts and interactions.
Listen to Podcasts
On social media podcasts and YouTube channels such as HubSpot, you can learn how industry experts use Facebook marketing, especially related to ads and content strategy.
The Future of Facebook Trends
AI will be Facebook’s biggest investment area in the future. This includes deprioritizing non-AI projects, improving AI content recommendations, and developing augmented reality experiences. It’s already set to dramatically empower creators as each feature is launched.
Meta’s AI tools will help increase creator opportunities. For example, the creator AI program aims to help creators build their own AIs to strengthen their communities and build a deeper connection with their audience.
As for content types, Mark Zuckerberg mentioned in his Q3 2023 update how well Reels was doing, and that Meta planned to focus more and more on Reels. Constituting half the time spent across Facebook and Instagram, Reels is set to play a key role in the company’s overall video services and the marketing strategies of those who use the platform.