Three trends to watch in 2023

2023 is well on its way, time to look at some of the trends shaping up this year. When we look at app usage, it’s clear younger people are spending a lot of time on TikTok, but the app is now growing with the older generations as well. For the first time since 2009 we see a decline in use for Meta.

Another trend that stands out is the fact that 1/4th of Flemish people still don’t know how to make sure their data is safe online, so more and more online platforms put in an effort to protect that data.

The third and last trend we’re going to tackle is AI. People get more comfortable with it and this results in exciting possibilities.

Trend #1: Out of all apps, people spend the most time on TikTok

The study pointed out that people spend the most time on TikTok, and this can have significant implications for marketing. TikTok has become one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, particularly among younger demographics.

The app uses machine learning to curate personalised content for each user. This means we can target our audience very narrowly and reach the right people more effectively.

People are spending their time on TikTok, which means that you should consider incorporating the app into your marketing strategies to reach a larger and engaged audience. However, it’s important to remember that successful marketing on TikTok requires a deep understanding of the platform and its users, as well as creating authentic content.

Trend #2: Businesses focus more on cybersecurity

Meta, Twitter, and others are already asking for a Two Factor Authentication when logging into the platform. This is to make sure that users are more protected against losing their account.

It’s a good thing businesses are putting in more effort. A recent study pointed out that 4 out of 10 Belgian people were once a victim of phishing, a popular method to hack into accounts. With 2FA, phishing becomes more difficult. People often receive a unique code after logging in with their username and password. Even though 2FA is an effective method to protect your account, less than half of Belgium uses it.

Another study found that 1 in 3 businesses in the Benelux had to deal with a cyberattack in 2022. Most of the time it happened because attackers were able to get through the human firewall. This could be another reason why businesses put more effort in training employees about cybersecurity. Learning about and enabling 2FA when logging in could be one of the ways to protect accounts.

Trend #3: The rise of AI and its possibilities

It all started at the beginning of 2023 with ChatGPT. Every day there are more AI-powered products coming out and the big players are jumping on the bandwagon. Google has their own Bard, and ChatGPT is now entirely controlled by Microsoft.

The rise of AI means more demand for those products. Developers will need to work even more closely with marketers to create products that meet the needs of a more AI-savvy market.

But as AI becomes more prevalent in marketing and other industries, there will likely be increased awareness of its ethical implications. We will need to pay closer attention to issues such as bias and privacy to ensure that our products are ethical and responsible. This goes for all things created by AI, going from little things like ad copy, to bigger things like websites and apps.

Want to know more about AI? Read our blog post about bias in AI.