Content marketers must continually adapt to new consumer trends to stay on top of industry changes. SPM Group recently released its Q3 Media and Trends Report, which includes recent 2023 video content trends and data. Read on for a rundown on how these findings affect the content marketing industry.

Trend 1: Misplaced video ads

According to a Search Engine Journal article citing the Wall Street Journal, about 80% of YouTube ads that Google is responsible for disseminating to video content consumers on its platform are being misplaced, violating their own terms of service. If substantiated, this could cost the digital conglomerate billions of dollars in advertising revenues.

2023 video content trends show that consumers spend more than 30 minutes daily watching videos on YouTube. If these ad revenues dry up, this may affect how Google and YouTube present content on the platform in the future.

Trend 2: Digital video fragmentation

According to Nielsen, video content consumption is extremely fragmented. Its data from June 2023 shows that streaming platforms account for 37.7% of TV viewership. But adults in the U.S. are actually spending most of their video-watching time on social media, with TikTok leading the way at 55.8 minutes per day.

This means that content marketers are now primed to invest heavily in video content, a medium that was previously dominated by traditional television. Research what your peers are doing successfully, and implement these tactics into your own content marketing plan.

Trend 3: Consumers trust medical-related social posts

#Doctor TikToks have generated more than 61.5 billion views since the app’s inception. According to Forbes, Gen Z is leading the way in consuming medical content on social media — with one-third of this generation consulting TikTok for medical advice and 44% of Gen Z using YouTube.

While this is definitely a 2023 video content trend, there are dangers afoot, as user and creator privacy concerns run rampant, and the accuracy of information may be questionable.

Check out our post about healthcare organizations that have been successful with this social media video marketing trend.

Trend 4: AI traffic is difficult to track, but users skew younger

Having infiltrated all industries, artificial intelligence (AI) and its uses in everyday life have been growing steadily in 2023. Data from Insider Intelligence shows that use of generative AI platforms has jumped exponentially this year, with Gen Z (33.3%) and Millennials (34.7%) using it most. This trend is only expected to continue, as the report predicts that adoption rates for these two generations will top 50% by 2025.

Learn about the risks and rewards of AI for content creation in our webinar Rise of the Machines: How AI Is Pushing the Limits of Content Generation

While AI can be a helpful tool for content marketers, full adoption of this disruptive technology is likely far off. But as new consumers enter the market, know that they have a higher likelihood of being influenced by or having the willingness to use AI.

Trend 5: Younger generations use social media for brand research

Where do you turn to when you research a brand or product? For those ages 16–34, social media is the answer. Search engines are the tool of choice for older generations, but having a strong and reputable presence on all social channels is seemingly a must for brands in 2023.

While older generations still dominate many healthcare and association audiences, content marketers must make an effort to attract new consumers to their organizations. Millennials and Gen Z now combine to make up the majority of the population of the U.S., and tactics will have to change to accommodate their different content consumption and brand research habits.

Trend 6: Microblogging platform Threads poised to have an impact

Meta recently launched its new microblogging platform, Threads, to instant success — in terms of user signups. Similar in concept to X, previously known as Twitter, Threads surpassed 100 million users during its launch week. Take that with a grain of salt, however, as Similarweb, a digital intelligence platform, reported that as of Aug. 1, Threads only had 9.6 million active users.

As with any new social media platform, content marketers may want to take a “wait and see” approach before investing precious time and resources into the Threads platform. While the initial numbers were promising, it’s too early to tell if this new social media vehicle is here to stay.

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