Facebook has undergone a whirlwind of changes lately, at a scale and pace unprecedented in the platform‘s 17-year history. The world‘s largest social network has raced to reinvent itself for a new era of media consumption and digital connection, one increasingly defined by immersive experiences, creator-driven content, and blurred boundaries between the online and offline world.
For brands and marketers aiming to reach and engage people on Facebook, it‘s no longer enough to post the occasional pre-produced video or product photo. The new paradigm requires a whole new playbook, one built around interactive formats, authentic relationships, frictionless commerce, and bleeding-edge technologies.
To help you adapt your approach and take full advantage of Facebook‘s latest innovations, we‘ve rounded up the most important new features and developments shaping the platform today. From short-form videos to social storefronts to the metaverse, here‘s what every marketer needs to know about the new face(book) of social media.
The Video Takeover
The biggest change rocking Facebook in recent years has been the platform‘s hard pivot to video. In response to the meteoric rise of TikTok and its addictively snackable clips, Facebook has transformed its flagship app into a video-first destination designed to keep eyeballs glued to the screen.
This strategic shift was put into overdrive in 2020 with the launch of Instagram Reels, a TikTok clone that brought short, vertical videos to the Facebook family. Reels quickly became the preferred format for the platform‘s algorithms, receiving massive reach and promotion in users‘ feeds. By 2022, Reels accounted for over 20% of the time spent on Instagram.
Facebook doubled down on this full-screen video feed approach in 2023 by rolling out Reels to its own app and website. Users opening Facebook are now immediately immersed in an endless stream of short clips spanning everything from comedy skits to product demos to political commentary. It‘s a far cry from the text-heavy newsfeed of Facebook‘s early days.
For marketers, this means one thing above all: if you want to win on Facebook in 2023, you need to be creating video, and lots of it. Some key tips and formats to focus on:
Short-form videos (15-60 seconds)
Also known as Reels, these punchy, vertically-oriented clips are perfect for capturing attention on the go. Use quick cuts, dynamic text overlays, trending audio, and AR effects to make your content pop. Aim for a casual, lo-fi vibe over slick production value.
Stories (photos and videos up to 15 seconds)
Stories continue to dominate the top of the Facebook app, with over 1 billion Stories created every day across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Use this ephemeral format for authentic, behind-the-scenes glimpses into your brand, sneak peeks of upcoming products, and real-time event coverage. Add polls, quizzes, and question stickers to boost engagement.
In-feed video posts (up to 240 minutes)
For longer-form video content like tutorials, interviews, and vlogs, Facebook‘s classic video post format is still a good bet. Upload natively for maximum reach and feature descriptive titles and captions to draw in viewers. Consider adding auto-generated captions since 85% of Facebook video is watched without sound.
Facebook Watch (videos and series up to 240 minutes)
Watch is Facebook‘s dedicated video platform for original shows and premium content from publishers. It‘s ideal for episodic series that can hook viewers and keep them coming back. Use playlists to organize videos and create a lean-back viewing experience.
Live (up to 8 hours per stream)
Live streaming remains one of the most effective ways to drive real-time engagement on Facebook. Go live for Q&As, product launches, tutorials, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Use eye-catching titles and descriptions to entice viewers to tune in.
It‘s worth noting that simply creating video isn‘t enough. With so much noise in the feed, you need a solid strategy for getting your content seen by the right audience. This is where Facebook‘s paid tools come in:
- Boost top-performing organic videos to a lookalike audience
- Run video ads optimized for views or engagement
- Use Instant Experience ads to pair videos with product tags and CTA buttons
- Try Facebook Premieres to build buzz for new video launches
- Collaborate with creators and influencers for credible endorsements
Of course, not every brand has the resources or bandwidth to churn out professional video content at scale. This is where user-generated content (UGC) can be a lifesaver. Encourage your customers and fans to create their own videos featuring your products or services, then share the best submissions on your page (with credit). Nothing beats the power of an authentic endorsement from a real person.
The Rise of Social Commerce
Outside of its core ad business, Facebook‘s biggest revenue opportunity lies in social commerce. The company has been slowly building out shopping features for years, but 2023 marked a tipping point as the pandemic accelerated the shift to online buying.
Facebook jumped on this trend by making its Shops feature available to all businesses globally. Originally launched in 2020, Shops allows brands to set up immersive, full-screen storefronts within the Facebook and Instagram apps, featuring product collections, customer reviews, and seamless checkouts.
The key selling point of Shops is that they enable a true end-to-end shopping experience without the user ever having to leave the Facebook platform. Shoppers can discover products in their feed, browse details and options in the Shop interface, add items to cart, and checkout using Facebook Pay – no website visit or app download required.
In a world where reducing friction is paramount, Shops remove significant barriers in the path to purchase. And the results speak for themselves: according to a Facebook-commissioned study by Accenture, social commerce is expected to account for 17% of all US ecommerce by 2025, up from just 4% in 2021.
To maximize your success with Shops, here are some best practices to follow:
- Create Collections to help shoppers browse intuitively by product category
- Add detailed product information and high-quality images/videos
- Enable ratings and reviews to build social proof
- Set up swift and reliable order processing and customer service
- Offer exclusive discounts and promotions within your Shop
- Use product tags to make your posts and ads shoppable
- Run dynamic product ads to retarget shop visitors and cart abandoners
- Test Checkout on Instagram to enable in-app purchasing
For an extra boost, try hosting live shopping events that combine real-time video streaming with your product catalog. These interactive experiences allow viewers to engage with hosts and purchase featured items on the spot.
In a world swimming in commoditized products, social commerce is as much about inspiration, curation, and education as it is seamless transactions. Use your Shop to showcase your brand story and values, guide shoppers to the right solutions, and create spaces for product discovery and community.
The Pull of Private Spaces
At the same time that Facebook is pushing users to watch endless videos and shop on public feeds, there‘s also been a decided shift towards more private, intimate social experiences. From group chats to invite-only communities, people are increasingly seeking out safe havens to connect with loved ones and like-minded peers outside the noise of the newsfeed.
This came to a head during the pandemic as people sought support and belonging amidst isolation. Facebook Groups in particular saw explosive growth, with 1.8 billion people now using Groups every month. That‘s more than half of all Facebook users.
For brands, showing up meaningfully in these private spaces requires a completely different approach than traditional social media broadcasting. The key is to lead with empathy, facilitate connections, and create genuine value for the community.
Some ways to do this:
- Create your own Facebook Group around a shared interest, identity, or goal
- Join relevant existing Groups and engage authentically in discussions
- Co-create content with Group members like challenges and resources
- Host exclusive virtual events and AMAs in Groups
- Offer special perks or products only for Group members
Importantly, the goal with Facebook Groups should not be immediate sales or conversions. These are long-term investments in building loyalty, insights, and advocacy. Resist the urge to promote too heavily or dictate the conversation. The best brand-led Groups empower their members to take the lead.
Outside of Groups, Facebook is also investing heavily in messaging for more 1:1 engagement with businesses. Messenger and WhatsApp have evolved from simple chat services to full-fledged commerce and customer care platforms. With business messaging tools like chatbots, product catalogs, and automated FAQs, brands can provide instant, personalized service at scale.
To meet customers where they already are, try:
- Setting up welcome messages and instant replies in Messenger
- Building a simple menu-based chatbot to field common inquiries
- Syncing your product catalog for conversational commerce
- Adding Click-to-Message ads to your campaigns
- Integrating live chat support on your website using Messenger
The overarching theme across all these private channels is that people expect businesses to be immediately responsive, personally relevant, and authentically human. Generic mass messages and 24-hour response times no longer cut it. Use the power of automation to handle the simple stuff, then make sure you have real people ready to provide hands-on support when needed.
Preparing for the Metaverse
Perhaps the biggest bombshell in Facebook‘s recent history was its October 2021 announcement that the company was rebranding to Meta and staking its future on the metaverse. While still in its infancy, this next evolution of social connection promises to blend virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality into a seamless immersive experience.
What does this mean for marketers? Expect to see a lot more 3D content, like product visualizations you can rotate and zoom, avatars that represent you in virtual spaces, and interactive branded worlds to explore.
Facebook has already started rolling out some of these AR/VR formats, like:
- 3D photos in the News Feed
- Customizable avatars for profile pictures and stickers
- AR filters and effects in Messenger and Instagram
- Virtual try-on experiences for products
- AR ads in the Facebook mobile feed
- Oculus VR app and headset integrations
For now, these features are mostly a novelty for users and a creative outlet for brands. But as the metaverse starts to take shape, expect them to become central to how people socialize, shop, and experience the world. Marketers who can master immersive storytelling and blend the physical and digital worlds will have a massive advantage.
Some ideas to start experimenting with:
- Create a branded AR filter to let people "try on" your products
- Design 3D models of your products for virtual showcasing
- Build interactive demos and walk-throughs in VR
- Host a live event in a shared virtual space
- Prototype a virtual pop-up shop or showroom
- Develop a gamified brand experience with avatar integration
- Partner with AR/VR creators and influencers
Remember, the goal is not to simply replicate real-world experiences in a virtual setting, but to create entirely new possibilities for interaction and engagement. The brands that push the boundaries of what‘s possible will be the ones that define the metaverse era.
Winning in the New Era of Social
As these shifts make clear, Facebook in 2023 is a far cry from the text-heavy, desktop-centric network of its early days. Video is the new king, commerce is seamlessly embedded into every surface, private messaging is the new town square, and immersive 3D spaces are emerging.
It‘s a lot for any marketer to keep up with. But those that can adapt and innovate will find massive new audiences and avenues for growth. The key is to stay intensely focused on your audience‘s changing needs and expectations. Lean into the formats and features they are gravitating to, and focus on providing real value and human connection vs. empty engagement.
Some principles to guide you:
- Prioritize video in all its forms, from bite-sized Reels to long-form series
- Make social commerce frictionless with Shops, tags, and instant replies
- Build community in Groups and chats vs. just broadcasting
- Start learning AR/VR tools and imagining immersive brand experiences
- Stay nimble and experiment relentlessly to find what resonates
The next era of social media will be defined by its immediacy, immersiveness, and intimacy. The brands that can bring these qualities to their marketing in authentic and innovative ways will be the ones that thrive on Facebook and beyond. It‘s time to embrace the change and start rewriting the playbook for connecting with customers.
The future is already here – it‘s just not evenly distributed yet. Will you be the one leading the way or watching from the sidelines?
