Social media changes rapidly, and our story on pg. 32 of our November/December issue details some of the main strategies that are quickly becoming outdated across all sites, as well as suggests new, more effective approaches to take.
   Of course, there are no absolutes, but this general guide will be handy in 2023 as you continue to tweak and perfect your approach.
   As I mentioned in the last issue, one of the changes we are making is adding little video clips to complement our print content. We hope that by sharing a visual component to certain stories, we can provide even richer, more valuable content.
   Our introduction to this has been the “Owner Q&A” videos we have shared for our two most recent boutique profiles: Michelle McFarland, owner of The Wedding Shoppe in Berkley, Mich. and Kerrie Hileman, owner/founder of The White Magnolia Bridal Collection, with numerous locations nationwide. These Q&As briefly touch on content not shared in the article and are meant as a fun “teaser” to the print story. You can find them on our Instagram page (@vowsmagazine). This feature will continue.
   Moving beyond that, in this issue, we have another “first” – our Bridesmaids story, “Winning not Whining with Bridesmaids” (pg. 42, Nov/Dec VOWS) – also features a video complement. Jillian Forsberg, Sales Manager of Dress Gallery in Wichita, Kan., gives a brief tour of her store’s bridesmaids layout, including designers carried, and fitting rooms. This makes it easier to visualize what she discusses in the print story and adds an extra layer of connection.
   It is also a great example of something our social-media story highlights as one of the best strategies of 2023: incorporating User Generated Content. Influencers, while still a significant force, are somewhat falling out of favor as they are now so commonplace some users find them less relatable/believable.
   UGC, on the other hand, exudes authenticity and is heavily favored. As we move forward into 2023 expect to see a lot more of it – not just on our pages but around the internet as well.