New Year’s Resolutions are notoriously controversial. While some love the opportunity for an annual reset, others find the whole ordeal annoying at best, and completely unsustainable at worst. But despite the “shade” often thrown at resolutioners – especially those that take up going to a new gym on January 1st – many still turned to the internet to share their plans for the new year. To find out how social media users plan to change their habits in 2023, we used Synthesio to track global English-language conversations related to the topic. The results primarily feature conversations from the US, India, UK, Canada, and Australia. Here’s what we found:
1. Health is still the most-discussed resolution topic, but many are focused on more “holistic” goals
To understand the topics bubbling up in online conversations, we used Synthesio Topic Modeling. The AI-powered engine automatically scans and categorizes social mentions – and then visualizes them in clusters. The analysis revealed that, similar to years past, many set health- and wellness-related resolutions. “Achieve my health goal” is the second-largest conversation cluster, followed by “lose weight.” We also see smaller clusters around fitness and exercise, veganism, improving sleep quality, and quitting smoking or vaping.
Our recent #wellness trends research showed a mindset shift in how consumers perceive health and wellbeing; image-based definitions of wellness were being replaced with more balanced definitions that incorporate mindfulness, nutrition, and mental health. This phenomenon is present in conversations about resolutions too, with many sharing that they plan to drink more water, eat more balanced meals, and be kinder to themselves and others. Other clusters like “read more books” and “delete Twitter for good” show consumers trying to protect their mental wellbeing by putting their smartphones down.
2. Many aim to pay off debts, earn more money, and make big purchases
“Improving financial wellbeing” is the single largest cluster in our Topic Modeling study, containing thousands of mentions from social media, blogs, and forums. Given the global context of inflation, it’s no surprise that money is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. One Twitter user noted, “This year I want to be able to donate and support 3 charities and gain financial freedom through passive income and investments.” Countless others shared that they want to pay off their credit card debts by the end of 2023.
“Buy a new car” and “buy a new home” also appeared in conversations, with many sharing that although 2022’s high prices made it difficult to achieve either of these goals, they’re optimistic for a better 2023. Some are even talking about taking their real estate investments to the metaverse.
3. Sustainability is still top of mind
Climate change and sustainability were hot topics on social media in 2022 – and this year looks to be no different. One cluster, “eco-friendly resolutions” revealed mentions from all 5 countries pertaining to “going green” and embracing more sustainable alternatives. Though a significant number of the mentions actually come from brands encouraging consumers to make a #green resolution, many social media users say they want to reduce their carbon footprint, commit to recycling, and reduce waste. One Mastodon user said, “It would be great if everyone could make it their new year’s resolution to reduce their use of fossil fuels.” A Twitter user added “My New Year’s resolution is to continue to improve how ethically I live my life. I want to reduce my spending on convenience industries + single use plastics + fast fashion.”
4. Consumers will double down on their beauty routines
Cosmetics (especially those sold by celebrities) dominated social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube in 2022. This year, two of the top ten clusters reference beauty: “skincare routine” and “healthier hair.” Skincare conversations range from individuals saying they’ll wear SPF and commit to daily a product regiment for the first time – to learning to do their own make up or try medical procedures like microneedling and vampire facials. When it comes to their hair, resolutioners say they’re committed to growing their hair out and reducing the use of damaging dyes and harsh chemicals.
While consumers commit to wellness in all its forms, they’ll look for the brands, products, and experiences that help them feel their best and achieve their goals. Social intelligence provides brands with critical, unprompted consumer insights within minutes. By collecting and analyzing online mentions, we can see what consumers are saying about millions of topics – and how they’re behaving – in near real-time.
To keep up with consumers in 2023, insights pros and marketers can use Synthesio’s platform to uncover the most complete, accurate, and predictive insights. Request a demo with our team to learn more.
