👥 Social Signals
Will the trend for social media platforms this year be...
20-Community?
Instagram is in full hustle mode to stave off TikTok, lawsuits, and regulation while also increasing its chances of raking in money via more engagement and brand appeal.
The newest test is collaborative collections; or, Pinterest in Instagram (Pinstagram!).
Turn saved posts into a board you can share with others. The potential for brands lies in community building and curated shopping experiences. Worth a test.
On the "we care about our users (plz don't sue us)" front, it's added a Quiet Mode, which is basically Apple’s do not disturb but just for IG notifications. Keyword blocking so you can avoid personal trigger words. And more.
But brands ❤️ Reels, so at least they have that.
And if your community is professional, don't forget about LinkedIn. If Reels aren't for you, maybe LinkedIn Live Events are. The platform put together a handy infographic if that's your kind of thing.
And The VidCon Title Sponsor Is…
As the unicorse would say: aaaaaaaannnndddd why should I care?*
Because it took the spot back from TikTok. The two platforms are locked in a heavyweight fight for the hearts and minds of creators. And wallets, as YouTube will begin monetizing Shorts (aka TikTok in the Red Box) next month.
The Clock is Ticking?
TikTok is clapping back at YouTube with...podcasts! That's what it's calling it, but it’s really more like YouTube playing in the background if you’re a paying subscriber. While everyone else is chasing short form video the trendsetter is going audio.
If The Clock App does crack open its algorithm for inspection, will other platforms get a peek? If they do, will they learn anything useful? If everything is suddenly the For You feed does TikTok maintain its magic?
This speculation is all assuming the algorithm actually is "magic" and it's not just the people behind the curtain boosting content for brands, personalities, and friends and family making things go viral.
And who forgot to tell them about the ad spend slowdown?
As budgets increase for TikTok ads, it appears a standardized playbook is taking shape.
The moves on display from TikTok advertisers nowadays are starting to resemble a tried and tested playbook.
What works for a lot of them these days seems to be to run TikTok ads in conjunction with influencer marketing. So they use paid ads to essentially boost content they think could, or is, getting traction among users.”
But as ad dollars shift, opportunity opens on the losing platforms.
Buckle Up Twitter
Mastodon has arrived. You can now schedule your toots via Buffer.
*is it obvious I’m a dad now?