Social Media and Influencer Marketing News You Can Use in August
We’re back with some more news you can use, where we’ll cover the latest social media and influencer marketing news that you need to be aware of as we start the month of August.
This week, we look at how the Olympics are being featured on X, Instagram testing a new feature for Reels, and Reddit makes an AI-relataed acquisition.
X Shares Insights into Olympics Engagement
Despite recent struggles, X is leveraging the 2024 Paris Olympics to showcase its advertising potential. Buoyed by record-high engagement numbers for the Olympics during the event, X aims to attract advertisers wary of the platform.
Engagement Surge: X reports a significant increase in platform activity surrounding the Olympics, with "a global audience tuned in...to share memes and reactions." This surge presents a lucrative opportunity for brands seeking audience engagement.
Portal to Paris: Addressing the need for focused Olympic content, X launched a dedicated space featuring trends and clips. "Trend Genius" also allows brands to insert ads alongside trending topics dynamically.
Targeted Ad Placement: X allows advertisers to tailor campaigns by associating them with specific athletes, sports, or sponsored teams.
Looking Ahead, the coming weeks will be crucial for X and Elon Musk. Success in capitalizing on Olympic hype could revitalize its ad business. Advertisers will closely monitor X's performance to determine if it can re-establish itself as a viable advertising platform.
Instagram Tests New Reels Filter for Posts with Notes
Instagram is doubling down on its Notes feature. Instagram rolled out Notes on Reels earlier this month, which enables users to leave comments and remarks on Reels (and feed posts too) that their connections are then able to see. This is no surprise, given the feature's popularity, especially among younger users.
Introduced earlier this month, Notes allows users to share short-form text posts with their followers. While the feature has been met with mixed reactions, it's clear that Instagram is heavily invested in its growth. With teens posting Notes at a staggering 10 times the rate of older users, the platform prioritizes features that resonate with this younger demographic.
Ultimately, Instagram's focus on Notes is a strategic move to retain its young user base and compete with platforms like TikTok. Whether you're a fan of Notes or not, it's clear that the feature is here to stay and will likely become even more prominent in the future.
Reddit Acquires Creative Optimization Company Memorable AI
Reddit's recent acquisition of Memorable AI signals a significant step in bolstering its advertising capabilities. For brands, this move empowers advertisers on the platform with new AI-driven tools to plan, optimize, and enhance creative assets, ultimately leading to improved campaign performance. Reddit made acquisitions before becoming a publicly traded company, but this is the first since then. Some of the takeaways from the Marketing Brew article that explain the "so what" behind the acquisition:
Proven Track Record: Memorable AI has already demonstrated its effectiveness through partnerships with major brands like L'Oréal and Unilever, providing a vote of confidence in its capabilities to advertisers who are new to the platform.
Strategic Expansion: This marks Reddit's first acquisition as a publicly traded company and follows previous investments in machine learning, natural language processing, and contextual advertising technologies. While it's still unclear how Reddit will use these new capabilities, they complement each other.
Attracting Performance Marketers: This acquisition is not just about enhancing its advertising capabilities, but also about aligning with its strategic focus. Reddit is keen on attracting performance-oriented advertisers who value measurable results. This is particularly important for many B2C brands, where accurately showing results at each stage of the funnel is a top priority.
Thanks again for spending time reading this latest update! If you enjoyed this week’s “news can use,” you won’t want to miss the latest on TikTok in my blog update surrounding the latest legislation that is forcing TikTok to be sold or be banned in the United States. Or check out more of my writing here.
More Social Media and Influencer Marketing News You Can Use In July
Let’s dive into this week’s news you can use, where we’ll cover the latest social media and influencer marketing news that you need to be aware of as we get further into July.
This week, we’ll discuss how some of the largest brands are reducing their ad spend ahead of the election, the latest tips for creating Instagram Reels, and more insights from Instagram.
Larger Brands Reduce TikTok Ad Spending Ahead of U.S. Potential Ban
With the U.S. TikTok sell-off bill still in place, which could see the app removed from America as of January next year, advertisers are already considering their options, according to new insights.
As reported by Adweek, overall TikTok ad spend declined in both April and May, while four of the platform's biggest spending advertisers have significantly reduced their TikTok ads focus in recent months, according to insights from Media Radar.
Among the biggest declines, Target has reduced its TikTok ad spend by 30%, Door Dash has slashed its TikTok spending by 25%, while Bayer (-20%) and Procter & Gamble (-10%) are also shifting their focus.
Which makes sense. If TikTok is indeed going to be exiting the U.S., then brands will likely need to look elsewhere in the future, and as such, they may be hedging their bets now and shifting away from TikTok promotions ahead of a broader change.
Instagram's Latest Tips for Creating Reels
Instagram's latest insights confirm what we already knew: Reels are a powerful tool for boosting your brand's visibility. At the Motion Agency, we're committed to helping our clients maximize their social media impact. Recently, Instagram shared new tips to boost Reels performance. Let's dive into the latest tips from Instagram to elevate your Reels performance:
Grab attention fast: The first three seconds are crucial. Make them count with something funny, relatable, or unexpected.
Perfect your timing: Shorter Reels (30-60 seconds) tend to perform better and reach a wider audience.
Harness the power of hashtags: Use relevant, trending hashtags to help your content discoverable.
Expand your reach: Share your Reels across multiple platforms for maximum exposure.
By incorporating these strategies into your content plan, you can stay ahead of the curve and achieve outstanding results. Let's work together to create Reels that genuinely captivate your audience.
And Even More Instagram Reels Trends and Insights
Short-form video content is undeniably king on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Creating content that consistently captures attention and drives engagement is a dynamic challenge, but essential for our clients' success. Thankfully, Later updates a monthly list of the top trending Reels on Instagram for advertisers and brands to learn from.
Reels and TikToks offer endless creative possibilities, from showcasing products to sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses. We recommend leveraging resources like Later's monthly trending Reels report to stay ahead of the curve. This provides valuable insights into popular audio tracks, video formats, and overall trends.
It's important to note that while many trending audio tracks are engaging, not all are royalty-free. For sponsored content, always prioritize Meta's royalty-free sound library to avoid potential copyright issues.
Thank you for spending time reading this latest update! If you enjoyed this week’s “news can use,” you won’t want to miss the latest on TikTok in my blog update surrounding the latest legislation that is forcing TikTok to be sold or be banned in the United States.
The Latest Social Media and Influencer Marketing News You Need in July
Let’s dive into this week’s news you can use, where we’ll cover the latest social media and influencer marketing news that you need to be aware of as we start the month of July. This week, we’ll discuss the latest from Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, how marketing professionals can use social media data as part of their storytelling efforts, and recent data showing how many Americans actually use the most popular social media platforms to get their news.
Instagram Chief Reiterates That Sends Are Now a Key Focus
In his most recent video, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri reiterated that creators should focus on making their content more shareable. This shift in focus, with more people now engaging within DMs in the app than with feed posts, presents a promising opportunity. Instagram is actively seeking to amplify content that encourages more sharing behavior, i.e. posts that inspire more users to tap the "Send" icon and forward it to their friends.
"Don't force it as a creator, but if you can, when you're making content, think about making content that people would want to send to a friend, to someone that they care about, and it will help your reach over time."
Instagram's new sends display counts in the app, which have recently been rolled out to more users, are also intended to highlight this user trend. Instagram has been testing this with a select group of users for nearly a year, but it has been expanded recently, with more users reporting share counts on app posts.
So, if you want to win on Instagram in 2024, here's how. Creative concepts are always challenging, but if you want to follow the advice of Instagram's founder, this is the way to go.
Storytelling with Social Media Data
As advertising professionals, we know the power of a captivating story. But as a data-driven agency, that story often hinges on numbers and insights. Our partners at Sprout Social recently put a blog together showing how to weave social media data into a narrative that resonates with clients and our colleagues:
Uncover the Nuggets: Put on your 'strategist' hat and identify the core message you want to convey through this data. For instance, if you're presenting data on customer engagement, the 'nugget' could be a surprising trend or a significant change in behavior. Identify the data points that best support this narrative, especially those that challenge our client's assumptions about their target audience or industry.
Start with a Hook: Grab our client's attention (or their manager's) from the get-go. Instead of burying the lede, Sprout suggests opening with the 2nd most compelling insight. For example, "While we've seen a healthy lift in engagements in Q2, what's really intriguing is the parallel surge in link clicks stemming from our content. "The goal is to spark curiosity and hopefully set the stage for a deeper conversation.
Visuals are Our Friends: We don't just talk about data; we can visualize it. We often use Sprout Social's reporting features, which include graphs, charts, and other visual aids, to help reinforce our takeaways. For some of our clients who are not traditional marketers, visuals make data more digestible and add an element of storytelling that keeps our audience engaged when reviewing our reports.
The "So What?": Similar to a critical reflection model, I'm a big fan of asking "What? So what? Now what?" and we want our clients to walk away with more than just a PDF with some numbers. Because data without context is meaningless. Whatever narrative we're looking to tell, we need to be able to communicate why this story matters to our clients and their leadership team. Ending the report with actionable next steps demonstrates how data can inform decision-making.
Do Americans Get Their News on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram?
Breaking news: Contrary to popular belief, consumers must use their favorite social media platforms to get breaking news.
In a new report by Pew Research, data reveals that less than half of social media users on the most popular platforms regularly seek out news content. This highlights a critical insight: while social media is a powerful tool for brand awareness and engagement, there may be better channels for getting information-heavy content across.
Some of the key takeaways for advertisers and brands:
Prioritize personal connection and foster authentic engagement on social media by encouraging user-generated content and sparking conversations from that content.
Optimize our client's messaging for entertainment and engagement while still educating our target audience rather than solely focusing on sharing product-heavy information. Meta says it best that content must "educate, entertain, and/or inform your audience."
Leverage influencers and partner with influential voices on social media to help amplify our client's messages.
As always, thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this week’s “news can use,” you won’t want to miss the latest on TikTok in my blog update surrounding the latest legislation that is forcing TikTok to be sold or be banned in the United States.
The Social Media and Influencer Marketing News You Can Use in June
As we get closer to the Juneteenth holiday, I am reminded of the progress we as a country have made so far, and how progress requires consistent effort. I hope we can all enjoy the time off and to reflect on this country’s history.
Let’s dive into this week’s news you can use, where we’ll cover the latest social media and influencer marketing news that you need to be aware of in June. This week, we’ll discuss two potential platform updates coming to Instagram, Snapchat’s user base is growing older and get a brief introduction on how influencer partnerships come to life behind the scenes.
Need a Gut Check Before Posting? Instagram’s Got Your Back With New Features
Instagram is testing out two exciting new features to enable users to get feedback on their Reels prior to posting them to the public. Both features are currently being tested on select accounts.
The first feature lets users send a preview of their in-progress video creation to friends. On a personal level, it's a chance to ask, "Do I look ridiculous in this outfit?" For brands, it's an additional review step to catch spelling errors, evaluate background music choices, check cuts, assess video length, and more. This process is completely private and visible only to those you choose to share it with.
The second feature allows users to share their Reels with a randomly selected audience of non-followers before officially making them public. For brands, this could be a way to test new concepts or edgier ideas and gauge reactions. You have 24 hours to decide whether to post it publicly or archive it.
Instagram's goal with these features is to improve content quality and encourage more users to give posting Reels a try by offering these safety nets.
Snapchat’s User Base is Growing Up and That’s A Win For Advertisers
Think Snapchat is just a playground for Gen Z? Think again. The platform is experiencing a significant demographic shift, with a growing segment of mature users. In an interview with Marketing Brew, Patrick Harris, Snap's President of the Americas, revealed that nearly a quarter of Snapchat's user base is 35 or older. This data point presents a compelling business opportunity for advertisers seeking to engage a diverse audience beyond younger audiences.
Snapchat's evolving brand positioning is underscored by a new ad campaign that sets the platform apart from its competitors. In conjunction with this campaign, Snapchat has rolled out an array of innovative advertising capabilities, including enhanced Dynamic Ads, generative AI and AR capabilities, and a suite of tools designed to empower advertisers and brands.
With a growing segment of older users and a revitalized ad platform, Snapchat is positioning itself as a potent force in the advertising landscape, ready to cater to the needs of a broader range of brands and businesses. And these efforts are yielding results as an advertising platform, with a reported 85% year-over-year growth in its small and medium advertiser base in Q1. This momentum is further bolstered by Snapchat's expanding user base, which recently surpassed 422 million daily active users.
A Brief Introduction to Influencer Partnerships (Through Legal)
Having a clear partnership agreement is crucial for successful collaborations. We wanted to share some behind the scenes info as to how we bring their content to life, while protecting our clients from any serious issues. Now you’ve probably heard the terms "contract" and "agreement" thrown around on status or internal calls, and are sometimes used interchangeably, but understanding the distinction is vital.
Agreements typically outline the partnership's scope, defining each party's responsibilities. For example, a brand might want an influencer to create content around a certain product and promote the product page on their Link in Bio.
Contracts, on the other hand, often delve deeper, specifying the terms under which the work is carried out. They might include restrictions on language use, guidelines on discussing competitors, and payment details.
Ideally, an agreement and contract are finalized and signed before any creative work begins. Now why are contracts and agreements important? They provide clarity by eliminating confusion by defining roles and responsibilities, ensuring everyone understands their part in the collaboration. And they help our clients mitigate risk by addressing potential disputes by outlining content expectations, how creative revisions happen, ownership of intellectual property, usage rights and termination procedures.
If you enjoyed this week’s “news can use,” you won’t want to miss the latest on TikTok in my blog update surrounding the latest legislation that is forcing TikTok to be sold or be banned in the United States.
The Latest Social Media News You Can Use in June
Welcome to this week’s news you can use, where we’ll cover the latest social media and influencer marketing news that you need to be aware of in June. This week, we’ll take a look at how brands are using experiential events to drive engagements on social media, Instagram leans into longer-form video content enabling longer Reels, and TikTok continues
Before you dig into the TikTok update, get caught up on the latest and greatest in my blog update surrounding the latest legislation that is forcing TikTok to be sold or be banned in the United States.
How Brands Use Experiential Events to Generate Social Engagement
With Summer in full swing, the significance of experiential marketing becomes more clear as consumers want to be outside and brands can meet them there. Whether you're the team behind the Kentucky Derby's social channels, publishing over 50 TikTok posts around this year's event, or the Topgolf team that showcased on social how they sent an ice cream truck serving peach ice cream sandwiches around town during the Masters, brands are stepping up their experiential marketing game and using social media as their platform.
Now, how can advertisers and brands translate live events into online engagement? Here are a couple of tips from our partners at Sprout Social on how to do so:
User-generated Content: One powerful tool in the hands of brands is user-generated content (UGC). By leveraging UGC, brands cannot only increase engagement but also reach a wider audience. People love to see their favorite brands featured in their feeds, and UGC is a proven performer for various Motion clients. This is your chance to empower your audience and make them a part of your brand's story.
Behind-the-scenes content: Contrary to the famous saying, many people are genuinely interested in understanding "how the sausage is made." Behind-the-scenes content provides a window into a brand's inner workings, showcasing the real people and the effort that goes into it. This authenticity can foster a sense of connection, building trust and loyalty among our clients' target audiences.
Instagram Introduces Longer Reels: Why You May Not Want to Use Them
Instagram recently shared an explainer video on how to post Reels longer than 90 seconds. Rather than uploading the video in the app's "Reels" section, content creators can go to "Post" and select the 90-second or longer video they want to post. No more jump-cut edits or sacrificing valuable content to meet Instagram's 90-second Reel threshold. Right?
While longer-form Reels may be beneficial to your brand in some cases, you should keep your Reels as short and snappy as possible. Instagram warns against posting Reels up to 90 seconds, which can limit their ability to drive engagements, and reach new audiences.
According to the caption of an Instagram post on the subject, "any video over 90 seconds won't be eligible to be recommended in Explore or Reels Tab." Aside from Instagram's technical constraints, brands may want to keep content as concise as possible because research shows that shorter videos receive higher engagement on the platform.
TikTok Is Exploring a US-Only Version of Its Algorithm
Would TikTok still exist if its all-knowing algorithm didn't keep feeding you more of the content you want to watch every time you log in? That could be a key question of the app's next evolution as it ideats around alternatives that would allow it to remain in operation in the United States. Under China's revised export-control rules, Chinese officials have already vetoed any potential sale of its algorithmic code. Any sale involving its source code would require Government approval. As a result, we can rule out TikTok being sold in it’s entirety.
Rest assured, TikTok has been diligently working on an alternative feed algorithm for over a year as part of its 'Project Texas' initiative. While some may be skeptical (including me), it's important to remember that TikTok's success is built on a system of proprietary technology, making it a formidable challenge to replicate it completely.
If you’re looking for more of the latest and greatest in social media, ee sure to check out more of my writing. Such as, my favorite social media tools, like GoCharlie.ai. And you can also get the keys to gaining success with influencer marketing and more deep dives on other social media or influencer marketing topics.
The Latest Social Media News You Can Use In May
Welcome to this week’s news you can use, where we’ll cover the latest social media and influencer marketing news that you need to be aware of. Today, we look at the rise of the employee social media ambassador, the latest data around when is the best time to post your brand’s content, and X is making another platform change regarding how engagements are viewed.
Before you dig in, don’t miss my blog update about the latest legislation that is forcing TikTok to be sold or banned in the United States.
The Rise of the Employee Social Media Ambassador
In April, TikTok creator and Chick-fil-A employee Miriam Webb, who built a following of tens of thousands of people by reviewing Chick-fil-A menu items, said in a post on the platform that she had been notified by the company that her videos violated a rule in its employee handbook. She would no longer be posting them—much to the disappointment of her comments section.
Less than a week later, Webb released the first of two paid videos with Shake Shack, in which she reviewed the chain's new chicken sandwich. This is just one example of successful brand partnerships, with Miriam also working with other brands, including El Pollo Loco, Dunkin Donuts, and Claire's, further demonstrating the potential of such partnerships.
Brands like Southwest Airlines, Sherwin Paint, and Chick-fil-A are grappling with a fascinating challenge. They are striving to utilize the power of employee advocacy on social media effectively. The struggle lies in maintaining the authenticity that these employee social ambassadors can convey, as they represent real human beings who can humanize a brand, much like influencer marketing.
Best Times to Post to Social Platforms in 2024
There is no single best time to post on social media for every brand and business. Each brand's audience is unique, with different behaviors and interests, so there is no one-size-fits-all, prescriptive approach that will guarantee the best results every time you post. However, this also means that there are always opportunities to adapt and improve your social media strategy.
According to Sprout's data, the best times to post on Facebook are weekdays between 9 a.m. and midday, with Sundays being the worst. According to Sprout Social, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. are the best for Instagram, with less engagement on Fridays and weekends.
While there's no universal 'best time to post' on social media, guides can serve a valuable purpose. They can highlight broader trends in engagement and prompt you to consider when you might want to start experimenting to find your ideal posting cadence.
On LinkedIn, company pages receive the most engagement on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Pinterest is also included, with the best time to pin is Tuesday through Friday at 1 a.m. TikTok posting works best in the afternoon, between 2 and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Finally, on X, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. are ideal.
X Is Hiding Post Likes for All Users
A new update from X has removed the ability to browse a user's profile and see which posts they've liked. X has decided to remove Likes from the platform for all users in order to mitigate the potential negative consequences of your interest.
It will not only give users more freedom to like whatever they want without fear of someone looking up their Likes later, but X hopes that with this increased freedom, users will Like more posts, allowing it to use that data to improve its algorithms.
That’s all for this week! If you’re looking for more of the latest and greatest in social media, ee sure to check out more of my writing. Such as, my favorite social media tools, like GoCharlie.ai. And you can also get the keys to gaining success with influencer marketing and more deep dives on other social media or influencer marketing topics.
