The Latest Social Media & Influencer News in September
Welcome back to another installment of the social media and influencer marketing news that you need to know in September.
This week, we’ll be covering the rise of influencer marketing over traditional ads, Instagram updating its feed for Reels, and the launch of TikTok’s shopping functionality.
Influencer Marketing Is Rising Faster Than Traditional Ads
A new report from Insider Intelligence highlights the key trends driving influencer marketing investments. According to the research, "Influencer marketing spending will rise roughly 3.5 times faster in 2023 than social ad spending will." More brands are beginning to rely on Influencers and Creators to amplify their messaging, changing how their consumers receive and respond to content.
Our clients at the Motion Agency, from Gladiator to Truluck's to myQ Connected Garage, are reaping the various benefits of an influencer connection, such as increased impressions, engagements, net-followers, and UGC. Check out the content below to see some of our current Influencer collaborations.
Here are some recent influencer activations we’ve launched on behalf of our clients:
Truluck's: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvcjXPNALsZ/
Gladiator: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv77gYtLSod/
Instagram Adds “Following” Filter for Reels
Instagram is taking another page out of TikTok's book, and you can filter your Reels feed only to see videos from people you follow. Until recently, Instagram only provided a single Reels feed that presented a mix of posts from accounts you follow and recommended Reels that the app felt you would be interested in.
To take inspiration from a popular TikTok feature, users will soon be able to filter their feed to show only Reels from accounts they're following. However, analysts believe that because of the variety of profiles people follow on Instagram, this feature may not be as popular as on TikTok. We will monitor how effective some of Instagram's modifications are and how they compare to TikTok.
TikTok Shop Has Officially Launched
TikTok Shop, the social media platform's e-commerce initiative, went live in the US on Tuesday. The move allows many of TikTok's 150 million US-based users to find and shop for products within the app. TikTok Shop brings shoppable videos and live streams directly to users' feeds, and users can purchase products without leaving the app.
The launch of TikTok Shop is a significant step for the platform, which has been steadily growing its e-commerce capabilities in recent months. The platform's young, engaged audience makes it a valuable target for merchants, and it is shoppable videos and live streams offer a unique way to reach consumers.
The launch of TikTok Shop is likely to shake up the e-commerce landscape. The platform's young, engaged audience makes it a valuable target for merchants, and its shoppable videos and live streams offer a unique way to reach consumers. It will be interesting to see how TikTok Shop performs in the US and if it impacts the competition between social media platforms and traditional e-commerce players.
