The Latest Social Media News In August

This week, we'll discuss TikTok’s appetite for music streaming, the growing trend of direct mail advertising, and debunking more myths around influencer marketing.

For more news and trends, be sure to check out my blog. And you can find more of my recent writing here and here.

TikTok Explores Creating Their Own Music Platform

If you're not on TikTok, let me introduce you to new consumer behavior when it comes to music. Since TikTok's meteoric rise as a popular platform, many users have often discovered a song on TikTok and then found it on their favorite streaming service. TikTok is far superior as a discovery platform when it comes to finding the next popular tune: TikTok is the first platform where 63% of users discover new music.

So much so that many believe TikTok is looking at hosting music on its platform. And those people were correct, as TikTok reportedly filed patents for "TikTok Music."

As ByteDance responds to questions about why TikTok user data from the United States is being accessed in China, the company hopes to move forward.

From Inbox to Mailbox

Thought that direct mail advertising was out of date? Think again. Snail mail is coming back; studies show younger demographics prefer it over email advertising. According to a USPS study, "62 percent of millennials read through their advertising mail rather than discarding it without reading." According to the study, millennials believe when brands send physical mail, they are “putting effort into their advertising."

Because of the clutter in online advertising and growing data-privacy concerns, some marketers are returning to traditional marketing materials such as direct mail. Furthermore, brands hope that by sending physical mail to a younger audience, they will be able to stand out in their respective industries. 

Diving Deeper Into Influencer Marketing

Many advertising professionals and brand managers have misconceptions about influencer marketing. I've written about four of them in a previous blog post, but I wanted to highlight an article my team shared at our agency. 

Influencer marketing isn't just for raising brand awareness; did you know that 80% of consumers have purchased a product after seeing it recommended by an influencer? It's also a more affordable option than many would believe! Micro-influencers are frequently more trusted by their followers and are significantly less expensive than the "Kim Kardashians" of the world. 

I hope you found these news articles to be informative and useful. Until next time!