Let’s kick off the month of December with another Spark Social Report by Spark Growth! Check out this week’s latest digital marketing trends and social media updates including TikTok’s new Business Registration feature.
Digital Marketing Trends
Twitter is not just spreading cheer but also some holiday insights for digital marketers! In collaboration with AdAge, Twitter’s report provides some holiday trends and tips. One major takeaway from the report is for brands to partner with digital creators for timely holiday campaigns! According to a Twitter survey, over a third of people get holiday shopping inspiration from the celebrities and influencers they follow. In 2020, digital creator mentions spiked during key retail dates such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday and even increased a week out from Christmas. Creators can play a significant role in helping brands to drive engagement and holiday sales.
Social Media Updates
TikTok
Are you a content creator on TikTok? If so, get ready because TikTok just introduced new ways to monetize creator content with “Tips” and “Video Gifts” in its new “Creator Next” portal! Similar to LIVE gifts, Video Gifts enable creators to collect Diamonds through their video content, which can be redeemed for money. Creators can also receive tips from fans, all of which go straight to the creator after service fees. In order to be eligible for TikTok’s Creator Next, users must meet the platform’s age and minimum follower requirements as well as be in good standing with TikTok’s Community Guidelines. Creator Next and its features are additional opportunities for content creators to grow their communities and maximize monetization on the app.
The platform is available to more users after the company has brought its app to Google TV, Android TV OS devices, as well as LG and Samsung Smart TVs. Users will now be able to lean back and enjoy their favorite content on the big screen! TikTokers can simply log in to the TikTok TV app with their existing account to experience their “For You” and “Following” feeds with friends and family at home.
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As tweeted by social media expert Matt Navarra, the app also launched a new “Business Registration” feature. Acting as another push for eCommerce on the platform, businesses can register on the app to gain access to more resources, advanced features, and display their business category on their profile! With Business Registration, business owners can validate their account and give their profile more credibility on TikTok.
TikTok has a new ‘Business Registration’ feature
h/t @YasserM86 pic.twitter.com/FRS5A0FWFA
— Matt Navarra (I quit X. Follow me on Threads) (@MattNavarra) November 25, 2021
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In addition, Matt Navarra also revealed that TikTok is testing out a video tagging feature! In addition to mentioning other people in the caption, users may be able to tag others in their videos in the future. Although the tagging feature is still in its testing phase, it may be an opportunity for users to gain traction from other TikTokkers and boost engagement on their content.
New! TikTok is testing letting users tag other people in their videos
h/t @Sam_Schmir pic.twitter.com/Jdfkl12z3h
— Matt Navarra (I quit X. Follow me on Threads) (@MattNavarra) November 29, 2021
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Meta updated its approach to safety on Messenger and Instagram DMs. Privacy and safety go hand-in-hand which is why the company implemented end-to-end encryption (E2EE) across Messenger and Instagram DMs to protect private messages. The company is also preventing abuse with artificial intelligence that detects harmful accounts by looking at non-encrypted parts of the platforms. Additional effort to combat harmful content is by making things easier for users to report content with new specific categories on Messenger and Instagram.
Continuing with the previous update, Meta also introduced “Hidden Words” on Instagram that enables users to filter offensive language. The company notes that ensuring a safe online environment is an ongoing process.
Next, how is Instagram hoping to attract younger users to its platform? The app may soon combine image posts, Stories, Reels, and Video content displayed on a single swipeable screen. A hint towards this direction for the platform was the introduction of longer Stories. Even though Instagram hasn’t officially confirmed or announced this change, users should still be on the lookout to see how the app changes over time to appeal to the younger demographic.
YouTube
The video streaming platform is testing out some tools including “Search Insights” and “Content Gap.” To help creators cultivate relevant content, Search Insights may enable them to observe what their channel viewers are searching for as well as viewers across YouTube. The Content Gap tool can reveal viewers’ keyword searches and search volume. Although Search Insights and Content Gap are currently being tested so there’s no official release date, these sound like valuable tools that help creators get more insight on their viewers.
Twitter aims to make its platform a safe space for its users with the introduction of its Birdwatch program. Now, active participants of the program can feel even more comfortable with the additional feature of being able to contribute through an alias rather than their Twitter handle. Birdwatch enables participants to write notes and flag questionable Tweets, misinformation, or harmful content on the platform. The majority of active contributors voiced their preference for reporting under an alias, which was strongest amongst women and black contributors. By using an alias, people can feel comfortable reporting anonymously while also helping to make Twitter a safer space for everyone. Learn more about Twitter’s Birdwatch here!
🐦Introducing Birdwatch aliases!🔍 We want everyone to feel comfortable contributing to Birdwatch, and aliases let you write and rate notes without sharing your Twitter username. pic.twitter.com/ROlbpYvT7u
— Community Notes (@CommunityNotes) November 22, 2021
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Speaking of safer spaces, the company also updated its private information policy to include media, such as posting photos of someone without their consent. It means that now when Twitter receives a report of unauthorized private media use, actions will be taken that align with its existing range of enforcement options. Including media in its private information policy is an endeavor to cut down on potentially harmful use of content that violates users’ privacy and may lead to emotional or physical harm.
Those subscribed to Twitter Blue may soon be able to bring on the holiday cheer as the app is testing out holiday-themed icons. App researcher Alessandro Paluzzi posted a series of Tweets showcasing sets of potential icons that coincide with seasonal trends going from Christmas and New Year, Summer and Winter, and even Kwanzaa-themed icons! The feature has yet to be officially announced but the potential for users to celebrate their favorite seasons with different icons will add a creative flair to the platform!
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While many people have recently been in an uproar over YouTube’s controversial decisions regarding its downvote button, reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong notes that Twitter’s Reply downvotes feature may be available to more users in the future. Reply downvote is a feature Twitter has been working on over the past few months for iOS users. The goal is to test and understand the types of conversations and replies that users find relevant to a discussion thread on the app. It was also noted that downvotes aren’t made public while upvotes are displayed as likes. Though unofficially released, downvotes may be able to enhance users’ experience on the platform by hiding less valuable content.
Twitter is working on “Reply downvotes” introduction screen pic.twitter.com/FFvK3RUpHz
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) November 24, 2021
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New real-time Reddit features have rolled out including voting and comment count animations, typing and reading indicators, as well as new comment indicators. Voting will not static anymore as users will now experience dynamic animations for vote counts. In the same vein, comment numbers on posts will also be animated as new comments are added. Indicators such as typing, reading, and comments will display how many people are actively participating in real-time. Reddit’s rollout of new features makes for an engaging and immersive experience. Redditors on desktop, iOS, and Android globally can experience these features now.
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It’s time to get creative because LinkedIn’s creator mode now has access to live video and newsletters. With live video, users will be able to broadcast content on their profile and engage with their audience in real-time. Newsletters will enable authors on the platform to distribute content that will notify other users through automated emails and in-app notifications. The new features will slowly roll out throughout the month and will give LinkedIn users the opportunity to get discovered and cultivate deeper and more engaging communities.
That’s all for this week’s digital marketing trends social media updates. If you enjoyed this week’s content make sure to follow us on Instagram to get the latest news, updates, and more!
This week we talked about TikTok’s push for eCommerce with its new Business Registration feature. If you haven’t taken advantage of social media for your business yet then what’s stopping you? Boost your social media presence with the help of our digital marketing experts today!
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