Welcome back to Spark Social Report by Spark Growth, your weekly source for social media updates! This week, Instagram launched its Creator Marketplace, Twitter announced a new CoTweets feature designed for collaboration, and Reddit added new limited-edition Collectible Avatars. Continue reading for more updates across social media!
Video Marketing Insights
Video continues to be the most popular and engaging content format online. Although short-form video content like TikTok and Instagram Reels have blown up, YouTube still dominates as the most popular video platform. Having a video strategy for social media marketing has become essential.
ShortStack outlines video consumption trends to help your brand find the right platform for your video strategy. Here are some key takeaways:
- Over 70% of internet users in the U.S. between the ages of 26-35 use YouTube. Only 30% of the same age group are on Instagram.
- YouTube has a potential ad reach of 32.4% of the total population.
Click here for the full infographic.
New “Unmention” Feature on Twitter
https://twitter.com/TwitterSafety/status/1546555047630159872
Have you ever wanted to remove yourself from a negative conversation online? You’re in luck because Twitter has announced an option for users to “unmention” themselves from a Twitter chat. By selecting “leave the conversation” on a Tweet where you are tagged, you will be untagged from the Tweet and you won’t be able to be mentioned again in the same thread chain. In addition, you won’t be notified about new messages in the chain. This feature provides users with more control over where they’re tagged.
New Custom Feed Experiment
Twitter is testing more ways to customize your feed and utilize new algorithms. Twitter developer, Amir Shevat, tweeted about a custom timeline experiment for a feed dedicated to the TV show, The Bachelorette. This timeline was created in partnership with ABC and will be available for select users who are already interested in the show. This update shows that Twitter is still developing custom timelines and will hopefully offer more feed options in the future.
New CoTweets for Collaborative Messages
https://twitter.com/TwitterCreate/status/1545099608195567619
Collaboration features are becoming popular across social media platforms. Twitter is testing CoTweets, a collaborative way for two users to create together and share the credit. Instagram and TikTok have recently offered their own collaboration features and now Twitter is jumping on the bandwagon.
The feature is essentially a Tweet that can be created by two users and will show up on both of their respective feeds. It can also be an easy way to credit the original creator of an image. Users who want to create a Tweet with someone else must send a CoTweet invite. If the other user accepts, then it’s time to start creating your CoTweet together! The feature is in limited testing for some users in the U.S., Canada, and Korea.
Alt Text Reminder
Do you sometimes forget to add alt text to your photos? Twitter is testing a reminder prompt to let users know why they should add alt text. Alt text is a written description of an image and helps people with disabilities understand the purpose of an image. This reminder can help more users know about the feature and increase the accessibility of the app.
Did You Get an Invite to Instagram’s Creator Marketplace?
[Source]
Instagram launched the first official test of its Creator Marketplace. This will enable advertisers to find creators to partner with for campaigns. Creators can be filtered by gender, age, number of followers, interests, and the demographics of their audience. On the flip side, advertisers will also be able to see which creators are interested in working with them. The full campaign process can be managed on the Creator Marketplace. There will be deliverables and payment information as well as a new Partnership Messages inbox to coordinate.
This could be a very valuable tool for both advertisers and creators. The feature is being tested on an invite-only basis with brands in the U.S.
Profile Feed Ads
#Instagram is working on profile feed ads 👀 pic.twitter.com/zYRoupAkV1
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) July 12, 2022
Found by Alessandro Paluzzi, a mobile developer, it looks like Instagram is testing profile feed ads. In the test settings, users can allow profile feed ads that will show up when others visit their profile. No other information on the feature has been released by Instagram yet!
Live Producer Tool for Desktop Streaming
Looks like Instagram is trying to compete with Twitch with its new “Live Producer” tool for streaming. The tool will allow users to go live from a desktop when using supported streaming software, such as OBS and Streamlabs. Users will have more control over their production, including access to additional cameras and graphics. The option is currently being tested. Stay tuned for more details!
TikTok
New TikTok Inventory Filter for Advertisers
TikTok launched the “Inventory Filter” for advertisers to allow them more control over what content is displayed alongside their ads. The feature uses machine learning to detect content that is high risk (e.g. excessive mature themes), medium risk (e.g. mature themes in entertainment), and low risk (e.g. mature themes from an educational perspective). This way, the app will be able to place ads with appropriately themed content. TikTok states that the technology evolves in real-time and adjusts to new trends.
Grow on TikTok with Follow Me
TikTok has introduced an educational experience for small-and-medium businesses to help them get better results on the app. The program, “Follow Me,” offers tips from small business ambassadors who use TikTok to get sales and improve brand awareness. It is a 6-week email series that is based on each business’s goals. The program started on July 11th so head to this link to sign up!
All Emojis Available for Reactions
Since you asked…
… all emoji Reactions are here! We’re feeling 🤩😎🙌🤸🎉💚 about it.
Starting to roll out now to Android and iOS pic.twitter.com/Opk7x0n0VP
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) July 11, 2022
No more limitations on which emojis you can use to react to a WhatsApp message! The company has added all emojis Reactions after many users had been requesting more options. Reactions have become a popular response for users on most social platforms as it is a simple way to respond to a message or post. Some platforms only offer a “like” reaction, so WhatsApp allowing all emojis Reactions is definitely an upgrade!
New In-App Shopping Tools
Pinterest is upgrading and adding new in-app shopping tools. First off, product tagging is getting an upgrade. The tags will now offer more information and link directly to the product rather than a company’s main landing page. Pinterest is also adding video options for product listings.
Next, the company is adding a “Shop” tab to business profiles for users to easily see featured products when viewing a company’s profile. This provides a convenient option to view all products in one place.
Lastly, Pinterest is launching an API for shopping. As stated by Pinterest, this feature should make it easier for retailers to ensure the right product information is displayed. It will be automated so that all inventory changes, such as a new sale, will automatically be updated on Pinterest.
Collectible Avatars Have Launched
Reddit is introducing Collectible Avatars that aim to support artists while also leveraging blockchain technology. Collectible Avatars will be available for a limited time and will be created in partnership with independent artists. Unlike regular avatars, the Collectible Avatars will be available for purchase with revenue going towards the artists. Where does blockchain tech come in? The company states that when users buy a Collectible Avatar, they’ll also get the right to use the art both on and outside of Reddit. So while the company didn’t mention “NFTs” anywhere in its announcement, their new offering functions very similar to NFTs.
Snapchat
NFT AR Snapchat Filters
Snapchat is testing ways for users to use NFTs as AR filters on the app. Creators will be able to import NFTs as Lenses after creating them on a separate platform. The filters will not be for profit but will be a way to showcase creativity and advertise digital collectibles. This is set to be tested by a limited number of creators in August.
That wraps up the latest social media updates for this week! Be sure to check us out on Instagram for more digital marketing trends and news.
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