Tag Archives: morning news

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 28 March 2022

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Omega X Swatch Collection Draws Huge Queues Not Only in Singapore but Also Around the World

This is an example of a product launch that went horribly wrong. Not only in Singapore, but all over the globe. Here’s a quick rundown of what happened in Singapore over the weekend, notably at MBS and ION Orchard:

On the day of the debut, Omega and Swatch collaborated to offer a limited quantity of watches for sale. However, they did not expressly state that this will be made readily available for mass purchase in a few weeks. From 7 a.m., a large number of people queued at the outlets. When the store only had 100 watches for sale, the throng grew to nearly 500+ individuals queuing in a limited space.

Both brands had no online or on-site communication to deal with the matter. It got worse when someone passed out and the cops had to intervene, requiring the ambulance to be dispatched, adding to the strain on the already overburdened Singapore healthcare system.

As this is a pandemic, brands should have been more cautious in applying smarter digital tactics to entice customers in this first-ever unique launch, giving more thought to the tactical phase, and being more hands-on in crisis management to avoid pandemonium.

Link: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/style-beauty/omega-swatch-moonswatch-launch-long-queues-308111

Instagram’s Testing a New, Full-Screen Main Feed of Feed Posts, Stories and Reels Content. (Not rolled out yet)

Instagram is experimenting with a new, completely integrated home feed that would eliminate the top Stories bar and replace it with an immersive, full-screen, swipeable UI. Regular Feed posts, Stories, and Reels will all be contained within a single flow.

It’s a more obvious and logical approach to presenting Instagram material, and it fits perfectly with TikTok’s expanding usage trends. In contrast to the existing system, which presents things in varied ways and frequently puts more than one item on the screen at a time, the change would allow algorithmic enhancements based on your response to each specific post.

Instagram hasn’t yet been able to crack the algorithm as effectively as TikTok has and the new presentation style could help to change that and would be a big step in moving into line with the broader TikTok trend.

Link:https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagrams-testing-a-new-full-screen-main-feed-of-feed-posts-stories-and/621071/

Instagram Launches Algorithm-Free Feed Sorting Options to All Users

Users may now view their Instagram feed in chronological order based on the profiles they follow, ad-free and with recommendations. (Basically, we’re reverting back to how IG used to look when we all first started using it.)

To modify the appearance of your main content, you now have two new Instagram feed display options to pick from:

  • Favourites – Accounts that you have added to your ‘Favourites’ list. You can add up to 50 accounts as Favourites.
  • Following – Accounts that you follow in the app, as per the regular Instagram feed.

It does not, however, apply to the feed that appears when you first launch the app. Only by clicking on the word “Instagram” in the top left corner and selecting “Favourites” or “Following” will you be able to see this. Users are also complaining that despite downloading the most recent version for the app, they are still unable to see this new function.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-launches-algorithm-free-feed-sorting-options-to-all-users/620908/

TikTok Caption + Likes Update

When you’re viewing your own video on your TikTok page, you’ll see an interface that looks like a live stream, with the title, comments, and live float up and down. This could be a useful way for you to look back over your films and discover who has enjoyed them.

If you’re watching videos from another account, you won’t see this interface. I looked for news about this update but couldn’t find anything that explained why TikTok intended to change the interface.

Charles & Keith Metaverse Contest

Charles & Keith are showcasing their new Spring collection with their own pop-up booth in the virtual realm in connection with the world’s first Metaverse Fashion Week hosted on Decentraland.

They’ve established a contest in which users may build their own avatar at the Charles & Keith pop-up booth while carrying any of their new bags for a chance to win the season’s main bag, the mini Koa bag.

This allows consumers to not only see the new collection without leaving their homes but also to express their personal style by creating their own avatars and trying on digital wearables from the collection. If the user like what they see, they’ll be taken to the product page where they can buy it right away.

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 21 March 2022

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Facebook Is Developing Reactions to Reels

Facebook is now extending reactions to Reels as another way to respond to its short-form video content.

Users can choose from seven different reactions, including emoticons. At the moment, you can only like or comment on posts. You can also express how you feel about the video with emoticons, while this is not required. There is, however, no mention of full testing or a release date.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebooks-developing-reactions-for-reels/620670/

The Secret to Hopping on TikTok Trends

TrendTok Analytics is a tool for producers to discover the most recent and up-and-coming trends on TikTok, and it notifies users when a new sound is popular. Under the audio, you can see data like connected hashtags, the number of current views, and AI prediction.

The software uses artificial intelligence to compile a list of customised trends related to the creator’s niche, as well as to predict viral trends before they occur. Creators who pounce on trends before they reach their apex discover that their videos are more likely to be shared with more people, resulting in higher audio usage.

Link: https://www.forusapps.com/trendtokapp

Heineken Parodies Metaverse with Virtual Brew

Within the metaverse, Heineken claims to have created the world’s first virtual beer.

The beer will only be accessible at Heineken’s virtual brewery on Decentraland, where guests of a launch party learnt how the beer is manufactured while feasting on “pixelated lobster and caviar” and interacting with Heineken brand ambassadors.

The virtual brew, which advertises “no calories, no hidden ingredients, and no beer,” was designed as a humorous activation that taps into the hoopla around the metaverse and virtual goods while also building brand awareness.

They said that Heineken Silver, their new virtual beer, is an ironic joke. It’s a self-aware concept that mocks them and a slew of other firms who are attempting to enter the metaverse with products that are best appreciated in the real world.

Metaverse platforms like Decentraland have become excellent (virtual) real estate for marketers hoping to cash in on the growing popularity of virtual goods and experiences.

The virtual brewery also serves as a learning tool for Heineken. Virtual yeast, called as A-Pixels, may be seen brewing in horizontal tanks within the virtual brewery. The A-Pixels are a substitute for the actual A-yeast used by Heineken to produce their real-life beer.

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/heineken-parodies-metaverse-with-virtual-brew/620597/

IG Reels Audio Hack

Due to copyright, Business accounts do not have access to music from recording artists because they don’t want their name attached to a brand. (Most sources come from 2021)

If you encounter such a scenario where you are unable to find the audio, just download the video with the audio you want, then import the audio when posting on your client’s account. When you import audio, IG will prompt you to name your audio and you can just give the credit to the original song and artist.

Link: https://destination-digital.co.uk/news-blogs-case-studies/lets-get-reel-can-instagram-reels-work-for-business-accounts/

TikTok Is Rolling Out Snapchat-style Stories

Using the same editing tools, effects, filters, and noises as when taking a photo or video for TikTok’s basic function, adding a video or photo to a narrative is a breeze. Stories, unlike ordinary TikTok videos, do not appear on your profile or feed and are deleted after 24 hours.

How it works: When you’re watching a video, you’ll notice a blue-circled profile image. When you tap it, you’ll be sent right to that user’s storey feed. If you’re reading a user’s profile, you’ll notice the same blue circle, and hitting the profile photo will take you to the story. 

The key difference between this and, say, IGS is that users can comment publicly on stories and see who has read the content. Rather than sending a list of private story views and replies to a DM, TikTok Stories will display user comments on the story itself, as well as an additional tab that allows users to see who has viewed any given tale. Perhaps it will pave the way for increased transparency in interaction and two-way exchanges in stories.

Link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/17/22983504/tiktok-snapchat-stories-rollout-feature

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 14 March 2022

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Instagram Launches Moderation Options for IG Live Streams

Similar to the YouTube live-streaming feature, Instagram has rolled out new moderator options for users and brands to assign moderators when they are going live.

This operates similarly to YouTube, where the streamer can assign a moderator to control comments, remove viewers, and turn off individual viewers’ remarks.

The primary difference is that while YouTube allows for several moderators, Instagram currently only allows for one.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-launches-new-moderator-option-for-ig-live-streams/620284/

Instagram Launches New Creator Lab to Help Creators Maximize their On-Platform Performance

Instagram’s looking to help creators get a better understanding of key posting best practices and processes through a new Creator Lab initiative, which has videos and insights from various successful creators on key elements.

The Creator Lab features sections on channel growth, monetization, and safety precautions, all hosted by well-known Instagram influencers. Each part offers a number of video segments that, while brief, include useful strategy and optimization information. There are several notes on how to grasp Instagram’s various algorithms, as well as solutions to some of the most often asked questions.

TikTok’s revenue methods aren’t as developed as Instagram or YouTube’s, which could be a flaw in the process, and more large producers may eventually migrate to the more established applications.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-launches-new-creator-lab-to-help-creators-maximize-their-on-platf/620212/

Pinterest Launches a Shop Feature ‘Your Shop’, As Well As Improvements for Pinterest Trends

‘Your Shop’ is a Pinterest feature that allows users to browse, shop, and buy items that are totally suited to their personal preferences. Pinterest users will have a personalised purchasing experience with brands and goods based on their activity and preferences.

With Pinterest’s ever-improving algorithms seeking to deliver ever-more appealing product matches for each user, it’ll ideally get more people tapping through on more products in-stream.

Shopify merchants will now be able to use a new straight in-app checkout option. This will make it much easier to get inspiration to purchase without having to leave the app. This will result in more impulse purchases and more shopping activity.

Another update is improvements for Pinterest Trends, which provides insights into the popularity of any topic in the app. US, Canada and the UK will see new features added to the Pinterest trends tool, including real-time search data, more trend types, more granular audience tools and personalized trend recommendations for your business. And later this year, we’ll launch the tool to additional countries all over the world.”

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/pinterest-unveils-a-range-of-shopping-and-advertising-updates-at-its-annual/619975/

Twitter Expands Their Test on the ‘Shops’ Feature

Twitter started testing its ‘Shop’ function last year, however, they only permitted 5 products at the time. Twitter Shops, a new shopping feature trial, will allow merchants to build a collection of up to 50 products to promote on their Twitter profiles starting today.

Twitter hopes that by doing so, users will be more likely to progress from discussing things on Twitter to actually clicking through to the merchant’s website and checking out.

Link: https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/09/twitter-expands-its-e-commerce-efforts-with-launch-of-twitter-shops/amp/

Sephora Press Day 2022 – Beautyverse

Every year at Sephora Press Day, the company would host events with the media and important opinion leaders to promote new products and launches in unique locations and themes. 

Sephora designed this year’s Press Day in the Metaverse with sections dedicated to different beauty categories, from hair to skincare, displaying different brands they’re launching online and in-store, following in the footsteps of other brands that have used the metaverse to organise virtual events. People can stroll across the Beautyverse to various rooms to explore various stations and converse with others in the same space.

You can see a preview of the walkthrough here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CbCTG2_lv3n/?utm_medium=copy_link

Why the Photo Dump Trend Is Taking Over Instagram

Photo-dump refers to a carousel post, a minimal and raw looking collection of up to 10 slides that convey a story or mood. This has become increasingly popular since the lockdown when members of the community went to Instagram to discuss what they were up to at the time.

An unfiltered and unpolished appearance, in contrast to the visually beautiful photographs that the Instagram feed is known for. This authentic visual trend could help brands gain more attention and engagement with their target audiences.

Link: https://later.com/blog/Instagram-photo-dump-trend/

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 07 March 2022

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TikTok Expands Maximum Video Length to 10 Minutes

TikTok seems to be pushing the limit of our attention span from expanding the limit to 3 minutes, and now 10 minutes.

This new version may pit TikTok against YouTube, which has traditionally dominated as the most popular long-form multimedia site. Longer videos help TikTok to compete more effectively with YouTube (which favours long-form content), as well as attract an older audience and enhance overall app engagement time. Longer-form material, according to TikTok, is easier to monetize and keeps users on the network longer.

However, YouTube would appear to be more appealing to long-form video creators because the platform offers more revenue prospects and is easier to monetise because ads do not have to be a direct component of the content.

For makers of long-form content, there are well-established apps with better-incentivised platform possibilities. It’s unclear that many producers will want to make long-form material on TikTok until the app offers greater incentives and new creative tools, such as making their platform editable and uploadable on the desktop.

Link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/28/22954525/tiktok-maximum-video-length-10-minutes

Instagram Announces Closure of Separate IGTV App, Removal of In-Stream Video Ads

As part of IG’s efforts to simplify its video offering, the company will shut down its standalone IGTV app and remove the option for in-stream video ads, focusing on short-form video content rather than Reels, which have been a big contributor to engagement growth.

While creator revenue would be harmed, IG plans to replace it with Reels, which will use sticker ads. Creators who have earned money through this method will be reimbursed with a one-time monthly payment based on their current earnings.

Here are some video-making tips from Instagram:

Keep it short. Our audience loves short, interesting videos, and reels are the greatest method to achieve that.

Focus on immersive. Optimize your video content to be viewed vertically. This means using high-resolution, 9×16 vertical videos with no borders, where the text does not cover the majority of the screen.

Make a good first impression. Pull the viewer in within the first few seconds and keep them interested for the duration of the video. The first three seconds are critical!

Be consistent. Create an editorial calendar that you can stick to. You don’t have to post a video every day; just make sure you go at a pace that works for you.

Avoid visibly recycled content: We’ve heard that our community wants to see reels that are uniquely made for Instagram. This is what they find the most entertaining and inspiring. Avoid posting reels that are visibly recycled from other apps (i.e. contain watermarks).

Consider the material. We avoid recommending reels that focus on potentially sensitive content, as well as content that is overly promotional or too commercial. You can refer to our Community Guidelines and Recommendations Guidelines for more information.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-announces-closure-of-separate-igtv-app-removal-of-in-stream-vide/619532/

Can Brands Stay Safe in the Metaverse?

Brand safety should be at the forefront of marketers’ thinking as they consider how the metaverse fits into their plan. However, there is evidence that, as with other digital platforms, as the platform’s popularity develops, so does extremist or hate groups’ interest.

With that in mind, the question is how do brands keep their metaverse space from being overrun by hateful players? According to experts, the metaverse may be less risky than other platforms.

So a good example is, for instance, if you want to launch an NFT for brands, there’s generally a discord that comes along with it. And those communities can shoot down a discord as well. So the community is a lot more in control as to what’s happening

One way to enhance brand safety is through the use of “smart contracts.” These are programs that are stored in the blockchain that only activate under certain conditions. If the conditions of the smart contract are violated, the program fails to run. If brands built certain rules into a mandatory smart contract before selling someone an NFT or allowing them to enter into a virtual space, they may be able to keep themselves safe.

The metaverse is quite at an early stage and its ability to gain wider adoption could be hurt as a broader reckoning around digital privacy takes place. There are numerous concerns over the amount of data that the metaverse will create on its users, such as biometrics.

With the technology being so new, some experts are asking if brands are moving too fast given how consumer adoption remains low.

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/can-brands-stay-safe-in-the-metaverse/619589/

Users Can Start Earning Ethereum “Tips” on Twitter

Twitter introduced “Tips” in early 2021, which allows users to earn money from their followers.

Twitter has allowed users to add their Ethereum address to their profile after letting them to add their Bitcoin address in September 2021.

Twitter’s announcement is just another proof of the firm’s interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology since the company allowed users to use their NFTs as profile images earlier this year.

Link: https://sea.mashable.com/tech/19417/how-to-add-a-cryptocurrency-address-to-your-twitter-profile

Instagram Launches Automated Captions for Feed Videos

Instagram has taken the next step with the addition of auto-generated captions in Instagram feed videos, following the launch of automatic captions for IGTV uploads in 2020 and the expansion of captions to Stories last year.

The ability to add automated captions to all components of the app, including Reels (through the ‘Captions’ sticker), which is now Instagram’s fastest-growing engagement surface, has been one of the most requested features within Instagram community.

Users will now be able to switch on auto-captions for any Instagram feed post, providing another way to expand consumption options in the app. It will also assist creators in maximising viewership in both sounds on and sound off situations, which might be a huge benefit. 

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-launches-automated-captions-for-feed-videos/619617/

LinkedIn Acquires Marketing Analytics Platform Oribi to Improve its Marketing Solutions Offering

Oribi’s analytics tools enable simplified event tracking and response, by highlighting the key insights that can be taken to capitalize on performance trends.

This means it will be able to employ automated tagging and code-free technology to analyse and measure website conversions, providing insight into user behaviour that can be used to improve performance.

As an example, assisting a marketer in identifying better leads to assisting a recruiter in identifying the best applicants.

This has the potential to help LinkedIn better conform with evolving privacy trends by enabling improved response monitoring without the need for third-party cookies or in-app tracing.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/linkedin-acquires-marketing-analytics-platform-oribi-to-improve-its-marketi/619542/

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 28 FEBRUARY 2022

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LinkedIn Previews New Post Analytics, as well as a New Reaction Emoji

LinkedIn is introducing new post analytics tools to provide additional insight into content performance. The new analytics will provide more granular insight into who is reading your posts, filterable by job title, industry, geography, and more.

In June 2020, LinkedIn introduced the ‘Support’ reaction to the initial five Reaction options in response to posts on the epidemic. You’ll shortly get a response with a laughing face.

However, the most major upgrade is post analytics, and with LinkedIn witnessing record levels of interaction and expected to see much more activity in the post-COVID recovery, having more data like this might be a big assist in maximising your platform strategy.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/linkedin-previews-new-post-analytics-as-well-as-a-new-reaction-emoji/619384/ 

What is Web 3.0 and What are the Founding Principles?

Some argue that Web 3.0 symbolises a techno-utopian libertarian worldview, in which technology is used to construct a utopia in which users have more freedom and authority than centralised authorities. The following are the defining principles of Web 3.0:

  • Decentralization: There is no need for authorization from a central authority to post anything on the internet, and there is no single point of failure because there is no central controlling node. Freedom from censorship and surveillance on an ad hoc basis is also implied. Because Web 3.0 allows information to be retrieved based on its content, it can be kept in several locations at the same time, making it decentralised. This would deconstruct the vast databases currently maintained by Internet behemoths like Meta and Google, giving people more power.
  • Trustless and Permissionless: It is open source and does not require the use of a trusted intermediary or government approval (i.e. peer to peer, blockchain and dApps)
  • Bottom-up Design: Instead of code being written and controlled by a small group of experts, it was developed in full view of everyone, encouraging maximum participation and experimentation

Meta Has Launched Facebook Reels to All Users, Expanding its Short-Form Video Push

Meta is now making Facebook Reels available, with a new Reels display at the top of user feeds. 

Through Meta’s TikTok clone functionality, a lot more people will be watching a lot more video, and Facebook will be introducing additional creative tools and features to further drive adoption.

Remix features will be included in these Facebook Reels to increase trend participation, and creators will be able to upload Facebook Reels up to 60 seconds long, similar to Instagram’s Reels extension, which was released last July. Users will be able to share publicly uploaded Reels to their Stories, increasing the possibility for engagement.

In addition to this, Facebook’s also adding Reels drafts, and a new video clipping option “that will make it easier for creators who publish live or long-form, recorded videos to test different formats”.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-launches-facebook-reels-to-all-users-expanding-its-short-form-video-p/619175/ 

IG collab feature shows combined analytics from both accounts

When you post on two social media profiles, you gain access to two sets of followers. This means that the likes, comments, and shares from both accounts are pooled and are the same. The collabs feature, of course, increases reach and engagement.

Link: https://analisa.io/blog/5-Benefits-of-Instagram-Collabs-for-Instagram-Influencers 

YouTube Previews New Channel Analytics Options, Providing More Insight into Content Performance

YouTube has announced additional analytical solutions to help creators maximise their on-platform performance in order to maintain its position as a vital video platform.

Some new analytics are:

  • Aims to provide more specific insight into the performance of content in each stream – live-streaming, Shorts, main channel, etc. To be able to deep dive into individual formats to understand what your audience is engaging with and driving views.
  • Highlight content spilt based on content format. This allows you to see the amount of money you’re generating from each element, to make them a better option for creators compared to TikTok with a clearer outline of the benefits of posting to its app. The results are very likely to show that creators can make a lot more money from longer form uploads and streams.
  • YouTube’s also developing new insights to help creators come up with better, more resonant content ideas. On top of seeing what are some popular search trends, they want to expand to help creators with the ‘content gaps’ listing highlighting terms that are not currently being served by directly-aligned videos.

It’s comparable to Google’s Search Console and Google Trends in that it gives you more information about what drives traffic to your YouTube channel and how you can match your content efforts with search trends.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-previews-new-channel-analytics-options-providing-more-insight-into/619462/ 

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 21 FEBRUARY 2022

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Instagram Adds Stories Likes to Provide Insight on Viewer Engagement

You can ‘like’ any Story in your feed with Stories Likes. You’ll notice a new heart icon at the bottom of your Stories screen in the app, which when tapped will send the creator of that Story alike. Only the creator will be able to see them, and they will not be sent as a direct message.

This might be a new approach for Instagram to rate the Stories in your feed and highlight the ones that are most likely to be of interest. This can also be used to assess engagement.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-adds-stories-likes-to-provide-insight-on-viewer-engagement/618827/

Google Shares Privacy Sandbox Roadmap for Android and the Web

Replacing the FLoC proposal following the FLoC trials is The Privacy Sandbox, alleged to “preserve privacy while showing relevant content and ads”.  The goals of the Privacy Sandbox include:

  • Build new technology to keep your information private
  • Enable publishers and developers to keep online content free
  • Collaborate with the industry to build new internet privacy standards

Privacy Sandbox for the Web will phase out third-party cookies and limit covert tracking, also aligned with Google’s shift to the topics API, the alternative to cookie-based tracking. Key takeaways from the Topics API for marketers include

  • Focus on affinity and intent, rather than demographics
  • Higher focus on search data to determine interest
  • Change in nurture cycle as topics data is deleted every 3 weeks

This roadmap is said to be prepared in alignment with the W3C standards.

(W3C publishes documents that define Web technologies. These documents follow a process designed to promote consensus, fairness, public accountability, and quality. At the end of this process, W3C publishes Recommendations, which are considered Web standards.)

Link: https://privacysandbox.com/proposals/floc 

LinkedIn Adds New Elements to its ‘Services’ Listings to Help Freelancers Generate Business

LinkedIn has added two new aspects to its Services Pages, allowing freelancers and small businesses to list and be found for the services they provide on their LinkedIn profiles.

The additional aspects will provide you with more ways to give your services listings more legitimacy. For starters, LinkedIn will now allow users to link their LinkedIn Company Page to their Services listing. So, if your SMB or consultancy has a business page, you can now create a link between your Services display and that page.

Furthermore, LinkedIn will also allow members to include a media showcase on their services sites. The new options provide you with more methods to entice potential clients, and they could be extremely useful in advertising and presenting your expertise in new ways.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/linkedin-adds-new-elements-to-its-services-listings-to-help-freelancers-g/619082/

JP Morgan becomes the first bank to join the Metaverse 

JPM set up shop in Metaverse Decentraland in Metajuku mall where their lounge features a live tiger, spiral staircase and an illuminated portrait of CEO Jamie Dimon. They have a blockchain arm which they started only in 2020 and now a virtual office in the metaverse, joining the likes of Walmart, Disney, Nike and Warner Bros. 

They estimate the metaverse economy to be worth USD1 trillion dollars in yearly revenue and predict that there will be gig workers earning income just by providing services in the metaverse alone

Link: https://fortune.com/2022/02/16/jpmorgan-first-bank-join-metaverse/

Will virtual influencers be the next big thing in K-POP?

According to a researcher at Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (KOBACO), COVID-19 has led people to look for a more entertaining digital experience.

Han Yoo Ah, a virtual influencer, just inked a contract with YG Entertainment, the same company that gave birth to Big Bang and 2NE1. Her first album is expected to be released at the end of February.

Speaking involves “natural acting motions,” which requires more advanced technology, according to the K-entertainment industry. It is also easier to programme virtual influencers to sing than it is to programme them to speak. 

If you’re interested in hearing how effectively these virtual influencers “sing,” Rozy, South Korea’s first virtual influencer, will release her first single “Who Am I” on February 22.

Link: https://www.google.com.sg/amp/s/m.koreatimes.co.kr/pages/article.amp.asp%3fnewsIdx=323801

https://instagram.com/rozy.gram?utm_medium=copy_link

Instagram Shares New Overviews of the Key Ranking Factors for Feed Posts, Stories and Reels

As Instagram competes with TikTok, Reels has its own algorithm. The TikTok algorithm is finely tailored to user interests, and as you scroll around the app, it will swiftly adapt to show you more of what you’re interested in, similar to how Instagram’s Reels algorithm is expanding.

The focus elements have been re-ordered for Reels, so that your participation in the Reels stream took priority above information about the post and its author, as it does in the main feed.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-shares-new-overviews-of-the-key-ranking-factors-for-feed-posts-s/619076/ 

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 14 FEBRUARY 2022

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NFL Opens Snapchat Playbook for Super Bowl Sunday

The NFL is teaming up with Snapchat for a number of Super Bowl activations, including three shows that will stream on Snapchat Discover, Cameo stickers that can be used in the app, and top plays from the season that will be shared in Spotlight.

The league also collaborated with Snapchat on a National World Lens based on the company’s TV ad, which will air during halftime. The Lens will be unlocked with a Snapcode and will be promoted on the NFL’s social media channels. For the first time, the NFL is integrating Snap’s Camera Kit into its One Pass app, which gives you unique access to NFL events.

The NFL and Snapchat are attempting to increase participation during an event that is not only the year’s most-watched television broadcast but also one that is becoming increasingly dependent on mobile devices. When it comes to sports, 87% of Snapchat users prefer it to other apps, making it an important platform to watch the event on.

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/nfl-opens-snapchat-playbook-for-super-bowl-sunday/618537/

Mr Beast – Video Growth Framework

Capturing attention through thumbnails, headlines and introduction.

  • Mr Beast’s Squid Game It included all of the game’s key aspects, such as the life-size doll, the green and red suit, and the players’ (fear/stress) vs. guards facial expressions (happy)
  • “I played Squid Game In Real Life!” vs. “$456,000 Squid Game In Real Life!” in the video title. The latter generates a sense of surprise, which leads to the next point: creating a curiosity gap.

Creating a curiosity gap by releasing information throughout the video to optimise audience retention.

  • For example, other YouTubers who created squid game videos took about 1-4 minutes to get the games started, while Mr Beast’s optimised his audience retention by taking only 16 seconds to introduce the video and then jump straight into the first game.

Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/dickiebush/status/1491945998742085651?s=21

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8ZbGnwXjj4

The Rollout of TikTok Stories

All users of TikTok now have access to the app’s Stories feature. If you haven’t made a story yet, you’ll see a notification at the bottom of the screen prompting you to do so when you start the app. 

The Story will expire in 24 hours, just like Instagram and Snapchat Stories, but it will appear on users’ FYP in the same way as regular video content does on the app. Instead of showing up as separate stories, you can access all of the Stories published by the user on your FYP page within 24 hours.

The little tag in the top right corner distinguishes a Story from a regular post. While Stories is progressively gaining traction among content creators who want to try it out, because it’s similar to Instagram Stories, it may take some time for other users to catch on.

Twitter Tests New ‘Articles’ Option, Potentially Enabling Long-Form Posts in the App

Twitter’s currently working on a new option called ‘Articles’, which appears to provide a means to create blog posts within the app, which would then, assumably be shareable, in some form, via tweet.

It’s unclear how it would work in practice, but it’s something Twitter is working on.

Some have speculated that this will be a Twitter Blue option, or at least that this will be the case at first, with paying customers able to make long-form pieces that they can subsequently publish in the app. Of course, the true value is in the mechanics of how it works and how Twitter would display these longer postings in the app. However, it’s worth noting that Twitter hasn’t given up on the idea of longer-form writing in tweets.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/twitter-tests-new-articles-option-potentially-enabling-long-form-posts-i/618228/

Instagram Experiments With Stories Highlights to Reels Conversion Option, Longer Reels Clips

Instagram is currently allowing you to convert an Instagram story highlight to a reels clip. The process then enables you to synch the highlight to music, providing a whole new way to create Reels content. 

This allows you to recycle your best posts, and boost your overall Instagram engagement.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-experiments-with-stories-highlights-to-reels-conversion-option-l/618227/

Adidas’ Controversial Bare Breasts Campaign – Great Example of Why Strategy & Creative Go Hand-in-Hand

Adidas created a 24-square grid of “real” breasts to promote their new sports bra range, which comes in 43 different versions for a better fit. Consumers reacted negatively to the promotion, and marketing professionals were split on how to respond.

Customers were outraged because their children follow Adidas on social media, and they believed this was inappropriate. Marketing experts believe that this was done for shock value, given the target audience for sports bras already knows that all breasts are different and that different people require different sorts of support. As a result, the question of what this ad was aiming to achieve in terms of awareness by having bare breasts in front of the camera was raised.

Adidas claimed to be “normalising” breasts of various shapes and sizes, but this failed to materialise as breasts had to be censored on several social platforms to comply with platform guidelines, and their 43-variant sports bra range did not adequately cater to all sizes or shapes, offering only compression rather than encapsulation. For example, according to Adidas’ sizing chart, a 4x bra fits anywhere from a 46DD to a 48A.

Link: https://www.marketing-interactive.com/adidas-bare-breast-tweet

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/02/10/adidas-bare-breast-ad/

Instagram Stories Poll Stickers Are About to Get a Major Upgrade

New poll sticker styles are being tested on Instagram Stories, allowing users to add more than just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ alternatives to the poll. New text customization capabilities and the ability to add up to four different response options are included in the new poll sticker.

This new option is not yet available to everyone, so keep an eye out for it!

Link: https://later.com/blog/instagram-stories-poll-stickers/

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 07 FEBRUARY 2022

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Shake Shack partnered with DoorDash for a chicken sandwich-themed dating site

DoorDash and Shake Shack are partnering on Eat Cute, a limited-edition dating site themed around the Shack Shacks spicy buffalo chicken sandwich. The site will operate from February 3rd-15th. Customers can visit LetsEatCute.com to create a dating profile, upload a selfie and share how spicy they like their food. Upon matching with a compatible person, the customer will receive a promo code for a free sandwich as part of a qualifying order via DoorDash.

The campaign also includes Twitter sweepstakes giving customers a chance to win a $5,000 DoorDash gift card and content from TikTok influencers Rahul Rai and Courtney Parchman. Along with generating interest in Shake Shack’s new menu item, this campaign could generate valuable first-party data for the marketers.

With the Eat Cute dating site, Shake Shack and DoorDash can engage consumers looking for a quirky dating experience themed around a love for spicy food and the new menu item.

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/shake-shack-hooks-up-with-doordash-for-chicken-sandwich-themed-dating-site/618166/  

Twitter expands downvote test worldwide

Twitter tested this feature last year, and it is now available to all users worldwide. Unlike Reddit, which has a downvote option, Twitter’s total tallies for upvote and downvote aren’t visible to the public but are used behind the scenes to see what users find offensive or irrelevant. 

They discovered that the downvote tool is more frequently utilised to mark stuff that they don’t want to view. The goal is that these findings will aid Twitter in improving its algorithms so that the best answers are displayed beneath each tweet.

While this tool aids Twitter in determining what types of content are most likely to be flagged by users, it might be abused for hate campaigns or used to “shadowban” replies as a result of downvotes.

While the downvotes aren’t on general tweets, but rather replies, the overall impact is reduced. However, Twitter may decide to use what it learns from the test in its overall tweet ranking algorithm, which might have an influence on all tweets.

Link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/4/22917511/twitter-downvotes-test-experiment-feature-relevant-replies 

Meta Launches Improved 3D Avatars, Expands Avatar Use to Instagram

The method for creating 3D avatars on Facebook has been revised, and these avatars will gradually be available for usage on IG stories and DM as well. Things like 3D, virtual reality, and the opportunity to create and personalise according to your own taste and preferences have been more prominent since Facebook began moving its focus to Meta.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-launches-improved-3d-avatars-expands-avatar-use-to-instagram/617987/ 

HDB, SCDF add a dash of humour to New York Times ‘Singaporean curry’ furore

Even government organisations are joining in on the debate over The New York Times’ recent video, which depicted the creation of a “Singaporean chicken curry” that viewers said looked nothing like it – or any form of curry for that matter.

Over the last week, social media users have voiced scorn and fury over an Instagram Reel posted on the New York Times’ Food page in which journalist Clarissa Wei prepares a curry that one user described as “drain water.”

Link: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/dining/new-york-times-singaporean-chicken-curry-brands-hdb-scdf-301091 

Understanding wash trading and how it affects NFT prices

Some people sell their own NFTs over and over again in an attempt to artificially raise their pricing. It has to be seen whether this is a good approach or not, as the gas fees required on each transaction reduce the profit margins from a sale.

According to research, wash trading generated roughly $9 million (which is a drop in the bucket considering $44.2 billion worth of bitcoin was sent to ERC-721 and ERC-1155 contracts in 2021), but it highlights the vulnerabilities of NFTs, which is a setback when it comes to garnering trust. Money laundering through art is not new, but because of the transparency of the blockchain, these trades are plain to see, and any legal/tax investigations conducted against individuals may prevent others in the future.

Link: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/nft-sales-show-evidence-wash-trading-researchers-say-rcna14535 

Snapchat Sees Recovery From Apple’s Ad Tracking Policy, Beating Out Meta In Q1 Profits

Snapchat’s revenue surpassed experts’ estimates, and its stock price soared, demonstrating that, unlike Meta, it has weathered Apple’s Transparency Tracking system, which was adopted last year.

Snapchat was able to weather this storm by leveraging AR, which is appealing to marketers, and shifting advertisers’ attention to mid-funnel goals like instals and link clicks rather than end-funnel goals like conversions.

Link: https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/370907/snap-sees-first-quarterly-profit-ad-biz-rebounds.html 

TikTok tests Twitter-like Repost feature for sharing content

Tiktok is now testing a repost functionality with a restricted group of users, similar to Twitter’s retweet service. The report option can be found on TikTok’s share page, where you can share your favourite videos via messaging apps, emails, and social media, and content can be posted directly to your Tiktok followers’ ‘For you’ feed.

There are, however, some limitations. You won’t be able to find the repost function in ‘Discover’ or via a friend’s share in your Tiktok inbox; it only appears in your ‘For You’ feed. Basically, Tiktok’s algorithm decides what you can boost based on your previous content interactions.

The reason for reposting the article must also be typed out. The message will not appear in the usual comments section, but will instead be hidden behind a “reposted” label that friends can press to learn more about what you wrote.

Link: https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/tiktok-tests-twitter-like-retweet-feature-for-sharing-videos/ 

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 24 JANUARY 2022

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BBC and The Guardian Chinese dish recipes showcased with a side of joss paper and funeral envelopes

Meanwhile, The Guardian’s “Pork and crab dumplings with spicy sour sauce” dish featured a side of longevity joss paper for decorative purposes. Joss paper is traditionally burnt by the Chinese to pay respects to the departed and for ancestral worship. They can also be used during the worship of deities in Chinese folk religion. The feature has also caught the attention of the Twitter verse, with Vivienne Chow, a correspondent for the art market website, Artnet, tweeting about it.

BBC Food has since responded to Chow on Twitter, saying it is “very sorry for this error”. “We have taken down the image and will investigate the situation further and review our processes to put more rigorous checks in for styling,” the media outlet said.

Link: https://www.marketing-interactive.com/bbc-guardian-cny-dishes-mistakes?utm_source=newslette[…]m=email&utm_campaign=20220118_singapore_daily_bulletin

Instagram Expands Video Remix Option to All Videos, Not Just Reels Clips

Instagram is allowing users to remix all videos that are posted in the app, not only Reels, expanding your creative response and engagement choices. The remix functions, she believes, allow you to reply to/provide a different take on someone else’s video. We’ve seen IG embrace a lot of TikTok-like features, so there’s a good chance we’ll see more.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-expands-video-remix-option-to-all-videos-not-just-reels-clips/617465/ 

Twitter debuts hexagon-shaped NFT profile pictures

NFT profile pictures are displayed as hexagons on Twitter, which distinguishes them from the conventional circles available to other users. When you tap on the images, information about the art and who owns it appears. Only Twitter Blue subscribers have access to this feature right now.

Twitter, like other tech businesses, is scrambling to capitalise on crypto developments like NFTs, a sort of speculative asset that authenticates digital objects such as photographs, videos, and virtual world land.

Last year, the social media site offered the ability for members to send and receive Bitcoin.

Link: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/twitter-hexagon-nft-profile-pictures-launch-2449941

TikTok and Instagram to test letting creators charge subscriptions

In certain areas, including India, France, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates, Facebook debuted ‘Subscriptions’ in 2020, allowing creators to earn money via monthly subscriptions. 

TikTok and Instagram producers may soon have another money stream, as both companies are investigating ways for creators to charge customers for access to their unique content and live streams via paid subscriptions.

TikTok’s premium subscription test comes after Instagram announced that it, too, is testing paid subscriptions with a small group of creators and influencers. The various tiers will range in price from $0.99 to $99.99 per month, depending on what the creator decides to charge, and a purple badge will be displayed in the comments section to indicate a subscriber’s status to the creator/influencer. 

Meta-owned Instagram has stated that it will not take a portion of creators’ subscription revenue until next year at the earliest.

Link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/20/22893954/tiktok-testing-paid-subscriptions-creators

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/instagram-subscriptions-content-creators-2446816

Spotify Introduces Call-to-Action Cards for Podcast Ads

Spotify recently announced the launch of call-to-action (CTA) cards, a new ad experience that will be available across podcasts. CTA cards will display in the Spotify app as soon as a podcast ad starts playing, and will reappear later while you’re browsing the app, making it easy to learn more about the brand, product, or service you heard about while listening. The CTA cards will make it easy for you to find the items and services you’re looking for without having to remember a complicated promo code or a vanity URL.

Spotify is making podcast advertisements interactive for the first time with the launch of this new ad experience, converting the format from something you can only hear into something you can see – and, most importantly, click.

Link: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2022-01-06/spotify-introduces-call-to-action-cards-for-podcast-ads/

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 17 JANUARY 2022

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Instagram Is the Platform of Focus for Marketers in 2022, According to New Research

TikTok is the app of the moment, though it is unlikely to be a good fit for all businesses, while Facebook has lost some of its shine, and Instagram continues to be quite popular.

Taking into account any platform bias, it appears that Instagram is the overall leader in marketing attention coming into the year — which is odd given the rise of TikTok, which seems like it should be a higher priority based on its usage and cultural effect.

However, as previously stated, TikTok promotions aren’t for everyone, and you can now reach a much larger audience on Instagram. You can also reach out to more demographic groupings on Facebook, which is still by far the most popular platform. 

Perhaps Facebook is no longer cool, or perhaps marketers are dissatisfied with the app’s deteriorating performance. In any case, if these predictions are true and Facebook becomes a lower priority, it may open up new opportunities to reach your target demographic in the app, as fewer advertisers focusing on it may mean less competition for attention, which will be something to watch throughout the year.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagrams-the-platform-of-focus-for-marketers-in-2022-according-to-new-r/617161/

Instagram’s Testing a New Option Which Would Enable Users to Re-Arrange the Post Display on their Profile

In your profile settings, you’ll see a new ‘Edit Grid’ option that allows you to rearrange your profile gallery as you choose, regardless of when it was posted. 

This is mind-boggling for the users. If you have a previous post that is still relevant, you can move it to the top of the page to increase its visibility (but, of course, this is only for display view, it will not appear on the news feed).

In a similar manner, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri recently hinted at a potential ‘pinned post’ option for profiles, which would allow users to choose which posts they wish to display at the top of their grid.

Another aspect of this is rearranging your profile display, and with the growing emphasis on video, Instagram appears to be more open to experimenting with new concepts, as it eventually switches to totally new focus displays anyhow.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagrams-testing-a-new-option-which-would-enable-users-to-re-arrange-the/616956/ 

Twitter’s Coming NFT Profile Display Option Moves to Next Stage of Testing

Over the last few months, NFTs have become a major fad, with Twitter serving as a hub for most of the discussion and for exhibiting your acquired art. Despite the hoopla, the sector nevertheless presents obstacles and worries.

Since November, Twitter has been working on an official integration procedure that will make it easier for NFT owners to display their ownership, with a back-end linkage to each NFT’s official information assuring that only the true owner of an image can display it in the new profile image format.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/twitters-coming-nft-profile-display-option-moves-to-next-stage-of-testing/617087/ 

Outcome-Driven Ad Experiences Model

Meta has announced updates to Ads Manager in order to streamline the ad campaign process. The number of ad objectives you can choose from has been reduced from 11 to 6.

They’re changing the goal selection experience when launching new campaigns in Ads Manager to better steer marketers to the best campaign setups. They’re transitioning to an outcome-driven ad experiences model (ODAX), in which advertisers can choose their desired business outcomes (e.g., Awareness, Traffic, Engagement, Leads, App Promotion, Sales), and the interface will direct them to the best campaign setup/creation paths to achieve those goals.

Link: https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2021/12/21/simplifying-campaign-objectives-outcome-driven-ad-experiences/ 

3 ways on how digital marketing would look like in the Metaverse

  • The use of virtual influencers: Influencers who are not human, but created using AI – https://analyticsindiamag.com/rozy-friends-meet-the-new-crop-of-ai-influencers/
  • Digital campfires to appeal to a younger audience and capture their attention: Digital campfires are “a more intimate oasis where smaller groups of people are delighted to assemble around shared interests,” including private messaging apps like Whatsapp, micro-communities like Facebook groups, and shared experiences like Fortnite or Twitch – https://hbr.org/2020/02/the-era-of-antisocial-social-media
  • Sensory marketing: Including the senses of touch, smell, and taste in addition to sight and hearing. Even now, when sensory marketing technology is expensive, we may begin by considering how we can use our advertisements to appeal to the three senses.

Love, Bonito unveils Tiger Bloom NFT in line with ‘Journeying with Women’ theme

Love, Bonito, jumping on the NFT bandwagon, announced the creation of its first NFT, “Tiger Bloom,” in collaboration with KrisonAutopilot, a visual artist. 

The NFT is a way for the brand to engage with its customers through the story behind the NFT, which embodies the brand’s theme and value of female empowerment. They’ve made the NFT collection unique, with only ten copies available for purchase. 

The earnings will be used to support CSR efforts, such as donating to Playeum, a non-profit that works to provide equal opportunity for children from low-income families, as well as extending the brand through its existing omnichannel markets.

Link: https://www.marketing-interactive.com/love,-bonito-unveils-tiger-bloom-nft-in-line-with-journeying-with-women-theme