Vimeo And TikTok Announce Partnership To Help Businesses Create Better Video Ads

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This week in social media news, Vimeo becomes the first video software company in TikTok’s Marketing Partner Program, Facebook commits to investing over $1 billion in creator programs, TikTok becomes the first non-Facebook mobile app to pass 3 billion global downloads, Twitter axes its Fleets function and more.

TikTok And Vimeo Announce Partnership To Help Businesses Create Video Ads

Small and medium businesses on TikTok will now have access to Vimeo Create, an artificial intelligence-driven video production tool, via TikTok Ads Manager, as the result of a new partnership between the two platforms.

Why it matters: According to a press release, the partnership makes Vimeo the first video software company in TikTok’s Marketing Partner Program.

The integration provides a solution for marketers challenged with creating new content and ads more often than on other online channels given the high user engagement on TikTok.

The details: Using Vimeo Create, small and medium businesses can produce and publish ads directly into the TikTok Ad Manager. The integration also includes custom video templates optimized for TikTok.

In a pre-launch test, small business participants saw up to 50 percent higher clickthrough rates compared to previous campaigns on other platforms and were able to double the number of videos they created in a short time span.

A family-run soy candle company called NaturalAnnie Essentials saw a 5.5 times increase in conversion rate within the first two weeks of the trial campaign when compared to other forms of online advertising.

Additionally, more than 85 percent of participants reported successful campaign results and plan to run more TikTok campaigns, according to the release.

Facebook To Invest Over $1 Billion In Creator Programs By The End Of 2022

Facebook recently announced its plan to invest over $1 billion in programs that give creators new ways to monetize their content across Facebook and Instagram. That includes new programs that pay eligible creators for reaching certain milestones and provide seed funding for creators to produce their content. Facebook says its new bonus programs are designed to reward creators who are creating original and high-quality content.

Why it matters: Facebook’s increased focus on influencer monetization options echoes a message that Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared recently, noting that the platform is no longer a photo-sharing app and plans to lean into entertainment to keep up with TikTok.

The details: First up, Facebook is launching seasonal bonus programs. While bonus programs such as Badges and Stars Challenges already exist, Facebook will now have a dedicated place for bonuses within Instagram this summer and in the Facebook app this fall.

Available by invitation now on Facebook is the In-Stream Bonus, which pays an earnings bonus over the next four months to select video creators using in-stream ads. 

Also available now is the Stars Bonus, an expansion of the Stars Challenges program that will now include select gaming creators. The updated Stars Bonus will give video and gaming creators a monthly bonus for hitting specific Stars milestones over the next three months.

On Instagram, the first bonuses that will be available by invitation will reward influencers for signing up for IGTV ads and using badges in Live and Reels.

The IGTV ads bonus, open to US creators now, enables creators to earn a one-time bonus for signing up for IGTV ads, which enables them to earn a share of revenue when ads run during their videos.

The Live bonus badges, available now to influencers in 11 countries, reward creators when they meet certain milestones with badges, like going Live with another account.

Lastly, the Reels Summer bonus, which will launch in the coming weeks to US creators, will pay creators based on the performance of their Reels videos. Creators can learn more about this bonus in the new Bonuses section of the Instagram app.

TikTok Becomes First Non-Facebook Mobile App To Pass 3 Billion Global Downloads

According to Sensor Tower’s latest data, TikTok has now passed 3 billion installs globally from across the App Store and Google Play—including the iOS version of TikTok’s Chinese release, Douyin, and excluding third-party Android marketplaces.

Why it matters: This makes TikTok the fifth non-game app to join a tier that Facebook has historically dominated. Based on Sensor Tower’s data of worldwide installs from iOS and Android, excluding pre-installed apps, the four other apps that have amassed more than 3 billion installs since January 2014 include WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook and Instagram.

The details: According to Sensor Tower, TikTok was the most downloaded and highest-grossing non-game app globally in the first half of 2021, reaching about 383 million first-time installs and an estimated $919.2 million in consumer spending.

In Q2 2021, TikTok saw its highest quarter-over-quarter growth in consumer spending since Q2 2020, increasing from $384.7 million to $534.6 million.

First-time TikTok downloads grew from 177.5 million in Q1 2021 to 205.4 million in Q2 2021, the most growth TikTok has seen since its record-shattering Q1 2020 when it garnered more than 315 million installs—the most any app has seen in a single quarter, according to Sensor Tower.

Twitter Axes Its Fleets Function After Launching It Less Than A Year Ago

Twitter has announced that come August 3, Fleets, the Snapchat-like feature that gave Twitter users an ephemeral way to share their thoughts, will no longer be available after it failed to result in an increase in user engagement.

Why it matters: According to Twitter:

“We’re evolving what Twitter is, and trying bigger, bolder things to serve the public conversation. A number of these updates, like Fleets, are speculative and won’t work out. We’ll be rigorous, evaluate what works, and know when to move on and focus elsewhere. If we’re not evolving our approach and winding down features every once in a while—we’re not taking big enough chances.”

The details: Twitter launched Fleets about eight months ago as a way to compete with Snapchat’s Snaps and Instagram’s Stories, which disappear after 24 hours.

Twitter says it’ll use its learnings from Fleets to create other ways for users to join the conversation. For example, Twitter built the Fleets function to address some of the anxiety people have about tweeting but found that Fleets were mostly being used by people who were already tweeting to amplify their own tweets and communicate directly with others.

Twitter also found that most Fleets include media, which is why it says it’ll test updates to the tweet composer and camera to incorporate features from the Fleet composer, such as the full-screen camera, text formatting options and GIF stickers.  

The platform’s Fleet ads test concluded last month, making it one of Twitter’s first experiments with full-screen, vertical format ads; it says it’ll apply these learnings to assess how these ads perform on the platform.

Snapchat Data Show COVID-19 Accelerated Sports Viewership On The App

With the return to in-person sports events slowly underway, Snapchat has shared some new insight about how the pandemic boosted sports viewership on the app, plus the type of users that watch live sports on the app.

Why it matters: There are 90 million sports fans in North America alone on Snapchat, with 87 million Snapchatters watching sports content each month on the app.

The details: During the pandemic, Snapchatters watched an average of 28 hours of sports per week versus non-Snapchatters who watched 22 hours. Nearly half (46 percent) of Snapchatters started watching a new sport because of the pandemic versus 35 percent of non-Snapchatters. Plus, 86 percent of Snapchatters said they’re ready to go back to games versus 72 percent of non-Snapchatters.

Snapchatters are more engaged on their phones than non-Snapchatters while watching live sports, according to Snap research. Seventy-five percent of users use social media versus 59 percent of non-Snapchatters. More Snapchatters message people, play games and bet on sports than non-Snapchatters too.

Snapchat says it offers a 39 percent incremental reach to TV among ages 13 to 24 and a 38 percent incremental reach to sports events on TV and sports websites/apps among ages 18 to 34.

Snapchat Report Highlights Consumers’ Shopping Expectations Post-Pandemic

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This week in social media news, Snapchat’s new research reveals consumers’ post-COVID retail expectations, Pinterest updates its global ad policies to prohibit weight loss language and imagery, TikTok brings its violative content moderation technology to the US and Canada, YouTube releases its ‘Culture & Trends’ report and more.

Snapchat Shares New Insight About Consumers’ Post-COVID Shopping Expectations

According to a new retail study for which Snapchat commissioned Foresight Factory, virtual reality will play a large role in brick-and-mortar retail’s recovery, with 33 percent of consumers noting that their mobile phone is the preferred channel when shopping for products and 35 percent saying they’d go out of their way to visit a store if it had interactive virtual services, such as a smart mirror that let them try on clothes or makeup.

Why it matters: Forty percent of US consumers state that not being able to see and try out products are the top reasons they disregard online shopping, an issue brands could alleviate, they say, with more persuasive augmented reality (AR) and virtual try-on experiences.

The details: Snap’s ‘Future of Shopping’ 2021 market report breaks down global and US shopper expectations in life after the pandemic. The first key takeaway is that consumers will be looking for social and tactile experiences they couldn’t engage in during the pandemic, combined with the convenience and safety of online shopping.

According to the report, 50 percent of US consumers found it frustrating not being able to try on items in-store, reflecting the power that retail technologies can play in enticing customer footfall.

In addition, Snap predicts that in less than five years, there will be a 37 percent increase in the proportion of US Gen Z shoppers who use AR before buying a product. A whopping 62 percent of respondents who have used AR when shopping say that it encouraged them to make a purchase.

Lastly, just under half of US consumers told Snap that they’d consider buying a virtual product, signaling an opportunity for brands to leverage digital assets such as NFTs.

See the report’s full US findings here.

Pinterest Prohibits Ads With Weight Loss Language And Imagery

As of July 1, Pinterest has updated its global ad policies to prohibit ads with weight loss language and imagery, making it the only major social platform to ban all weight-loss ads. 

Why it matters: The new update marks an expansion of Pinterest’s current policy, which bars the following ad content: weight loss or appetite suppressant pills, supplements or other products; before and after weight loss imagery, weight loss procedures like liposuction or fat burning; body shaming, such as imagery or language that mocks or discredits certain body types or appearances; and claims regarding unrealistic cosmetic results.

The details: As per Pinterest:

“Many are now feeling added pressure as they look to rejoin their social circles in person for the first time in 15 months. Pinterest is the place people come for inspiration to create the life they love. It’s where everyone belongs—regardless of body shape or size. We’re empowering Pinners to plan for a summer and beyond without weight loss ads, so they can focus on what matters most.”

Pinterest’s updated global ad policy will now prohibit: any weight loss language or imagery; any testimonials regarding weight loss or weight loss products; any language or imagery that idealizes or denigrates certain body types; any references of body mass index (BMI) or similar indexes; any products that claim weight loss through something worn or applied to the skin.

YouTube Releases Its ‘Culture & Trends’ Report

YouTube has released the findings of its latest ‘Culture & Trends’ report in a 19-minute video overview hosted by YouTube head of culture and trends, Kevin Allocca. The key takeaway for brands is that video is increasingly being adopted by viewers as a tool to facilitate a sense of connection.

Why it matters: Based on its analysis of hundreds of global video trends and surveys conducted in 20 countries with Ipsos, YouTube found that 72 percent of people have posted video content online in the last year and that 79 percent say they’ve achieved deeper connections when they watch YouTube on TV with others.

The details: First up, YouTube found that 85 percent of people have watched a livestream in the last year and over half a million channels were livestreamed for the first time in 2020.

As Allocca notes, videos with #WithMe in the title were viewed over 2 billion times globally last year. YouTube is becoming a major destination for podcasts too, with 51 percent saying they watched a podcast recording on the platform over the past 12 months.

In addition, Allocca notes that gaming is emerging as the most influential space in youth culture, perhaps even bigger than music. One of the most popular entertainment viewing experiences was an improvised political drama played out by individual characters in Minecraft. As a result, YouTube found that videos with ‘Dream SMP’ in the title accumulated over 2 billion views since May 2020.

Lastly, 53 percent of viewers agree that a video they watched helped them feel like they were in a different place, suggesting the power video plays in fueling escapism. 

TikTok Brings Its Content Moderation Technology To US, Canada

After trialing and adjusting new systems that identify and remove violative videos and notify users of their violations, TikTok said it’s now expanding these systems to the US and Canada.

Why it matters: According to TikTok’s Transparency Reports, this technology initially launched in regions where additional safety support was needed due to the pandemic. Since then, TikTok found that the false positive rate for automated removals is 5 percent and requests to appeal a video’s removal have remained consistent.

Still, TikTok admits that “neither technology nor humans will get moderation decisions correct 100% of the time.” That’s why creators can appeal their content’s removal directly in our app.

The details: Over the next few weeks, TikTok’s new technology will start to automatically remove some types of violative content identified at upload, in addition to removals confirmed by its safety team.

TikTok will reserve automation for content categories where its technology has the highest degree of accuracy, beginning with violations of TikTok’s policies on minor safety, adult nudity and sexual activities, violent and graphic content and illegal activities and regulated goods.

TikTok has also updated the way it notifies people of their community guidelines violations. This new system—which it created with input from its US Content Advisory Council—counts the violations accrued by a creator and is based on the severity and frequency of the violation. 

TikTok will notify users of violations via the Account Updates section of their inbox. After the first violation, TikTok will suspend an account’s ability to upload a video, comment or edit their profile for 24 or 48 hours; or restrict an account to a view-only experience for 72 hours or up to one week; or notify a user that their account is on the verge of being banned and potentially permanently removed. Over 60 percent of people who received a first warning, however, didn’t need a second violation, claims TikTok.

YouTube Launches ‘New To You’ Discovery Feature

YouTube is adding a new discovery prompt called ‘New to You’ that highlights content from channels users have never seen before that are aligned with their interest or past viewing behavior on the platform.

Why it matters: The update will serve users with more personalized content, according to YouTube, though it said it will “take a balance between things we think you might be interested in plus things that are a bit further afield of what you’d typically watch.” This could translate to higher engagement for creator videos and longer time spent in the YouTube app overall.

The details: The ‘New to You’ feature will appear at the top of mobile users’ ‘Explore’ recommendations feed. The difference between this new feature and the ‘Explore’ feed is that the latter helps viewers find content in specific verticals or content that’s trending worldwide but not necessarily personalized to them.

TikTok Increases Video Length Limit From 60 Seconds To Three Minutes

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This week in social media news, TikTok increases its video length limit from 60 seconds to three minutes, Snapchat shares insight on how its Product Experience Lenses drive online purchases, Instagram announces new changes coming to its video experience and TikTok adds a ‘Shoutout’ feature that lets fans pay their favorite creators for a personalized video message.

TikTok Expands Its Three-Minute Video Format Globally

TikTok is expanding the option to create three-minute videos to its global user base, the company announced in a blog.

Why it matters: Up until now, TikTok users could only create videos up to 60 seconds.

The details: The update comes after TikTok ran a global test of the expanded format with select creators and hearing from them that they’d like a little more time to create tutorial-like content, such as cooking demos and educational lesson plans.  

YouTube Shorts, the platform’s TikTok copycat that launched in March, allows users to create videos up to 60 seconds in length. Comparatively, Instagram’s TikTok clone Reels also caps it at 60 seconds long.

Snapchat Shares Advertiser Best Practices For Leveraging Augmented Reality

With the rise of digital shopping, brands are increasingly leveraging augmented reality to recreate the in-store try-on shopping experience. To help marketers get the most out of AR, Snapchat shared new insight about how its Product Experience Lenses are contributing to users’ purchase journeys.  

Why it matters: According to Snapchat, 75 percent of its 265 million daily users engage with AR every day on average. In addition, Snapchat said campaigns that include its Product Experience Lenses, which enable users to experience a product or service, are twice as likely to drive significant lifts in Action Intent compared to norms.

The details: Snapchat analyzed 10 campaigns that incorporated a Product Experience Lens along with Snapchat ads to drive online purchases. It observed different combinations of ad product exposure pre-purchase and the extent to which a user’s exposure to a Lens was the final touchpoint before purchase. Snap then compared these to Snap ads exposures that led to a conversion.

Snap found that Lenses would’ve been credited with 45 percent more purchases on average when looking at any-touch compared to last-touch conversions. In comparison, Snap ads were much lower at 16 percent. 

Though more tests are required to see how Lenses drive incremental purchases, Snap’s findings show that under any-touch attribution, Lenses drive more purchases than they’re typically given credit for.

Instagram Announces Upcoming Video Features That Mimic The TikTok Experience

In a video posted to his Instagram and Twitter profiles, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the company is no longer a photo-sharing app and that it’s testing a full-screen video viewing experience and recommended videos feature to keep up with the “stiff competition” from TikTok and YouTube.  

Why it matters: Instagram’s plan to lean into entertainment comes amid its larger push to support and woo creators. Recently, it announced a native affiliate program and the ability for creators to link their shops to their perusal profiles, not just their business profiles.

The details: Instagram is working on new experiences in four key areas—creators, video, shopping and messaging. Instagram’s internal research shows that people are heading to the app to be entertained, which is why Mosseri said in the next couple of months Instagram will test a feature that shows content in the feed people may not already be following. Next, Instagram will run a test that enables users to choose which topics they want to see more or less of in their feed.

In addition, Instagram has plans to embrace mobile-first video more broadly, though Mosseri didn’t share any specific details how Instagram plans to do that.

TikTok Adds ‘Shoutouts,’ Revenue-Generation Feature For Creators, Fans

According to Social Media Today, TikTok has rolled out a Cameo-like revenue-generation option called Shoutouts that lets fans pay creators in exchange for a personalized video message.

Why it matters: Shoutouts will be powered by the virtual currency TikTok launched last year, TikTok coins, which enables users to buy and send virtual gifts to creators during their TikTok live streams.

The details: As seen in this screenshot from Fabian Ouwehand, TikTok’s Shoutouts can pay a creator for a personalized message using TikTok coins. The creator has three days to either accept or decline the fan request, plus an additional week to create the video message, which gets sent to the paying user’s inbox.

New LinkedIn Research Examines The State Of Gender, Racial Equity In Marketing Jobs

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This week in social media news, LinkedIn publishes new research on gender and racial diversity in marketing jobs, Facebook’s new report highlights the three key shifts driving the evolution of the shopper experience, Google won’t complete phasing out support for third-party cookies until 2023, Twitter launches a new 15-second view bidding model for premium videos and more.

LinkedIn Shares New Research On Gender And Racial Diversity In Marketing Jobs  

According to LinkedIn’s latest research, which combines data from its platform with research from ANA, McKinsey and others, 60 percent of marketing roles are occupied by women in North America. The bad news: racial diversity among those roles is lagging, with just 13 percent of all chief marketing officers having racially diverse backgrounds.

Why it matters: While the number of women CMOs grew from 2019 to 2020—from 47 percent to 52 percent—the percentage of racially diverse CMOs declined, reports LinkedIn. Black women, the research found, are severely underrepresented in leadership roles. Of 100 men that advance to a managerial role, 58 black women advance, compared to 80 white women and 72 women overall.

The details: LinkedIn’s research shows that compared to other industries in the US, women are represented well in marketing in almost every industry, with real estate, wellness and fitness being the strongest; representation of women in manufacturing and entertainment marketing roles ranked the lowest.  

A majority of females are represented at executive levels in marketing too, with 53 percent in a director role or higher, 59 percent in a manager role and 63 percent serving as individual contributors.

Though 52 percent of CMOs are women, just 13 percent of all CMOs have racially diverse backgrounds, according to ANA’s annual report on diversity. What’s worse, while 13.4 percent of Americans identify as black or African-American, research from Coqual found that just 3.2 percent of senior leadership roles at large US companies are held by black people.

LinkedIn also found that the top three fastest growing job titles for women in marketing are director of growth, account strategist and creative strategist.

Despite these encouraging statistics, women are 18 percent less likely than men to apply to a marketing job after viewing it.

Facebook’s New Report Highlights The Shifts Driving Evolution Of The Customer Experience

Facebook has published a new report that sheds light on the three key shifts driving the evolution of the customer experience. With insight from industry experts, the report examines the roles that mobile and social commerce, personalization and privacy, and creators are playing in the post-COVID landscape.

Why it matters: Across the world, 81 percent of consumers say they’ve changed a shopping habit since the start of the pandemic, and 92 percent say they’ll continue this new behavior in the long term. Businesses are innovating faster than ever to keep up with these changes.

The details: The surge in ecommerce during the pandemic gave consumers a newfound sense of ownership around their interactions with brands. To create their optimal experience, consumers are leveraging mobile shopping and messaging services, notes Facebook. 

Sixty-six percent of global online shoppers say their mobile device is quickly becoming their most important shopping tool and 62 percent of social media users say they’d like to communicate with a customer service representative through a messaging app.

The takeaway for brands is to create humanized, digital shopping experiences, whether it’s through conversational or discovery commerce.

Next, Facebook found that people want personalization and privacy to go hand in hand. Some 69 percent of global online shoppers feel more personally connected to brands that offer personalized content or deals. Similarly, 60 percent are interested in using a personalized shopping tab to discover tailored content, reports Facebook.

To give consumers the best of both worlds, Facebook suggests brands utilize privacy-enhancing technology and contextual advertising. In addition, marketers should simplify legal jargon or communicating policies around their data privacy practices in digestible content for consumers.

Lastly, Facebook sees a new kind of creator culture emerging where consumers form closer connections to their favorite influencers as consumers come to expect more interactive shopping experiences. Fifty-one percent of consumers surveyed say they get ideas on which products to shop for from celebrities and creators, and 45 percent say they want to buy products promoted by creators directly on social media.

For brands, this means showing diverse creator personalities with consumers who are seeking better representation.

Twitter Launches New 15-Second View Bid Unit

Because advertisers have only a few seconds to make a positive and impactful first impression, Twitter has launched a 15-second view bid unit powered by its new prediction model that prioritizes engaged, long-form views on your content.

Why it matters: Twitter says it’s been spending the last few months working on a new prediction model that enables this new buying model, with early testing showing that it drives Twitter’s highest video completion rates yet. 

The 15-second view bid, which has been tested with advertisers like Bud Light and Virgin Media, led to an average of an 89 percent higher completion rate, at a 25 percent cheaper cost per completed view.    

The details: Twitter says its new prediction model optimizes for serving video ads to active targeted users that have the highest likelihood of spending more time with your video content, based on their preferences and behavioral trends on Twitter. Twitter then serves your video to those users and charges on CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions).

Along with this new 15-second bid unit comes new reporting metrics in Twitter’s Ad Manager, including cost per 15-second video views and 15-second video view rates.

The new 15-second view bid unit, available to all advertisers globally, will be the new default bid unit for all campaigns under Video Views.

Facebook Rolls Out New ‘Optimize Text Per Person’ Ad Option

According to Social Media Today, Facebook has added a new ad option called ‘Optimize Text Per Person’ that, if enabled, automatically swaps text between an ad’s headline and primary text to optimize its performance.

Why it matters: Though Facebook doesn’t specify how it’ll determine what text each user is more likely to respond to, the new ad option will make it so that your ads are optimized without the need to make additional updates to the text in the headline, description or primary text.

The details: As per a screenshot tweeted by Leon Grigg, who first spotted the new ad option, the toggle displays the following message:

“When it is likely to improve performance, allow text to swap between fields, such as showing your headline as primary text.”

As per Social Media Today, ‘Optimize Text Per Person’ isn’t available to all users yet but Facebook appears to have expanded it this week.

Google Postpones Phasing Out Of Third-Party Cookies To 2023

Google has announced that Chrome is pushing back the phase-out of third-party cookies and the launch of its Privacy Sandbox initiative—which aims to create web technologies that enable brands to target consumers while protecting their privacy online—until 2023.

Why it matters: Early last year is when Google first announced that it would phase out third-party cookies. Google also aimed to launch its Privacy Sandbox initiative by early 2022. Now, it says it needs to “move at a responsible pace” to “avoid jeopardizing the business models of many web publishers which support freely available content.”

The delay will give marketers more time to gather first-party data, a necessity for reaching consumers seeking personalized digital experiences.

The details: Google’s goal is to hold a public discussion on the technologies and their prototypes in forums like GitHub and W3C groups, then rigorously test them in Chrome, perhaps through several origin trials. Once developed, the technologies will be ready to be used at scale.

After this public development process, Google says it plans to phase out support for third-party cookies in two stages. The first stage will start in late 2022, during which time publishers and advertisers will have time to migrate their services. Google expects this initial phase to last nine months.

Stage 2 will see Chrome phase out third-party cookies over a three-month period wrapping up in late 2023.

Snapchat Expands Its Music Library With New Universal Music Group Deal

The short-form video app war that is Snapchat vs. TikTok is heating up. Adding fuel to the fire, Snapchat and Universal Music Group have announced a new deal that will add UMG artists’ music into Snap’s library. The music will be featured in Sounds—Snap’s music feature—Lenses and more.

Why it matters: Snapchat is seeing considerable success with Sounds, which launched in October. The platform says videos created with music from Sounds on Snap have generated 521 million videos and 31 billion views. At launch, Snapchat’s music library featured tunes from Sony and Warner artists.

However, TikTok was the first to ink a deal with UMG back in February after UMG pulled its entire catalog from Triller. The deal, according to a press release, allows TikTok users to incorporate clips from UMG’s full catalog of music.

The details: In addition to partnering with UMG, Snap says it’s improving the discoverability of ‘Sounds’ for users. It recently launched Shortcuts, a feature that suggests relevant camera modes, Lenses and soundtracks based on what’s in your camera’s view.

Additionally, Snap will continue to add Playlists to help users quickly find the right song for their video. Playlists will involve genres, moods and moments relevant to the Snap community, as well as songs that are trending on Snap.

‘Streetwear ‘And ‘All-Inclusive Resort’ Are Among The Rising Conversation Topics In Facebook’s Q1 Report

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This week in social media news, Facebook’s ‘Topics to Watch’ report highlights rising conversation topics on Facebook and Instagram, Google announces new listing options for Google Businesses, Facebook launches a new Independent Artist Program, Instagram adds the ability to run group fundraisers, TikTok signs on as the title sponsor for VidCon 2021 and more.

Facebook Report Reveals Rising Conversation Topics On Facebook And Instagram In Q1

Facebook recently published its ‘Topics to Watch’ quarterly report highlighting rising topics of conversation on Facebook and Instagram. They include Travel Photography, Streetwear, All-Inclusive Resort and Body Positivity Movement — all of which saw sizable growth in Q1.

Why it matters: As consumers and businesses embrace the new normal, Facebook’s analysis of key and rising search terms give marketers valuable insight about consumers’ post-pandemic interests and the demographics driving these conversations. 

The details: With travel restrictions easing up, Facebook found that conversations about ‘Travel Photography’ surged, with 2.65x year-over-year (YoY) growth.

Many are unlikely to leave behind the comfort of loungewear after a year of lockdown, hence why ‘Streetwear’ was also heavily discussed in Q1, with 2.57x YoY growth.

Facebook also observed a steady increase in discussions of ‘All-Inclusive Resorts’ on Instagram with 1.73x YoY growth. Associated topics include: Airport, Beaches resorts, Destination spa, Tourism, Mexico, Caribbean, Travel agency and Passport. 

Lastly, ‘Body Positive Movement’ experienced 2.29x YoY growth on Instagram. Here the associated topics were Self-love, Self-care, Body image, Feminism and Mindfulness.

Google Adds New Listing Options For Business Profiles, Plus Ability To Create And Share Posts 

Google has launched several new listing options to help improve Google Business profiles, including the ability to add details such as contact information and opening hours, and create posts and share updates like special offers or new offerings right from Google Search.

You can add details, such as contact information and opening hours, and create Posts to share updates, like special offers or new offerings, right from Google Search. Starting next week, you’ll also be able to create Posts about upcoming events including when and where they’re happening — whether you’re throwing a reopening party or hosting an online tasting. 

Why it matters: Google says that food ordering on Google has jumped more than 230 percent since last year, and that searches for “who has __ in stock” have increased by over 8,000 percent over the year.

Food ordering on Google has increased more than 230% since last year thanks to a boost in demand (who else is tired of doing dishes?) and new restaurant partners. To help handle the demand, Order with Google lets food businesses accept orders for takeout and delivery directly through their Business Profile on Google Search and Maps. This makes it easier for you to reach new customers and turn searches on Google into orders.

The details: Google has added a new process for businesses offering local services – such as construction, landscaping and auto repair – to include new services and local areas serviced directly from their Search and Maps listing using the Edit Profile menu.

The tech giant is also now alloing businesses that work with one of its Reserve with Google partners to enable online bookings directly from Google Search. Once the business has signed up with a Reserve with Google partner, they can see how many bookings customers have made with their business directly on Google. 

For restaurants, the good news is that they can now update their menus by adding or editing items in their Business Profile on Search and Maps. 

In addition to being able to manually add product information to a Business Profile via Search and Maps, eligible US retailers can get all their in-store product inventory automatically added to their Business Profile by signing up for Pointy from Google right from Google Search. 

Later this summer, Google will allow business owners who’ve started their onboarding journey but aren’t yet verified to complete their verification journey on Search and Maps.

Facebook Launches New Independent Artist Program To Help Unsigned Artists 

Facebook is launching an Independent Artist Program to help undistributed artists and creators get their music on Facebook and Instagram products plus anywhere else Facebook offers a music library.  

Why it matters: Facebook is catching up to the likes of TikTok, who last summer announced a partnership with UnitedMasters that will allow full integration between both platforms directly through the TikTok app. In response to TikTok’s growing prominence, YouTube recently said that it paid over $4 billion to the music industry in the last 12 months alone.

The details: Facebook has partnered with preferred third-party music distribution companies DistroKid and TuneCore to help unsigned artists get their music on Facebook and Instagram quickly and at no cost to the artist. 

To sign up, musicians can select from a list of Facebook’s third-party distribution partners, fill in their information, then start sharing their music across Facebook and Instagram music products. Artists will get paid for the use of their music based on the terms of their chosen distributor. Plus, they’ll get access to insights about the music’s performance.

Instagram Launches Group Fundraisers

In an attempt to help people activate together around a cause, Instagram has launched a group fundraising tool that lets people invite others to join their fundraiser, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting their non-profit of choice.  

Why it matters: Instagram launched personal fundraisers last July and Instagram Live fundraisers shortly thereafter in August. Facebook reports that users have raised over $5 billion through Facebook and Instagram combined.

The details: The process is similar to launching a personal fundraiser except after adding and sharing a fundraiser, users must tap the ‘Share’ button on their fundraiser page then ‘Invite Group Members.’

TikTok Overshadows YouTube In Becoming The Title Sponsor For VidCon 2021

This year, TikTok will be the lead sponsor for VidCon 2021, which is set to return to Anaheim Convention Center in late October, and will offer both a digital and in-person ticket option, according to Variety.

Why it matters: Since 2013, YouTube has been the title sponsor for VidCon, which debuted in 2010. Though YouTube said it will be among one of the secondary sponsors of the event, the shift reinforces TikTok’s growing influence in the social media and influencer marketing landscape.

The details: As per Variety, as the title sponsor, TikTok will have the keynote address spot and invite top creators and executives involved in all three of VidCon’s tracks — Community, Creator and Industry.

Among the creators confirmed to attend include TikTok stars Andre Swilley, Sarah Lugor, Devon Rodriguez, Alex Warren, Benji Krol, Michael Le and Ben De Almedia, to name a few.

Snapchat Launches Creative Kit, Enabling Developers To Integrate Their Apps In Spotlight

With the launch of its new Creative Kit for Spotlight, Snapchat is enabling developers to promote their apps on its TikTok-like feed called Spotlight, reports The Verge. Snapchatters can then use the creation tools available on those apps to create videos that get directly published on the Spotlight feed.

Why it matters: Giving its users more creative freedom via developer apps is a surefire way to boost Snap’s downloads. In 2019, Snapchat reported that about 7 to 9 million users joined the platform as a result of viral face filters.

The details: Using the new Creative Kit for Spotlight, users can browse content made by developers then easily download them. Developers can track the performance of their tools and effects and content created by users through hashtag topics. Snapchat won’t take a percentage from the developers even if their app charges a fee for use.

According to The Verge, initial partners for Creative Kit for Spotlight include Lightricks, Splice, Powder, Piñata and Farms.

Instagram Debuts Reels Ads Globally

After a test in select countries, Instagram announced it’s launching Reels ads globally. The expansion comes almost a year after first launching Reels in August last year.

Why it matters: Reels represents Instagram’s effort to compete with TikTok. Through videos of up to 15 seconds, Reels aims to give creators the same creative freedom that TikTok users are loving — through fast, multi-clip videos customizable with music and augmented reality effects.

TikTok recently launched a new ads library, new ad tools for small businesses and in-stream shopping tools such as collection ads, dynamic product ads and promo tiles.

The details: As Instagram noted in a company blog post, Reels ads will be full screen and vertical, akin to ads in Instagram Stories. The ads, which can be up to 30 seconds, will appear between Reels and will loop.

Reels ads will be served in the Reels tab, Reels in Stories, Reels in the Explore tab and Reels in users’ feeds. In addition, people can like, view, save and share Reels ads.

Instagram said that it’ll give people controls on the Reels ads they’re served. For example, if they see an ad they dislike, they can skip it or tap the menu on the post to hide or report the ad.

Facebook’s New Report Suggests Brand Loyalty Is Under Threat

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This week in social media news, Facebook’s new research suggests brand loyalty is under threat, Spotify launches a live audio mobile app called Spotify Greenroom, YouTube adds a new feature for creators and expands Shorts to 23 countries, Twitter is launching a ‘subscribe button’ for those with a Revue newsletter and more.

New Facebook Report Reveals Digital Media Evolution’s Impact On Shopper Journey

A new research study from Facebook and Kantar explores the implications of how the evolution of online shopping has impacted the shopper journey. Though the findings are specific to Hong Kong and Taiwan online shoppers, there are implications for marketers everywhere looking to continue driving brand love.  

Why it matters: As Facebook’s research shows, brand loyalty is under threat amid the growing variety of choices consumers have today. Citing a Nielsen Global Consumer Loyalty study, Facebook reports that only 8 percent of consumers consider themselves committed loyalists to their favorite brands.

The details: Starting with its brand loyalty findings, Facebook reports that 56 percent of global shoppers find it extremely important to experience novelty. Specifically, 80 percent of Taiwanese will continue trying new brands to find the ones that suit them best.

To inspire loyalty, brands must meet the six universal drivers of brand love. According to a study by Oath, those include: exceeding needs, building just, setting trends, sharing values, respecting consumers and elevating experiences.

Post-purchase, it’s important for brands to exceed consumers’ needs, namely keeping an open channel for shoppers to share feedback or ask questions. The reason being, 48 percent of Hong Kong online shoppers expect to receive proactive updates around issues related to their offers.

Like most shoppers, those in Facebook’s study are interested in receiving communications from brands, but many fear that their personal data will be leaked. Brands must not only protect consumer data but also create meaningful outcomes for shoppers, notes Facebook.

In the final leg of the shopper journey, Facebook notes, brands should analyze shoppers’ data to understand their current behaviors and predict future ones as a means to exceed shopper expectations.

Spotify Launches Live Audio Mobile App ‘Spotify Greenroom’

Spotify has entered the standalone audio app space with its own live audio mobile app called Spotify Greenroom. Powered by a Creator Fund, the app will enable Spotify users on iOS and Android worldwide to tune in or host live audio rooms, then create podcasts out of those conversations.

Why it matters: Spotify’s foray into the live audio space heats up the competition among standalone audio apps such as Clubhouse and audio-only features being developed by social media giants like Facebook. The news comes after Spotify in March acquired Betty Labs, the company responsible for Locker Room, a sports-focused audio app.

The details: For now, Spotify Greenroom can host up to 1,000 people. Hosts can rack up “gems” in the app, given to them by listeners as a form of applause. The number of gems a speaker receives will appear next to their profile image during a live session.

Spotify Greenroom includes a live text chat option and the option to request your audio file after a live session concludes, which as noted above, can turn into a podcast. Spotify said it will be recording the live audio sessions for moderation purposes.

In the coming months, Spotify plans to launch more features for Greenroom, as well as programmed content. The Creator Fund Spotify announced will aim to help audio creators based in the US earn money for their work. Interested creators can sign up through this form.

YouTube’s New Update Will Speed Up Creators’ Video Editing Process

In the latest episode of YouTube’s ‘Creator Insider’ series, ads policy lead Conor Kavanaugh announced an update that gives creators the ability to place midroll, end screens, info cards and manual captions while their video is uploading. In the same update, Kavanaugh confirmed that YouTube is extending the Shorts camera to 23 countries.

Why it matters: Albeit small, the update will speed up the video editing process for creators.

YouTube’s Shorts expansion to 23 countries signals the offering’s increased momentum. More creators are likely to test Shorts now that YouTube has announced its $100 million Shorts Fund, which will reward creators whose Shorts get the most engagement each month.

The details: The new editing feature for creators is now available in the YouTube Studio process. And among the regions Shorts is coming to are the UK, Canada and Latin America.

Twitter Adds Newsletter Subscription Button Via Revue

Twitter is getting ready to introduce a newsletter subscription button, which will be available to anyone with a Revue newsletter who chooses to enable the feature via Revue, reports Mashable.

Why it matters: The new addition follows Twitter’s acquisition of Revue, which writers use to generate free or paid subscription newsletters. Twitter claims a 5 percent cut of the latter, according to Mashable.

The details: As explained by a company spokesperson, those who have a Revue account can turn the subscribe button feature on. Those who visit the writer’s Twitter profile can subscribe directly via the button.

Twitter hasn’t announced an exact launch date for the button, but confirmed it’ll first be available on the web and Android and later to iOS.

Facebook Announces New Payment QR Codes, Branded Chat Themes For Messenger

Facebook has launched three new features for Messenger, including the ability for US users to utilize QR codes and payment links on Facebook Pay; sponsored chat themes; and a quick reply bar to the Messenger media viewer.

Why it matters: Facebook Messenger counts 136 million users and that figure is expected to grow to 138.1 million next year.

The details: Eliminating the need to download separate payment apps or add new contacts, Facebook’s new Messenger QR codes and payment links make it easy to send or request money via Facebook Pay. Users can access these new features in their Messenger settings under “Facebook Pay.”

Next, Facebook has rolled out three new sponsored chat themes, including one inspired by Gen Z actress and singer Olivia Rodrigo, World Oceans Day and the “F9” film.

Lastly, Messenger users will now see a quick reply bar, which will enable them to send a quick response without having to revisit the main chat thread.

Facebook Expands Its Messenger API For Instagram To Everyone

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This week in social media news, Facebook expands its Messenger API for Instagram to all, TikTok may now collect “biometric data” such as images and audio, Instagram adds insights to Reels and Live, Twitter launches its inaugural subscription service, ‘Twitter Blue,’ and more.

Facebook Expands Its Messenger API For Instagram

At its annual F8 Refresh conference this year, Facebook expanded its Messenger API for Instagram, which will enable businesses to connect messaging to existing third-party tools like CRM applications and help turn inquiries into sales.

Why it matters: As TechCrunch notes, the main takeaway Facebook gleaned from the program’s closed beta, launched last October, is that businesses wanted a central place to manage customer communications and that many were investing more in software to efficiently manage messages and workflows.

The details: To start, all developers globally will be able to use the Messenger API to interact with Instagram users. After that businesses will gain access in a phased rollout, according to TechCrunch.

As part of Phase 1, Instagram accounts with an audience of over 10,000 followers and under 100,000 followers can connect to the API. In July, phase 2 will make it so accounts with 1,000 to 100,000 followers can use the API. The remainder of accounts will get access by Q3.

In a company blog, Instagram says that as a result of connecting to the API, Kiehl’s Malaysia is now driving 30 percent more qualified leads on Instagram messaging compared to other channels. The brand is also now converting 20 percent of consultations into sales.

Instagram also cites H&M’s success in partnering with Sprinklr to detect languages to automatically organize and send messages to the correct support team. In doing so, H&M increased customer satisfaction by over 9 points while increasing agent efficiency by 31 percent, according to Instagram.

TikTok May Now Collect Biometric Data As Part Of A New Privacy Update

TikTok recently added a new section to its privacy policy titled “Image and Audio Information” which notes that it may now “collect biometric identifiers” such as faceprints and voiceprints from users.

Why it matters: It seems TikTok’s goal with this latest privacy change is to deliver more personalized experiences for it notes that collecting such data will enable special video effects, demographic classification and content and ad moderation and recommendations.

The details: TikTok explains:

“We may collect information about the images and audio that are a part of your User Content, such as identifying the objects and scenery that appear, the existence and location within an image of face and body features and attributes, the nature of the audio, and the text of the words spoken in your User Content.”

Pinterest Expands Shopping Features To Four New International Markets

Pinterest is rolling out its shopping features to Australia, Canada, France and Germany, the company announced. The expansion will enable users to shop directly from Pins, boards, search and real-world inspiration captured via Pinterest’s Lens camera search.

In the same company announcement, Pinterest detailed the launch of ‘Shopping List,’ a new way for Pinners to save their product Pins in one place.

Why it matters: Pinterest’s research shows that people who visit Pinterest weekly outspent non-Pinners by 2x every month and have an 85 percent bigger cart.

In addition, advertisers that include shopping ads drive 3x the conversion and sale lift as well as twice the positive incremental return on ad spend.

The details: After research revealed that Pinners are over 7x more likely to buy products they’ve saved on the app, Pinterest is introducing a new feature called ‘Shopping List.’ This gives Pinners a way to have their products Pin automatically saved in one place and get notifications about deals for those products. The feature will first be available in the US and UK then come to Australia, Canada, France and Germany later this year.

Pinterest is also expanding its Verified Merchant Program in the UK, Australia, Canada, France and Germany. Plus, retailers in the latter four countries will see the shop tab on profile and be able to utilize product tagging.

Lastly, Pinterest announced a new two-week Shopping Spotlight called “The Goods by Pinterest” in the US, UK and Canada. The virtual event will let Pinners shop limited edition products exclusively sold through Pinterest from emerging brands like Outdoor Voices, Olive & June and Lucy and Yak.

Facebook Adds Insights To ‘Rights Manager’ For Images

After launching in September ‘Rights Manager’ for images—a feature that enables creators and publishers to protect and manage their image content on Facebook and Instagram—Facebook is adding new features to it including insights on protection activities, metrics and demographics.

Why it matters: Facebook first launched ‘Rights Manager’ in 2016 as a way to give users with a large amount of content more control on how and where their content is shared. Since then, it has added video insights, an ad earnings feature to claim in-stream ad earnings and ownership links.

The details: The first new insight Facebook is introducing for its images Rights Manager is protection insights, which gives users an overview of total blocks and monitors across Facebook and Instagram by territory.

Next, performance insights will provide metrics such as impressions, likes, comments and shares.

The third new insight covers a user’s audience location, language and their engagement behavior.

Instagram Adds Insights For Reels And Live

Instagram is rolling out insights for Reels and Live plus other new features for Insights such as more detailed information about Reach, new preset time frame options and desktop support.

Why it matters: These new updates will give creators and publishers alike the chance to improve their content, and for the former group, the ability to land more brand deals.

For those wondering how Reels and Live content impacts their overall account, Instagram says it will add these new metrics in Account Insights to paint a broader picture of their performance.

The details: For Reels, Instagram will be showing new metrics including Plays, Accounts Reached, Peak Concurrent Viewers, Comments and Shares. For Live, users will be able to check all the aforementioned except Plays.

Instagram is also enhancing information about Reach to show which types of accounts people are reaching and the content formats most effective at driving Reach.

Over the coming months, Instagram plans to support Insights on desktop and roll out new preset time frame options in Insights beyond the last 7 and 30 days.

Twitter Launches Inaugural Paid Subscription, ‘Twitter Blue’

Twitter has launched its first-ever subscription offering, ‘Twitter Blue’ that will provide access to exclusive features and perks, starting with users in Australia and Canada for the monthly fee of $4.49 AUD or $3.49 CAD.

Why it matters: As per Twitter:

“We’ve heard from the people that use Twitter a lot, and we mean a lot, that we don’t always build power features that meet their needs. Well, that’s about to change. We took this feedback to heart, and are developing and iterating upon a solution that will give the people who use Twitter the most what they are looking for: access to exclusive features and perks that will take their experience on Twitter to the next level.”

The details: The features Twitter Blue subscribers will have access to include BookMark Folders, an Undo Tweet feature, Reader Mode, customizable app icons for their device’s home screen and color themes for their Twitter app.

Additionally, the subscription includes access to dedicated customer support.

Twitter’s Batch Of New Product Updates Aims To Attract Creators, Publishers And Advertisers

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This week in social media news, Twitter’s latest product offerings aim to attract advertisers and creators, Snapchat announces new public profiles for brands and the latest version of its AR-powered Spectacles, Facebook shares an overview of its ad policy, Pinterest details the evolution of its search system and more.

Twitter Launches Variety Of New Features For Advertisers And Consumers

In recent months, Twitter has debuted several new product updates to keep up with the likes of Snapchat, Facebook and LinkedIn. Among them include new preroll and sponsorship opportunities for Amplify, its video ad product, updates to its app installation and website click programs and consumer-facing features like ‘Tip Jar’ and ‘Spaces.’

Why it matters: As per Digiday, Twitter’s investments — which caused its research and development costs to increase 28 percent last year — are paying off as Q1 revenues surpassed $1 billion, a 29 percent increase year-over-year. Equally important, the changes are contributing to its brand refresh as well as attracting interest from publishers and advertisers alike.

The details: On the advertising side, Twitter just recently caught up to speed with competitors when it launched fleets and carousel ads last November.

Like other major platforms, it’s also expanding opportunities for creators to monetize their content. For example, giving users the chance to sell exclusive access to content through ‘Super Follows,’ allowing users to build complementary businesses with their audience through ‘Revue’ and offering the ability to accept direct donations through ‘Tip Jar.’

In addition, Digiday notes that according to Parse.ly, Twitter accounts for a single-digit percentage of referral traffic to publishers. This has inspired attention from publishers like USA Today, a beta tester of Twitter’s ‘Spaces.’ The publisher, reports Digiday, is using ‘Spaces’ as a way to put its reporters in front of users. Recently, USA Today hosted a ‘Spaces’ event with the reporters who covered the Derek Chauvin trial. Next, it’s eyeing how to use Twitter’s ‘Tip Jar’ feature to grow digital subscribers.

Snapchat Announces New Brand Profiles And AR-Powered Spectacles

During its second annual Partner Summit, Snapchat announced several new product updates, including public profiles for businesses and the next generation of its augmented reality-powered Spectacles.

Why it matters: As Snap chief executive Evan Spiegel noted during the summit, Snapchat’s latest features come as the platform now boasts 500 million monthly active users. Its new business profiles will give brands the ability to create an organic presence and share shoppable products, while the new AR glasses will enable creators and developers rapid testing and iteration of Lenses in real-time.

The details: First up, Snap’s new public profiles for businesses means brands will have a place for their content in one discoverable place, which users can subscribe to. Key features of a public Snap brand profile include: the ability to publish stories, AR Lenses and a highlight reel of public snaps plus the option to have a native store via Shopify.

As for its new lightweight Spectacles, Snap says they’re not for sale but that they’re going to change the way creators and publishers make Lenses as they’re fully integrated with its desktop app, Lens Studio.

According to Snap:

”Powered by our new Snap Spatial Engine that leverages six degrees of freedom and hand, marker, and surface tracking, Spectacles realistically overlay creators’ imaginations on the world in a new way.”

Spectacles feature two RGB cameras, four built-in microphones, two stereo speakers and a touchpad to create a multi-sensorial experience. So far, a group of seven creators worldwide have been able to try Snap’s new AR-enabled glasses.

Facebook Shares Overview Of Its Ad Review Process

In a new company blog post, Facebook vice president of business integrity, Jeff King, shared details around what constitutes an ad, how its ad review system works and how Facebook is evolving its ad systems.

Why it matters: Last summer, brands cut their Facebook ad spending amid criticisms over its content moderation policies. Nevertheless, in Q1 2021, Facebook brought in $24.5 billion in ad revenue, a 46 percent increase YoY.

The details: First, Facebook is clarifying which policies apply to ads. As King notes, Facebook requires brands follow both its ad policies and its community standards. In addition, ads that run on Instagram must also follow the community guidelines, while Marketplace listings are subject to its commerce policies.

As for how its ad review system works, Facebook relies mostly on automated technology to apply its policies, but in some cases says it manually reviews ads. The ad review shouldn’t take longer than 24 hours, but anyone who’s ever run ads on the platform knows that isn’t alway the case.

To process re-review requests for ads that were rejected, Facebook relies heavily on human reviewers but is, “continuously assessing ways to increase automation.”

Facebook says that ads about social issues, elections or politics have “an increased level of authenticity and transparency.” This means people can see demographic data about who saw an ad and where it ran for up to seven years after the ad stopped running via Facebook’s ad library.

Pinterest Now Sees More Than 5 Billion Searches Every Month

Pinterest’s senior vice president of products, Naveen Gavini, recently took to the Pinterest Engineering blog to explain how the platform’s search system has evolved to become more visual and yield more accurate results.

Why it matters: According to Gavini, there are now more than 5 billion searches on Pinterest every month. That growth comes as the platform continues to enhance its creator and ecommerce tools. 

For example, last summer it launched the ability to shop within Lens and the ability to try on lipstick via a new feature called AR Try on. More recently, Pinterest launched ‘Idea Pins,’ which evolved out of its tests with Story Pins that launched in beta last fall.

The details: Pinterest’s first search engine was called Guided Search, which would start with a generic search like ‘BBQ’ and lead to more actionable things like ‘vegan DIY BBQ,’ according to Gavini.

It was in 2015 when Pinterest started its work in object recognition within Pins. Later, it applied the technology to camera search to find recommendations for items on and offline.

Eventually, Pinterest combined text and visual search, training its systems to emulate the ways its users are categorizing images.

Pinterest says that it’s using machine learning for numerous updates including improvements to Related Pins, which have become the most common ways people refine their search.

Snapchat Reflects On Social, Environmental Efforts In 2021 ‘CitizenSnap’ Report

Snapchat has published its latest ‘CitizenSnap’ report, a 102-page update on the progress it’s made on social, environmental and governance (ESG) matters. Highlights include a three-part approach to reducing its carbon footprint and the expansion of its living wage program to international offices.

Why it matters: Snap’s ESG priorities are divided into four categories including society, planet, people and governance. As per Snap:

“Our ESG work reports into a Vice President-level company executive, and it receives regular visibility and oversight from senior leaders across the company, including the CEO. We are also incorporating ESG updates into semi-annual Board committee meetings and annually into full Board meetings.”

The details: Starting with society, Snapchat says it doubled down on its commitment to ethical product design and user privacy. It also helped users navigate the pandemic, reaching more than 197 million people with in-app tools aimed at educating people on COVID-19 safety guidelines. 

Helping its community’s emotional wellbeing, Snapchat also launched a feature called ‘Here For You’ to provide mental health tips. This work extended to its diversity efforts too, as Snap says at least 53 percent of Snap Originals featured leads or hosts who are BIPOC or LGBTQ+.

In regard to sustainability, Snap launched a three-part climate strategy, the first element of which includes Snap purchasing enough offsets to become carbon neutral going back to its founding in 2011. Part two involves mitigating climate change; Snap says it adopted science-based emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. And for the third element, Snap says it’s committed to purchasing 100 percent renewable electricity for its facilities globally.

Among Snap’s key culture initiatives include the roll-out of new diversity, equity and inclusion accountability mechanisms which apply to its employee performance measurement process. 

Snap also expanded the availability of therapy sessions, added child and family care resources and extended parental leave to 16 weeks globally for birthing and non-birthing parents.

Lastly, some of the work Snap did around governance includes increasing representation of women on its board to 50 percent; expanding its certification program for key non-financial metrics such as daily active users; and revamping its code of conduct to focus more broadly on ethical decision making principles.

Read Snap’s full report here.

TikTok Starts Testing In-App Shopping In Europe

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This week in social media news, TikTok partners with brands to test in-app shopping in Europe, Reddit is developing an in-house agency to help with brand strategy, Pinterest will host a three-day livestream event with creators via its app, Twitter is reportedly working on new paid tweet options, Facebook Workplace shares a guide for hosting effective livestream company events and more.

TikTok Tests In-App Shopping In Europe

Gearing up for a broader global ecommerce service, ByteDance-owned TikTok has started to work with brands like Hype to test in-app shopping in Europe, reports Bloomberg.

Why it matters: As Bloomberg notes, TikTok’s goal is to replicate the success of its Chinese twin Douyin, on which ecommerce transactions brought in $26 million during its first year of operation.

With the online retail segment set to generate $5 trillion in sales this year as per eMarketer, platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest are all developing and testing ecommerce features. TikTok has been working on enhancing in-app shopping features since last year when it announced a partnership with Walmart and Shopify, respectively.

The details: According to Bloomberg, TikTok’s goal is to sell more ads to merchants, increase traffic and take a portion of business. As part of its collaboration with Hype, the streetwear label will run dedicated stores on TikTok, taking orders from and engaging with shoppers directly.

In December, ByteDance co-founder Zhang Yiming noted that their recipe for big opportunities outside of China includes a combination of ecommerce, live streaming and short videos, reports Bloomberg.

Reddit Is Developing An In-House Agency To Help With Brand Strategy

Reddit is creating an in-house creative agency called KarmaLab that will host regular workshops to help brands enhance their advertising strategy under the guidance of the agency’s global director, Will Cady. KarmaLab already names Samsung and Snickers as previous clients, according to Digiday.

Why it matters: The launch of an in-house agency marks Reddit’s larger efforts to bolster its ads business in response to the difficulties brands have faced in being perceived as authentic by Redditors. Last May, the platform hired Pinterest’s former vice president of growth, Harold Klaje, amid a restructuring of its ad sales team.

The details: As Digiday notes, KarmaLab’s aim is to eventually help with overall brand strategy but to start, it will offer brands regular workshops and tips on approaching sponsored Ask Me Anything events, plus ways to enter popular subreddits like gaming via paid and organic posts.

Pinterest App To Host Three-Day Livestream Event With Top Creators

Pinterest is running three days of livestream sessions hosted by top creators from May 24 to May 26 on the Pinterest app, reports TechCrunch. Each day, users can tune in to seven different virtual events covering a range of topics including beauty, fashion, food and DIY.

Why it matters: This marks Pinterest’s formalized approach to virtual events. Last fall, it tested a “class communities” feature enabling users to attend Zoom classes via Pinterest which included a group chat option and shopping features.

The details: TechCrunch says that during Pinterest’s three-day virtual event, users can interact with the creator and shop products that creators can tag via Pinterest’s Product Pins. Moderators will oversee the sessions and will have the ability to remove people from the chat if they violate Pinterest’s community guidelines.

Users will be able to view the virtual event schedule and join the livestreams on the Pinterest app through a new ‘Live’ tab that the platform is adding.

Twitter Tests New Paid Tweet Options Under Monthly Subscription Model

After surveying its users last July on what in-app functions they’d pay for, Twitter is developing a monthly subscription called ‘Twitter Blue,’ as spotted by app researcher Jane Manchun Wong and reported by Social Media Today. The plan would cost $2.99 a month and give users access to a range of new Twitter tools, such as a saved tweet folder, undo tweet option and more.

Why it matters: In preparation of launching its own subscription plans, earlier this month Twitter acquired Scroll, a subscription-based service that removes ads from news sites for $5 per month.

The details: As noted by Wong, Twitter Blue would give paying users access to a ‘Collections for Bookmarks’ tool as well as a feature for retracting tweets within a certain period.

Wong also says Twitter is developing a tiered subscription model, with the higher-priced tier offering premium tools such as clutter-free news reading experience, which is where Scroll would come in.

As per Twitter’s survey last year, some other potential subscription add-ons could be custom profile options, advanced video publishing tools, auto-replies, custom stickers and insights into other accounts.

Facebook Offers Playbook For Hosting Effective Live Company Events

With many companies adopting a hybrid work model this year, Facebook has published a six-step guide on using live video within Facebook Workplace to host effective company events, help build community and improve employee wellbeing.

Why it matters: Earlier this month, Facebook Workplace reached 7 million paid subscribers, up 40 percent from 2 million last May. Comparatively, in April Microsoft’s Teams reported 145 million daily active users, up more than 93 percent from 75 million in April 2020.

The details: First up, Facebook says to avoid overlooking employees who aren’t in the office, users can create polls that help teams build more inclusive agendas.

Next, Facebook suggests using Workplace as a central space to share details of an upcoming event including an agenda and how to join.

Preparing leaders to be more authentic is Facebook’s third tip for more effective use of live video. The platform recommends asking leaders to think of personal anecdotes to share during the event to build trust between team members.

Interactive polls during a Workplace Live are also another great option for engaging and monitoring your whole audience, notes Facebook. In addition, organizers can check the Live Producer’s Stream Health tab to view key metrics and event logs.

For improved accessibility, Workplace Live also gives you the option to enable captions before or after a Live post.

Lastly, Facebook suggests keeping track of unanswered Q&A questions via the Q&A functionality which allows organizers to track all employee questions that need following up.

Twitter May Soon Reopen Verified Profile Applications

Twitter could be reopening its application for profile verification, as spotted by researcher Jane Manchun Wong. This time, though, it’ll be a self-serve process.

Why it matters: Applications for Twitter verification have been on pause for some time now after in 2017, followers expressed confusion over the meaning of the blue tick. Since then, Twitter has provided more transparency on who would qualify for verification once it re-launched the applications.

The details: On May 13, Wong tweeted:

“I was told by multiple sources that Twitter plans to launch the new self-served Verification Request form next week.”

As you can see in these screenshots from Wong, the updated verification process will ask a series of questions to determine if the user qualifies for the blue tick. You must fall into one of these six categories to be considered: activist, organizer or influencer; company, brand or organization; entertainers or entertainment groups; government official or affiliate; journalist or news organization; or professional sports or esports entity.

TikTok Is Once Again The Most Downloaded Non-Gaming App Worldwide

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This week in social media news, TikTok is the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide in April, Snapchat adds 16 percent incremental reach to TV, YouTube expands Shorts to all US creators, Snapchat announces its Creator Marketplace and YouTube shares insight about the most popular vlog greetings.

TikTok Is The Most-Download App Worldwide In April

According to Sensor Tower’s latest data, TikTok was the most-downloaded non-gaming app worldwide in April 2021 with over 59 million installs, most of which came from Brazil and China. Second to TikTok were Facebook, followed by Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. The top five remain unchanged from March 2021.

Why it matters: In March, TikTok also topped Sensor Tower’s worldwide app list. It’s also worth noting that, on Google Play in particular, TikTok downloads overtook Instagram for second place in April; up from third place in March.

The details: Facebook, the second most downloaded app worldwide, bought in more than 53 million installs, mostly from India and the US.

On iOS, the top five list remains the same as March, with TikTok in first, followed by YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook.

Snapchat Shares Data On Its Reach Versus Television’s

Snapchat’s study analyzed how more than 30 cross-platform ad campaigns reached people on its app and on television using Nielsen Total Ad Ratings (TAR). The big takeaways are Snapchat added 16 percent incremental reach to TV and that it was able to reach Gen Z that TV didn’t.

Why it matters: Marketers have reason to scale back on TV and invest in short-form video apps as cord-cutting continues to surge. By 2024, eMarketer predicts non-pay TV households will surpass linear pay TV households.

The details: According to the study, 71 percent of Gen Z reached by Snapchat weren’t reached by TV.

Next, it found that Snapchat reached people who don’t watch much linear television. Nielsen analyzed the distribution of five cross-platform campaigns across light, medium and heavy TV viewers in the US. What they found is that 64 percent of the target audience Snapchat reached are light TV viewers, compared with 18 percent of the target audience TV reached. 

That’s in line with Snapchatter behavior, as nearly 60 percent of US users are considered light TV viewers by Nielsen. Members of this group, Snapchat says, are more likely to have over $100,000 income, have attended over four years of college, change brands for variety, be Spanish-language dominant and live in broadband-only households.

YouTube Expands Shorts To All US Users

During the latest video on YouTube’s Creator Insider channel, YouTube ads policy lead Conor Kavanagh said the platform is expanding its Shorts camera to all US creators and adding new features like 60-second videos and a new Shorts tab.

Why it matters: YouTube only introduced its Shorts Beta to the US in mid-March. The feature, which previously let people only create videos 15 seconds or less, was initially launched in India.

The details: The new Shorts features include being able to record up to 60 seconds. Next, YouTube is adding Shorts filters during the recording and editing screens that let users “color correct or change the vibe of your Short.” Over the next year Kavanagh says YouTube will release more filters and effects.

Shorts will also start generating captions automatically, by default, for videos unless users choose to turn the setting off.

Lastly, Youtube is adding a new Shorts tab to mobile.

Snapchat Is Launching A Creator Marketplace

Snapchat has announced nine new Snap Original shows that feature rising creators and touch on social issues, racial injustice, mental health and climate change. In addition, it’s launching a Creator Marketplace that makes it easy for brands to partner with its creator community.

Why it matters: To date, Snap has created more than 128 Original series and in H2 of last year 85 percent of the Gen Z population watched one of its shows, according to Snap.

Snap is following in TikTok’s footsteps with its new Creator Marketplace. What sets Snap apart from its competitor though is that upon launch the marketplace will enable brands to leverage the expertise of augmented reality (AR) creators in Snap’s Lens Network.

The details: Snap’s three new unscripted shows include Off Thee Leash with Megan Thee Stallion, Charli VS. Dixie and Coming Out. Its new docuseries include Lago Vista, Twinning Out and Meme Mom. Additionally, new to Snap’s scripted series are The Me and You Show and Breakwater.

Snap’s Creator Marketplace will open later this month for brands to partner with a select group of AR creators through 2021. It’ll expand the marketplace to include all Snap creators in 2022.

YouTube Study Highlights Most Popular Vlog Opening Lines

According to YouTube’s latest study, “Hey Guys” was the top vlog greeting in 2020, accounting for 36 percent of the top five greetings.

Why it matters: Pointing to the unique video openings that popular creators have created, YouTube says there’s “value in establishing your unique personality in your first impression.”

The details: To determine the most popular greetings, YouTube identified all the videos that could classify as vlogs using minimum thresholds of at least 20,000 views for the videos and at least 20,000 subscribers for the channels that posted them. This resulted in a data set of over 1 million videos from which YouTube scanned captions.

YouTube found that “Hey guys” has been the go-to vlog greeting for the last decade while “Good morning” and “Hi everyone” have grown in popularity.

Fitness channels specifically use “What’s up” a lot while travel channels lean toward ‘Good morning.”