It's a Subscription Model Market, Facebook's Pivot to Professionals, X Targets Streaming: Monday Social Media News Roundup

Get the need-to-know highlights from the social media industry that happened the week of October 2-6.

Meta

1. Agencies Rethink Meta's Platforms

• Digiday reports a decline in agency investments in Meta due to diminishing returns. This could lead to lower advertising competition and costs on Meta platforms.

2. Meta's Subscription Model

• WSJ unveils Meta’s ad-free subscription pricing, impacting ad visibility on Instagram and Facebook – this may affect ad engagement rates. It might be time to re-evaluate your advertising strategies on these platforms.

3. Meta's AI Assistant

• Meta trains a new AI assistant on public posts, yet QZ argues Meta wins even if it fails.

4. Evolving Consumption Shifts

• Meta’s report highlights consumption shifts crucial for marketers. Understanding evolving consumer behavior is key – adapt your marketing strategy to align with consumption trends.

5. Underwhelming AI Shopping Campaigns

• Adweek shares marketers’ disappointment with Meta’s AI-fueled shopping campaigns. As you experiment, monitor AI campaign performance and have alternative strategies.

6. Messenger Data Collection Alert

• Messenger now alerts users on data collection upon clicking links. Increased awareness may affect user engagement with links – so be transparent about data practices to maintain trust.

Facebook

1. Professional Access & Meta Verified Section

• Facebook introduces a Professional Access section and a Meta Verified section, hinting at more features to improve professional networking and verification.

2. New Features Galore

• New additions include a “Stories” section, comment filter for “Meta Verified”, and “FB Pro Tools Bookmark” to aid growth.
• Also, several new features were launched: a new notifications feed, “Send to WhatsApp” button, and “Turn stories into Reels”.
• New AI Stickers to enhance engagement with Stories

Threads

1. Reviving Interest in Threads

• Meta explores new options to reignite interest in Threads, alongside Instagram's focus groups with creators. This could lead to a potential resurgence of Threads as a platform for creators and small business owners. Keep an eye on new features and user engagement trends on the platform.

2. New Sharing and Display Features

• Threads introduces new sharing options, highlighted threads, and user activity display for better user engagement.

Instagram

1. Design and Editing Enhancements

• Instagram unveils a new design for the “Send to a specific user” menu and promotes the “Sequence” editing feature for Reels.

2. Monetization and Partnership Updates

• Introduction of a paid partnership label on Broadcast Channels and a "Content Funding" feature for Reels signify new monetization avenues and transparency in partnerships.

3. Metrics and Insights Accessibility

• Watch time for Reels and desktop access to Instagram Insights provide better performance analysis. Use these metrics to refine your content strategy and improve engagement.

4. Sharing and Discoverability Features

• New features like "Turn stories into Reels", "Send to WhatsApp" button, and "Use Hashtag" button enhance content sharing and discoverability.

5. New Reels Features

• Features like downloading Reels with music and adding Channels stickers to Reels for better engagement and enhanced creativity and engagement on Reels.

WhatsApp

1. Pinning Messages and Text Formatting

• WhatsApp is introducing a feature to pin messages at the top of conversations and advanced text formatting options for better communication.

2. Enhanced Channel Updates Sharing

• New functionality to share links to individual messages in Channels, making sharing updates outside WhatsApp easier.

3. Updates Section Search Function

• WhatsApp simplifies its Updates section with a new search function, aiding users in finding specific updates quickly.

Twitter/X

1. Usage Statistics and Growth

• Twitter (X) CEO unveils new stats on platform usage: 14% increase in user time, 20% rise in video consumption, significant growth in creators, and nearly $20 million paid to creators via its ad revenue program.

2. Links and Headlines Changes

• Elon Musk points out that X is discouraging links in posts while X removes headlines from news story links for a cleaner look. This could affect traffic to external sites and user engagement with shared links. Adapt to these changes by crafting compelling captions and utilizing X's native features.

3. Trademark Lawsuit

• Trademark lawsuit against Elon Musk's X by an ad agency called X Social Media. Legal challenges could potentially affect X's branding or operations. Stay updated on legal developments that could impact X's platform policies or branding.

4. Game Streaming and Live Shopping

• X experiments with game streaming and signs a live shopping deal with Paris Hilton to enhance platform content. Explore these new content formats to engage and grow your audience on X.

5. Subscriber-Only DMs and ID Verification

• Introduction of subscriber-only DMs setting and “ID Verified” label for Premium users.

6. Regulatory Challenges

• X headed for a 'rule of law' clash with EU, warns Twitter’s former head of trust & safety. This highlights potential regulatory challenges in the EU market. Monitor regulatory updates to ensure compliance and understand potential implications for your business.

7. Pinning Feature Experiment

• X experiments with the capacity to pin more items in the app, including Communities, Search Queries, and Profiles.

LinkedIn

1. AI and Education

• LinkedIn suggests AI disrupting the traditional four-year college degree, emphasizing lifelong learning. This indicates a shift in the value of traditional education versus continuous learning and skill development.

2. AI Tools Launch

• LinkedIn unveils new AI tools for learning, recruitment, marketing, and sales, powered by OpenAI. Use these tools to optimize your learning and recruitment initiatives, and to improve marketing and sales strategies.

3. AI Assistant for Advertising

• New AI assistant feature to help brands auto-generate ads and campaigns using website content. Experiment with the AI assistant to enhance your advertising efforts on LinkedIn.

4. Profile CTA Button Visibility

• LinkedIn increases the visibility of its Profile Call to Action (CTA) buttons for enhanced profile visibility and engagement opportunities. Customize your profile CTA buttons to encourage desired actions from your audience.

YouTube

1. Content Monetization & AI Effect

• YouTube expands access to content monetization and adds a generative AI effect called Bloom in YouTube Shorts, transforming people into vibrant topiary structures. Explore the monetization options and experiment with Bloom effect to enhance short video content.

2. Mobile Live Streaming

• Exclusive mobile live streaming for members rolled out on YouTube mobile app. Consider offering live-streaming sessions to engage with your member base.

3. Podcasts Auto-Download

• YouTube Music introduces auto-downloads for podcasts. If podcasting, ensure your content is available on YouTube Music to leverage the new feature.

4. 'You' Tab Redesign

• YouTube is testing a redesign, replacing the Library with a 'You' tab. Monitor the update for potential changes in viewer interaction and adapt your channel layout accordingly.

5. Subscriber Analytics

• YouTube launches new subscriber analytics for better content planning. Use the analytics tool to plan content that resonates with your audience.

TikTok

1. TikTok Shop Performance

• Brands find TikTok Shop's performance a slow burn, indicating a slower adoption rate and potentially delayed ROI for businesses exploring TikTok Shop.

2. TikTok Shop Halts in Indonesia

• TikTok halts online shop in Indonesia to comply with new regulations, a loss of an e-commerce channel for brands in Indonesia. Stay updated on regional e-commerce regulations to navigate channel availability.

3. ByteDance Financial Performance

• ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, reports Q1 2023 profit of $6.8 billion, with revenue nearly on par with Meta's.

4. Ad-Free Subscription Plan

• TikTok tests a $4.99 ad-free monthly subscription plan.

7. Creative Assistant for Ads

• TikTok launches Creative Assistant to aid in ad creation process.

6. CapCut Photo-editing Features

• CapCut expands to photo editing with advanced features.

7. CapCut Updates

• CapCut introduces new views, filters, and a History feature for recently viewed templates. Use the new features for improved editing workflow and content variety.

Alt Platforms

1. Mastodon Growth

• Mastodon witnessed a 488% surge in donations and reached 1.8M monthly active users in 2022. Consider exploring Mastodon for a diverse social media strategy, especially if aligned with its community-driven ethos.

2. Pebble’s Thread Composer

• Pebble introduces a “Thread composer” feature.

3. BeReal’s Global Campaign

• BeReal kicks off a global marketing campaign to find 'The Realest Person on Earth' with a 3-week paid vacation prize.

4. Reddit's Search Enhancement

• Reddit improves meme search by adding a media tab, simplifying results page, enhancing spam filters, and improving screen reader compatibility.

Top Reads on Social Media and Creator Economy

1. Emergence of Paid Social Media

• Major platforms testing subscriptions, indicating a shift from ad-based to direct user monetization.
• Impact: Creates new monetization strategies for platforms and potentially less ad clutter for users.
• Insight: Explore how paid features on these platforms could affect engagement and advertising strategies.

2. Gen Z’s Influence Ambitions

• Consistent desire among Gen Z to become influencers (57% in 2023 vs. 59% in 2019).
• Impact: Continuous influx of new creators, maintaining the influencer marketing momentum.
• Insight: Tailor marketing strategies to leverage this unceasing interest in influencer culture.

3. Artifact’s AI Image Generation

• Artifact now enables AI image creation for posts, enhancing user content creation.
• Impact: Enhances user engagement and content diversity.
• Insight: Look for ways to integrate AI in content creation to stay competitive.

4. Creator Brand Evolution Challenges

• Creators facing branding hurdles when evolving their online personas.
• Impact: Indicates a need for flexible branding strategies.
• Insight: Offer support or tools for seamless brand evolution to keep creators engaged.

5. Deepfake Scam Alert

• Prominent personalities like MrBeast used in deepfake scams.
• Impact: Raises awareness about the malicious use of deepfake technology.
• Insight: Education on digital literacy and verification tools could become crucial.

6. TikTok's Operation in Europe Criticized

• NYU Professor warns against TikTok's operation in Europe due to data privacy concerns.
• Impact: Could lead to stricter regulatory scrutiny or changes in TikTok's operations.
• Insight: Understanding global regulatory landscapes is crucial for platforms and creators alike.

7. Decline in Social Media Traffic to News Sites

• Noticeable decrease in traffic from Facebook and Twitter to top news sites, reflecting changing user behaviors or platform algorithms.
• Impact: May affect strategies of news outlets and advertisers.
• Insight: Diversifying traffic sources and understanding platform algorithms can mitigate risks.

8. The Great Internet Splintering

• Predicted shift towards a network of platforms offering customized experiences to users.
• Impact: Could usher in a less toxic era of social media with more user-centric platforms.
• Insight: Adapting to or creating niche platforms could be a viable strategy moving forward.

9. Elon Musk’s Strategy for Twitter Unveiled

• Insights into Elon Musk’s game plan for Twitter post-acquisition revealed by a former White House staffer.
• Impact: Could influence other tech magnates' approaches to platform acquisition and management.
• Insight: Keeping abreast of high-profile acquisitions and their strategies can offer a competitive edge.

10. Monk Mode: Limiting Social Media Use

• Individuals adopting 'monk mode' to restrict social media use for better mental health.
• Impact: Reflects a growing awareness and action towards digital wellness.
• Insight: Platforms and creators may need to consider digital wellness in their engagement strategies.

11. Journalists on TikTok

• Three journalists share how they utilize TikTok for news dissemination.
• Impact: Highlights TikTok's potential as a journalistic tool, expanding its use beyond entertainment.
• Insight: Social platforms can serve as powerful tools for various professional sectors, including journalism.

12. Biden Campaign's Social Media Strategy

• Biden campaign launches rapid response network on X and Threads to reach voters with ample content.
• Impact: Signifies the importance of social media in political campaigns and public engagement.
• Insight: Leveraging social platforms for real-time, widespread communication is crucial in modern political strategies.

13. Apple's Challenge in China

• Potential removal of major social apps from the App Store in China due to regulatory crackdown.
• Impact: May affect global tech companies' operations and user access in China.
• Insight: International regulatory environments continue to challenge global platform availability.

14. U.S. Supreme Court on Social Media Moderation

• Landmark cases on social media moderation to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Impact: Decisions may significantly affect moderation policies on major platforms.
• Insight: Legal frameworks around digital content are evolving, and platforms must adapt to ensure compliance.

That's it for updates!